Just Walk Across the Room 2-- Living in 3D

Three Seasons Community Church– 9-14-08

3d living is a framework for operating successfully in the Zone of the Unknown.

If we’re going to reflect the Father’s heart, as individuals and as a church, then we must be in continuous search mode. We’ve got to make a habit of searching for new friendships on the horizon. That is the heart of a true Christ-follower. When you operate this way—when you operate in continuous "search mode" … watching for ways to connect with people, looking for friendships in the making...

Luke 19:10 (NIV) [Page 743]

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

Mark 12:30-31 (NIV) [Page 718]

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' [31] The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."

Luke 15 [Page 740]

God desires an intimate relationship with us!

If we are a friend of God– He desires for us to be a friend to the lost!

Romans 10:13-15 (NIV)

for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." [14] How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? [15] And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"

Developing friendships. This is where living in 3D must begin. Once you are willing to view every interaction as the first step in developing a new, God-honoring friendship, you will find that some pretty interesting doors swing wide open.

How do you discover someone’s story? By asking questions and LISTENING and asking more questions!

The intertwining of these "d’s" is so critical for us to grasp. Your goal and mine should be to engage in the lives of the folks around us, developing friendships where we can so that we have a baseline for asking good questions about their journey. Then, once we truly understand their unique needs, we can try to help meet them.

Discern Next Steps

In your Journey Group this week, you’ll discover something called "divine forks in the road"—intersections where you can either listen to a person’s story and then pray for all you’re worth that God would show you what to do next … or where you abdicate any responsibility to source a need or extend a hand … and just walk away.

Once you’ve risked walking across a room to stick out a hand of friendship and unearth what another person’s journey has been like so far, the very best thing you can do is lean way into the whisperings and nudgings of the Holy Spirit. During every single second of your conversation with the other person, simultaneously beg the Holy Spirit for direction. For guidance. For insight. For wisdom. For creative ideas. For appropriate next steps to take.

What were some of the "next steps" that people took— That helped us come to understand God’s grace-filled love for us?

Write on the sticky note a meaningful "next step" that helped you in your Journey to meet Christ. Post it on the back wall by the Cross. Take a moment to thank God for that person and how they "walked" into your life when you needed them.