4 39-42 The Tools For Evangelism
liberty bible church 2/24/08 a.M.
By Tom Zobrist
“The Tools For Evangelism”
John 4:39-42
introduction
Illus. of "Dirty Jobs." It's on the Discovery Channel. This surprising hit has host Mike Rowe taking on a new, disgusting, you-never-even-thought-of-doing-that "dirty job" each week. He has cleaned dairy farm floors. He has plucked stinging blood worms out of low tide muck. He has scrubbed out penguin enclosures (above and below the water line) at a zoo. He has slogged through muddy swamps in search of gators. The people who do all these dreadfully "dirty jobs" for a living always seem pleased to show off their skills and introduce Rowe to the filthiness unique to their profession. Kids love "Dirty Jobs" because kids love to get dirty. The grosser, the dirtier, the better. Parents like to watch "Dirty Jobs" for two reasons. First, you can threaten your kids with "If you don't do your homework you will end up doing that!" Second, even if you DO have a dirty job, the TV versions always look worse. It is heartening to believe that no matter how bad your job is, someone has one that is even worse! There is one thing common to every dirty job: your hands will show it. Dirt, soot, muck, leftovers of all sorts, work their way into the cuticles, delve deep into knuckle ridges, leave fingernails splintered and stained. Even merely a "fair-weather" gardener has "summer hands" vs. "winter hands." "Summer hands" get tanned, freckled, age-lined, and sport a "green thumb" dyed from pinching off dead blooms. "Summer hands" boast dirty nails from all that transplanting, thinning, weeding. Many people believe that evangelism is a dirty job and they don’t want to do it. But, if they had the tools, they might find it not as distasteful. What are these tools that are available for us all?
OPEN to the passage.
Prop. In these passages today, what tools are necessary for evangelism and how we can start to use them.
Open in PRAYER.
PREVIEW the passage. The last few weeks, we have talked about evangelism. We talked about overcoming the fear of evangelism, we talked about a plan for evangelism, we talked about the changes that are possible through evangelism, and today we want to give you the tools necessary for you to do the work of an evangelist. Cf. 2 Tim. 4:5 “5But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” REVIEW Jesus is speaking with the Samaritan woman at the well in Samaria, He builds a bridge to her and then confronts her with her sin and reveals that He is the Messiah. His disciples return with food and He explains that He has spiritual needs beyond the physical that they were concerned about. READ v 27-38 Now, here’s the results and here we see some tools of evangelism.
i. evangelism starts with personal testimonies vs. 39
Illus. of “Some Things Must Be Shared” A Mercedes-Benz TV commercial shows one of their cars colliding with a concrete wall during a safety test. Someone then asks a Mercedes engineer why their company does not enforce their patent on their car's energy-absorbing car body. The Mercedes' design has been copied by almost every other car maker in the world in spite of the fact that they have an exclusive patent. The engineer replies in a clipped German accent, "Because in life, some things are just too important not to share." Wow! What a great statement. Some things are just too important not to share. As Christians we believe that the good news of Jesus Christ is one of those things that is too important not to share. No, that is an understatement. We believe that Jesus Christ MUST be shared with our friends, our neighbors, the world. READ VERSE 39. A couple of observations:
a. New believers can be evangelists through their personal experiences
1. The woman came to understand that Jesus knew her heart. She came to believe that He was the Messiah and…
2. She shared her personal experiences with others. Illus. of what Paul did in Acts 22 and 26. He also preached right after He was saved.
b. people respond to the testimony of others
1. True believers become a mouthpiece for God and others can have their curiosity stimulated.
2. Many have believed because of the testimony of others. They see the change in others’ lives. But, we must tell them why the change is there.
Trans. EVANGELISM STARTS WITH PERSONAL TESTIMONIES. However…
ii. evangelism requires dirty work vs. 40-42
Illus. of it seems unlikely that Jesus' hands survived to adulthood without some trauma. He was apprenticed with Joseph as a stone mason/carpenter--hewing rough materials into workable surfaces. During his mission activities Jesus spent a lot of time on boats, fishing with the disciples for supper and for souls. A working man in the first century, like a working man in the twenty-first century, would have calluses, scars, many a blackened nail waiting to fall off, not to mention dents and divots from a host of old injuries. Any picture of Jesus should show Him with dirty hands. Why? Because Jesus did the dirtiest job in the history of humanity. He paid the penalty for our sins. Eventually, to be saved, people have to respond to Him and His Word.
a. The gospel is taken to dirty people
V 40 1. Jesus was willing to go where the lost and unlovely were.
2. Jesus was able to minister over two days to these people. They were open to Him.
b. The Gospel is clear in God’s word
V 41 1. The woman’s testimony was great, but many more believed and their convictions were confirmed when they heard it straight from God’s Word.
2. Word is singular in the Greek. His message caused their faith. God saves people the same way today. Personal testimony plus God’s message of salvation is how people are saved
c. confirmation of the gospel
V 42a 1. Personal testimony has to be supplemented with God’s Word. Knowledge of the Scriptures is crucial for evangelism and for assurance. Cf. 1 John 5:11-13
V 42b 2. This does not mean that everyone will be saved, but that everyone will have opportunity at some level. God’s light shines on all through Jesus Christ.
Trans. EVANGELISM STARTS WITH PERSONAL TESTIMONIES and EVANGELISM REQUIRES DIRTY WORK, most of which was done by Jesus. However, we are His voices today. So, what doe we say and how and when do we say it? We’re going to spend the rest of our time on…
iii. evangelism methods
See Power Point Notes- this is not an exhaustive list of methods.
conclusion
What will we do?
1. Pray and commit to being open to evangelism.
2. Write out your own testimony.
3. Have a plan for when an opportunity comes up.
Illus. of “An Unexpected Evangelist” This wonderful man was not well educated and his manner was somewhat rough and crude. He became a Christian and took the Lord's requirement seriously. He kept pestering his pastor to put him to work. Finally, the minister handed him a list of ten names with this explanation: "These are all members of the church, but they seldom attend. Some of them are prominent people in the community. Contact them about being more faithful. Here is some church stationary to write letters. Get them back in church." The man accepted the challenge with rugged determination and enthusiasm. About three weeks later a letter from a prominent physician whose name had been on the list arrived at the church office. Inside was a large check and a brief note: "Dear Pastor, Enclosed is my check for $1,000 to help make up for my missing church so much, but be assured that I will be present this Lord's Day and each Lord's Day following. I will not by choice miss services again. Sincerely... P.S. Would you please tell your secretary that there is only one `T' in dirty and no `C' in Skunk."
Threatening people and calling them names is not the way to go. Using God’s Word and wisdom is. At the very least, we can be like the woman at the well and invite our friends and neighbors to hear about Jesus. The work of sharing the news of Jesus Christ is evangelism. It is our job. We need to just do it. Just do it!
pRAY
1 Peter 1:16
16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”
Isaiah 59:2
2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God;
And your sins have hidden His face from you,
So that He will not hear.
1 Peter 3:18
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,
John 5:24
24 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.
“The Tools For Evangelism”
John 4:39-42
introduction
Many people believe that evangelism is a ____________________ job and they don’t want to do it.
i. evangelism starts with vs. 39
a. New believers can be evangelists through their…
b. people respond to the…
ii. evangelism requires vs. 40-42
a. The gospel is taken to ________________ people
b. The Gospel is __________________ in God’s word
c. _____________________________ of the gospel
Cf. 1 John 5:11-13
iii. evangelism methods
Turn sheet over to take notes:
conclusion
What will we do?
1.
2.
3.