You Can’t Have One Without The Other

The next few weeks I am going to be talking about sin. Because—well—you’re a sinner. Me, too.

I strangely picture Oprah standing in front of her “Favorite Things” audience, except instead of shouting, “You get a car!” she’s pointing around the room saying, “You are a sinner! You are a sinner!”

It’s okay. This talk about sin is actually going to help you remember your need for a Savior. It’s going to do the same for me. So just hold on—this will feel good by the end. It always does.

“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”- John 8:11

When I worked training financial advisors in their intro-to-sales classes, there was a method we taught to help advisors field questions from potential—or difficult—clients. It was called the hamburger.

Without even knowing it, I’m sure you’ve been “burgered” once or twice in your own life. It goes something like this:

A question is asked.
You respond with a positive opening—the top bun.
Then you share the message, facts, or hard truth—the meat.
And you end with a positive closing—the bottom bun.

Ah-ha! See? You have been burgered.

Spreading the Gospel did—and still does—require a little hamburgering. In fact, Jesus Himself was the King (no pun intended) of this method.

Take, for example, the woman at the well.

The Samaritan woman had gone up the hill to draw water—something she did every day, at the same time. Jesus knew she would be there, which is why He took the path He did that day. Jews were not known for rubbing elbows with Samaritans. In fact, they avoided them altogether, believing Samaritans to be a lower-class society.

But not our Jesus.
No—He leaned in.

The Samaritan woman soon realized the Man standing before her was the Messiah. She was embarrassed by the life she had been living—and by the fact that He knew all about it. But instead of pointing out her sin and leaving her in shame, Jesus did something different.

He hamburgered her.

Top Bun: Jesus initiates the conversation with a simple question: “Will you give me a drink?”
He doesn’t speak down to her—He engages her. Remember, no one wanted to associate with Samaritans, so this act of acknowledgment alone was gracious and kind.

Meat: Jesus acknowledges her sin: “You’ve had five husbands, and the man you’re with now is not your husband.”
He speaks the truth in love. No shame. No disapproving facial expressions. No labels. No lecture. Just truth.

Bottom Bun: Jesus offers her living water—Himself. He offers salvation and chooses her to be a witness to the living Messiah. He doesn’t leave her broken or exposed. He leaves her restored & hopeful.

Friends, Jesus was a master communicator. He modeled this perfectly—and yet we still fall short. Sometimes we forget the bun. Sometimes we forget the meat. But we can’t forget either- they belong together!

When I really stop and think about it, I realize the bun is the Gospel. The bun is hope. And we must start and end there—just as Jesus did.

But we also can’t forget the meat.

The meat is the Law—God’s Law. And to see His true worth, we must first acknowledge our true sinfulness. Friends, we cannot save ourselves. Only a Savior can do that—and His name is Jesus Christ.

Without the bun, the meat is too heavy.
Without the meat, the bun is too empty.

We need both—desperately. One without the other renders itself useless. You might remember a time you were served one without the other, and my guess is you left unsatisfied.

So I’ll leave you with this final hamburger, in response to the question: Why do you need Jesus?

Top Bun: It’s a beautiful question—one so many ask, even the most devout Christians.
Meat: You are a sinner by nature, and nothing you do can fix that. Only Jesus can.
Bottom Bun: But oh, how deeply you are loved. And there is absolutely nothing you could ever do to make Him stop loving you.

Reflection:
Who do you already have a relationship with who might benefit from a good ol’ hamburgering? Where relationship exists, there is space for both truth and love. How might you model the love of Jesus this week?