2 Corinthians 5:1-21 - Living as Evangelists

Introduction

What comes to your mind when you think about evangelism? Maybe a revival meeting, or some special event of sorts. Maybe a program, like home visitation or handing out tracts or setting up a table for community outreach.

I don’t think that any of these are inherently bad. As a matter of fact, I bet some of us might be able to give testimony of having been saved through just such events or programs.

But today, I’m going to argue for a kind of evangelism that is a lot more basic and comprehensive than these. I think events and programs ought to be viewed as supplements to a regular diet of evangelism. Supplements can help you a bit in various ways, but you can’t live on them… At some point, you’ve got to face the fact that what we need is a healthy and well-balanced diet.

We’re continuing our series “How Should We Live?” which is focused on helping us think and speak and act as Christians in the world. This is going to be another topical message (unlike our normal preaching here, which is expositional). But I am going to spend more time in the main text than I sometimes do in other topical messages. I think there is much for us to learn about evangelism from 2 Corinthians 5, and I’m also going to try to offer some practical tips for practicing evangelism more regularly in our everyday lives.

Let’s stand as I read our main passage today.

Scripture Reading

2 Corinthians 5:1–21 (ESV)

1 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. 4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. 12 We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. 13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

16 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.

Main Idea

In this world all Christians are evangelists; so, let us courageously teach the gospel with the aim to persuade others to turn to Christ while there is still time.

Sermon

1) The Perspective of Evangelism

What is evangelism?

Your answer to this question has a lot to do with your perspective… your cultural, political, and theological perspective.

Ancient period – Early Church (c. 40s-400s AD)

Evangelism is: the preaching of the gospel with a call for sinners to repent and believe, and the gathering of believers into local churches, so that they might identify one another as Christians and disciple one another according to Christ’s command, aiming to live faithfully as Christian witnesses in a fallen world.

Medieval period – Christendom (c. 400s-1500s AD)

After the merging of church and state under Constantine (313 Edict of Milan) and Theodosius (380 Edict of Thessalonica), Christianity became hard to distinguish from Christendom.

Evangelism is: claiming (or recovering) lands/people for Christendom.

Modern period – Reformation and colonization (c. 1500s-1900s AD)

Early modern: After the fracturing of Christendom and the rise of imperial colonization, Christianity became more tribal.

Evangelism is: converting new people to British Anglicanism, Spanish Catholicism, or Scottish Presbyterianism.

Late modern: During and after the founding of the New World, both Americans and Brits began the modern missionary movement and experienced the First and Second Great Awakenings.

Evangelism is: the effort to lead sinners through a personal conversion experience, often defined by a sense of emotional agitation, and produced by the rightuse of revivalistic means.

American Evangelicalism (c. 1700s-today)

Since the First and Second Great Awakenings, Evangelicals in America have largely embraced the methods of Charles Finney’s revivalism.

“Revival is the result of the right use of the appropriate means. The means which God has enjoined for the production of a revival… have a natural tendency to produce revival… [W]hen the appointed means have been rightly used, spiritual blessings [i.e., revivals and conversions] have been obtained…”[i]

Methods: traveling evangelists, scheduled revival meetings, and church as an outreach event for non-Christians.

Evangelism is: an “altar call,” an event, a program, or a method designed to get sinners to “make a decision” for Jesus.

A recovery of a biblical perspective of evangelism

In 1994, Banner of Truth published a book by Iain Murray (a British pastor and historian) called “Revival and Revivalism.”[ii]

Murray traced the history of revivalism and the strategies often used by American Evangelicals during the 1700s and 1800s. He also shows just how significantly we’ve been influenced by the revivalism of that era.

This book represents a broad change in perspective in the 1990s. The book itself had an impact… lots of people read it (printed in 1994 and again in 1996, and translated into at least one other language). The popularity of such a book is evidence that many Evangelicals were not satisfied with the status quo.

The late 1990s saw a conservative resurgence among Evangelicals, including a sort of broad recovery of biblical evangelism.

In 2014, Crossway published a book by Mack Stiles (an American pastor and missionary in the United Arab Emirates) called “Evangelism.”[iii] Stiles argues that evangelism should be thought of as a culture that permeates local churches, not as an event or method. He defines evangelism as “teaching the gospel with the aim to persuade,” to persuade people to “convert” or to “turn to Christ.”[iv] And he also argues that this effort to teach and persuade ought to be done by all Christians both formally and informally (or intentionally and off-the-cuff).

I want to argue this morning that the biblical perspective of evangelism (which Stiles is pointing us back to) is the one we should all embrace. In this world all Christians are evangelists; so, let us courageously teach the gospel with the aim to persuade others to turn to Christ while there is still time.

Whatever political or cultural situation we might have today or in the future, let’s call sinners to repent and believe the gospel, let’s gather believers together into local churches, let’s disciple one another according to Christ’s commands, and let’s aim to live faithfully as Christian witnesses in the world… until Christ returns.

Let’s take a quick survey of our passage this morning, looking for various ways that it speaks to our topic of evangelism, and then I hope to get really practical.

2) The Place of Evangelism (v1-5)

Our passage ends with the prompting and the people of evangelism, but let’s begin by considering the place of evangelism.

Where is the only place evangelism can be done?

Before Genesis 3, no gospel was needed; and when Christ returns in glory, only those who already believe the gospel will be spared from the judgment of that last day. Therefore, we live in that period right now (the only time and place) where the gospel message may be proclaimed for the purpose of evangelism.

We will never stop celebrating the person and work of Christ, but there will come a day when the very last sinner has repented and believed… and there will be no more conversions… no more sinners saved.

Our passage speaks to the place of evangelism.

Paul says that we live in a sort of “tent” that is “our earthly home” (v1). He says that this “earthly home” will in some sense be “destroyed” (v1), but that will not be the end of us; we have yet another “building” in which to dwell that is “eternal” (v1).

It is interesting that Paul says, in v4, that our “groaning” (v4) or “longing” (v2) is not to be “unclothed” or stripped of our mortal bodies (v4), but rather we “groan” or long to be “further clothed” or to have “life” swallow up what is now “mortal” or subject to death (v4).

Friends, Christianity is not a religion or philosophy of escapism. We are not hoping to be removed from this world or from our bodies. We are looking forward to the coming day when Christ shall renew all things – including our bodies and this world.

And finally, Paul says that we can know that this day will come – when “what is mortal” will “be swallowed up by life” – we can know that it will come because “He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, [and He] has given us the Spirit as a guarantee” (v5).

Christians are the ones who are indwelt by God’s Spirit, and Christians can know that they will be clothed with an eternal body, which will be at the culmination of all that God has promised us in the gospel of Christ.

Since this is true, and since Christians are the ones Christ has commissioned as His witnesses in the world, we must know that our place to beHis witnesses is this world.

Brothers and sisters, the circumstances we have right now… theseare the place or occasion for our evangelism! There is no other! When we die or when the last day arrives, our place for evangelism will be gone.

3) The Posture of Evangelism (v6-10)

The place for evangelism is this world and this life, which will both soon be gone… and the posture of our evangelism is faithful courage… let’s look at v6-10.

“good courage” (v6)

Paul’s circumstances were not good. Paul later lists various sufferings he endured (2 Cor. 11:22-33). Among them he names “danger,” “hardship,” “daily pressures,” and persecutions of all sorts. And yet, he says, “we are always of good courage” (v6).

He has “good courage” in “the body” (v6), because he is “aiming to please” Christ (v9) and working for the good of others. He has “good courage” in the face of death, because to be “away from the body” is to be “at home with the Lord” (v8).

The “courage” that comes from “faith” (v7)

The source of Paul’s courage is not his circumstance, but his knowledge of the final destination. He says, “we walk by faith, not by sight” (v7). He says we know that “all must appear before the judgment seat of Christ” (v10), and on that day the Lord Himself will distribute His own rewards and punishments.

Faithful Courage is the possession of the “happy warrior”

Brothers and sisters, we can be happy warriors in the fight “against the rulers… [and] authorities… [and] cosmic powers [in this world]” as Paul describes them in his letter to the Ephesians (Eph. 6:12).

Our King rules even when we cannot see it. Our King will judge what is right and true on the last day. And even our worst enemy (death itself) will only grant us entry into the immediate presence of our good and gracious King.

William Wordsworth wrote “Happy Warrior” in the early 1800s:

“Who is the happy Warrior? Who is he

That every man in arms should wish to be?

Who, whether praise of him must walk the earth

For ever, and to noble deeds give birth,

Or he must fall, to sleep without his fame,

And leave a dead unprofitable name –

Finds comfort in himself and in his cause;

And, while the mortal mist is gathering, draws

His breath in confidence of Heaven’s applause;

This is the happy Warrior; this is he

That every man in arms should wish to be.”[v]

4) The Prompting of Evangelism (v11-15)

The place for evangelism is this world… the posture of our evangelism is faithful courage… and the prompting of evangelism is both the fear of God and the love of Christ… let’s now look at v11-15.

Getting more pointedly targeted on evangelism.

v11 begins with “Therefore” or “Since then” (NIV). Because Paul knows that this world and this life are soon to be gone (v1-5). And because Paul knows that Christ Himself rules now and will judge in the end (v6-10). “Therefore… we persuade others” (v11).

And there are two promptings or provocations for being about the business of “persuading others” (v11). First, the “fear of the Lord” (v11); and second, the “love of Christ” (v14).

First, “knowing the fear of the Lord” (v11).

We might be tempted to think that Paul is talking here about the negative and positive aspects of the gospel… or the warning and the promise. But that’s not what he seems to be doing here.

Rather, Paul seems to be contrasting the “fear of the Lord” with the fear of man. He says, “what we are is known to God” (v11). And “we are not commending ourselves to you again” (v12). And Paul knows that some “boast about outward appearance,” but he says, “what is in the heart” and what is done “for God” is what really counts (v12-13).

Brothers and sisters, how often do we neglect or even avoid gospel conversations because we fear people more than God… because we care more about what people might think than what God thinks of us?

One day everyone will care more about what God thinks… but we forget that God’s judgments and wisdom and commands are just as true and applicable today as they will be on the last day.

I’m not saying we should try to be jerks, but I am saying that some of us could probably benefit from caring a lot less about what others might think of us. And yet, others of us could benefit from caring more about the thoughts and feelings of others… so the “fear of the Lord” is not the only prompting we see here.

Second, “the love of Christ controls us” (v14) or “compels us” (NIV) or “urges us” (NRSV)… to live not for ourselves, but for the sake of Him who died and rose again for us (v15).

The “love of Christ” prompts us because He died for sinners (v14). Is there a sinner too far out of reach that God’s grace in Christ cannot touch him/her? Is there a rebellious heart too obstinate that God’s Holy Spirit cannot bring new life? Is there anyone among those for whom Christ died that still has to fear judgment on the last day?

NO! “One has died for all, therefore all have died” (v14)!

The “love of Christ” is that which prompts or motivates believers to “live… for [Christ]” and not “for themselves” (v15).

Anyone who looks to this one (Jesus Christ) who has died in the place of sinners… anyone who turns from sin and believes in Him… has every reason to trust that God has nothing but love for him/her in Christ.

One newer hymn says (published in 2012),

“My heart is filled with thankfulness To him who reigns above…

Whose wisdom is my perfect peace, Whose ev'ry thought is love…

For ev'ry day I have on earth Is given by the King…

So I will give my life, my all To love and follow him.”

Brothers and sisters, how can we believe what we do about Jesus (and His love for us) and not give ourselves to living for Him? How can we let any other subject in the world be of greater interest or have greater attention than the person and work of Christ?

Do we fear God? Do we know the love of Christ for us? Do we (in turn) have love for Him? Well then, let’s be people who courageously tell others about the God who saves, the Christ who died, and the Christ who is coming again!

And let’s try to persuade them to turn to Christ in repentance and faith… while there’s still time.

5) The People of Evangelism (v16-21)

You know, I’ve really been making my argument today from back to front. My main idea is that all Christians are evangelists; and therefore, we ought to courageously teach the gospel with the aim to persuade others to turn to Christ while there is still time. So far, I’ve been saying that all Christians are evangelists, and I’ve been assuming that you agree with me on that… but I’d like to take just a moment to actually make my case.

I believe that all Christians are evangelists. And one of the main passages that has convinced me of that is this last section of 2 Corinthians 5. Let me show you what I see here in three quick statements.

1. Paul is definitely talking about his own ministry.

This second letter from Paul to the church in Corinth is shot through with Paul’s plea for them to recognize his love and ministry to them. Therefore, Paul is the chief “ambassador for Christ” (v20).

2. But the language here is more inclusive than just Paul and his entourage.

“if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (v17). God “gave… the ministry of reconciliation” (v18) to the same ones He “reconciled to himself” through Christ (v18). The same work of God that “reconciled the world to himself” (v19) also “entrusted the message of reconciliation” to those reconciled (v19).

3. Therefore, while Paul is the chief “ambassador for Christ” (v20), he is not the only “ambassador for Christ.”

All those who are “in Christ” (v17)… having heard and received the “message of reconciliation” (v19) and having been “reconciled” to God “through Christ” (v18)… They all are “ambassadors for Christ” (v20). All Christians “implore” non-Christians “on behalf of Christ” (v20). All Christians are the instruments of God, the ones “through” whom God “makes his appeal” to rebellious sinners… “be reconciled” (v20)!

Brothers and sisters, what an incredible change God has produced in us! And what a scandalous trust He has granted to us.

Charles Spurgeon (a Baptist preacher in London in the 1800s) said in a talk one time, “It has sometimes staggered me to think how greatly God trusts you and me. You remember the story of the prodigal. It finds a counterpart in each of us, who after long wandering in sin have come home to Jesus.

I sometimes think that a prudent father, when the prodigal was restored to his house, would receive him to his heart, would press him to his bosom, and give him a share of all his wealth, but would be very slow to trust him in any matter of responsibility.

The next market-day the old [father] would say, ‘Now, John, I love you with all my heart, but you know you ran away once, and spent your living riotously; I must send your elder brother to market; I cannot trust you with my purse: I love you; I have totally forgiven you, at the same time I cannot yet rely upon you.’

Why doesn’t God say so to us?

Instead of that, when he takes poor prodigals to his heart, he trusts us with his most precious jewels, he trusts us with immortal souls. He permits us to be the means of seeking his lost sheep, and then allows us to feed the lambs after they are gathered. He puts the prodigal into the most important station, and hath confidence in him.

Then my [brothers] and sisters, seeing he [has] been gracious enough to repose confidence in such unworthy persons, shall we [not serve him with all honesty and diligence]?

Oh… let us earnestly labour as stewards that every part of the estate committed to us shall be found in good order when our Master comes; that every jot and little of our account shall be found correct when he sums it up in the great day of the audit before his throne.”

Indeed! Because all Christians are evangelists, let us courageously teach the gospel with the aim to persuade others to turn to Christ while there is still time.

6) Some Practices of Evangelism

We’ve been going a long time already, and we’ve covered a bit of ground this morning, so let me invite you to listen to these last several minutes of my sermon realistically. Just like a diet and exercise plan, you will fail fast and miserably if you try to change everything in a day.

So, don’t worry so much about what you could have or should have done in the past, and don’t try to implement all of these practices tomorrow. Instead, just try to pick one or two of these practices I’m about to mention and make them goals for your own evangelistic efforts. Take an honest assessment of where you are and make a little progress where you can.

First, practice talking about the gospel with those who already believe it.

Talk to fellow church members about sermons, about books you’re reading, and about stuff in the Bible that interests you. Don’t major on the minor stuff and be open to conversation (not just monologue).

Talk to your spouse or children at home. Make the gospel part of normal conversation at the dinner table, talk about confession of sin and forgiveness in Christ when you’ve messed up, and encourage one another at home with the promises of God in Christ.

You will probably never talk about the gospel with someone else if you don’t first build up your familiarity and comfort with such conversations beforehand with those who love and know you the best.

Second, learn to share your testimony with a theological framework.

There’s nothing wrong with sharing your testimony. In fact, it is a joy to tell and to hear about how the Lord has worked in people’s lives. But if you don’t actually get to the substance of the gospel (which is the message about Jesus, not the story about you), then that’s not evangelism.

I like the “God – Man – Christ – Response” framework, but you can use whatever seems right for you. A couple of others are: Creation – Fall – Redemption – Restoration; and Who is Jesus? What has He done? Why? How do we know? And how should we respond?

I recommend that you practice this in conversation… maybe even write it down… and listen for others to do this as well.

Third, invite people into your life and ask them a lot of questions.

Invite family and friends further into your life… and invite new people in as you have the time and opportunity. Invite people into your office at work… invite them to golf or fish with you… invite them to read a book with you… invite them to just come over to your house sometime and talk.

Have them over for a dinner (or many of them). Ask about their sorrows and joys… their anxieties and their hobbies. And ask about how they’re doing spiritually.

Don’t be a salesman, trying to close the deal, just talk and ask a bunch of questions, and try your best to think about how the gospel applies to this or that… and then (if you think you’ve got an opening) tell them that you hope they will turn to Christ in some specific way… and that you will continue to love and pray for and welcome them whether they do or not.

Bring them to church and eat together afterward. Invite another church member to two to come along as well. This will help you connect your friend with other church members, and it will help you move the conversation towards spiritual matters.

Ask about a point of the sermon. Bring the bulletin along and ask them what they think about the catechism question and answer.

Meals are especially good opportunities to invite multiple people at once. If you’re introverted, invite an extroverted church member or two to join you for dinner with a non-Christian or two. If you’re having a hard time transitioning to a gospel conversation, invite a church member who is especially good at it to join you (and jump in when you can).

Conclusion

Friends, none of these practices are particularly profound. But these are just some of the ways we all can be a bit more intentional with the time we have left in this world. There is coming a day when the place of evangelism will be gone, and those who do not know the gospel or do not repent and believe it will be lost forever, doomed to suffer the right and just punishment for sinners.

As Christians, we have heard and believed the good news of Christ… and we have been entrusted with the greatest news of all time. Let’s be courageous, knowing that our Savior is King now and He will be revealed as King very soon. Let’s learn to know and to teach the gospel as well as we may. And let’s aim to persuade others to turn to Christ… while there’s still time.

May God help us… and may God bless our efforts.

Endnotes

[i] See Finney’s “Lectures on Revivals of Religion” here: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/finney/revivals.iii.i.html#:~:text=The%20means%20which%20God%20has,No%20more%20will%20grain. [ii] See this book at Banner of Truth here: https://banneroftruth.org/us/store/history-biography/revival-and-revivalism/ [iii] See this book at Crossway here: https://www.crossway.org/books/evangelism-case/ [iv] Stiles, J. Mack. Evangelism (9marks: Building Healthy Churches) (p. 26). Crossway. Kindle Edition. [v] See the full poem here: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45512/character-of-the-happy-warrior

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