As we continue our "Focus" series unpacking Island Church's core values, Pastor Paul zeroed in this Sunday on the crucial call to Share the good news of Jesus with the world around us. But as he emphasized, this sharing isn't meant to be a burdensome duty or an awkward sales pitch. Rather, it's the natural overflow of a life captivated by Christ, abiding in his love and connecting deeply with his people.
The question that gripped me was this: If we're truly walking intimately with Jesus, delighting in his presence, won't that joy inevitably spill over into our interactions? Won't others "catch a whiff" of the soul-satisfying aroma of knowing him?
As followers of Jesus, 2 Corinthians 2 tells us, we are the pleasing fragrance of Christ to God and to the watching world. Our lives, as we abide in Jesus' love, should carry the unmistakable scent of his grace. And that aroma has the power to draw others to the Savior.
But let's be honest - sometimes our witness feels more like a stale obligation than a fragrant offering. We view evangelism as something we have to psych ourselves up to do rather than the irrepressible outflow of walking with Jesus. Pastor Paul shared the sobering statistic that in recent years, Christians have become 3 times more likely to view sharing the gospel as the job of church leadership rather than the joyful responsibility of every believer.
Ouch. Could it be that this abdication stems from a lack of vibrant abiding? If we're not living in moment-by-moment communion with Christ, captivated by his beauty, we'll have little passion to proclaim him. Our witness will feel forced rather than authentic, a duty rather than a delight.
But when we make it our priority to dwell in the love of Jesus, to let his life flow in and through us, something beautiful happens. We find ourselves marveling afresh at the treasure we have in him. We experience his grace not just as a past reality but a present wonder. And that white-hot worship can't help but radiate out to a world in desperate need of his light.
Pastor Paul brought it down to one crucial paradigm shift: "The Christian life is not me living for Jesus. The Christian life is Jesus living in and through me." In other words, sharing Jesus isn't about working up the perfect sales pitch or having all the answers. It's about letting Christ live his life through us, allowing the Holy Spirit to fill us and flow through us.
Where might that overflow want to spill out in your life this week? Maybe it's inviting a coworker to coffee and listening to their story, praying for God-given opportunities to point them to Jesus. Maybe it's texting that neighbor you've been meaning to connect with and inviting them over for dinner, creating space for relationship and gospel conversations. Maybe it's carving out time to pray by name for the people God has placed in your path, asking him to prepare their hearts and give you his heart for the lost.
Whatever it looks like, let's remember the glorious truth that we have the one thing the world needs most - the light and love of Jesus. 8.2 billion people are waiting for the hope we carry. As Pastor Paul poignantly noted, sharing the gospel is the one thing we can do on earth that we won't do in heaven. What a sacred, urgent privilege.
So let's not settle for a witness that feels like a have-to. Let's pursue the want-to that flows from walking intimately with Jesus, from letting his love and grace captivate us afresh each day. And as we do, may the watching world catch a life-changing whiff of the fragrance of Christ radiating through us.
Because knowing Jesus is the most glorious adventure there is - and out of that abiding, sharing him is the most natural overflow of all.