Five Keys To Remember in Bringing People To Jesus
Dr. George Bannister
Operation Andrew • Sermon • Submitted
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· 30 viewsthe apostle Paul worked in Athens to bring people to Jesus.
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Five Keys To Remember in Bringing People To Jesus
Acts 17:16-34
16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere in the city.
17 He went to the synagogue to reason with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and he spoke daily in the public square to all who happened to be there.
18 He also had a debate with some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. When he told them about Jesus and his resurrection, they said, “What’s this babbler trying to say with these strange ideas he’s picked up?” Others said, “He seems to be preaching about some foreign gods.”
19 Then they took him to the high council of the city. “Come and tell us about this new teaching,” they said.
20 “You are saying some rather strange things, and we want to know what it’s all about.”
21 (It should be explained that all the Athenians as well as the foreigners in Athens seemed to spend all their time discussing the latest ideas.)
22 So Paul, standing before the council, addressed them as follows: “Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way,
23 for as I was walking along I saw your many shrines. And one of your altars had this inscription on it: ‘To an Unknown God.’ This God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I’m telling you about.
24 “He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples,
25 and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need.
26 From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.
27 “His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us.
28 For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’
29 And since this is true, we shouldn’t think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen from gold or silver or stone.
30 “God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him.
31 For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead.”
32 When they heard Paul speak about the resurrection of the dead, some laughed in contempt, but others said, “We want to hear more about this later.”
33 That ended Paul’s discussion with them,
34 but some joined him and became believers. Among them were Dionysius, a member of the council, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
INTRODUCTION:
I- Inner Motivation (Acts 17:16).
I- Inner Motivation (Acts 17:16).
16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere in the city.
A- Happens in normal living.
1- The normal events of life and attitudes of people should motivate us.
Like Jesus (Matthew 9:36)
36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
B- heavy – heartedness when the need is seen.
1- Paul’s spirit was deeply disturbed by the idolatry around him ( παρωξύνετο τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτοῦ).
a. What is your inner response to the idolatry around you?
II- Indiscriminate Witnessing (Acts 17:17).
II- Indiscriminate Witnessing (Acts 17:17).
17 He went to the synagogue to reason with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and he spoke daily in the public square to all who happened to be there.
A- Religious but lost folks (John 3).
like Nicodemus
1- These are found in churches.
2- They make a pretense of Christianity.
B- Exposed, but your religious folks.
* Like King Agrippa (Acts 26)
1- these have been exposed to the gospel, but have not received Christ.
C- Anyone who will listen.
Such as those present on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2 – 3).
1- This is the “as you were going” bunch found in Matthew 28:18 – 20.
18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.
19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
III- Inquisitive Minds (Acts 17:18 – 21).
III- Inquisitive Minds (Acts 17:18 – 21).
A- Some are curious (Acts 17:18).
18 He also had a debate with some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. When he told them about Jesus and his resurrection, they said, “What’s this babbler trying to say with these strange ideas he’s picked up?” Others said, “He seems to be preaching about some foreign gods.”
1- They want to hear what you have to say.
B- Some are interested (Acts 17:19).
19 Then they took him to the high council of the city. “Come and tell us about this new teaching,” they said.
1- They want more information about Jesus.
C- Some are prospects (Acts 17:20).
20 “You are saying some rather strange things, and we want to know what it’s all about.”
1- They want to know what Jesus can do for them.
Jesus indicated that there are four types of soil upon which the gospel seed falls (Matthew 13:3–9).
3 He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one: “Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds.
4 As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them.
5 Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow.
6 But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died.
7 Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants.
8 Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!
9 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
Many will progress from one level to the other by cultivation. (See 1 Corinthians 3:6).
6 I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow.
IV- Intelligent Witnessing (Acts 17:22 – 31).
IV- Intelligent Witnessing (Acts 17:22 – 31).
A- Opening the door (Acts 17:22 – 23).
22 So Paul, standing before the council, addressed them as follows: “Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way,
23 for as I was walking along I saw your many shrines. And one of your altars had this inscription on it: ‘To an Unknown God.’ This God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I’m telling you about.
1- Personalize the witness.
2- Perceptiveness in witnessing.
3- Pointing to a need in the witnessing encounter.
Like Jesus did to the Samaritan woman (John 4:1 – 30).
Like Phillips witness to the Ethiopian (Acts 8)
B- Proceeding through the door.
1- Start on common ground (Acts 17:24 – 29).
24 “He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples,
25 and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need.
26 From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.
27 “His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us.
28 For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’
29 And since this is true, we shouldn’t think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen from gold or silver or stone.
2- State the truths of the gospel (Acts 17:30 – 31).
30 “God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him.
31 For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead.”
a. The need for repentance.
b. inevitability of judgment.
c. Point to Jesus.
V- Inevitable Responses (Acts 17:32 – 34).
V- Inevitable Responses (Acts 17:32 – 34).
32 When they heard Paul speak about the resurrection of the dead, some laughed in contempt, but others said, “We want to hear more about this later.”
33 That ended Paul’s discussion with them,
34 but some joined him and became believers. Among them were Dionysius, a member of the council, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
A- Some will mock.
1- Not all will favorably accept your witness.
a. Remember they have rejected God, not you. (1 Samuel 8:7) (Luke 10:16).
7 “Do everything they say to you,” the Lord replied, “for they are rejecting me, not you. They don’t want me to be their king any longer.
16 Then he said to the disciples, “Anyone who accepts your message is also accepting me. And anyone who rejects you is rejecting me. And anyone who rejects me is rejecting God, who sent me.”
B- Some will want to think about it.
1- Sewn seeds sometimes need cultivation.
a. Be a friend.
b. Show you care.
c. Live what you have preached.
d. Answer questions.
e. Allow the seed to grow to maturity.
f. Be ready when the harvest comes.
C- Some will respond to the good news.
1- Some will be ready to accept Jesus when you witness to them.
2- Follow through with encouragement and help to begin discipleship.
Conclusion:
A- Witnessing is a process.
(1 Corinthians 3:5 – 9)
5 After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us.
6 I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow.
7 It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow.
8 The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work.
9 For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building.
B- Personal experience
young man at construction site
a painter had witnessed to him
I reaped
God did the work