Wanted: Gospel Spreaders

Text - Matthew 9.27-31; Mark 16.19-20

Matthew 9:27–31 NKJV

27 When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, “Son of David, have mercy on us!” 28 And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.” 30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, “See that no one knows it.” 31 But when they had departed, they spread the news about Him in all that country.

Mark 16:19–20 NKJV

19 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.

Title - Wanted: Gospel Spreaders

Why “gospel-spreader”?

inspired by the term “super-spreader”

individuals who are highly contagious and capable of transmitting a communicable disease to unusually large number of people

an event or occasion in which a significant number of people the same communicable disease

Disease must be controlled and prevented from spreading

we don’t need virus super-spreaders

The Gospel, on the other hand, must not be prevented but let go so that the truth that saves can spread far and wide and fast.

hence, we need gospel super-spreaders - and more of them!

Main Subject

The objective of ministry is to spread the gospel in the most effective way.

is the church effectively spreading the gospel?

are we contributing to the spread of the gospel far and wide?

Key Points

The most effective ways to spread the gospel

Acts 10:42 NKJV

42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead.

Peter was preaching in the house of Cornelius

they were commanded to “preach” and to “testify”

Acts 8:25 NKJV

25 So when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

Peter and John were in Caesaria Philippi

Preaching - the work of proclaiming or announcing the gospel of salvation

Testifying - the work of giving witness to the power of the gospel

Jesus trained His disciples to become gospel preachers because the only way the gospel can spread fast and far and wide is through preaching/proclamation and witnessing

note - quiet living can help in demonstrating faith, but it was NOT the way God wanted to spread the gospel!

Peter admonished the saints with regards to conduct

1 Peter 1.15 - it for the glory of God, who is holy

1 Peter 1.7 - it is a lifestyle for those who await the Lord’s return

1 Peter 2.12 - it gives witness to the gentiles

Preaching and testifying works together for the greatest impact

one proclaims the truth

another testifies to its power

Another effective way to spread the gospel besides oral proclamation, is writing

Luke 1:1–4 NKJV

1 Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.

Luke was a physician by profession and a Gentile

Luke was not an eyewitness of Christ’s ministry

Luke became a witness of the gospel of Christ by hearing from the eyewitnesses!

he wrote the Gospel -

after learning so much from the eyewitnesses

because he had a person to help - Theophilus

Luke became an eyewitness of the work of the Holy Spirit by going with the apostles in their missionary works

so he wrote the book of Acts

Writing is not passive witnessing. It is active witnessing because your writing will go around and be read by people.

traditional writing - books, articles, etc,

new methods - blogging, social media posts

Three steps to becoming a gospel spreader

First, one must become a disciple of Christ

a disciple submits to the tutorship of the Master

a disciple becomes a servant of the Master

the life of a disciple is fully surrendered to the Master

why? because only the disciple is given the commission

Matthew 28:16–20 NKJV

16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

note - some doubted

Second, one must own the commission of Christ

to be commissioned means you are given a task

to be commissioned means you are given authority for the task

Why? because those who are commissioned will be given power to actually finish the task!

Acts 1:8 NKJV

8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Third, one must be willing to be filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit

Acts 2:1–4 NKJV

1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

there appeared tongues like fire which rested upon them

the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit

they began to speak - in other tongues

The Holy Spirit has empowered the disciples to SPEAK so that the people around them could HEAR and KNOW!

the Jews heard them speak in different languages

Then Peter stood up and RAISED HIS VOICE and began to preach!

Acts 2:14 NKJV

14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words.

God fills us with His Spirit so that we can have power either (1) to preach or (2) to give witness/testify to the power of the gospel!

where do you get the filling of His Spirit - in God’s presence!

2 types of Presence of God

empowering presence

abiding presence

Illustration - Moses at mt Sinai, and in the journey

first, God invites us into his presence - so He can fill us with power

then, He sends us away, with His abiding presence

Gideon - saw the glory of God (Judges 6:22)

Isaiah - saw the glory of God (Isa. 6:1-9)

Those who have experienced the filling of the Spirit should not be silent! - you should be raising your voices so that people will hear.

Conclusion

There is another reason to preach or testify to the gospel.

the two blind men was instructed to keep quiet, but they could not contain their excitement for what they have experienced with Jesus!

Matthew 9:30–31 NKJV

30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, “See that no one knows it.” 31 But when they had departed, they spread the news about Him in all that country.

The gospel is worth spreading because your heart is full of excitement at what God has done in your life!

Imagine what can happen if other sick people will hear that Jesus is around!

Some are “burdened” at gospel preaching -

like Paul - “woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!”

Others God has given joy so that they can bear witness to the power of the cross!

WHICH ONE ARE YOU TODAY?

Whichever you are - let’s all become Gospel Spreaders!

SONG -