Six Degrees Of Separation

I talked to someone on the phone.
Through our conversation, we realized that we had a mutual friend.
How we discovered that is a story in and of itself.
We were amazed at how the world keeps getting smaller.

Six degrees of separation: the theory that everyone and everything is six or fewer steps away, by way of introduction, from any other person in the world.

Three Albright College students came up with an idea for a game while watching a movie.
As they watched Kevin Bacon in Footloose the idea for the game was born.
The goal was to link any actor to Kevin Bacon through no more than six connections.
Bacon began a website that builds on the popularity of the small world phenomenon.

A charitable social network, a way to give to others, making the world even smaller.
He began it with the premise that we are all connected to accomplish something good.
Hopefully, it will soon be something more than a game or a gimmick, Bacon remarked.
A way to give back.

It is amazing to think that we are all that close to someone else.
One person who knows someone, who knows someone, who knows you.
The things that connect us are far more important than the things that separate us.
Even the things that separate us are connected in some way.

Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon, son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter). The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, He said to him, “Follow Me.” Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathaniel and and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote – Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. “Nazareth, can anything good come from there?” Nathaniel asked. “Come and see,” said Philip. When Jesus saw Nathaniel approaching, He said of him, “Here is a true Israelite in whom there is nothing false.” “How do you know me?” Nathaniel asked. “Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Then Nathaniel declared, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.” Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that.” He then added, “I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” (John 1:40-51)

Talk about six degrees of separation.
Andrew told his brother, Peter about Jesus.
Jesus called Philip who was from the same town as Andrew and Peter.
Philip found Nathaniel who was skeptical because of the town Jesus came from.

Jesus saw Nathaniel as he was under the fig tree.
Nathaniel was amazed because he was praying under the fig tree.
All good Jewish boys and men prayed for the Messiah as they ended their prayers.
How would Jesus have seen Nathaniel praying under the tree, all alone?

There was only one possible explanation.
It explained how Jesus knew where Nathaniel was and what he was praying.
Nathaniel’s prayers were answered.
The Messiah was standing in front of him.

That explains Nathaniel’s incredible declaration.
Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the king of Israel.
Nothing else could explain it.
Jesus is the One Nathaniel had been longing for; Jesus is the answer to his prayers.

All because one person told another, who told another, who told another.
The six degrees of separation as it pertains to evangelism.
Telling others.
Finding the things that we have in common, rather than the things that separate us.

Spirit talks to Spirit.
One believer knows another.
You meet someone for the first time and there is an immediate connection.
A connection in Christ that is undeniable.

We are all connected so that we can accomplish something glorious for Him.
Jesus left the Gospel in our hands.
One person tells another, who tells another, who tells another.
Soon, the Gospel has gone forth simply from connections that were made.

Relationships built from the connections that were made.
Relationships here and in eternity.
The Holy Spirit is the perfect connector.
Spirit to Spirit for His Glory.

Who can you tell, so that they can then go and tell, so that they can go and tell?
How can you spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth one person at a time?
Begin today and see how far reaching your connections really are.

Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:19, 20)