Evangelism

Evangelism

Thank Elders

Normally we travel verse by verse through books of the Bible, this is called Expositional preaching is normal but today lately what we have been doing is going through different topics concerning the habits of Grace. So if you will today will be sort of a bible drill. You don’t have to turn to the different books of the Bible if you don’t want to, or you can write them down and look later.

Our culture mentality has turned into a quick result outlook. If we don’t get instant gratification on an argument over Phoebe being a moon of Saturn, or who won the game last week, we are distraught. Or when we order a package from Amazon Prime and they tell us it will be here in two days but yet three days later we still don’t receive it, we go calling amazon to find out where our package is. We have a lot of luxuries as Christians in 2020, than that of those who ran the race before us didn’t have. However, instant gratification in evangelism is not how it works. It takes work, time, love, and prayer to do evangelism. We have to have Christ center of our lives, so that his kingdom is upmost of all. as Jesus went up to Peter and his brother and called them out of the boat, telling them that he would make them fishers of men. We likewise should leave our luxuries behind and Go fishing for men.

This morning I would like for us think through what Evangelism is. Maybe when you hear of Evangelism you think of what our culture and news media calls evangelistic Christians. this is not what we are going to cover. or your mind may go to Billy Graham and the revivals that took place a number of years ago, again this is not what we are covering today. Or maybe you think that evangelism is standing in the church parking lot with a fishing pole and a chick-fil-a sandwich as bait, casting it out in the road hoping to get a bite.

This morning We are covering personal evangelism and how it relates the Christian life. We are going to think through biblically what does it mean to Evangelize, who does the evangelism, why do we evangelize, who do we evangelize, and finally how do we evangelize. What i hope for you to get out of this morning is.: In response to salvation, Christians are to be ones who are fervently sharing their hope and the news of salvation to a sinful world.

Evangelism is a means of Grace and as we continue to study God’s word, may God make us more like him in the love that he has for others and the desire for them to know his salvation.

Let’s Pray

What does it mean to Evangelize?

If we were to make a basis definition of evangelism it would be: Evangelism is the teaching of the gospel to persuade. Simply put right.

Turn in your bibles to Mark 1:14-15.

Mark 1:14–15 (ESV): Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

We see Jesus’s beginning of his ministry and Mark writes that Jesus came into Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God. The word for evangelism comes from the Greek word for Gospel, euangelion. Here in Mark, Jesus is proclaiming this Gospel. Mark so graciously gives us an explanation of the gospel here. The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe in the gospel.

In Evangelism we proclaim or teach the gospel and Jesus teaches this gospel for us. Jesus says the time is fulfilled. Jesus is referencing to the time that all Jewish people were looking for that the one that would come who was the messiah. The king that would bring the nation out of the oppression of the Romans, and the would reign as God’s representative on earth. the promises that were made to Abraham in the OT, that a king would come and rule over the earth, the promise that was made in the garden that sin would be dealt with. That a holy one would come and be numbered with the transgressors. He was here. The time is fulfilled. Christ has come to take away the sins of the world. Simply put this is the gospel that we proclaim. This is the gospel that we take to those who have never heard it. We Persuade with this gospel. We tell the truth of what it is and we call them to make an action based on what they hear. Just as Jesus called the people of his day to repent and believe, we also do the same. This is evangelism. Teaching the gospel to persuade.

What is the Gospel?

Let’s look at another description of the gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:1-8

1 Corinthians 15:1–8 (ESV): Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me

Paul received this gospel, and he has taken it to the Corinthians. You could say that he has taken the gospel to the Corinthians to persuade them in its truth.

While the Corinthians have received the same gospel and their lives are rooted in it. The gospel according to Paul here is that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures that he was buried and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures...

This is what we do when we evangelize. We share this same gospel. We bring to sinner the message of Hope in Christ. That Jesus died for their sin, we call them to repentance. We persuade them to turn from the darkness of their sin and to turn to the light in Christ.

Who does the evangelism?

Often we can fall into the trap of thinking that it is the preachers responsibility to do the work of evangelism. While the preacher is one who shares the gospel, it is not only up to him to share the gospel. To is the be the work of the Christian. All Christians should be evangelist. Turn with me now to 2 Corinthians 5: 16- 6:2.

2 Corinthians 5:16–6:2 (ESV): From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

6 Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For he says,

“In a favorable time I listened to you,

and in a day of salvation I have helped you.”

Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation

Paul describes this ministry that the Christian is to have. Being a new creation in Christ, signifying that the old man of sin has died with Christ, the new Creation is one without the stain of sin upon the heart. The old man has passed away and the new man has a heart that has been reconciled to God. Because of the regeneration of the Christian, we have been given a ministry of reconciliation. We are to tell people about God. It is because of Christ that God is reconciling people to himself. Because of sin their they do not seek after God, they do not desire a relationship with God. As ambassadors for Christ. We are representatives of Christ, to a dying world. We are stewards of God’s words and the salvation of God that has been brought to the sinner

We have been given this message of reconciliation.

Being a ambassador of Christ means the The Christian’s life is to look different than the world. The world that is watching will see Christ in the way they live.

The Christians life should reflect Christ.

The new creation of man, through regeneration and faith in Christ, shows the world the truth of Christ. To those that we are evangelizing to will notice when the message we proclaim is not being lived out in our lives.

Spurgeon writes: It is of no use for any of you to try to be soul-winners if you are not bearing fruit in your own lives. How can you serve the Lord with your lips if you do not serve Him with your lives.? How can you preach His gospel with your tongues, when with hands, feet, and heart you are preaching the devil’s gospel, and setting up an antichrist by your practical unholiness?

This is why personal holiness is important in the Christian life. Personal holiness leads to evangelism evangelism.

If we call the sinner to repentance, but in turn sin ourselves, or we are living in sin, we lie and do not practice the truth. If we tell the sinner to be reconciled to God but yet we ourselves are not, we lie. Hypocrisy will be noticed from the unbeliever, who’s heart is darkened to the truth. They will use any means to deny the truth that is in Christ. While, the Christian is called to live holy lives. we will stumble, and when it is seen, we are to proclaim the forgiveness in Christ. Not as the means to sin, but in true genuine repentance. We go to the father and confess our sins, if we have wronged those who don’t know we ask forgiveness from them, if they have wronged us we likewise forgive. We are to show a spirit of reconciliation to god as we persuade those who are not reconciled to be.

Christians are to live by the Spirit

Just as the Holy Spirit descended upon Peter at Pentecost, so shall we seek to live in the spirit. The Holy Spirit brings power to the believer.. Jesus also tells his disciples in Acts 1:8, “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judaea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. As you follow along the book of Acts, we see this take place. The Holy Spirit comes upon the believers, he allows them to proclaim the gospel of Christ to the ends of the earth. The Christian should be able to share the gospel, to share the hope that is within them, and when the time comes the Holy Spirit will empower you to share the truth of God’s word. Reach out to your unbelieving friends, pray, ask the God to bring about opportunities to share the gospel and the holy spirits help in those times This spirit was not a special spirit that comes only to the disciples of Christ in Acts, this is the same spirit that enables us. He Boldness us, he grants us utterance of his word. The Holy Spirit helps the Christian share the gospel. He brings about opportunities for Christians to share Christ.

Christians are to show the Love of Christ

. The command to love your neighbor as yourself is not a command to love other believers. It is one for all people. Remember the parable of the Good Samaritan, the one who loved his neighbor is the one that shows mercy to the man who was beaten by the robbers. The message of reconciliation is not just for the people who look like us or are in the same church as us. It is for the whole world. That means we are to go to everyone. Often our prejudices keep us from sharing the gospel with others. WE must break that mold. God created all people in his image, and he desires all people to be saved. our love for neighbor, pushes us to ministry. We take this gospel, to those who look like us, but also to those who don’t. We reach out to all people and all nations with the news of salvation in Christ. If the heart is grateful to God for reconciliation with him through the gospel, then it will want to testify to that.

We show the love of Christ in the way we treat other. We weep with those who weep, we morn with those who morn, we give to the needy, help the poor. Most of all we share the love of Christ. We can share the gospel verbally, that is enough, but if we treat someone wrongly before, during or after, they will harden their hearts to the gospel. It has been said before: preach the gospel and if necessary use words. This statement is not entirely incorrect. Part of it is true, The unbeliever will look at the way we love them and others and if we show the love of Christ, they will see Christ more, but if we don’t, we risk hardening their hearts even more to Christ. While their hearts are already hardened by sin, we do not need to put more of a stumbling block in front of them.

Christians are to Desire for the righteousness of Christ

The Christian should desire the righteousness of Christ. They see the sin and their own lives and seek righteousness. Humbly going before God and seeking to live holy lives. Jesus in the sermon on the mount, says Blessed are those who hunger and thirsty for righteousness.” We are to be those who hunger to see God’s righteousness shine forth. This should push us to evangelize, when we see sin and injustice around us, we should go with the message of reconciliation. We know that these image Bearers are living in unrighteousness, apart from God . We should desire that God’s righteousness would prevail in their lives. They can do good morally, in humanities eyes, but their good is nothing but filthy rags in the eyes of God. Sin distorts this good, God sees this unrighteousness. We should notice when unrighteousness is done, and we should seek to have God’s righteousness in the heart of all people. We should desire that God’s righteousness be brought forth in their lives.

Why do we evangelize?

Command

Matthew 28:18

This is a command from God we are to share the Gospel to all nations. We are to Go, therefore and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the father and the son and the Holy Spirit. God calls all believers to share the gospel. There are some objections that we bring when we hear the command to take the gospel.

The first is the objection of I don’t know what to do or say. This objection is generally said because we don’t know the gospel enough to share it. Maybe this is you and you wont voice this objection to anyone.

Peter writes in 1 Peter 3:14-15, “have no fear of them, nor be troubled but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you... Brother and sisters, this is why bible reading and meditation is beneficial for the Christian in evangelism, Through the Bible reading we are able to know why we believe and we are able to express the hope that we have in Christ. If Christ is your true hope, know him, know what he has done, meditate on the promises, go to the unbeliever and share this hope that you have in Christ.

d. Another objection that is often voiced is: I don’t want to.

. Is it loving to those who are perishing in their sins to not know the truth of the gospel? Is it loving that you know the blessings of Christ, but yet keep it to yourself. We are not to be frugal with the treasure that we posses. WE preach the realities of heaven and hell, We know the truth of forgiveness and they are not to be treasured and hid away, they are to be proclaimed. We are to obey God’s command to share the good news of Jesus to others. Do not disobey the command of Christ because of laziness or pride or prejudices. If the savior has bought you with his life, and has given you salvation, share the truth of forgiveness and the love of God brought forth in Jesus with others.

Charles Spurgeon says it this way: If sinners will be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our bodies. And if they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees, imploring them to stay. If Hell must be filled, at least let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go there unwarned and unprayed for.

If the Farmer did not take the plow to the land, sweat on his brow, cultivating the land, planting the seed, watering, weeding, chasing off crows and deer, then come winter there would be nothing to eat. We are to be like this farmer taking the seed of the word, spreading it all over every type of ground we encounter, trusting in God to bring it to maturity.

Who do we evangelize?

All peoples

Again when Christ says, in Matthew 28:18, to go therefore and share the gospel to all nations. Not only do we take the gospel to our neighbors or the people we work with, we take it to the ends of the earth. We share with the waitress just as we share with the people of Central Asia. Christ died for those people also, without the gospel they die in their sins. This is the gospel truth if we do not take the realities of salvation to others they will die in their sins and face the wrath of God , there is no second chance on the other side of eternity. They are not judged based on their goodness. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. There is none good no not one. Therefore if those who haven’t heard the gospel die, they face the wrath of God. What is true of God is written on their hearts, and God uses his people to share the word of truth to them. Remember what Paul writes in Romans 10:11-17?

Romans 10:11–17 (ESV): For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

If Christians do not go and share this good news, then those who never hear of salvation in Jesus will die in their sins. Paul doesn’t make this any plainer. How will they call on Jesus if they have never heard of him? We need to be actively, seeking to share the news of Christ.

The only way for one to have salvation is through Evangelism. This should urge us to run to the un beloved, calling to them, Today is the day of salvation, not tomorrow, Today. Repent and believe the gospel.

How do we Evangelize?

The Method of Evangelism.

As a church, but also individual

Acts 2:42-47

And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe[d] came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Here in Acts we see the church gathering and devoting themselves to learning the word of God, spending time together in fellowship, eating together, and praying. It wasn’t just a select few who devoted themselves, it was all that gathered there. They all gave ear to God’s word praising God for having favor with themselves. And God added to their number day by day to those who are being saved. God uses the people of his kingdom in this way. When we are gathered together on the Lord’s day we hear the word of God and we rejoice, when we scatter we take the joy in the gospel to others. As one writer puts it: “In the Jerusalem church, recently filled with the Holy Spirit for prophesying the wonders of Jesus from the scriptures, it wasn’t just through a few gifted individuals but the whole church community devoted to learning, loving, sharing and praying, that people were daily being saved.” As we scatter away from the gathering of the body of Christ our main mission is to make disciples of Christ. This should be on the forefront of our minds. We as a church should develop a culture for evangelism. Wednesday nights is a good place to start. In our current season of Wednesday nights we are going door to door in the community, prayerful seeking opportunities to share the gospel, with the children that we regularly minister with, as well as their parents. We are desiring to make disciples.

This is opportunities for community groups. Inviting non-believers to join us as we gather around the dinner table, or sitting in the living room, provides opportunities in evangelism. But don’t limit yourselves to just inviting non-believers, your responsibility is still to share with them, within your daily lives.

Respectfully through Love

1 Peter 3:15- 16

“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you for the reason for the hope that you have, but do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.”

The Christian must understand and be able to answer and testify the hope that they have in Jesus. When we testify, it is not in a condemning way but we must speak gently and respectfully, remembering we once were like them, lost and apart from the truth. It is only by God’s grace that we were saved. The non-believer does not know God, but we do, so we speak with them respectfully, not getting heated and excited, but out of love.

Humbly (2 Corinthians 4)

Tell the Truth of the Gospel

2 Corinthians 4:1-2

Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God,[a] we do not lose heart. 2 But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice[b] cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God.

Don’t make the gospel something it isn’t. Don’t promise health and wealth, when that is untrue. Don’t try to make the gospel popular. Man’s hearts are darkened to the truth, It is only through God’s work in them through regeneration will they be able to respond. So, Tell the truth of the Gospel.

Simple God, Man, Law, Grace

God

Speak the truth about God. God is holy, righteous, just, and cannot look upon iniquity.

Man

Because of the fall man fell into sin, you and I have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God. There is nothing that we can do to bring us back to a point of right standing before God.

Law

If needed bring up the Ten commandments. Have you ever lied, stolen, became angry with someone (murder in your heart), lusted (adultery in your heart), wanted what someone else had. These are 5 out of the 10 commandments that you have broken. God’s law has been broken, and him being Just He has to do something about sin.

Grace

Because of God’s grace he sent his son to die on the cross so that you don’t have to face the punishment for your sins. Jesus took the full wrath of God because of sin so that you don’t have to. If you repent and believe the gospel you will be saved.

Expect Blindness

1 Corinthians 2:14-15

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

The natural person, or the non-believer is not able to understand the gospel, but through the work of God, that seed that was planted can grow in maturity. Continue to spread the seed of the gospel, letting God do the work. Rely on his sovereignty, and trust in his power. He will bring his own to himself. The sheep hear the master call their name.

Proclaim Christ

We proclaim Christ and him Crucified. While politics have their place, it is not the gospel. While, Telling someone God bless you is nice, it is not evangelism. Proclaim Christ and him alone.

Accept Weakness

We are not doing evangelism for ourselves. We are doing it for the Christ and because the gospel is true. We are called to share the gospel no matter what. There are times that we may suffer because of the gospel. Many missionaries have been made martyrs because of Christ and the message they proclaim. Their was a saying in the early church that the church was built on the blood of the martyrs. The witness of the Christian unto death caused many people to come to Christ. We are but vessels used by God so that his name may be made known. Says one author. “We are as weak and fragile as cheap clay pots, but our gospel is priceless treasure.” As Mark 8:35 says, “ whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospels will save it.” Our lives are not our own, it has been brought by Christ, that is why we die to oneself, take up our own cross and follow Jesus. If our lives are not our own, and are Christ’s we trust in his provision for us and in his sovereignty for our lives. As John Paton, the missionary from Ireland to cannables wrote, My heart rose up to the Lord Jesus; I saw Him watching all the scene. My peace came back to me like a wave from God. I realized that I was immortal till my Master’s work with me was done. The assurance came to me, as if a voice out of Heaven had spoken, that not a musket would be fired to wound us, not a club prevail to strike us, not a spear leave the hand in which it was held vibrating to be thrown, not an arrow leave the bow, or a killing stone the fingers, without the permission of Jesus Christ, whose is all power in Heaven and on Earth. He rules all Nature, animate and inanimate, and restrains even the Savage of the South Seas.

We can trust that we are God’s vessels, he will use us for his glory, and if that means by our death, then we proclaim Christ till that time comes.

Prayerfully

Pray for opportunities and boldness in evangelism. Pray for others in our church that we would be an evangelist community. Pray for workers in the harvest, as Mathew 9:37-38 says Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38Ask the LORD of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

Remember to pray after conversations that God would cause them to know this good news.

Looking toward the end Goal

There is an end goal. All those who are in Christ will stand before his throne.

Revelation 7:9-10

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

God’s salvation will be made known from every nation and tribe and people. This picture of the multitude worshiping the Lord is a beautiful representation of our final home. After we have finished the race We will one day stand, clothed in white robes, proclaiming praise to our king we labored for. We will stand beside those whom we proclamied salvation to, brothers and sisters, who are with us to worship their savior. All peoples, tounges, tribes, and languages will be there. We can trust that God will make it happen, So lets labor today looking toward the goal, resting in Christ as we evangelize the lost.

https://www.9marks.org/article/journalmust-every-christian-evangelize/

https://www.9marks.org/article/journalovercoming-objections-evangelism/