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Bible Studies

Becoming the Go-To Person of Faith

There are two truths to hold onto when we encounter people who seem to feel they have no need of Christ. First, everyone has a hole in their soul, a place that yearns for solace from nagging or relentless struggle. Circumstances may numb us to it, or pleasure may mask it, but a heart without Christ will never be completely at rest. Second, and perhaps even more pertinent to this study, even the person who senses no need now will one day discover they do need more than what they can muster. What they remember about us and our faith in those moments may govern their response to God in time of need.

Workplace Snapshot:


 

Anthony was vocal about his faith.  Anthony's cubicle had Jesus posters on the walls, and his screensaver was picture of the empty tomb.  Visitors to his workstation could help themselves to a variety of tracts covering topics like alcoholism, debt and even salvation.  In the break room, Anthony never missed a chance to introduce his faith into the discussions, and he often went out of his way to object to a lewd story or comment.  While Anthony's coworkers thought he was a bit over-the-top with his faith, they didn't really think he was obnoxious.  If you wanted Anthony to leave you alone, he always respected your wishes.  No one could ever remember Anthony swearing, and only rarely had he ever lost his temper.  When he did, there was usually a good reason.  Anthony was also a solid worker, carrying his share of the load, and was often willing to pitch in and do the extra things that occasionally needed to be done.

 


Unlike Anthony, Marlita lived her faith out quietly.  There weren't any posters on her cubicle, and her screensaver was a waterfall in Hawaii she hoped to visit someday.  In the break room, Marlita listened to her coworkers tell their stories, laughing respectfully at the right moments and offering comfort when the stories were sad.  It wasn't uncommon for Marlita to tell somebody she was praying for them.  Like Anthony, Marlita's coworkers respected the competent way she did her job, and they especially appreciated the way she looked for opportunities to help.  Every new worker got invited to lunch at Marlita's table, and none of them ever forgot how she helped them fit into the rest of the team.


 


The other thing that surprised Anthony and Marlita's coworkers was how the two of them got along.  Marlita attended a church that emphasized demure services and behavior, while Anthony worshipped in a large church with praise teams and charismatic outpourings on stage and in the congregation.  Yet no worker could ever recall hearing either say an unkind word about their differences.  When asked about this, they both offered the same response: It's always about Jesus.


 


People in trouble always went to Marlita first.  Always.  While Anthony had a big heart, Marlita offered something soothing to coworkers.


 


People exploring faith seriously always went to Anthony first.  Always.  While Marlita's faith was strong and solid, Anthony offered something bold to coworkers.


 


What was it about Marlita, and Anthony, that made them go-to people of faith?


 


Scripture Passages:


 


Luke 7:1-17


 


Study Materials:


 

Jesus tells us it's easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven. While he goes on to point out that all things are possible with God, material wealth and career success can be powerful barriers to a person understanding their need for Christ.

 


There are two truths to hold onto when we encounter people who seem to feel they have no need of Christ. First, everyone has a hole in their soul, a place that yearns for solace from nagging or relentless struggle. Circumstances may numb us to it, or pleasure may mask it, but a heart without Christ will never be completely at rest.  Second, and perhaps even more pertinent to this study, even the person who senses no need now will one day discover they do need more than what they can muster. What they remember about us and our faith in those moments may govern their response to God in time of need.


 


So how do we respond to someone who sees no need of Christ? What approach have you tried?


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


Read Luke 7:1-5 and list the characters in the account. Describe what you know about them from this passage, or can deduce about them.


 


Character             What you know or can deduce


____________--


                               


____________--


                               


____________--


                               


____________--


                               


 


What assumption is being made by the centurion in the verses you just read? (HINT: If you need help here, look closely at verse 7.) Do you think the Jewish elders share this assumption? Why or why not?


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


Why do you think the centurion made this assumption?


 


 


 


 


What do you think prompted the centurion to seek out Jesus?


 


 


 


 


Though the need was not directly the centurion's, what effect do you think this incident had on his life?


 


 


 


 


 


Clearly, the centurion had heard about Jesus, but until this point we have no evidence he ever saw the need to seek Him out. Then, when need arose, what he'd heard about Jesus prompted his actions. What might we learn about reaching successful co-workers who don't sense a need right now?


 


 


 


 


 


What part might the "stories of our faith-lives" play in reaching this group?


 


 


 


 


Read verses 6-10, especially Jesus' remarks in verse 9. Why did Jesus marvel? (For help with your response, see also John 20:29.)


 


 


 


 


Finally read Luke 7:11-17. What clue do we have in verse 17 to why the centurion could have such faith?


 


 


 


 


Even those with no need of Christ are witnesses to the miracle of His love in the lives of those who trust Him. How you and I behave in the face of our needs may very well dictate how other people will respond when need arises in their own lives.


 


What new "habit" (in the sense of repeated behavior) will you introduce into your work life so that you might become a more winsome witness to Jesus in your workplace?


 


 


 


Alexander the Great once saw in his army a strong, powerful looking man, yet when it came to trial, he proved a coward. He asked the man his name. 'Alexander,' the man answered. "Nay, then" said Alexander the Great, "either deny thy name, or do something worthy of it. I will not have a coward of my name."


 


Christians should walk worthy of their name.


 


Common Sense and Eternal Principles


 



  • While people don't always believe they need Christ, they're always on the lookout for someone with a faith that works.
  • Recognizing that direct appeals to people who seem to have everything and have no need for Christ, we must be diligent in how we represent Christ.  This will make us the go-to person of faith when trial does force someone to seek help.
  • Even people who seem to have it all, don't.
  • Everyone needs Jesus.
  • Often, its' the sickness or need of someone they love that drives our coworkers to ask us for help.
  • Our lives should always be pointing to Christ as the Great Solution, and not us.  Just as the centurion went to the Jews looking for an introduction to Jesus, so too must we be the one someone comes to looking for an introduction to Jesus.

Related Articles • More Articles

The objective of this set of five studies is to move us from the place where we're comfortable with moral relativity to a place where others would describe us as having a steadfast character. Steadfast character honors God, but it also benefits us and serves others well. In the first lesson, we tackled one of the key barriers to making changes in our character: peer pressure, especially criticism and opposition by difficult people. Our second lesson recognized conflict in the workplace is a reality, and we identified ways to resolve conflict that still honored God while being consistent with our faith. This study addresses truth-telling, the most visible and least visible measurement of character.
This set of five studies is intended to help us move from a place where we tolerate moral relativity in our lives to a place where we reflect steadfast character. Doing this requires concentrated action on our part. In other words, we must be intentional. In the first of the five studies, we examined ways to avoid letting ridicule, threats and criticism distract us from our call to Christ-like character. This study helps us identify when, and how, to handle conflict that arises in our careers.
Perhaps nothing challenges our commitment to our faith more than difficult people, and this is especially true in our workplaces.
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