I can’t believe that 3D movies have made a comeback over the last decade. Several years ago we took our daughter to see the Polar Express in 3D when it came out and she was amazed. I can remember seeing THE BIRDS in 3D when I was a kid. It freaked me out. I was swinging away trying to knock the birds from my face. I can remember taking my glasses off at one point during an intense scene and watching the people around me freaking out as they were swinging away as well.

When you see in 3D you see things that are REAL You see all the different angles that you otherwise wouldn’t see in 2D. Seeing as Jesus sees is truly a multidimensional viewpoint of life. Jesus is able to see us for more than what meets the eye. Just like Jesus sees us uniquely in 3D we need to see the others in 3D. We need to see people as real people, not as tasks that need to be fixed by US.

Many people in the Church have seen the world as projects not as people. But we need to be rooted in love and compassion for others around us, not tasks and projects that we are supposed to reach out to. Jesus saw others as people not a duty. Jesus was the ultimate evangelist. I think Jesus had a 3D pattern as He went about His day. He saw every dimension – THE GOOD THE BAD & THE UGLY. Then He called us to live with a 3D view of others. We have been commissioned with the great commission as followers of Christ.

Matthew 4:19

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”

He called US to be fishers of men. Those that would go out and love as He loved and reach as He reached. So how do we connect with others and show the love of Christ?

I want to give you the three D’s to live by in order to be a fisher of men.

1. Develop Relationships

We need to get to know people around us. We have opportunities everyday with neighbors, co-workers, family, friends, strangers, etc…Remember 2/3 of God’s name is GO! You have to go in order to get to know people. You have to go where the fish are. FISHERMAN KNOW WHERE TO GO to get the fish. We can’t have a bubble mentality – US vs. THEM – Us 4 & NO MORE. No Fisherman says “I hope I don’t catch any fish today” They don’t say,  “I am having a bad week better not be any fish out there” NO, they actually go fishing to brighten up their week. If you want a bright life then GO fishing – Get to know others. One of the best ways to develop relationships – SERVE OTHERS – That’s what Jesus did…

Philippians 2:5-7

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.  Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant,

Developing relationships opens the door for the next D…

2. Discover Stories

Everyone has a story and everyone has needs. People are on a journey. They’re not a checkbox on a spiritual agenda. This means you have to listen and truly care about people. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. God gave us 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason – to listen twice as much as we talk. We have to look for ways to build bridges with others and you can only do that by listening to what’s going on in their life. Jesus was a bridge builder. He was a master at the ability to connect with others. So to discover people’s story you need to, ASK QUESTIONS. Find a point of connection with people. After we discover stories and build bridges we are able to…

3. Discern the Next Step

The next step with others is always different. There is not a one size fits all method. Jesus had different responses to people’s need.

Matthew 10:14

“If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town.”

We need to let the Holy Spirit lead us in the next step as we reach out. Each one of us have different assignments from God…

1 Corinthians 3:5-9

What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task.  I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.  So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.  The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.  For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.

Sometimes you will plant a seed in people’s life. Sometimes you get to water a seed. And sometimes you get to see the harvest right before your eyes. Don’t waste your time pickin’ weeds when you should be planting seeds. What I mean by this is don’t try and convince people of their sin. Love and compassion win people over not condemnation and ridicule. One of the greatest ways to share your faith is to share Your Story. The success of evangelism is not how many people you have prayed with, it’s how many people you’ve pointed to Jesus. Some people think they need to talk someone into getting saved like a salesperson. But if you can talk people into getting saved someone can just as easily talk them out of it. We don’t save people – Jesus does. We just point people to Jesus. It has to be there decision…not ours.

So my challenge to all of us is to live a life of 3D Evangelism.