What it means to share Jesus

Acts 8:35 NASB95

35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him.

1. One of the most effective evangelistic Christians in the early church was a man named Philip. He was one of the seven original deacons in the church at Jerusalem.

a. When Persecution came against the early Christians, (from the Jewish leaders)many believers left Jerusalem. They went to other areas in Judea and also in Samaria. As they went, they shared Jesus.

Acts 8:5 NASB95

5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ to them.

When persecution came from the Jewish leaders against the early Christians, many believers left Jerusalem. As they traveled away from Jerusalem, they went to other areas in Judea and also in Samaria. As they went, they shared Jesus. The Bible says in Acts

1. Philip went to Samaria and shared Jesus with them God also performed many miracles through him (healed, people were set free from demonic strongholds)which caused the crowds to gather and listen intently to his Gospel message.

a. As Philip ministered, people were saved, healed, and set free from demonic strongholds. Many in Samaria were saved by repenting of their sin and believing in Jesus. Philip baptized them.

b. The revival taking place in Samaria was a fulfillment of Jesus’ parting words in Acts 1:8

Acts 1:8 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.”

Gaines, Steve. Share Jesus Like It Matters (p. 1). Auxano Press. Kindle Edition.

1. Jesus had commissioned His disciples to begin their witnessing in Jerusalem, and then to branch out into the regions of Judea and Samaria.

a. It seems they didn’t want to leave Jerusalem, so God allowed persecution to move them on the other places. This is how Philip ended up in Samaria.

The

a. It seems they didn’t want to leave Jerusalem, so God allowed persecution to move them on the other places. This is how Philip ended p in Samaria.

Edition.

Gaines, Steve. Share Jesus Like It Matters (p. 2). Auxano Press. Kindle Edition.

b. As God is truly moving in Samaria, great things are happening, God moves Philip isolated to share Jesus with one person.

Acts 8:27 NKJV

27 So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship,

1. As the eunuch rode in his chariot, He was reading a messianic text from the Old Testament book of Isaiah.

a. The Holy Spirit commanded Philip to join him. Philip heard the eunuch reading Scripture and asked him if he understood what he was reading. The man indicated that he could use some help in understanding the meaning of Isaiah’s text. That’s when Philip went up into the man’s chariot and shared Jesus with Him.

Acts 8:37 NKJV

37 Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”

Acts 8:35 NASB95

35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him.

Gaines, Steve. Share Jesus Like It Matters (p. 2). Auxano Press. Kindle Edition.

.1. This is one of the greatest verses in the New Testament when it comes to describing the essence of evangelism (sharing Jesus). Philip did three things:

1. he opened his mouth and spoke,

2. he based all he said on the authority of Scripture,

3. he focused the conversation on Jesus Christ.

That is evangelism—verbally sharing what the Bible says about Jesus. That is what we are emphasizing with the title “Share Jesus Like It Matters.”

1) for believers only, (2) by immersion only, and (3) a symbol of one’s salvation.

Acts 8:36–38 NASB95

36 As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?” 37 And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” 38 And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him.

Acts 8:37–38 NKJV

37 Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” 38 So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.

Acts 8:38–39 NKJV

38 So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. 39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.

Acts 8:36

Acts 8:3

2. Philip went on to lead the man to faith in Christ and baptize him. The eunuch’s baptism is also a beautiful picture of what biblical baptism is:

1) for believers only, (2) by immersion only, and (3) a symbol of one’s salvation.

2. Today we are going to look what it does not mean to share Jesus. We will then look at what it does mean to share Jesus. And look at the meaning of evangelism.

What “Sharing Jesus” Is Not

1. Some Christians believe that basically all activities of the church are evangelism, and believe that evangelism is at the heart of everything the church does. That would be wonderful if true, but unfortunately it isn’t.

a. The fact is, many churches are involved in multiple activities that are not equivalent with sharing the Gospel intentionally with a lost person. A better umbrella term for “everything the church does” might be ministry, but it certainly shouldn’t be evangelism.

a. We can do all kinds of activities in the church, but that is not the same as sharing Gospel intentionally with a lost person. “Everything in the church does “might be ministry, but that doesn’t make it evangelism”

b. For instance, working in the nursery is ministry, but it is not sharing Jesus. Greeting people at the church door and welcoming them is a valuable ministry, but technically it is not sharing Jesus. All ministry is not sharing Jesus.

Gaines, Steve. Share Jesus Like It Matters (p. 3). Auxano Press. Kindle Edition.

c. Churches of a more liberal theological persuasion often view social ministry—meeting a hurting person’s physical needs—as a form of sharing Jesus. When churches do something like feeding the homeless at Grace Market place and not try to share the gospel with them, that is ministry and not evangelism.

Gaines, Steve. Share Jesus Like It Matters (p. 4). Auxano Press. Kindle Edition.

d. There are churches that have gone on foreign mission trips to build homes, or help provide a means of water supply, but never take the time to one on one sharing the gospel. That is not evangelism. (It not a mission trip if the gospel in not being shared)

For instance, working in the nursery is ministry, but it is not sharing Jesus.

Churches of a more liberal theological persuasion often view social ministry—meeting a hurting person’s physical needs—as a form of sharing Jesus. I have talked with theologically liberal pastors who contend that when they reach out in compassion and love to meet the physical needs of others, they are in their own way “leading” those people to the Savior.

What Sharing Jesus is

So what does it mean to share Jesus? First, we will look at the Greek word euangelion that means, “good news.” Second, we will consider an excellent definition of evangelism (i.e., sharing Jesus) by Dr. Roy Fish.

Sharing Jesus and Euangelion

Sharing Jesus and Euangelion

“Evangelism” is an English transliteration of the Greek word euangelion.

1. Throughout the New Testament it refers to the “good news” of the saving message concerning Jesus Christ.

a. In one of His first sermons, Jesus spoke these words

Mark 1:15 NASB95

15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

Gaines, Steve. Share Jesus Like It Matters (p. 5). Auxano Press. Kindle Edition.

NASB9515 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

“and saying, the time is full

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel [euangelion].”

b. That good news changed lives and enabled people to turn from their sin and turn in faith to God.

c. Jesus also taught that the Gospel is worthy of one’s complete devotion.

Mark 8:35 NASB95

35 “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.

d. The Apostle Paul spoke frequently about sharing the Gospel. Indeed, Paul would share Jesus with anyone at any time, refusing to be ashamed of the Gospel.

Romans 1:16 NASB95

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

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If you (we) are going to be serious about sharing the gospel (Jesus). Because it changes lives.

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a. Complete devotion.

b. We can not be ashamed.

2. Thus, the word “Gospel” (euangelion) refers to the “Good News” about Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death and victorious resurrection that brings salvation to a lost sinner when he repents and believes in Jesus.

A Definition of Evangelism (Sharing Jesus)

Evangelism is the compassionate sharing of the Good News of Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit to lost people with the intent of winning them to Christ as Lord and Savior that they in turn might share Him with others.

. In his definition, Dr. Fish speaks of:

The Spirit of Evangelism— compassionate. Like Jesus, Christians must love lost people. When Jesus looked at lost multitudes, He felt compassion for them (). He also felt a genuine love for individuals with whom he shared the Gospel ().

The Spirit of Evangelism— compassionate. Like Jesus, Christians must love lost people. When Jesus looked at lost multitudes, He felt compassion for them (). He also felt a genuine love for individuals with whom he shared the Gospel ().

Gaines, Steve. Share Jesus Like It Matters (p. 7). Auxano Press. Kindle Edition.

Gaines, Steve. Share Jesus Like It Matters (p. 7). Auxano Press. Kindle Edition.

The Communication of Evangelism— sharing. If you want to share Jesus, you must set a good example for lost people, but you must also verbally share the Gospel of Jesus as Philip did with the Ethiopian eunuch ().

The Content of Evangelism— the good news of Jesus Christ. The Gospel focuses on Jesus’ atoning death for sinners, His burial to verify His death, and His bodily resurrection from the dead (). Any message short of this is not sharing Jesus!