Who's Your One (pt.2)
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What is the Gospel?
The good news that Jesus died in my place, completely satisfying the wrath of God, so that I could freely come to God and enjoy Him, both now and forever.
The good news that Jesus died in my place, completely satisfying the wrath of God, so that I could freely come to God and enjoy Him, both now and forever.
Last week, we identified two things:
1. The Church is Not Participating in Evangelism (Evangelism is at a 70-year low within the SBC)
2. We identified the ONE person that we can help come to salvation in Jesus.
That is, we looked at the problem and, then, we engaged the problem.
Today, I want to look at our positive motivation for engaging in evangelism.
· Rather than focusing on the problem of the lack of evangelism…
· Rather than focusing on our rebellious tendency to disregard the commands of Jesus…
· Rather than focusing on a guilt-trip type of message…
· I WANT US TO SEE THAT…
Main Point
OUR PARTICIPATION IN EVANGELISM LEADS TO OUR JOY AND SATISFACTION, AND TO REJOICING IN HEAVEN!
OUR PARTICIPATION IN EVANGELISM LEADS TO OUR JOY AND SATISFACTION, AND TO REJOICING IN HEAVEN!
Our Fears and Objections Serve to DEMOTIVATE us!
1. I don’t want to participate—I don’t have time or see why I should!
2. I don’t know how to participate in evangelism
3. I don’t know what to say when I talk to others
Think about it like this, when we tell ourselves that:
1. I’m too busy
2. I’m too unskilled
3. I’m too unsure…
4. We deny what Jesus has said to us, of us, and for us!
That is, usually very subtly, we forget or suppress things like this:
1. We are commanded by Christ to Evangelize (Matt. 28:18-20)
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
2. We are the assigned work from Christ (Eph. 2:10)
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
3. We are instructed to seek the Lord for fellow workers (Matt. 9:37-38)
Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
4. We are ambassadors for Christ (2nd Cor. 5:20)
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
5. We are empowered by the Spirit of Christ to testify of Christ (John 14:26)
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
6. We are not the power of Salvation—the Gospel is (Rom. 1:16)
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.
You see, all that is required for us to refuse to engage in evangelism is to listen to our thoughts instead of God’s Word.
All I have to say is, “I can’t, I won’t, and I’m unfit” and I will never obey Christ and NEVER experience the blessings of obedience.
What blessings are associated with following Christ?
1. The Fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
a. Love
b. Joy
c. Peace
d. Patience
e. Kindness
f. Goodness
g. Faithfulness
h. Gentleness
i. Self-Control
2. Repayment for Service (Mark 10:29-31)
Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
a. A hundred times more than we sacrificed to obey
b. Eternal life in the age to come
Before you think these are not ABSOLUTELY AMAZING BLESSINGS, hear it like this:
1. Why do you work so hard? Is it not to secure the necessities of life AND to enjoy life?
2. Why do you (or did you) desire to marry? Was it not to find joy and deep satisfaction?
3. Why do we want children? Is it not to have someone to love, nurture, develop, and see blossom for their good and our joy?
All the striving and effort we exert in this life is to find what Jesus literally promises to us for following Him!
Bearing the tremendous blessing associated with obeying Christ, we should ask…
WHAT DOES JESUS EXPECT FROM US?
WHAT DOES JESUS EXPECT FROM US?
FIRST… JESUS EXPECTS US TO UNDERSTAND THAT HIS PRIMARY FOCUS WAS GLORIFYING THE FATHER BY EXPRESSING GOD’S SALVIFIC LOVE!
FIRST… JESUS EXPECTS US TO UNDERSTAND THAT HIS PRIMARY FOCUS WAS GLORIFYING THE FATHER BY EXPRESSING GOD’S SALVIFIC LOVE!
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
SECOND… JESUS EXPECTS US TO IMITATE HIM—BECAUSE HE IS THE LORD!
SECOND… JESUS EXPECTS US TO IMITATE HIM—BECAUSE HE IS THE LORD!
Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.
whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
John 14:15
You are my friends if you do what I command you.
Question: “Since God commands that we imitate Him, is it not appropriate to think that He will bless us for obeying and discipline us for disobeying?”
Question: “Since God commands that we imitate Him, is it not appropriate to think that He will bless us for obeying and discipline us for disobeying?”
WHAT DOES JESUS’ LOVE OF THE LOST LOOK LIKE?
WHAT DOES JESUS’ LOVE OF THE LOST LOOK LIKE?
Luke 15:11-32
And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.” ’ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’ ”
Two Huge Points:
1. Jesus ABSOLUTELY values the “ONE”
2. Jesus—along with all of heaven—rejoices every time ONE person comes to salvation
Let’s take a deeper look at this passage…
We see that our Lord is motivated and actively reaching the lost…
1. He loves us—he considers us His children (wayward and lost)
2. He arranges our situations to get our attentions (it was no accident the prodigal was unable to survive)
3. He actively awaits our return (the Father looked for his son)
4. He meets us in our repentance (the Father did not wait for the son to go the whole distance—nor did he force a “object—lesson upon the son)
5. He restores us to where we belonged BEFORE our sin (the robe and ring)
6. He rejoices over us with us (the meal)
7. He encourages others to view our return properly (the older son)
The point of this passage is this:
GOD HAS A HEART FOR ALL OF HIS CHILDREN AND DESIRES THAT ALL COME TO SALVATION—AND HE REJOICES WHEN WE DO!
On the other hand, we need to hear a strong rebuke from Jesus for hindering ONE person from coming to salvation…
“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.
We have essentially two choices in this life in our interaction with people:
Lead them to Christ and to enjoy Christ more
Lead them to Sin against Christ
When it comes to causing others to sin, we either...
Preach a counter-gospel
Demonstrate a counter-gospel
Fail to communicate the gospel
Jesus, in the parables of Luke 15 and other teachings, motivates us to see that His passion is for the lost, and He does not accept our inactivity. Frankly neither should we.
Our inactivity in sharing the gospel costs us great joy
Our inactivity in sharing the gospel costs others eternity
Our inactivity in sharing the gospel keeps us from glorifying God
Think about it like this…
1. The basis for evangelism is the LOVE of God
2. The command of evangelism is the AUTHORITY of God
3. The means for evangelism is the POWER of God
4. The three-fold result of evangelism:
a. SALVATION of the Lost,
b. PRAISE of God, and
c. REJOICING in heaven!
When we serve God by telling others about Christ heaven rejoices, we grow, God is glorified, and others find life!
How do we do this?
Identify ONE person that you want to invite to Christ (or church)
Pray for that ONE person for 30 days
Pray for an opportunity to witness, invite to church, or have a spiritual conversation
Do it when the Lord opens the door!