Evangelistically Bold

Intro:

Good morning. Were you challenged last week? Prepare to be challenged again today. Being a disciple of Jesus creates in us the best life we could possibly dream of. And here’s why: Because we were created to be disciples of of Jesus. Think for a moment. Think about the best job you’ve ever had or if your a parent, have you ever made the comment I was created for this? When we are living the life we were created to live our life becomes exhilarating, exciting, adventurous, and absolutely fantastic. That doesn’t mean it’s always peaches and cream, but regardless of the challenges and setbacks it’s all worth it when were living the lives we were created to live. Turn in your Bibles to Romans 10.

I remember when I first meant Jesus, my salvation experience. I can describe to you the room I was in, some of the people who were there, I can even tell you what night of the week it was.

Can you remember your salvation experience? What was it like? Do you remember why you made the decision to follow Jesus?

There are many different reasons why a person would make the decision to follow Jesus. There are many different ways God uses to get our attention.

Romans 10:9–15 NLT

If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”

God could use any method necessary to get people to have a relationship with Him. However, He chooses evangelism to draw people to Him. Evangelism is a part of a disciple’s life. We are called to evangelism.

Evangelism: What is it?

So what is evangelism? Pastor does that mean I am going to have to yell at people and tell them to repent or they will burn in hell, yes, if God asks you to do that. However, in my experience God uses other ways to draw people to Himself.

Evangelism: the spreading of the Christian gospel by public preaching or personal witness. Evangelism is the means by which we share the good news of Jesus. Again very simple. There is nothing complex to defining evangelism. So if evangelism isn’t complex why is evangelism difficult? Let’s look at some hinderances:

I’m not called to evangelize-false statement. If you are a disciple of Jesus you are called to share the gospel.

Lack of relationships with non-believers

Laziness

Fear-fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of humiliation.

Can you relate to any of these hinderances? All of these hinderances are a result when we make evangelism complex. When we over think evangelism it is highly likely that one or more of these hinderances will result.

Good news is never complex. We have a message. A message that can cause the dead to come to life. A message that brings hope. A message that can change a heart. A message that is true. Our message, very simple: Jesus came to save those who are lost. Jesus became the sacrifice for our sins by dying on a cross. Jesus loves you. Jesus loves you so much that He was willing to die on that cross for your sins.

And when we even get a little taste of that love, it changes us and motivates us.

Evangelism is taking that “Good News” message to those who don’t know Jesus.

How Does Evangelism Happen?

Evangelism happens in many ways. Evangelism can happen by yelling at people and telling them to turn or burn. I don’t personally believe that to be the most effective way to evangelize. Why? Because it’s not relational. We serve a God who is relational by His very being. Evangelism happens best and is most effective out of relationship.

Let’s take a look at how Jesus did evangelism.

Matthew 9:9–13 NLT

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him. Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?” When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

Jesus took opportunities to build relationships with people who needed him.

When we have relationship, we are building trust, and a platform to speak into someone’s life.

Again I have had the privilege to share Jesus with a perfect stranger and they received Jesus that day. But I have had more privileges to share Christ with folks I have relationship with.

Jesus meant people where they were, we should do the same.

Bold Evangelism

Today we are being challenged to be evangelistically bold. Say What? Let me say it again. We are being challenged to be evangelistically bold. Remember Evangelism is sharing the Good News of Jesus. We’re going to keep it that simple, but as disciple, we’re going to be bold.

If we’re going to be evangelistically bold, we have to be passionately pursuing Jesus and loving people extraordinarily. When we are doing those two things well then we will be able to be evangelistically bold.

Bold Evangelism happens when we are intentional.

Bold Evangelism is simple, sure it has its challenges, but it’s simple.

Bold Evangelism is loving people.

Bold Evangelism is building relationships.

Bold Evangelism requires work.

Bold Evangelism is what we are called to do.

Bold Evangelism changes lives.

Bold Evangelism changes the world.

Take a moment and think where you might be right now if someone didn’t share Jesus with you. Now take a moment and think of the people in your life that need Jesus. What if you shared Jesus with them the next time you seen them? But Pastor I have shared Jesus with these people in the past and it didn’t make a difference. Maybe if you share Jesus one more time with them that will be the time they step into a relationship with Jesus.

What would your circle of friends look like if you became evangelistically bold? Maybe you would lose some friends, or maybe those friends would follow Jesus with you.

Can you imagine if all of us became evangelistically bold? Think about our community, think about what might happen if we took a bold step and took Jesus at His word and shared the gospel? What would this community look like if each of us shared Jesus with just one different person each day? Let’s use 40 as our congregation size, which is lower than our actual size. That would be 280 people a week hearing about Jesus. That would be 14, 560 a year. St. Louis only has 7,143. And we are just one church. There is at least 13 churches in St. Louis.

If we’re going to be disciples we need to allow God to use us. We need to become evangelistically bold.

Maybe you are here and someone has shared Jesus with you before, and you weren’t sure or didn’t want to take that step to have a relationship with Jesus. I want you to know that Jesus is calling your name. Jesus loves you. Walking into a relationship with Him will be the best decision you will ever make. Will you make that decision today?