The Four Calls of Evangelism

We have been talking this Summer about spreading Gospel

It is a known fact that we are all called to spread gospel

       I would like to suggest that there are

four ways we are called

We have three general calls

                      Beyond, Above, and Below

              And one specific call

                      Within

Turn with me to Matthew 9:35-38

Let us begin with

You Are Called From BEYOND - Matt 9:35-38

First should learn Christ had Compassion

As we strive to be Christ like

We too should have compassion on the lost

He saw the people were scattered abroad as sheep having no                         shepherd

Lost in world today scattered abroad.

Scattered in false religions

Searching for the truth

Current Statistics

                         8.142 billion in world

340 Million in the United States

Meaning 7.8 Billion outside of the United States

There are currently 3,500 SBC International Missionaries in 155 out of 195 countries in the world

approximately 17,704 people groups

an estimated 7,398 unreached people groups globally, comprising about 3.2 billion people

Number of Christians: approximately 2.6 billion

Currently more than 4 million persecuted Christians receive help from VOM each year.

5.542 non-christians

                                    Muslims over 2.05 Billion

                                    Hindu 1.2 Billion

                                    Buddhist  520 million

The fields are white and ready for harvest

We are being called from beyond to witness to them

                             The Harvest Movie

Jesus calls us to pray for More Workers

The Starfish Illustration

You Are Called From ABOVE - Acts 1:8-11

       Turn with me to Acts 1:8-11

Acts 1:8–11 NASB95

8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” 9 And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. 11 They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”

Jesus gives us the Great commission

He tells us to start where we are at     

Our Family and Friends

He tells us to go to those around us

At the stores and around this area

He tells us to go abroad

When we Travel

Jesus tells us to spread the gospel where ever you are

God does not just call pastor to spread the Word.

We are priest hood of believers

      in I Peter 2:9 we read:

1 Peter 2:9 NASB95

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

It is our responsibility to spread the Gospel where ever we are.

But, notice what happened after Jesus Told them to Go0

They Stood there starring in the sky

How many after hearing this Call today

Will just stand there/leave it to someone else

You Are Called From BELOW - Luke 16:19-31

  Turn to Luke 16:19-31

Luke 16:19–31 NASB95

19 “Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day. 20 “And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, 21 and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores. 22 “Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. 23 “In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 “And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’ 25 “But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. 26 ‘And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.’ 27 “And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father’s house— 28 for I have five brothers—in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ 29 “But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 “But he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’ 31 “But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”

not the same Lazarus Jesus raised from dead

Possible that this is true

normal parables did not give names of people or specific places

This would Show that Jesus was fully God and Fully man

Notice that the tables turned

On earth everyone would have to know or even want to know

The Rich mans name

No one would know the Beggars name

But not with God

Their were two cries from below in this scripture

1.  The cry to quench the torment

This should also help us to realize

we don't want the lost to perish or suffer

we don't want our loved ones to go to such a place either

A look into hell

2.  The cry to tell their family and friends

I tell you that those who are now tormented in hell cry out to you and I

They plead to us to tell their loved ones that they need Jesus.

You Are Called From WITHIN Romans 12:1-2

       In order to hear Holy Spirit within

              turn with me to Romans 12:1-2

First we see that

We Must Be Yielded

Present our bodies to him

We must separate from the world

Turn from sin

keep from worldly responses

anger, lust, hate, deceit

We Must Maintain a Spiritual Mind

Walk with the Lord daily

Do not keep unconfessed sin

Do not hold a grudge against another

-Experiencing God- Find out where God is at work

I would be willing to say

This specific call within will only come

After we meet the General calls

Showing that we are doing the will of our father in heaven.

Will you respond to the General calls

Is God giving you a specific call?

Will you respond?

Commit your life to Christ and Spread his Gospel.