Evangelism in Light of Eternity Part 3

Introduction:

The Title of the sermon to is Evangelism in light of eternity. Evangelism is a difficult topic to talk about. For most believers evangelism is hard, and scary. I want to be up front with you all from the start, I do not come to you today as a master in the area of evangelism. I find evangelism to be just as hard and scary as most do and I need this sermon this morning. While we will talk about some hard truths today I hope you will find a lot of grace as you strive to grow in this very important and needed aspect of the Christian life. As we begin lets open with a word of prayer.

Interrogative: What is Intentional Evangelism and what does it have to do with eternity?

Big Idea: Believers are to have intentional relationships for the purpose of eternal impact.

Sermon Division 4: Confidently evangelize because it is the will of God. (John 4:27, 31-38)

Another cultural norm broke: (27)

Verse 27: The disciples come back from there trip to get food and point out another cultural norm that Jesus was breaking, but they did not have the guts to say anything about it.

1) He was talking to a Samaritan

2) He was talking to someone who had a pretty bad reputation

3) He was talking to a woman

The disciples don’t understand (31-33)

Verse 31: We see the disciples urging him to eat. Do you see a big contrast? A man who is so weary that he breaks all kinds of cultural norms to ask for water, is now being urged to eat but won’t. Am I the only one who finds that interesting?

Verse 32: Jesus explains he has food they do not know about. Jesus is not talking about literal food and will explain that later.

Verse 33: Like the woman thinking Jesus was talking about literal water the disciples also think Jesus is talking about literal food and wonder who brought him food.

Jesus explains and exhorts (34-38)

Verse 34: Jesus explains that his food is to do the will of God and accomplish his work. It is the very thing that sustains him.

Verse 35: Jesus is using a illustration to communicate the importance of evangelism. When is the harvest supposed to be? It is now!

Verse 36-37: Jesus here is explain this importance more clearly. He starts by saying this is already happening. Those who are reaping are receiving rewards. What is their harvest? fruit for eternal life! People! and the result is the sower and reaper rejoice together.

Verse 38: Jesus exhorts his disciples. I sent you to reap what you did not labor for. This is a command that he is communicating to the disciples and for us. Enter into the labor and harvest fruit for eternal life.

Application:

Here we see that the thing that sustains Jesus is to do his Fathers will and to accomplish his work. We see him command intentional evangelism to his disciples.

What sustains you? Is it doing Gods will and accomplishing his work for you? Ephesians 2:10 says:

Ephesians 2:10 ESV

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Some of those works that are prepared beforehand are sharing the Gospel with those who are perishing.

Intentional Evangelism is not merely a suggestion or an idea for us to sit around and discuss endlessly, but rather it is a command that is meant to be done. It is not just a command, it is also a gift to us as we see in 2 Cor 5:17-21

2 Corinthians 5:17–21 ESV

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.

Do you view intentional evangelism as a gift? Or is it something that is dreaded and not acted upon?

The lack of taking or making opportunities for intentional evangelism is nothing less than disobedience against God. What is another word for disobedience and that is sin. James 4:17 puts it like this:

James 4:17 ESV

17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

The harvest in now, what are we waiting for? As we move into this last section we see some unique benefits for those who intentionally evangelize.

Sermon Division 5: Behold the power of God at work through intentional evangelism. (John 4:28-30, 39-42)

A Changed life: (28-30)

Verse 28: This woman left her jar behind. The thing she needed to continue to sustain herself was left behind. She was on a mission to share he changed life with others.

Verse 29: Immediately she starts sharing her testimony of faith with others, and it impacts them in a mighty way.

Verse 30: These people want to witness for themselves someone who might be the Christ.

The power of God at work: (39-42)

Verse 39: What is the result? Many Samaritans in that town believed in God because of this woman's testimony.

Verse 41: We see many more believed because of the word of God.

Verse 42: For this reason they told the woman that is it is not because of her testimony that they believe but because they have heard for themselves the word of God.

Verse 42: We get the answer to the woman’s leading question to the people in the town: Can this be the Christ? That is, “We know that this is indeed the Savior of the world!”

Application:

Here we see the power of God at work through all these changed lives of those who believed. It is exciting to see peoples lives change.

It is important to share our experience and testimony but make sure you point people to God and His word.

An important word in this section is many. Many believed, not all. In Matthew 7 it stays that few will find eternal life. Don’t get discouraged, it is our job to share about God’s gift of eternal life, not to save people. Let’s leave that to God.

Conclusion:

Interrogative:

So lets look back to where we started. We started with a question: What is intentional evangelism and what does it have to do with eternity?

Intentional evangelism is intentionally placing yourself in places where unbelievers will be, purposefully looking for opportunities to share about God’s gift of eternal life, and carefully pointing people to their need of a savior. This has everything to do with eternity because humans are eternal: meaning all humans will spend eternity somewhere.

Big Idea:

For this reason, believers are to have intentional relationship for the purpose of eternal impact. That is why we must obey God by confidently evangelizing. And do forget to stand in awe as you behold the power of God at work through intentional evangelism.

Pray