Topical - Evangelize - Why Evangelize
I. Why Evangelize?
The Bible teaches that God chose Israel from the start to be a nation of missionaries. In addition to calling the nation as a whole to proclaim by word and lifestyle His truth to the world, God chose from within Israel special men to fulfill the missionary task. Those prophets first exhorted Israel to maintain her holy and righteous testimony; then they preached to the nations the message of repentance from sin, necessary because of God’s coming judgment on the unbelieving world.
Although Jonah’s example is primarily negative, the Holy Spirit placed his story in Scripture because it is instructive for believers of all eras.
1. Jonah is the best biblical example of what a missionary should not be.
2. Jonah teaches us about one mans pitiable attitude toward spiritual service.
3. Jonah teaches us how deeply concerned God is for the heathen & how unconcerned Israel (personified in Jonah) is for them.
That statement seems to be what the church is today. Today, many Christians and churches are unwilling to obey the divine call of preaching the gospel and reaching the lost. What we want to look at for our first message is, “Why Evangelize”?
A. Three Reasons Why.
1. God Commands It.
a) God Commanded Jonah (Jonah 1:2).
(1) God was sending Jonah to Nineveh not only to call Nineveh to repentance, but also to shame Israel in a dramatic way.
(2) God’s design was to offer salvation first to the Jews and then use them as His missionaries to the rest of the world.
Paul writing to the Romans said "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. " (Romans 1:16, NASB95)
Jesus Himself said "for salvation is from the Jews. " (John 4:22, NASB95)
(3) Instead of proclaiming the one true God to the nations around them, the Jews had become entrenched in a proud, self-indulgent form of religion. Now their dreaded enemy, Assyria, was about to repent in sackcloth and ashes before Yahweh as a result of the simple preaching by an unknown prophet.
b) God Commanded Us (Matthew 28:18-20).
(1) Before the Lord states the Great Commission, He establishes His divine authority to command it. It is because of His sovereign power that His followers are to have the attitude of complete, humble submission to His will.
(2) “Because I am sovereign Lord of the universe,” Jesus was saying, “I have both the authority to command you to be My witnesses and the power to enable you to obey that command.”
(3) Some statistics show that: 1 in 20 Christians never share their faith; 1 in 10 think that they should; 9 out of 10 don’t think that they should. Listen to these verses:
Again He said, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." (Mark 16:15, NKJV)… "and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations." (Luke 24:47-48, NKJV)
Paul writing to the Church in Corinth says: "For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. This is the wonderful message he has given us to tell others. We are Christ’s ambassadors, and God is using us to speak to you. We urge you, as though Christ himself were here pleading with you, “Be reconciled to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ." (2 Corinthians 5:19-21, NLT)
Jesus said to His disciples: “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”" (John 20:21; 17:18)
Paul says this: "So everywhere we go, we tell everyone about Christ. We warn them and teach them with all the wisdom God has given us, for we want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. I work very hard at this, as I depend on Christ’s mighty power that works within me." (Colossians 1:28-29, NLT)
Paul writing to the church in Corinth said, "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:17-21, NKJV)
(4) The only way the world can ever hear about the great ministry of reconciliation is through believers. Believers must proclaim the message of reconciliation or it will never be heard.
2. Evangelism Starts In Heaven (John 3:16-17).
a) This was planned in Eternity Past (Acts 2:22-23).
(1) God had ordained it:
Luke writes "For Herod Antipas, Pontius Pilate the governor, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were all united against Jesus, your holy servant, whom you anointed. In fact, everything they did occurred according to your eternal will and plan." (Acts 4:27-28, NLT)
(2) God had ordained it from all eternity:
Paul writing to his son in the faith said, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began," (2 Timothy 1:7-9, NKJV)
"And all the people who belong to this world worshiped the beast. They are the ones whose names were not written in the Book of Life, which belongs to the Lamb who was killed before the world was made." (Revelation 13:8, NLT)
(3) Starts with the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit sets people apart to go out and do the work in preaching the gospel.
"Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers…As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”" (Acts 13:1-2, NKJV)
(4) The holy spirit convicts people of their need for Christ, and sets people apart in the church to go out and to run across those very people that He’s convicting (John 16:7-11).
3. God Loves People (1 Tim.2:1-4).
a) God desires all men to be saved.
(1) If we don’t have a love for people then something is dramatically wrong in our relationship with Him. Paul had a sorrow in his heart over the lost (Romans 9:1-3).
(2) Some things Christians say baffle me: I am not into prayer, or worship, or reading the Bible, or going to church, or evangelism.
Writing to the Romans, Paul says, "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8, NKJV)
Speaking of our old life before Christ, Paul writes "And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)," (Ephesians 2:1-5, NKJV)
B. Four Excuses.
1. Fearful of man (Acts 9:10-19).
a) God is working on both ends.
(1) Both Ananias (v.10) and Saul (v.12) have a vision from God
(2) God is speaking to Ananias, telling him what to do (v.11a).
(3) What is Saul doing during his 3 days without sight? Praying (v.11b). Prayer is the spontaneous response to the believing heart. Prayer is as for the Christians as breathing.
(4) Saul has a vision of a man called Ananias (v.12). Who gives visions? God of course!
(5) Ananias is fearful (v.13-14)
(6) The Lord tells him to “go” (v.15-16)
(7) Ananias obeys (v.17). Note: Ananias did not have to go through some terrible trial as Jonah did. Ananias obeyed the first time.
b) Immediately Saul preached Christ (Acts 9:20-22).
(1) New believers often have a “fire” and “fervency” of telling others about Jesus.
(2) For some as they grow in the Lord, they seem to lose that fervency, however that did not happen to Paul:
Paul pronounces a woe on himself: "For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!" (1 Corinthians 9:16, NKJV)
(3) Those who are transformed by the grace of God cannot help but speak of Jesus. Even if they are warned not to talk about Jesus:
When Peter and John were threatened by the rulers, elder, scribes and High priest, they did not let this stop them "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, saying, “What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.” So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”" (Acts 4:13-20, NKJV)
2. It’s Not the Right Time (John 4:34-38).
a) The Image of the Harvest.
(1) harvest, the act of reaping.
(a) For farmers, approximately four months elapsed between the end of sowing and the beginning of reaping. The farmers satisfaction was when he brought in the fruit of his harvest.
(b) Jesus’ spiritual perspective, the time for harvesting had already arrived. The Samaritans, who were coming from town, were ready to be harvested.figuartevly
(2) Sometimes Christians excuse themselves from witnessing.
(a) They will say that their family or friends aren’t ready to believe. Jesus makes it clear that around us a continual harvest waits to be reaped.
(b) God’s field is perpetually ripe. Each day is the “today” when some will welcome the Gospel and find salvation.
Jesus said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful , but the workers are few . “ Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest .”" (Matthew 9:37-38)
3. I’m not gifted, don’t know what to say (Romans 1:16)
a) It’s not your power, but the Power of God.
To the Sadducees who say there is no resurrection, Jesus said to them, "You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God." (Matthew 22:29, NKJV)
Through Jeremiah, the Lord said, "Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil. " (Jeremiah 13:23, NKJV)
(1) It is not in mans ability or power to change someone else.
(2) The Bible makes it clear that men cannot be spiritually changed or saved by good works, by the church, by ritual, or by any other human mean.
Later in Romans, Paul declares man’s helplessness and God’s power, saying, “While we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly” ( Rom. 5:6 ), and, “What the law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin” ( 8:3 ).
Paul reminded the church at Corinth “the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” ( 1 Cor. 1:18 ).
(3) Later in the letter Paul said, “The kingdom of God does not consist in words, but in power” (4:20), the redeeming power of God.
(4) The Scriptures testifie to God’s power ( Ex. 15:6 ), His irresistible power ( Deut. 32:39 ), His unsearchable power ( Job 5:9 ), His mighty power ( Job 9:4 ), His great power ( Ps. 79:11 ), His incomparable power ( Ps. 89:8 ), His strong power ( Ps. 89:13 ), His everlasting power ( Isa. 26:4 ), His effectual power ( Isa. 43:13 ), and His sovereign power ( Rom. 9:21 ).
Jeremiah declared of God, “It is He who made the earth by His power, who established the world by His wisdom” ( Jer. 10:12 ),
Through that prophet the Lord said of Himself, “I have made the earth, the men and the beasts which are on the face of the earth by My great power and by My outstretched arm” ( Jer. 27:5 ). He is the power that can save!
b) It’s not your words, but the Word of God.
(1) Humans words of wisdom, even if impressinve, rob the Gospel of its power:
Paul declared to the Corinthians saying "When I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God… "I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God." (1 Corinthians 2:1, 3-5, NKJV)
Later in (v.17) Paul said "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect." (1 Corinthians 1:17, NKJV)
The Corinthians themesleves said, "Don’t worry about Paul. His letters are demanding and forceful, but in person he is weak, and his speeches are really bad!”" (2 Corinthians 10:10, NLT)
Both the Word of God and the Power of God are mentioned in the same verse "For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit… "For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe." (1 Thessalonians 1:5; 2:13)
God lifts His Word higher than His name: "I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name For Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name. " (Psalm 138:2)
Listen to what the Lord says in Isaiah 55, He says of Himself that, "My thoughts are completely different from yours,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. “The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with My word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it." (Isaiah 55:8-11, NLT)
(2) Jonah, all he said was (Johna 3:4)
(3) the blind man, I was blind, now I see
(4) Im to young, “Let no one despise your youth”
(5) Peter wrote believers in Asia Minor: “You have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and abiding word of God” ( 1 Pet. 1:23 ).
(6) Paul and silas in Jail acts 16
4. There is prejudice in our heart (Acts 10:9-16, 24-28).
What is prejudice? (1) An adverse judgment or opinion formed beforehand or without knowledge or examination of the facts. (2) Irrational suspicion or hatred of a particular group, race, or religion.
a) The Jews and Gentiles had a mutual hatred (Luke 9:51-56).
b) Jonah discriminated against the people of Ninivah (Jonah 1:2)
(1) The people of Ninevah were wicked, and he had hatred toward them and did not want them to be saved.
This is totally opposite of the heart of Paul. Paul said that "For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh… " Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved." (Romans 9:1-3; 10:1, NKJV)
c) Jonah’s reaction to the consequences (Jonah 4:1-3).
(1) Jonah would rather be dead.
After preaching his message, "God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it." (Jonah 3:10, NKJV)
"But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. So he prayed to the Lord, and said, “Ah, Lord, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm. Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!”" (Jonah 4:1-3, NKJV)