SIDEWALK EVANGELIST

Today at the end of our service we prayed for open doors of opportunity to come our way so we could share with people who might be wondering about Christ. We talked about figuring out where our Nazareth was ... what our pain was ... and what was already in our hand for God to use.

Funny thing is ... four hours later I'm at Miller Park in Milwaukee with some men from the church for a Brewer's baseball game - final home game of the season today.

I left the park just a few minutes early and on the way out, I find myself walking next to a group of six 20-somethings. Three young women and three young men. All of them are very good-looking. That isn't really germain to the story ... but they were all VERY good-looking people. I was honored to just be walking next to them - that's how good-looking they were. I thought maybe passersby would think I was actually WITH them rather than being just a stranger randomly walking in tandem with them. Maybe someone would think I was their father or something. Actually, I don't think there's any way I was good-looking enough to be their father.

So -- on the way out, 'our group' passed a man wearing a suit and hat - preaching. A sidewalk evangelist. He was telling those who walked by that they were all going to hell - Jesus died for their sins - repent while you can - and, O yeah - if you don't, you're still going to hell. Even if you're good-looking.

We all kept walking. I glanced at the six. They were snickering predictably to one another and laying down one four-letter word after another in reference to the sidewalk evangelist. As we continued on, I overhead them getting into to a conversation about Jesus.

#1: 'Jesus DID die for your sins.'
#5: 'What are you #*$&%@ talking about?'
#3: 'That's true. He died on a cross.'
#6: 'Yeah. I heard Jesus went into hell.'
#2: 'He &@#$*! did not.'
#6: 'I've heard He did. He went into hell.'
#4: 'Jesus never went into hell. That's &$*!@ crazy.'
#6: 'No, really -- He did. He went into hell.'
#5: '@*&$!#'

At some point I couldn't stand it any longer. As we all continued walking, I caught the eye of #6 - and I went way out on a ledge and said to her: "You're right, you know. Jesus DID go into hell. I'm a pastor and I've been listening to your conversation."

I could tell #6 was feeling completely vindicated at this point and nobody challenged my authority - which was when I realized they all knew I really could actually be their father - and then I had a few moments to tell them that Jesus DID die for their sins - He DID go into hell, but only so He could grab the keys of death and the grave - and that He loved them all and was their future hope.

They didn't scoff at me - they didn't belittle me - they didn't ridicule me - they didn't laugh at me - they didn't even argue with me. They seemed interested and open. The conversation went really well and ended with:
#3: 'Thanks, man.'
#1: 'Cool.'
#6: (Grateful smile)
#5: '@$*%!&'

I bet they kept talking about it as we parted ways to go to our vehicles. It was a door of opportunity. And God managed to use a sidewalk evangelist to bring it about.

And be blessed.