The importance of the "neutral zone."

The externally focused church, part 3
John 4:4-42

Intro…”Bowling alone” and the front porch concept…
• Today I’d like to challenge us to find those common areas, the neutral turf where we meet people.

Text: John 4:4-42 Jesus and the woman at the well
Prayer

Why is service at a neutral site so powerful?
• As a church when we are involved in community transformation, the avenue lies at the intersection of the needs and dreams of the city or community, the mandates and desires of God, and the calling and capacity of the church.
• We can see this illustrated through a 3 circles illustration.

Needs and dreams of a city: How do we find out?….
• Ask ‘em, SOS, Hunger, mentoring, schools, homeless, military
• John 4:7, “Will you give me a drink?”

Mandates and desires of God: What would these be?…
• Look to the bible, Ps. 127:1, Jer. 33:6 & 9
• John 4:9 Interacting with the “despised” people…

Calling and capacity of the local church: What would this be?…
• We can’t just withdraw from the community.
• This is where we need to be creative, think what we can do…
• Our communities cannot be healthy, all that God wants it to be, unless we are actively involved.
• “Christians have always had the privilege of working in partnership with God to care for the widow, the orphan, the alien, the disabled and the poor. “
• John 4:13-14

Now, what about the intersections of these circles?
• This is where it all comes together, where the city, God and the church meet.

Common grace: Where the interests of the city intersect with the desires of God.
• What God wants to do for a city that he doesn’t need the church to accomplish.
• Luke 6:35, “God is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.”
• Matt. 5:45, “He causes the son to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”
• Common grace includes schools, streetlights, roads, bridges, police/firemen. We pay our taxes to procure common grace.

Control: The intersection between the city and the church (apart from the will of God).
• Not a good history here. It’s when the state controls the church (Europe) or here in America the church has sometimes tried to control the policies of the state. Doesn’t work either way.

Salvation: The intersection God wants for the city and what the church has the calling and capacity to do, bring salvation.
• John 4:3, Jer. 29:7
• Remember though, salvation for the city is not usually their first priority... How do we make this happen?
• Tennis players in the room? What is the “sweet spot?”

Service: The only location that encompasses all three areas.
• John 4:32
• The sweet spot. Service is something the community needs, it’s what God desires and the church has the capacity to do.
• But what if nothing happens when we reach out and serve?
• Check your motives (they are like underwear, only you know if they are clean or dirty, only you know if they need to be changed.)
• Why are you willing to serve in the first place? Do get noticed? To have someone thank you?
• “Service is only true service when it is done without the expectation of a payback or getting noticed.”
• We serve because God has commanded us to serve. Leave the results from there up to God. Gal. 6:9-10

Conclusion: John 4:42
• The goal of serving others at a common/neutral site is life transformation.
• “We no longer believe just because of what you said (or did)”
• We want to see people come to Jesus and start a new life.
• GOSPEL

Feedback/thoughts/questions?
• Homework assignment, serve someone this week in the “sweet spot.”
• We’ll share some of those stories next Sunday in church…