Gospel Centered Outreach

Bible Reading Introduction

Value: Gospel-Centered Outreach Tonight: (1) Ask for some to share their testimonies (2) A few quick interviews of those who consistently sharing the Gospel through various ministries

Main Idea: Our witness is the overflow of our lives.

Romans 1:1–7 (KJV)

1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,

2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)

3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;

4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:

6 Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:

7 To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Sermon Introduction

First business card, had 20 words on it and a typo

This is the verse I wanted.

Acts 1:8 “8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

This is the verse I placed on my card

Acts 8:1 “1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.”

So what will you ministry be again?

The scattering of Christians by persecution would not have been my ministry.

Do you know what the result was. Acts 8:3–4 “3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. 4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.”

If we were to be scattered would the Gospel go forth? It is a worthy question.

Another way to ask it is, “What does Vision Baptist Church look like this time tomorrow?”

Understand the challenge in front of me today because I live with this same challenge every day.

No desire to bring guilt and shame. They are poor and short-lived motivators.

1 Thessalonians 5:14 “14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.”

In evangelism we need exhortation, equipping, and encouragement.

Feeble minded: Discouraged, timid

There is no greater need in all of the world than for believers to share the Gospel. We know this.

Let me encourage us feeble minded.

The greatest possible news is found in the Holy Scriptures

Difference between the Gospel and our testimony

Sharing our testimonies are wonderful and powerful. We will do so tonight.

The content of the Gospel is concerning Christ and God, not our journey to faith.

Witnessing is more than reciting a spiritual autobiography.

We all have been committed this Word of Reconciliation. 2 Cor 5:19

The message of reconciliation delivered to others is called the ministry of reconciliation.

God gave us His message of reconciliation through His Holy Scriptures

Romans 1:2–4 “2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) 3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; 4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:”

Three verse description of the Gospel.

Considered a visual illustration about how we do not want to leave the Gospel message here, but must take it with us. You have it in your hands, right now, if you are holding the Word of God.

Only the Holy Scriptures can make us wise unto salvation. 2 Timothy 3:15 “15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

The Gospel means good news. What is the good news?

What is the Good News we find in Scripture?

The gospel is the good news that the just and gracious God of the universe looked upon hopelessly sinful people and sent His Son, Jesus Christ, God in the flesh to bear His wrath against sin on the cross and to show His power over sin in the resurrection so that all who have faith in Him will be reconciled to God forever.

Christ’s death on the cross makes possible human reconciliation to God (Rom. 5:10–11).

Reconciliation involves removing rebellious and sinful man’s enmity toward God (Rom. 5:10).

Christ bore mankind’s sin on the cross (1 Peter 2:24), He made peace possible (Eph. 2:11–19).

Forgiven people are no longer the objects of God’s wrath (Rom. 5:9).

By trusting in the reconciling work of Christ alone, people pass from God’s wrath to God’s blessing (Acts 16:30–31; Rom. 8:1) and from spiritual death to spiritual life (John 5:24; Eph. 2:1, 5).

Men’s sins are no longer imputed upon them, for Christ has taken them on Himself (2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24; 3:18).

The shortest road to an understanding of the Bible is the acceptance of the fact that God is speaking on every line.

We should feel this as we hold out Bibles.

A loving God is showing my need to be reconciled to Him

We are lost and do not know our way home. Here is the answer.

These Holy Scripture that made me wise unto salvation can do the same for others.

God’s Word is divine and as so it is the the most historically reliable, book in the world

Concerning the the fact it is Holy. 2 Peter 1:21 “21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”

There is more evidence for the reliability of the Bible than there is evidence that I am standing here today.

Transitional Statement: We should not look to our ability to tell our testimony, or a program of this church, as the most powerful means of sharing the Gospel. We should rejoice in the Word of Reconciliation.

Evangelism starts in our hearts, not in the streets.

Intro: Next Book for us will be James as a mirror.

Metaphor of looking into a mirror. James 1:23–24 “23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.”

God’s Word shows us ourselves more clearly

You don’t know me. True. But God’s Word knows you far better than you know yourself.

In the mirror we see: We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.

That love and acceptance we find should move us to want to share the good news with others.

Gospel proclamation is the out flow of a Gospel saturated heart

Gospel proclamation is not a program to sign up for, but something that is programmed into you as a believer.

Jesus tells us that what we talk about is a reflection of what is in our hearts. Matthew 12:34 “34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”

How much evangelism do we find flowing out of our mouths? What does that suggest about our love for God?

Paul expresses it like this Romans 1:15 “15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.”

“The greatest single hindrance to personal evangelism today is the secret poverty of our own spiritual experience.” - John Stott

Restated: The greatest single hindrance to personal evangelism in our lives is the lack of understanding of what the Gospel has done in our lives.

Paul’s entire identity is wrapped in who Christ is and what Christ has done in his life.

Romans 1:1 “1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,”

We are servants of the Gospel

Shocking and clear statement to the original readers.

The poor Jewish carpenter, that died the most shameful death, is my Master.

Paul describes himself “as one who waits upon tables.”1 Corinthians 3:5 “5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?”

We have, as a follower of Christ, sacrificed the right to determine the direction of your lives.

As with Paul we are longer our own. 1 Corinthians 6:19 “19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?”

Before we are anything else, we are servants of the gospel.

Also means “under rower” The people on the lowest level of a ship rowing.

We are set apart for the Gospel.

“Set apart” is what is meant by us being called “Saints.”

In regard Exodus and Leviticus you will see many things set apart for the Lord. (tabernacle, Temple. sacrifices)

NT continues this same idea with us as believers.

We are to have church services that do not unnecessarily cause confusion to those who do not yet believe.

But this service will never be the most compelling argument or attraction for the Gospel. It will be a life set part by the Gospel.

Transitional Statement: Paul did not have a monopoly on the Gospel, but the Gospel certainly had a monopoly on his life.

We are to live lives centered upon the same mission that Christ had in this world

John 20:21 “21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.”

We are to be God’s messengers sent into this world

Romans 1:5 “5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:”

Specific term Apostle, person who has seen the Risen Christ. There were 12-13 of them.

Word also gets used in other places to refer to us believers as we are sent into the world.

Romans 1:5 “5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:”

Romans 16:7 “7 Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.”

Barnabas gets called an apostle in Acts 14:14 “14 Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out,”

Word means “the one who was sent.

Word also gets translated as “messengers” in 2 Cor 8:23

Those who have received the Holy Spirit are “sent ones”. Acts 1:8 “8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

Our lives should center around being a witness of this truth.

There are definitions of “witnessing” that are insufficient.

Narrow: rehearsing a few Gospel facts to non-believers.

Broad: Whatever we do as Christians before a watching world.

Neither definition is satisfactory. One narrows witnessing only to our lips and the other broadens it to just being nice.

Both our words are words are bound together in our witness.

Illustration: Chick-Fil-A music. If you know you know. If you don’t you may never know. This is fine for a restaurant. It is not for a church

All believers will do the works Jesus does.

John 14:12 “12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”

“He that believeth on me” is that you? If so this is for you.

At this point in the Gospel of John

Jesus has turned water into wine.

He has read the mind of the woman of Samaria

He had healed the man crippled for 38 years

He had fed 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish

He had walked on water

Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead after four days in the grave

Look at the purpose of these miracles: John 14:11 “11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.”

If you are a believer in Jesus, that’s what your life is.

Your works, your life is a display of the trustworthiness of Jesus.

Our whole lives should be centered in living so that people will believe in Jesus.

Conclusion

Our hearts should be broken for those who do not believe.

It is possible to deceive ourselves in the one issue that determines all of our eternity.

Jesus tells a parable (story with a truth) in Matthew 7:26–27 “26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.”

Reminds us that even with friends and family who have nice homes and are sincere in their beliefs we must make sure there home is built upon the Rock.

I would like to pray with you this week for those you want to share the Gospel. Please tell me after the service, text, email, or set up a coffee meeting

Our lives should be centered around sharing the Gospel

We are to called to set forth the truth in this world which means “renouncing hidden things of dishonesty” 2 Corinthians 4:2 “2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.”

Christians are called to care, to plead, and even to persuade unbelievers. 2 Corinthians 5:11 “11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.”

We live with the same mission

What should we expect from this Gospel-Centered Outreach life?

Kanon challenged us on Thursday that we should pray for much fruit to abound. As Jesus was sent, as Kanon has been sent, you are to live sent.

Testimony of the church in Rome that Paul was addressing. Romans 1:8 “8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.”

A people who were limited in their travel shared a Gospel message that was not.

Our prayer should be as David Brainerd ““Lord, let me make a difference for you that is utterly disproportionate to who I am.” –David Brainerd

Can you not recognize the disproportionate difference God has already made in our lives from our obedience?