Evangelism

Session 5

Personal Story: Everyone was created by God for a reason. I believe that. In 1998, there was a movie that I absolutely loved. I remember it changed my way of thinking. To this day, I sit and think about this movie. It is based on a true story. The movie - Simon Burch.

This movie, was based off a book called A prayer for Owen Meany. It is about a dwarf boy who is labeled the smallest person to ever be born in his county. The book is all about having faith in God even when you are different. A conversation from that movie really says a lot about the conversation we are going to have today. Simon fully believes that God has a plan for his life, and he makes his way to the pastor to ask him some questions. This is how it goes:

Simon Birch: Does God have a plan for us?

Rev. Russell: I like to think He does.

Simon Birch: -Me too. I think God made me the way I am for a reason.

Rev. Russell: Well, I'm glad that, um, that your faith, uh, helps you deal with your, um...you know, your, your condition.

Simon Birch: That's not what I mean. I think I'm God's instrument - that He's gonna use me to carry out His plan.

Have you ever felt like a instrument for God?

I know that sometimes in life, we all seem to struggle with feeling what our worth is.

We struggle with wondering why were we made.

We may even struggle with wondering if anyone will ever need us or if we will ever been of value to anyone.

John 17:18

“Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world.”

You may be asking yourself, ok what does that mean? That verse is confusing. Let’s break it down.

We have to first understand that:

JESUS is the model for every believer.

He was in the world but not of the world. We often find ourselves doing the opposite though right?

Well, its just one drink. It’s just one cuss word. It’s just one bad video.

We find ourselves going down this trail that we cannot turn around on.

EACH CHRISTIAN SHOULD VIEW HIMSELF AS A MISSIONARY WHOSE TASK IS TO COMMUNICATE GOD’S TRUTH TO OTHERS.

We are sent, to this world, to make Christ known.

And guess what? We do not have to have all the answers in the bible, work in a church, teach a Sunday school class, to be able to do any of this.

THE FIFTH PURPOSE OF LIFE IS TO TELL OTHERS ABOUT HIM.

2 CORINTHIANS 5:18-20

“And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!””

ACTS 20:24

“But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.”

THE BIBLE CALLS THIS EVANGELISM

WHAT DO YOU THINK EVANGELISM MEANS? (write your answer below.)

You have maybe heard the word evangelist, but that is a different world.

You may have also heard the word evangelical. but that is also a different word.

EVANGELISM SIMPLY MEANS TO SHARE THE GOOD NEWS.

Now, you maybe thinking, wow I can’t do that. That is too hard.

Have you ever shared the good news about something else?

New car?

New Phone?

Asked to prom?

Good test Grade?

He/She asked me out?

We have no issues sharing news that is good. We can all admit that.

Here is what we need to get, if Chuck came into this room, and told us that there was a shooter, a sniper, a hunter, on this property.

And he told us to not worry, he was going to go out, and die so that we could all live.

Would we not share that news with everyone for the rest of our lives?

That this man, so selfless and so loving, would give his life for us so that we could live?

Why wouldn’t we share that? Why wouldn’t I want to tell people what an amazing man Chuck was?

Why would I keep that all to myself? (EXPLAIN)

I couldn’t. I could not stay quiet about it… you see...

GOD MADE US FOR A MISSION!

that mission? To share with everyone about what he did to give me life.

Application

Why is sharing the good news of Jesus hard?

It may be confusing to follow Jesus a model for your life. Who is someone in your life that you have modeled your life after?

How do you view yourself when it comes to being a Christian? Where are you growing? Where do you need to grow?