Evangelism - Galatians 3:8
Notes
Transcript
Handout
What is Evangelism?
GOSPEL-IZATION
to evangelize is to preach the good news of Jesus Christ with the aim to persuade - adapted from Stiles
What were applications from Acts 8:35?
Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
(1) Evangelism is the work of God. Trust Him!
(2) Evangelism is the work for which God has equipped his people. Obey!
(3) Evangelism is to clearly preach the life and finished work of Jesus Christ. Don’t rush the message!
(4) Evangelism aims to persuade to belief in the exclusivity of Jesus Christ. Preach faith in Christ alone!
Simply put, tell people that faith in Jesus’ life of righteousness, death for our sins, burial in a tomb, and resurrection from the dead — faith in Him ALONE can save anyone!
Title: What is Scripturally Precise Evangelism
Title: What is Scripturally Precise Evangelism
Text: Galatians 3:6-9
Text: Galatians 3:6-9
Scripturally precise evangelism is intentionally using all means necessary to manifest the goodness of the LORD by using our words to effectively proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ.
Scripturally precise evangelism is intentionally using all means necessary to manifest the goodness of the LORD by using our words to effectively proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ.
Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
Series: Evangelism
Series: Evangelism
Illustration:
Many of us are evangelistic by nature. We are aiming to persuade people about many things, just not about Christ.
We aim to persuade people about:
Restaraunts - “Flipside Burger”
Football teams - “Michigan Football”
Personal athletics - “basketball” or “baseball”
Entertainment - Movies - “Lord of the Rings”...
Typically, our evangelism is more fervent when what we are peddling seems to be more rare. For example: You typically don’t hear people evangelizing for McDonalds or for Walmart, but you might hear them evangelize for a Ruth’s Cris steak house or a Costco. Availability often influences fervor of evangelism.
In addition, opportunity often influences fervor of evangelism. For example, years ago, my wife and I traveled to GA to visit my family, and they said that we should go on a date to a little restaurant that had good food and was in the middle of nowhere. While we typically did not go to the restaurant, we decided to go because of the opportunity that was there. We were effectively evangelized or persuaded by my mother to go.
Application:
I think that we all know what the difference is between this kind of evangelism and biblical evangelism; but why are we more fervent to evangelize for a football team or a restaurant than we are for the gospel of Jesus Christ?
Transition:
If eternal life is the most precious reality that someone has available to them, why would we promote Ruth’s Cris before the gospel? Is the availability of Ruth’s Cris more important or precious?
If the opportunity for eternal life is limited, should we be more diligent in our evangelism for limited time baseball season over a limited time opportunity for eternal life?
Proposition:
If eternal life is really this precious, then we must become more scripturally precise in our understanding of and obedience to evangelism.
If eternal life is really this precious, then we must become more scripturally precise in our understanding of and obedience to evangelism.
Explanation of the Scripture:
Paul is building out the case that God ministers the Spirit by faith. Abraham is given as an example: it was accounted to him for righteousness.
He then uses this to say that those who have this same kind of faith are the children of Abraham, regardless of ethnicity or race.
Galatians 3:9 serves as the summary “So” then they which be of FAITH are blessed with this Spirit that has been ministered.
Evangelism should not be viewed merely as a NT reality, but we see the preaching of the gospel in veiled ways in the OT.
How does this scripture shape our understanding of Evangelism [Gospel-ization]?
Evangelism is an aim to reveal God’s goodness not man’s goodness.
Evangelism is an aim to reveal God’s goodness not man’s goodness.
Be skeptical of any evangelism that leads to praise of the strategy or the technique rather than praise of God’s grace.
Galatians 3:6
Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
God delights in giving righteousness to those who do NOTHING for it. His benevolence is immeasurable. Thus, when we preach the gospel, we want people to be blessed with God’s grace (unmerited favor).
When you speak of your salvation, speak more of the LORD than you do of the means that God used. “I became aware of God’s grace through VBS, my parents…etc”
Evangelism is an aim to persuade not a call to religious action.
Evangelism is an aim to persuade not a call to religious action.
Statements like, “All you have to do is pray” are dangerously misleading.
Aiming for an individual to ACT can be diabolically misleading. If an individual is convinced that he or she can do a religious deed to be saved, then this is another gospel.
Romans 10:13-14 could not be more clear. The call is the result of belief. Both the confession and the call are evidence of genuine belief.
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
When you evangelize, ask questions such as:
“Who is Jesus in your belief?”
“Would you be willing to openly confess Jesus as your Lord?”
“Have you believed in your heart that Jesus died for your sins and God raised Him from the dead?”
“Would you be willing to call upon the Lord?”
Evangelism is the aim to persuade to be part of something and not merely to be a consumer of something.
Evangelism is the aim to persuade to be part of something and not merely to be a consumer of something.
Galatians 3:9
So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
When we evangelize we are aiming for people to partake in something/someone for blessing. When Paul iterates the gospel blessing, he is speaking corporately and emphasizes their participation in something bigger than just them. While salvation is certainly individual, it is an individual partaking in something and joining within something that is not individual. Blessed with faithful Abraham.
To put it differently: the apostle’s point is not simply that we should believe as Abraham believed (though that is true enough and critically important), but that those who believe become the recipients of the redemptive blessings associated with the patriarch. [Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament (p. 793). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.]
Evangelism is the aim that is based on current authority and not outdated authority.
Evangelism is the aim that is based on current authority and not outdated authority.
“And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen...” - seems to imply that the scripture is alive, meaning we can trust the scripture in evangelism.
“preached before the gospel” - the scripture makes this proclamation in thee shall all nations be blessed
How can an inanimate object, a written text, “foresee” anything? Clearly it was God himself who spoke to Abraham the words attributed here to Scripture. Indeed, when those words were first spoken, there was as yet no written revelation in existence...we are left with the irresistible impression that for Paul the words recorded in Holy Scripture are nothing less than the living voice of God. It is God who speaks in Scripture and for this reason it has an unassailable validity and normative significance for the people of God. [1 George, T. (1994). Galatians (Vol. 30, pp. 224–225). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.]
But the scripture embodies and perpetuates the promise, so that the good news which was ‘preached beforehand’ to Abraham is still preached by the scripture to those who read it or hear it read, especially to those living in an age when the promise has been fulfilled. If the promise was good news for Abraham, it is good news also for the nations (Gentiles) who are to be blessed in (or with) him. [Bruce, F. F. (1982). The Epistle to the Galatians: a commentary on the Greek text (p. 156). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans Pub. Co.]
Transition:
If eternal life is the most precious reality that someone has available to them, why would we promote Ruth’s Cris before the gospel? Is the availability of Ruth’s Cris more important or precious?
If the opportunity for eternal life is limited, should we be more diligent in our evangelism for limited time baseball season over a limited time opportunity for eternal life?
Proposition:
If eternal life is really this precious, then we must become more scripturally precise in our understanding and obedience to evangelism.
If eternal life is really this precious, then we must become more scripturally precise in our understanding and obedience to evangelism.
Practical Application:
(1) Let’s use this limited window of opportunity to post the verses, quotes, videos about the gospel.
(1) Let’s use this limited window of opportunity to post the verses, quotes, videos about the gospel.
50 church members to post a 3 minute or less testimony of how the Lord saved you.
(2) Let’s examine some of our terminology when we are trying to lead people to Jesus Christ.
(2) Let’s examine some of our terminology when we are trying to lead people to Jesus Christ.
Take time to write out your testimony in 5 or less paragraphs and have someone else read it for scriptural fidelity and continuity before you post it.
(3) Let’s encourage Christian social engagement through online Bible studies.
(3) Let’s encourage Christian social engagement through online Bible studies.
Join or begin a Zoom Bible Study.
Couple’s Bible Study on Tuesday’s @ 6:00 PM - contact Max Fernandez
Teen Bible Study on Monday’s @ 9:00 PM
Kid’s Bible Study - contact Laura Jackson
Ladies’ Bible Study - Monday’s @ 7PM or Tuesday’s @ 3PM
(4) Let’s answer the question, “Am I really using this opportunity for evangelism?”
(4) Let’s answer the question, “Am I really using this opportunity for evangelism?”
Take a review of your past week’s worth of social media posts. Would any of them be truly considered evangelistic?
Set a goal to post once per week or once every other day or once every day about the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Scripturally precise evangelism is intentionally using all means necessary to manifest the goodness of the LORD by using our words to effectively proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ.
Scripturally precise evangelism is intentionally using all means necessary to manifest the goodness of the LORD by using our words to effectively proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ.