Paul Said What? - Evangelism/Testimony

Big Idea:

The Lord Jesus uses evangelism to change our world.

Intro:

[Arthur shares his J316 testimony]

Good morning!

It’s good to be back from Brazil. The trip - like last time - was awesome. God did a transformative work… mostly in those of us who went.

It’s interesting how much more we learn by proximity and personal experience - by actually being IN BRAZIL. I describe it this way…

We can know (by the Scriptures) that God is our provider (Jehovah Jireh). But it’s only when we have run out of resources and can do nothing about - do we TRULY DISCOVER God is our provider.

We can know God is a healer, but it’s only when the doctor’s say there’s no hope - do that we EXPERIENCE God is our healer.

And in the book of Ephesians, Paul says…

Ephesians 4:4–6 ESV

There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

We can read this. We can know this. We can believe this. But it’s when…

You’re half way around the world…

Can’t understand the language…

Don’t know any of the people…

And yet you feel at home - like you’re with family.

It’s only then you realize, “Oh, in Christ, we TRULY are one family, whether Brazilian or American.”

We don’t look the same. We don’t even think, believe, or agree with all the same things. But what family does? We’re bonded by something greater - Christ’s love. Jesus said…

John 13:34–35 ESV

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

In Brazil, we get the opportunity to experience this out. By proximity, God proves it to be true. And it’s powerful and transformative.

And I’m convinced it’s something God wants our church to continue to learn because it plays a role in what He wants to accomplish here in Glastonbury. So, I’m already looking forward to next year’s trip! Who wants to come?

Again, so many awesome things happened on this trip. But my favorite part was hearing people’s story. This would often happen late at night, but sometimes I’d hear it as they shared at churches or other gatherings.

One night, a young girl (almost 20) from the Michigan team got up to share. Nice girl. Came from a good family. Homeschooled. I mean… honestly… what could she really share?

But then she opened up her heart to a room full of strangers. She began sharing her battles with anxiety, depression, and even suicide.

You would’ve never guessed this was part of her story. But before I tell more of her story, I’ll cut to her mom’s story, who was also on the missions trip…

On one of the final days, I was sitting at breakfast with her mom and asked, “So, what’s your story?”

She was a mom of 9 kids. Business woman. Homeschool teacher. A runner who hates running (we have some of those in our church). And then she started telling the story of her daughter’s birth.

One day, she had extreme pain in her stomach. The doctor’s informed her that she was pregnant. But there was a problem, it was an ectopic pregnancy. If you don’t know what that is, basically the baby is in the wrong spot and can’t survive. Additionally, the continued growth can be life threatening to the mother.

Upon hearing this, she wept in her hospital bed. Praying. And as she did, it was as if Jesus appeared in the room and said, “See what I do.”

The doctor came in to remove the pregnancy. She continued to weep. She was taken to the operating room and put to sleep. When she awoke, the doctor said, “I’m sorry. I not sure why. But I just can’t do the procedure. I can’t explain it. I just can’t.”

Then - if I’m remembering the story correctly - they ran a few tests. All of a sudden - miraculously - the baby was in the right place. And she went on to deliver a healthy baby girl. The same girl who was now sharing her story of suicide in Brazil.

So, getting back to the daughter, as she was sharing about her suicidal thoughts, she said what was probably THE MOST POWERFUL STATEMENT OF THE NIGHT. In her valley of darkness, she thought, “What a waste of a miracle if I gave up now.”

And so, by faith, she entrusted her darkness to the One, who - as the Psalmist declares…

Psalm 139:12 ESV

even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.

And now, she walks with Jesus who continues to transform her life. And uses her story to change others - it changed me that night!

[Btw - if anyone is interested, she’s actually going on another missions trip in a couple of weeks to Romania. If you’re interested in supporting her, come talk to me after service]

But I share all of this (that was a long intro) because (as you know), we’re in a series titled, “Paul said what?” We’re learning foundation things that help us follow Jesus as Lord. And today, we’re going to discuss “EVANGELISM.”

That might be a new word for you, so let me give a definition. Simply put…

Evangelism is sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.

This includes…

The bad news. You may have heard me say before, “It’s the bad news that makes the good news truly good.” And the bad news is, we are all sinners. God is holy. And we have rejected and rebelled against Him. And God - in His holiness - must judge sin. Therefore, in our sin, we are all headed towards eternal destruction. The Bible calls this place hell.

But evangelism doesn’t stop there. Because God doesn’t stop there. The good news is, because God LOVES us, He sent His Son Jesus to SAVE us.

Jesus, stepped out of Heaven and into time, humbled Himself and took on human flesh. He lived the righteous life we could not. Then sacrificed that perfect life on the cross. He died the death we deserved. He paid for our sins. So we could be forgiven and live the life we did not deserve.

That’s the good news. That’s the gospel. And evangelism is sharing THAT story.

And evangelism can be done in many ways…

We can use social media.

We can use apologetics (which is defending the faith through reason and philosophy).

We can preach God’s word.

But one powerful way to evangelize is by sharing our story. Telling others how Jesus has changed our lives.

This is also called our “testimony.” Mayve you’re heard thar phrase before? And that’s the mode of evangelism I’d like to focus on today. But before I discuss how to share your testimony, I want to look at a few things Paul said…

Body:

In Acts 17, Paul is on his second missionary journey. Going around sharing the gospel - evangelizing - and he arrives in Athens. Btw - ancient Athens has some similarities to modern New England. So, I think this is going to have some relevance to our church…

Acts 17:16 ESV

Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols.

The word “provoked” can also be translated “irritated.” And the sense is this irritation didn’t originate internally, but externally.

People visit Athens today to walk around and look at what used to be impressive buildings. But here, Paul is walking around (like a tourist) but the impressive buildings were still standing in full glory. And as he does, he sees idols everywhere.

Historians say there were tens of thousands of them, even more than all the rest of Greece combined. And as a man of God, these idols could’ve definitely been the external source of this irritation.

But I’d like to suggest that this irritation may have come God. Remember…“For God so loved the world.” And Paul, being filled with the Holy Spirit, walked around this beautiful city and was burdened by the idolatry.

Ephesians 4 talks about how we can grieve the Holy Spirit. I wonder if the heart of God was grieved as Paul wandered the streets, filled with people God loved, but headed towards eternal destruction. And Paul’s spirit, connected to the Spirit of God, was provoked. And that brings me us to something I think is important if we are going to evangelize…

We must see the need for Jesus in our community.

If we don’t love our neighbors like God loves them, why would we share the good news with them? If we don’t see the need, we won’t evangelize.

So, the question we have to ask ourselves is, “Are we burdened for the people in our town?” Do we share God’s heart for them?

And here’s the thing… we may need to pray for God to sync our hearts with His. Because naturally, our hearts are selfish and sinful. There’s a popular song by Hillsong titled “Hosanna.” And there’s a beautiful line that says, “Break my heart for what breaks Yours!”

We may need to pray that so we can rightfully see the need for Jesus here in Glastonbury.

When Paul saw the need, it says…

Acts 17:17–18 ESV

So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, “What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection.

Because Paul saw the need, he evangelized to everyone… He [understood]…

Understand the mission.

God saved us because He loves us. God saved us so we could go to Heaven. Go saved us so we can be part of His family - where we belong. But God also saved us because He has chosen to use us in His rescue mission…

2 Corinthians 5:20–21 ESV

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

As Christians (sons and daughters of God), our mission is to be ambassadors - representatives/messengers - of God, telling people how God loves them and wants to save them. Our mission is to evangelize!

There’s a reason we live where we live. And work where we work. And go to school where we go to school. It’s part of God’s mission for us - the purpose for our lives. And this purpose includes, “…preaching Jesus and the resurrection.”

It was Paul’s message. It’s our message too. We are to tell people the good news about Jesus. And when we do, look what happens…

Acts 17:19–21 ESV

And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? For you bring some strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what these things mean.” Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new.

If we go back to verse 16, when Paul first gets to Athens, we must realize he never intended to be here. Unforeseen circumstances brought him to this place.

And that’s some of our stories too. We don’t know how we ended up in Connecticut. We may have never wanted to be here. But, when Jesus is Lord, we must understand our location has divine purpose. God has a mission for us. And when we understand that mission, we may get unexpected opportunities!

Paul preached in the Aeropagus!

I got to preach in Sao Paulo Brazil - TWICE!

I never imagined that possible!

…and, despite what we may personally think about how people will respond to our message, they might surprise us, “Tell us more!” like the Athenians.

And that brings us to this next thing…

When we see the need…

When we understand the mission…

Then…

We need to know how to evangelize.

While evangelism is simply sharing the gospel, there are some things we can practice to do it well. Check it out…

Acts 17:22–23 ESV

So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.

As Paul saw the need and understood the mission, he began looking for the open door to evangelize…

We should do the same. And sometimes finding these doors require prayer. Paul said…

Colossians 4:3–4 ESV

At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.

We need to look, listen, and pray for an opportunity to evangelize. And in Athens, as Paul walked the streets full of idols, he saw the open door… the altar to the unknown God. The Athenians believed there might be a God they did not know yet. And Paul walked through that door…

What are the open doors in your community?

Acts 17:24–31 ESV

The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for “ ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “ ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’ Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

Paul then uses a evangelism strategy. He “swings” the conversation from the physical to the spiritual - from the things of this world to Jesus. He said, “You worship an unknown God. I know Him. His name is Jesus.” And then he preaches the gospel.

As we walk through open doors, look for opportunities to take the conversation or circumstances… and intentionally swing them to Jesus.

When you’re talking about anything and everything on a run, swing it to Jesus.

When you’re coaching or playing sports, swing it strategically to Jesus.

When you’re playing music, swing it and sing about Jesus. I love how people have done this on shows like American Idol.

See the need. Understand the mission. Walk through open doors. And intentionally talk about Jesus.

Finally… trust God with the results.

Acts 17:32–34 ESV

Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” So Paul went out from their midst. But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.

As followers of Jesus, we must preach the gospel. But we must also realize we have no ability in and of ourselves to change people’s hearts. That’s not our job. Our job is evangelism. God changes hearts. Additionally, God’s given people a free will. And…

Some will mock us.

Some will need more time.

But others WILL BE TRANSFORMED by the gospel because “… it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…”

That being said, how can we evangelize today?

Again, it can happen in many ways. But I want to focus on using our “testimony.” SHARING OUR STORY. Telling people how Jesus has - or is - changing our lives.

And here’s why this method WORKS: Because God says so.

Revelation 12:11 ESV

And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.

God has designed our stories to change lives and conquer darkness! And one easy way to tell our story is by doing what Arthur did at the beginning…

Start with John 3:16. For God so loved [insert your name].

Next, tell people what your life was like before Jesus.

Then, share how Jesus has changed your life.

Let me give you an example: Ryan (and Kade?).

These boys are 13. They are in 8th grade. And they did this in Sao Paulo, Brazil. If they can evangelize, so can you. No excuses.

Response:

As we close, I want to mention a couple of things…

First, you can’t tell a story about how Jesus changed your life until you’ve ACTUALLY let Jesus change your life. So, do you need to do that today? If so…

Remember the bad news. We are sinners. Doomed for eternal destruction.

But God loves you. So turn from your sin.

The things you’ve been filling your life with (the idols) can’t satisfy you. Life is not found there. That emptiness in your heart is God-shaped. Only He can fill it.

Furthermore, God does not need you to do things for Him. You can’t earn His love or salvation. All He wants is your heart. He just wants you to come home.

So, trust in the good news. Trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior. And let Him change everything!

But secondly, maybe you already follow Jesus, but think, “I don’t have a story” or “My story is boring” or “My story isn’t finished… I’m still a mess!”

My friend Becky, who I met in Brazil, thought this. But we got to remember… first off, “It’s not about you!” You are simply a vessel. Paul said…

2 Corinthians 4:7 NLT

We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.

This is about Jesus! Furthermore, sometimes people need to hear the incomplete story as much as the story of radical transformation.

They need to hear that they aren’t alone in the valley of the shadow of death. And yet the hope is, God doesn’t call us to stay there, but to walk through it with Him. .

Whatever your story is, when God opens a door, share it. Your story in God’s hand is powerful. And to prove that to you, I want to close with two more testimonies…

[Candy’s story]

[Walter’s story]

Let’s pray…