Series: What is Evangelism All About?

Title: Changed by the Cross‌

Big Idea: The Gospel Centers in the Death of Christ‌

How does the death of Christ affect our evangelism? Theme: “Sharing the Good News: Loving and Leading Others to Jesus''. Because the Gospel Centers in Christ that changes us. What exactly does it change? Paul here recalls first trip to Corinth to share the Good News, to love and lead others to Jesus. He shares in these 5 verses how the death of Christ on the cross changed him.

1. The Cross changed his approach(v.1-2)

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Paul had not come to Corinth to glorify himself or start his own following. He had come to glorify God. Philosophers and teachers depend on their wisdom and eloquence to gain followers, but Paul did not come with lofty speech or wisdom. He came in simplicity. He simply declared God’s Word in the power of the Spirit. He was an ambassador, not a “christian salesman.” If Paul had come with clever arguments, great speech and wisdom, Paul would have exalted himself. And not only that, but he would’ve hidden the very Christ he came to proclaim. How was Paul called to preach the Gospel? Look at 1 Cor. 1:17. Illustration: A certain church had a beautiful stained glass window just behind the pulpit. It depicted Jesus Christ on the cross. One Sunday there was a guest speaker who was much smaller than the regular pastor. A little girl listened to the guest for a time, then turned to her mother and asked, “Where is the man who usually stands there so we can’t see Jesus?” So often preachers, evangelists, you and I try to magnify ourselves or our gifts that in doing so we fail to reveal the glory of Jesus Christ. Paul glorified in the cross of Christ and made it the center of his message.

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What is our approach to share the good news of Christ? Do we try too hard to be clever, memorize the ontological argument, or sound intellectual that we actually miss the glory of Christ? There certainly is a place and worth in arguments, but they cannot come before the glory of Christ. Is your approach to make yourself look good or sound smart or for Christ to be glorified? Do you need to change your approach in sharing the good news? Is your approach actually leading others to Jesus or to yourself? Are you depending on the power of your words or strength of your argument to change someone’s heart? Only the Spirit of God can truly change a heart. Has the Cross of Christ changed your approach? Rest today in the power of God!

2. The Cross changed his attitude(v.3-4)

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What was Paul’s attitude in coming to the Corinthians? He came in weakness, fear, and trembling. Isn’t that how we should sharing the Gospel. In our weakness Christ is evident. Missionary in Bolivia wanted to hand out tracts, but he was so nervous all he could do was say “Read this” and shove a track to the person. One day a Bolivian came to my dad in the middle of the street with the track saying he got saved and wanted to be discipled. God can use us despite our weaknesses. But here we don’t have just some missionary we have Paul. Paul was an apostle and perhaps the greatest example for us to follow other then Jesus. Yet Paul comes to these Corinthians as a humble servant. Why didn’t Paul come declaring his authority from God? Why didn’t Paul come in strength? Paul had learned that when he was weak, God gave him the strength. So Paul did not depend on himself, instead he became nothing that Christ might be everything. Paul realized that he needed to depend on the power of the Holy Spirit. It wasn’t his experience, apostleship, or ability that gave his ministry power, it was the work of the Spirit of God. Everytime I have the privilege to preach the word of God I know that my words really have no power. It is the Word of God and working of the Spirit that has true power. What a humbleness that brings to me! It still requires my faithfulness and effort, yet I can come in my weakness and fumble over words. Often we think of good preachers as good orators or “performers”. Paul’s preaching was not a “performance” but a “demonstration.” of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit used Paul’s preaching to change lives, and that was all the proof Paul needed to show his message was from God. We must note that Paul is not telling a preacher to preach poorly, or an evangelist to evangelize poorly, or to avoid using any spiritual gift God has given you. Men like Jonathan Edrwards, George Whitefield, or Charles Spurgeon were gifted orators whose words carried power, but they did not depend on their natural talents. For their power, their talents could not bring spiritual transformation. They trusted the Spirit of God to work in the heart of the hearers, and He did. Those who minister the Word must prepare and use every gift God has given them! But they must not put their confidence in themselves.

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What is your attitude when it comes to sharing the Gospel? Self-reliant? Dependent on yourself, or your gifts? Dependent on God? Afraid? Don’t think of it? Let Christ transform your heart and change your attitude. May He give you a sense of weakness that you are dependent upon the Spirit and the power of God. Has the Cross of Christ changed your attitude?

3. The Cross changed his aim(v.5)

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What was Paul’s heartbeat? Paul wanted the Corinthians to trust in God and not trust in the messenger God had sent. If Paul had depended on his wisdom and presented the plan of salvation as a philosophical system then the Corinthians would have put their trust in an explanation. Since Paul declared the Word of God is the power of God, the Corinthians put their faith in a demonstration- they experienced God’s work in their own lives. Their faith was in the power of God that had changed their hearts and lives. Quote: “When you are leading people to Christ, never tell them that they are saved because they have done this or that. It is the job of the Holy Spirit to witness to people that they are saved. Unless He is at work, there can be no salvation.” Illustration: “A fine professional man faithfully attended a church- this man was unsaved, but not antagonistic to the gospel. Many of the people in the church prayed for this man as he continued to come to church and hear the Word of God. One day a Christian friend of his decided to win him to Christ, or else! He spent several hours presenting argument after argument, and finally the man “prayed the sinner’s prayer.” Then he stopped attending church! Why? Because he had been talked into something that was not real, and he knew he could not follow through. Later on, he did trust Christ and, through the Spirit, have the assurance of salvation. Up to that point, if anybody asked him if he were saved, he would reply, “sure—Tom told me I was saved!” What a difference when the Spirit gives us the assurance!

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The Gospel is still God’s power to change men’s lives(Rom. 1:16). Effectiveness in evangelism does not depend on our arguments or persuasive gimmicks, but on the power of the Spirit of God at work in our lives and through the Word that we share. In our sharing of the good news don’t let people rest in your wisdom or intellect, let them rest in the power of God. In Christ crucified.

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What is your aim in sharing the Gospel? Let the faith of those we share with rest in the power of God. Let us not “kick people into heaven” but let the transforming power of the Gospel and the Holy Spirit do the work in the heart’s. Let us be faithful to declare the power of the death of Christ

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Unbeliever: Perhaps you are here today and you’ve never come to that point of trusting in Christ. Our desire here at WRBC is that you would know the power of God. That you would clearly see our weakness and desperate need of a Holy God! We do not seek to lead you to Christ by craftiness of our speech, but by our “demonstration” that Christ is real. Do you see the power of God at work? Do you see the changed life of a loved one here? Do you believe that Jesus Christ lived a perfect life, went to cross for you and I, and rose 3 days later? Do you believe He has paid the price for your sins? Would you believe in Him today?

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Believer: Don’t forget the Gospel centers in the death of Christ! Don’t forget the power of God! Thank God it is not up to our wisdom or craftiness, but One who has real power. Will you continue to let the cross change you? May God be our vision and King of our heart. May He be the first in our heart. Is the Cross changing you today?