Walking in the Evangelism of Jesus

As you read about the life of Jesus, you immediately see that Jesus cared about people.

He modeled the lifestyle that we have looked at many times in

Philippians 2:3–5 (NLT) Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. 5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

Jesus calls us to leave the normal narcissistic lifestyle of the 21st century behind.

No more, “Me! Me! Me!, but others!

Jesus had a passion — He lived — NOT to see Himself convenienced or comfortable — obviously not — but to see lost humanity brought back into relationship with with God.

He left the glory of heaven to accomplish the life-mission He states in Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.””

Romans 5:8 (NASB95) But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

All through His life, we see Jesus’ compassion for the souls of people.

Over and over again we see in the Word of God that He expressed His love and compassion for People.

We see Jesus’ heart of compassion for people prophesied in Psalm 72:12–14 (NLT) He [speaking of King Jesus] will rescue the poor when they cry to Him; He will help the oppressed, who have no one to defend them. 13 He feels pity for the weak and the needy, and He will rescue them. 14 He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their lives are precious to Him.

We see that demonstrated through His life here on earth, over and over again…

Matthew 9:36 (NASB95) Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.

On another occassion, in Matthew 14:14 (LSB) And when He went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and felt compassion for them and healed their sick.

Luke 7:11–15 (NLT) Soon afterward Jesus went with his disciples to the village of Nain, and a large crowd followed him. 12 A funeral procession was coming out as he approached the village gate. The young man who had died was a widow’s only son, and a large crowd from the village was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with compassion. “Don’t cry!” he said. 14 Then he walked over to the coffin and touched it, and the bearers stopped. “Young man,” he said, “I tell you, get up.” 15 Then the dead boy sat up and began to talk! And Jesus gave him back to his mother.

Over and over again we read of Jesus deep compassion for people in need.

We see Him reaching out to help, to rescue, to save.

But it was especially His compassion for lost souls that drove His ministry:

As we saw a couple of weeks ago, when He was confronted with the paralyzed man let down through the roof by his friends, Jesus forgave his sins before healing his body.

He prioritized the soul over the Body.

Because He knew the eternal soul has more value than the temporary tent of the human body.

We also see in John 3 that Jesus meets with Nicodemas about his soul and how to have eternal life — by being born again.

In John 4 we see Jesus going out of His way to meet with a Samaritan woman and talk to her about her soul.

Even when Jesus did miracles, He used them to talk to people about the state of their soul — about eternal life.

That’s our Jesus!

Jesus modeled Evangelism, not as an act, but as a lifestyle.

Through the anointing of the Holy Spirit,

through which He lived His life in the flesh,

and in doing so modeled for us the way WE are supposed to live,

Through the anointing, Jesus recognized and responded to the divine appointments in His daily life.

Divine appointments He used to share the message of the Kingdom of God.

The forgiveness of sins.

The removal of the guilt and shame of sin.

Eternal life.

As we have seen the past few weeks:

1 Peter 2:21 (NASB95) For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,

Jesus is calling us to walk in the footsteps of His example.

His example is a person with a zeal for souls.

He is calling us to that same zeal — that same passion.

Prepared for Purpose

Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.””

Walking in that passion for souls means recognizing our purpose like Jesus recognized His.

As I already noted, as Jesus walked this planet, He knew His purpose.

He wasn’t here to confront the oppressive Roman rule, reform the corrupt religious system in Israel, or even to end poverty.

It would have been easy to be sidetracked, distracted by good and noble pursuits, but that is NOT what Jesus modeled for us.

No. Jesus was born…

As an angel of the Lord told Joseph the betrothed husband of Mary, the mother of Jesus, Matthew 1:20–21 (LSB) … “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the One who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 “And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

Once we are in relationship with Him, He has called us to the same purpose.

To reach out to the lost — to seek and offer the salvation of Jesus.

As 2 Corinthians 5:14–15 (AMP) [says] For [it is] the love of Christ [that] controls and urges and impels us, because we are of the opinion and conviction that [if] One died for all, then all died; 15 And He died for all, so that all those who live might live no longer to and for themselves, but to and for Him Who died and was raised again for their sake.

2 Corinthians 5:20 (AMP) So we are Christ’s ambassadors, God making His appeal as it were through us. We [as Christ’s personal representatives] beg you for His sake to lay hold of the divine favor [now offered you] and be reconciled to God.

That’s why born again people are on this earth.

To be ambassadors for the Kingdom of God.

To present the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ to those who are lost and dying.

As we sang it a few minutes ago:

To rescue the perishing

Partnering with the Unlikely

Text: John 4:4-10

That mission may, like Jesus, cause us to speak into the lives of people who are not like us.

Or they may be very much like us.

We just tend to be quiet and not share the Gospel.

What we see Jesus do in John 4 would be going outside the norm — outside of our comfort zone.

John 4:4–10 (ISV) Now it was necessary [ to travel? for the Kingdom of God? to accomplish His Father’s will?]for Him to go through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the piece of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s Well was also there, and Jesus, tired out by the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. 7 A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus told her, “Please give me a drink,” 8 since his disciples had gone off into town to buy food. 9 The Samaritan woman asked him, “How can you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” Because Jews do not have anything to do with Samaritans. 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who is saying to you, ‘Please give me a drink,’ you would have been the one to ask him, and he would have given you living water.”

A tired Jesus, taking a break during the heat of the day, encounters a Samaritan woman…

And talks to her about the state of her soul.

Now realize, He FIRST established common ground.

He started by talking about water.

He then used water to talk about eternal things.

Consider how Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman demonstrates the importance of breaking cultural and social barriers in evangelism.

Jesus met her where she was, both physically and spiritually.

This reminds us that God often presents opportunities in unexpected places and that they should be open to engaging all individuals, regardless of background.

Passion for People

Matthew 9:36-38

Though I have already read it, look again at:

Matthew 9:36–38 “[Jesus], seeing the crowds, … felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and downcast like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 “Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.””

Jesus's compassion for the crowds was the driving force for His ministry and call for prayer for more workers in the harvest.

Compassion is a powerful motivator for evangelism, urging believers to look beyond their fears and inadequacies to see others with Christ’s eyes and heart, actively praying and stepping into their calling to spread the good news.

Are WE the answer to that prayer?

I pray it would be so.

Committing to Jesus’ Example

If someone is going to gather the young people for the Lord’s Supper they can go do that now.

Next week we will have a U.S. missionary, Jessica Riner with us.

The AG reaches out not only to other countries, but we recognize the U.S. is one of the most evangelistically needy countries on earth.

Out of 350 million people, about a third need a witness of the Gospel of Jesus.

Rev. Riner is reaching out to students on school campuses — especially High School campuses.

But the need is greater than the high school campus.

It is greater than the University campuses — although God is doing a work there.

On Wednesday this past week more than 6,000 students attended an evangelistic outreach at the University of Florida.

Unite US organizer and evangelist Tonya Prewett tells CBN News:

"He did it again, We witnessed God move in a new way."

"The level of surrender was unlike anything I've ever witnessed," Prewett told CBN News. "1,000 students came forward to give their lives to Jesus and hundreds chose to get baptized."

But the need is in our neighborhoods, at our places of work, in our families, at the doctors’ offices — even at Walmart.

Jesus is calling us to step out of our comfort zone and follow Him to reach a lost and dying world.

Are we willing to do that?

Do we believe what we sang a few minutes ago — that people need the Lord?

If you are willing to follow in the footsteps of Jesus as He leads us to reach a lost world, would you stand?

PRAYER of commitment.

The Lord’s Supper

Let’s seal that commitment to reach the world for Jesus by partaking of the Lord’s Supper together.

Something we observe regularly because, as Jesus told His first disciples in:

Luke 22:19 (LSB) … Do this in remembrance of Me.”

We partake of the Lord’s Supper to remember the sacrifices of Jesus.

The sacrifice of His body beaten and nailed to a Cross.

Pierced by both a crown of thorns AND a Roman spear.

The pouring out of His Blood that washes away not only OUR sin, but the ins of ALL who will repent of their sins and surrender to the Lordship of Jesus.

Let’s be thankful for that sacrifice by partaking of the Lord’s Supper together.

Preparation

To partake we need to FIRST prepare our hearts.

When Jesus was about to observe the Last Supper with His disciples we read that:

Luke 22:8 (LSB) … Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, so that we may eat it.”

Jews always PREPARED for the Passover — on which the Lord’s Supper is built.

And so should we!

1 Corinthians 11:27–32 (TPT) … whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in the wrong spirit will be guilty of dishonoring the body and blood of the Lord. 28 So let each individual first evaluate his own attitude and only then eat the bread and drink the cup. 29 For continually eating and drinking with a wrong spirit will bring judgment upon yourself by not recognizing the body. 30 This insensitivity is why many of you are weak, chronically ill, and some even dying. 31 If you do not sit in judgment of others, you will avoid judgment yourself. 32 But when we are judged, it is the Lord’s training so that we will not be condemned along with the world.

Let’s ask the Lord to cleanse us and put a right spirit in us.

Prayer

Distribute the Elements

You don’t have to be a member to partake of The Lord’s Supper with us.

Are you in right relationship with Jesus?

Have you asked the Lord to forgive your sins and cleanse you from all unrighteousness?

Sister Becky Gill could you come serve us?

Worship Team, please come

If you are in right relationship with Jesus,

sing this song in remembrance

as you come to receive and HOLD the elements

Please stand across the front

And then we will all partake together.

Sing: At The Cross (Love Ran Red)

Bread

Jesus said in: John 6:47–51 (LSB) “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes [in Me] has eternal life. 48 “I am the bread of life. 49 “Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 “This is the bread which comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and also the bread which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.”

John 6:57–58 (LSB) “As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. 58 “This is the bread which came down out of heaven, not as the fathers ate and died. He who eats this bread will live forever.”

At the Last Supper: Luke 22:19 (LSB) [tells us that] … when [Jesus] had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.”

Prayer (Ron Broadhead)

As Jesus would have prayed (from Seder): Blessed are you, O Lord our God, who brings forth bread from the earth.

Let us partake.

Cup

Jesus went on to say in: John 6:53–56 (LSB) So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. 54 “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 “For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. 56 “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.

Also at the Last Supper: Matthew 26:27–29 (LSB) [tells us that] … when [Jesus] had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; 28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. 29 “But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”

Prayer (Joe King)

Again, as Jesus would have prayed ( from Seder): Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.

Let us partake.

Jesus Is Coming Back!

1 Corinthians 11:26(Phillips)… whenever you eat this bread or drink of this cup, you are proclaiming that the Lord has died for you, and you will do that until He comes again.

Folks, Jesus is coming again!

Until He comes, let’s praise, glorify, thank and worship Him.

He created us to do so.

Sing: Even So Come