You Have a Mission
Notes
Transcript
Handout
As saints, you and I have been called out of the kingdom of this dark world into the kingdom of Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:13).
13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,
Within this new kingdom, we have been given orders by our Lord and Savior, who is also our King. The orders are articulated in Matthew 28:18-20.
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
You see it! We are called to make disciples of Christ. Who in turn will make disciples of Christ and it continues until Christ returns. The next question you may have could be, “How do I do this?” How do I fulfill the job that God has given us to do?
Let me try to summarize this answer.
Making disciples begins with you and I
SURRENDERING TO CHRIST’S LORDSHIP
SURRENDERING TO CHRIST’S LORDSHIP
surrendering to the Lordship of Christ. This may seem obvious, since surrendering to His lordship is how we became saved.
Paul told the church in Romans 12:1
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
CONSIDER
20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
The reason that I am rehearsing this point is because this command.
Evangelism starts with you surrendering yourself to the mission. Second, if we are going to draw others to our Lord, we must be different. As a believer, you and I are the greatest evangelistic tool. We are called to represent Christ in the way we live.
THIS IS WHY WE ARE COMMANDED TO SHINE
SHINING
SHINING
WE SHOULD NEVER MISREPRESENT OUR LORD. Consider the following passages.
31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
32 Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God,
Consider this verse
3 We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed.
4 But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses,
DON’T GIVE PEOPLE A REASON FOR NOT BELIEVING! You are proof of God’s transformative power. This is why Jesus commanded His disciples in John 13:34 to love one another.
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
He told the saints to love the saints.
Why would anyone want to be connected with a family that devours and destroys each other? I know I wouldn’t! Which is why our Lord said the following
35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
in verse 35 that by us loving one another men, unbelievers and believers, will know that we are His disciples.
The process of evangelism begins with a life that has been transformed by Christ, a life that protects the ministry, one that LOVES THE fellow brothers and sisters in the body of Christ regardless of ethnicity, status, appearance, or ability. THEREFORE
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
YOU SHINE BY
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.
12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
YOU SHINE BY
14 Do all things without complaining and disputing,
15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
Next, the step in evangelism is
SEEKING
SEEKING
We should have a strategy for engaging those who don’t know Christ. Let’s consider how Paul sought out those who were lost.
IN THESSALONICA
IN THESSALONICA
2 Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
AS WAS HIS CUSTOM and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
3 explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.”
IN BEREA
IN BEREA
10 Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.
IN ATHENS
IN ATHENS
17 Therefore he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with the Gentile worshipers, and in the marketplace daily with those who happened to be there.
18 Then certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, “What does this babbler want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods,” because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection.
IN CORINTH
IN CORINTH
4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks.
IN EPHESUS
IN EPHESUS
19 And he came to Ephesus, and left them there; but he himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.
Paul learned to SHINE and then he sought out places where he could go to share the good news of Christ.
What were those places?
What were those places?
Do you have places to share?
Do you have places to share?
Where are your places to share?
Where are your places to share?
SERVE
SERVE
19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more;
20 and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law;
21 to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law;
22 to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
23 Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.
24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.
25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.
26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.
27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
Give reasons for our lack of witnessing.
the plan of God
the will of God
the mercy of God
Prepared to Give an Answer
Prepared to Give an Answer
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;
You are commanded to give an answer to the question "Why Jesus?"
What am I saved from?
What am I saved from?
1. You have been saved from the penalty of God: Justification
2. You are being saved from the power of sin: Sanctification
3. You will be saved from the presence of sin: Glorification
Elements in Evangelizing
Elements in Evangelizing
Step 1. God's Perfect World
Step 1. God's Perfect World
God created a perfect world. His design was for us to be in relationship with Him. This relationship with God provided security, significance, and fulfillment. Because He is our creator, this relationship is the source of life. God and man walked together in this perfect world without sickness, brokenness, or death.
Step 2. A Broken Relationship
Step 2. A Broken Relationship
God did not make us robots to automatically love and obey Him. He gave us a will and freedom to choose. We chose to be our own authority. We still make this choice today when we disobey Him and go our own way.
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But he who heeds counsel is wise.
How Can I be saved?
How Can I be saved?
Step 3. God's Remedy: Jesus Christ
Step 3. God's Remedy: Jesus Christ
On our own, there's no way we can attain the perfection and holiness required to bridge the gap between God and us. Through the ages, individuals have tired many ways without success. Good works, religion, money, morality, or philosophy will not bridge the gap. Jesus is the only answer to this problem.
Step 4. Our Response
Step 4. Our Response
Is there any reason why you shouldn't cross over to God's side and be certain of eternal life?
20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.
Have you sinned against God and others? A person is made right with God by trusting in Jesus.
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Do you confess that Jesus is God's Son and He is your Lord and Savior?
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Are you willing to turn away from your sin and turn to God for direction?
20 how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house,
21 testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
Will you surrender to Jesus way?
23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.
Let go of your plans
Let go of your ideas
Let go of your life
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
Circle 1: God's Design
Circle 2: Brokenness
Circle 3: Gospel
