DEVELOPING THE HEART OF A CHAMPION
A Heart for Others
INTRO-Use Me Here
 What are some of your wants? A WANT could be described as the opposite of a need.
 You NEED food, clothes, and shelter…you don’t NEED a new car, although you may think you do.

In one way or another, we’re all selfish, if you ever want something other than food, shelter, and clothes, you are selfish. Selfishness isn’t always a bad thing, but…

Developing the heart of a champion means having a heart like Jesus, not selfish or desiring anything, until everyone else has enough.

The top things students WANT to be taught are:
#1 End Times
#2 Revelation
#3 Relationships
#4 Lust

But, if you are always taught what you WANT to be taught, you’ll never be taught want you NEED to be taught.

The first part of the lesson deals with needs…

NEEDS

People have PHYSICAL needs
Food, Shelter, Clothing, Physical safety.

John 9
Read John 9:1-12

Jesus spits on this guy and after that, tells him to go wash…always a nice thing to do after spitting on someone.

For this man, Jesus helped him with a physical ailment.

This is one of many of Jesus’ miracles; he performed them in a lot of ways, including turning water into wine…that was a party.

Another way was walking on water.

Most miracles were done to heal and show Jesus’ power, as was the one done for the blind man.

People have EMOTIONAL needs
To be liked, understood, accepted, loved, respected, etc.

What makes you say, “I love this church�? or “I have great friends�?? You are loved and accepted when at church, and liked and understood when around your friends.

Luke 19
If you grew up in church, you know the story of Zacchaeus. If you didn’t grow up in church, you missed a silly little song. Zacchaeus was a wee little man, and a wee little man was…he. Anyways, Zacchaeus was a short guy, if the Bible makes a point to say your short, you must be pretty small.

Read Luke 19:1-9

This guy Zacchaeus was a Tax Collector, the most hated profession amongst the Jews, and worst of all, he was a fellow Jew.
Tax Collectors in this day were very crooked, they would take a little for themselves, and a little for the government, and everyone knew it.

So Jesus looks up in the tree and says “Wee little man come down.�? No no no, he says, “Zacchaeus, come down, I’m comin over.�?

When Jesus spoke to the little man in the tree, he spoke to him by name, he didn’t say “Hey, Buddy, come on down.�? He said, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately.�?

As someone’s name is written into the book of life, it doesn’t say “Some guy in California.�? Jesus doesn’t say “Oh good, some guy in California is going to Heaven.�? He says “Oh good, Mike is going to Heaven.�? Or “John is going to Heaven.�? Jesus knows each of us by name.

People have SPIRITUAL needs
To be forgiven and reconciled with God.

You may have heard someone’s testimony in which they talk about a God-shaped hole. What that means is that, when God created each of us, he left a spot for himself. Without Christ, you just have a void. People try to fill that void with drugs, relationships, sex, friends, business, and it never works.

In John 4, Jesus spoke to a woman who was trying to avoid the fact that she was lacking something in her life.

John 4:19 She changes the subject off of herself, and onto a completely different subject.

Have you ever tried talking to someone, and they changed the subject?

You may say, “Hey, wanna come to church with me on Wednesday?�? and they say, “I can’t, I have homework to do, by the way, what did you get on your test?�?

They avoided the question, just like the woman at the well.

Even other people will claim to be “religious�?. Being “religious�? is great, but without a relationship, its nothing.

There will be “religious�? people who stand face to face with God, and he will say “depart from me, I never knew you.�? Don’t be that “religious�? person, be sure that you have a relationship with the only person that counts, God.

BIBLICAL TRUTHS ABOUT SPIRITUAL NEEDS
• Every person needs Christ (Romans 3:9, John 3:18)
• God loves every person and has provided for their salvation (John 3:16, Romans 2:4) Read Romans 3:22- We are made right in God’s sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, no matter who we are or what we have done. Rom. 3:22
• God desires to save each lost person (1 Timothy 2:4, 1 John 2:2)
• God has chosen to give the message of salvation through those who have experienced what they share.

BIBLICAL TRUTHS ABOUT SPIRITUAL NEEDS
• He wants to change you in ways we can never change on our own. AND GIVE YOU A REASON TO LIVE
• He wants to give you a reason to live.
• He wants to help you do the right thing.
• He wants to give you a heart for other people.
• He wants to save your soul and take you to heaven with him forever.

What in the world is better than these 5 things?

How can I develop a heart for others?

1. Show GENUINE concern for others
People are going to care about you, until you care about them.
2. Share your STORY
All Christians have a story, and nobody will argue with your story.
Zacchaeus had a story, after receiving and accepting Christ, he gave half his possessions to the poor, and paid back everyone four times the amount.

3. Extend an INVITATION
Studies show that about six out of ten people will reject you, but that leaves four out of ten just waiting for an invitation.

4. Expect a variety of RESPONSES
Mark 4:4-8

5. Follow-up with the POSSIBLE (love) and ask God for the IMPOSSIBLE (prayer)

One last thought:
Consider it a privilege that God allows you to be a part of the process of REACHING people for Him. Accept the challenge, believe God for results, and rejoice over CHANGED LIVES.