November 7, 2021 Sunday School
We're going to get into our class which is been dealing with the four principles of personal evangelism. And just as a reminder before each of these classes. Just want to keep telling you that, you know, we have four rules. I had it one who got the four rules of engagement for when we are trying to do personal evangelism. And the first one is to respect people and their beliefs. Everybody has believes they have reasons for those beliefs and perhaps it is tradition or just, the way they were brought up. And there's all kinds of reasons for why people believe what they believe those beliefs are sincere, but if we're honest with ourselves, and if they're honest with themselves are, our beliefs, can be wrong or right? And so we want to respect people without concern. The second one is highly, highly important. We keep harping on this and will continue to do it as we go through this class. And that's And as we're doing personal evangelism, what is the the tool that we use the Bible? The Bible and the Bible is also going to be the Arbiter between you and whomever you're having personal evangelism discussions with. So there's any disagreement between you and someone else what should settle that disagree with? All right, and then that way it's not based on opinions. It doesn't become personal because it's not what you said is what the Bible says, write. And for all of us, we have to find ways to do that. All right, we have to find ways to move ourselves out of the way and put the Bible in the way. All right, we don't want them jumping over us. We want them jumping over the Bible. All right, we don't want them running into we want them running into the Bible. All right. So always Black people's beliefs and then always use the Bible and then the third one that you see up there is what we're going to need patience. Because some of us don't have it readily to begin with. So we're going to have to call on the fruit of the spirit fruit of the spirit, right? And I don't want to be patient because depending on you know, whom you're dealing with people might have their beliefs for a very, very, very long time and those beliefs are ingrained in them. All right, and so it's going to take time for that to happen. Plus. We also need to understand something else. God works in time. Anybody remember how long Noah preached by was building the ark? 120 years. Do you have that kind of patience?
K & M L people that do Free Church too because we also have people say, well, what do I do? When this person doesn't respond the way that I want? What do I do when I'm teaching them the gospel and and they're not responding at at at at Preach for a hundred and twenty years. Did he save anybody?
His family, right? But did he convert anybody outside of family? Nobody, right? So we have to recognize that where our responsibilities lie, responsibilities lie in proclaiming the gospel and in teaching the gospel living, the God, love our neighbor, love showing the seed, right? But the increase that responsibility belongs to belongs to God and the individual person that is receiving, its is it's incumbent upon them to accept and believe what it is that you're preaching, and what it is that you are teaching, but that's going to take some patience and I always like to add a fourth one. I'm going to try to write it in here and that is, don't what? Don't be discouraged. Just I'm just going to write don't give up. Okay, so don't give up as long as there's breath. There's Hope and now because he's always involved in the Bible studies and the like and you know, what is he wants? People to obey and we need that so much that type of heart that type of determination, but that your determination your ability to speak your scholarly approach to the scriptures. None of those things have a bearing on the person that you're teaching that's based on their heart. All right, then and there are accepting as though, you always have a response for mankind and if you, if you are in the midst of personal evangelism, and somebody doesn't want to hear it, your responsibility moves from preaching at In the gospel to loving that individual. Okay, and then perhaps God will open up another door of opportunity and more times than that. Door of opportunity will not be you anymore. All right, but you might have done the watering. And someone else maybe even said the same things you said, but they wind up. Oh bad, I would not going to disqualify them for that. Right? If I told you to say that you didn't believe me. You can't do that when you can, because you're the one that we are, responsibility is sowing the seed. And that's where our responsibility ends. We have two B's Ellis where that? Where, that is concerned. Okay. All right, so we started off by saying that the first step and I are both. I'm sorry you had your hand up.
I won't go there, but it wasn't somebody. Tell me that necessarily the Bible, every somebody when I seen them. Not just for me to show love, turn off today. I'll just go there for you. We should not start with that. We don't start with that. We do becomes Alice. I got to admit. I've done that. The people I will say that was happening before. I Michael Shanks muscle in the show.
Brother on wood.
Absolutely.
That's enough to start them on the road. Absolutely, absolutely. Don't need to do. All right. So I want to first step is to pray sets the stage. All right? And effectual prayer of a righteous man, availeth much. So if you want to have fruit from the see that you are showing that you had better start off with your first, leave adjective my princess, the stage, right with anybody that you're teaching, that this is not going to be a debate session, right? Is not going to be an argument session. This is going to be a humble Gathering of mines and the word of God that we pray with lead us towards our conversion. Right? But someone will see the light that someone would accept the word and ultimately, that someone will be baptized and added to the Lord's church, right? That's the goal, all that stuff. We're getting God involved with the first step and that first step is rare. Okay, and so that's number one. Number two was, what if I remember? Proclamation after prayer, we're going to brooklane. And when we Proclaim, what are we? Proclaiming the gospel. Okay, we're not going to start the discussion off talking about the Republican platform not going to start off by discussing the the liberal agenda. All right, we're not going to begin our discussion talking about the mask mandate right right? Not going to start our discussion off talking about race relations. Can you ought to be a Christian? Because that's the only way, you know, if not, we're not going to start with those and we're not going to even in with that.
Okay, so we want to be very narrow in our approach to personal evangelism. So that after we pray, we are only proclaiming God's word, right? Because only God's word deals with the things that a common to mankind, you know, so you don't have to have had any type of religious class to know that everybody suffers from guilt, or from Sand, or from wondering what life is all about. You know, why am I here by All Those Questions, those big questions in life. The Bible addresses though, the Bible speaks to the common ailments and the end the common travails of mankind. And so when you step outside of that then you have you cut off some of the power. God's word. All right. And so when we Proclaim, after we pray, we Proclaim and we only proclaim the gospel gospel, the gospel, the gospel, and you have to catch yourself in that sometimes too. Because the person that you're dealing with is coming in with some beliefs that he or she already has. Or if you're in a group, that group Knows by the Tony is meeting on Mondays, with a group of people. I've gotten so big. Now. He's meeting in the building over here to education building and I'm sure Tony On Any Given Monday. There's a question to come up that would take you to left field in a heartbeat, right? Target, know where did Cain get his wife? And things like that, we don't want to deal with all those things. Right? We're not trying to Proclaim. How can I ain't got his wife. We're trying to Proclaim Jesus and him crucified the better off that discussion that that that event is going to be a man Brothers at
Okay. Class is somebody here in the midst of personal evangelism. And if somebody wants to take you off Target with the target.
Okay, what will be another thing to say that Katie says was not in the Bible. We don't worry about what's another top, what's nothing we can say? And his her. God supplied. All right, that's a good response, but I wouldn't use that one because that's that's one step down the rabbit hole, right? I don't want to go down the rabbit hole. I don't want to encourage another question about. I'm trying to get back to Jesus and him crucified. So what's some other things that we can say? I don't know. Is a great one. Alright, then sound like, it doesn't sound scholarly and maybe you might think it makes you look like. You don't know your Bible, but I don't know. Is is up an appropriate response, particularly if you don't know.
Bring them back to. There's a very straight to work a day. Are you sure that you would go to heaven? And so we are all graciously,. We bring them back and it's all in the proclamation Proclamation, that Jesus is Lord. He is home for me to respond to that in faith and Fascism. And Jesus is the only one to price that alone is going to generate. Oh, yeah, he seems to get him off that get him into the proclamation of God. Absolutely. Since I've been with you for partying, sometimes it's best to plan. Things ahead of time in prison, you dealing with. Basically let him know, this was going to be busy and you can just stay on that porch right there. Right now. You have time to get off the bus cuz I do you say yesterday with this here give me to do with that. That's more what I'm looking for. So I will try to come in somebody for thinking and I'll say that's a great question, you know, and you know, we will get to that at the appropriate time, right? Let's deal with this right now, right? So it's a compliment and then back to where you trying to go. All right, because the more you accept, Of course, outside of the front for payment of the Gospel, the the more you going to get away off topic and you going to leave that power of the Gospel to say. All right. That's a great question. You might even say I've heard some people say that's a great question. I'm going to have to study that, let me get back to you on that. But in the meantime, let's continue right here. All right, once again after we're bringing them back to topic, Dan.
Study music.
Or higher than you.
Continue to recommend.
Right.
Right. You can't play it off television.
Outside elevation.
That's what they got to get to school, district.
They sounded and just said, people come into a discussion and take your pick of your on even footing. Somebody went think they're above you with their understanding of the Bible and stuff. There has never been a class. That I have taught. There's never been a sermon that I preached that I didn't think I was going to learn something from it. And I think that type of attitude speaks to people that you're in front of, I'm not the expert. We're on this journey together. All right, and so when I sit down with somebody to do personal evangelism, I'm looking to learn as well. I'm not there doing dictating everything. The Bible is going to teach them and is going to teach me and there has never been a class or sermon that I have delivered or put together where I also didn't learn something else. I'm so Tony didn't say the same thing, especially in our studies. Sometimes it's difficult for me not to go down the rabbit hole because old man that's good and I'll start studying that topic and then next thing, you know, I realize I got to go back to my server. So proclaiming the gospel is sticking with the gospel becomes very, very important. All right, and that person that I'm sitting across, I'm going to learn something from them. All right, and so once again, I think that type of attitude speaks. Well to people who you're dealing with that, right? That you're not above. Them that you are walking along with them. All right, then having that type of spirit in our lessons, I think would be profitable for us. So we want to preach the basic gospel. That Jesus, the Divine, Son of God died for my sins and rose again by the power of God. At the sooner, we could get to that message. Then we are proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You are doing personally evangelism. Then right we're discussing the flood. I'm doing this. All right, and we're outside of the scope of what personal evangelism is. We want to get to that as soon as possible. We want to get to the idea that salvation is based on faith and expressed through repentance and baptism and faithfulness across and I personally evangelism. We are, proclaiming the gospel. We are, we are saying the things that a person needs to be considering where their faith is concerned. All right, that's part of the basic gospel and I got one more and this one is really important as well to because the Bible. Does it teach that anybody else says right? Only Jesus saves us again. So somebody were to tell you that you're getting onto this topic and you're in your personal evangelism class with somebody and they tell you, you have an arrow. A view of Salvation. How do we respond to that? Okay, what's another way for us to respond?
That not. There you go. Stick with that. You can even say I didn't say that. The Bible says that and then have them read again, what it is that they that you just read that, says that right. and so, You say I didn't say that the Bible said that, right? And so, they're not.
Debating, you are debating the Bible. So they're not unless they they reject that. They're not rejecting you. They're projecting. Does the Bible say that's going to happen? I don't know why we think of human beings that we can make the Bible do something different than it says. Especially when we think that is, if you like in our favor or in his favor, not a Bible says that people are going to reject the word of God. As a matter of fact, most people I'm going to reject the word of God, right? And so we shouldn't be surprised when that happens and off the time that needs to happen before you accept it. Because once again, like I said, earlier, God works in time right now, works at a time. It's not a, you know, we want that Silver Bullet. We want that trump card that we think is going to paralyze them and they're thinking, and they're going to, they're going to have no choice, but to get baptized now then work like that brother Bart. Injective. Something to do with the word accompany. Do they fit?
Write an app that will allow it to be humble as well that where that person is. We've been there. Been there. Done that right by the Tony.
Go to also read before and behind, because they make what you taking it out, contact know what you're showing them. You know, what time? Interpretation. Always go back to the scripture in and have them read it and say okay with number up. According to what you What does that mean you get away from? Well, I feel like, paying you say it with the Bible say, I believe the Bible says this about then let me show you have them say like you said, what is this mean to you. It's saying that, you know I'm saying, but I think and then that's what then you for them to see that contrast is helpful for them to continue to say that it's over. Were proclaiming that the the straight-up Gospel of Jesus Christ. Then we're hitting these, these common human prints of issues. Everybody had personal sin, and failure guilt, the desire to know what God's will is are or why they're on Earth, or what is their purpose, the Bible? Speaks to that. And also I fear of death and the Hereafter some people, you know, how legitimate questions like we do as well? Write about what happens after that. They do Bible speaks to that. And answer those things that were proclaiming those things that we're all right, and I, like I said, we are responsible for proclaiming the gospel, not the decision making when a golfer is concerned that the individual and I'm so glad that that's the case. All right, that we don't want to do more than that. But after we prayed, and after we proclaim, the gospel is all. We have to apply this rule as well. We want to persevere, we want to stick to what the truth is Right. Science has not come up with Anything. That refute the existence of God. Now, you might hear scientists say that. By science has not and and science as a discipline, is not really that old, right? But science, as a discipline has not proven that. God doesn't exist. I love what Frank Turek says and I'm starting to say it myself more more often. And as this science doesn't say anything. Scientist do. Okay. So the most popular atheist in the world and probably a guy by the name of Richard, Dawkins. He is a scientist who says, God doesn't exist and he tries to make it seem like he uses science to prove it. But that's only his personal opinion. Science has not disproven God. As a matter of fact, if you follow strict science and the rules of science, science continues to confirm the existence of a god, a God that created the universe. We know from science that our universe, our world had a beginning, You know what? That means. Anything that has a beginning has a beginner. Right, we know from science that our bodies have been designed. We know that, you know what that means? Anything that has been designed have a designer behind it. All right, so science, continues to confirm that by scientists have a worldview. They start with the premise cuz what scientists do, if you didn't know this is they start with a hypothesis. Can you buy tell me what a hypothesis is an educated guess right? That's their beginning.
You understand that that's their worldview. So they're beginning point is there is no God, but everything they look at science from that moment on is an effort to prove their hypothesis. Which is why you hear people talk about the importance of worldviews, right? So if you have a worldview that there is a God, you're actually going to be able to do more with science than a scientist who says there is no God. Hey, can scientists now or coming up with some crazy hypothesis? Right? And we're going to start seeing them in the movie, theaters, you know, multiple worlds. That's a, that's a scientist hypothesis to try to debunk. What science is already told us that our universe has a beginning and that our bodies are designed so that hypothesis has been pretty much debunked. What's the the one scientific discipline Darwinism, you know scientifically that's been pretty much debunked. Start Darwinism, okay, but yet and still says that's debunked. And somebody Richard Dawkins, which is still holding on to it. But what he'll do is, he'll adjust his hypothesis, a little bit work for something else, right? Tony calls it, doing gymnastics and but so we have to persevere because this is the, the, the mindset out there. Our world is not in the business of proving God's existence. Did you know that the world?
And that's the world we live and I'm talking about the people that are in that world because if, if, if World meant the creation and the creation of loan, then the world business is for claiming God because creation itself speaks to the fact that there is a God, right? But the world I'm talking about is the world that is made up of mankind. And Mankind has created many schemes. This is Bible, right, and he is pursuing those schemes. And in those schemes. There is no purpose to prove God's existence. It's it's trying to elevate, man. And to multiply the his, the benefit of his experience of life on earth, right? So we have to recognize that we're going to have to persevere in a proclaiming of the gospel. And then the last step is number four is patience. So impatient. We see that we need to understand that God has many many ways of saving people, right? He's not run out of the Apostles 10 years to figure out that the gospel was for the Gentiles as well as the Jews. Right. We have the person we have to have patience. It took the Jewish Christians 20 years to accept the Gentiles as equal Partners In Christ. Use patience. All right, it took well of the author here and I could use myself, you know, we have to recognize that family members. What was Ben your success record with your family as far as the gospel, is Kosar? I got four big Boosie. I got you.
Those that are not members of the church. By your teaching the gospel. How many of you helped become members of the church?
Yeah, so but for many of us is zero or a few. Okay, so we're brothers. Welcome in Spanish.
I'm frustrated.
People that I dated all the team members of the church, and I still remember to this day. and then my brother, you can't remember, but then it stopped for like about what are you doing? Yeah.
the point is,
The point is, we're going to need patience. This is one of the steps in personally battle, it. Got to be patient. Shirley.
Bible School. Married in Westborough.
Absolutely. Well, and, and hopefully sometimes you have to live on that once-in-a-lifetime. The idea is that patience is required that we we get discouraged when we're talking to our family members. And family members are not responding the way that we want them to respond, but it's going to take some patience and I'm just pointing out examples of how patients was required even in the early church. Okay, somebody had to do a hand. Go to him, because he's head of the household versus the yard in my sister because His church. I mean, he grew up in that church. He he's a deacon at that church.
It bothers me. How do I approach that? Well, you got to have to be harmless as a dove and cunning as a serpent.
Send it directly to him, and A present, right? Just to understand is it's not necessarily that God has determined this one person that you're going to save. What? He, what he really has determined. Is that for us to plant a seed, everywhere we go. So, when you get into a situation where you become invested in that situation because that person is a family member, or they become a good friend, or you had a discussion with them for long periods of time. That is no guarantee that you're going to be. The reason why that person is say, the first of all, this Jesus is always the reason, all right, and for us, sowing the seed has got to be enough fulfillment for us. We're preaching. The gospel is concerned because God will give you increase. It may not come from the work that you have done. My come from. The work at Others have gone, like pay if I'm preaching, and it has inspired somebody look into the Bible, but Tony's preaching. And that's when they actually got baptized. I ain't mad at him because that's what needs to happen in your case. If it's a family member, and they're all involved in denominationalism. But, but maybe you said something to put a stone in their shoes or are caused them to confront. What it is that they believe and it might be years and years down the road before they actually started taking this area. That's got to be enough for us. We have to we have to labor in the inpatient where that is concerned that you never give up. That was number for when we first started right? You don't give up but you're not always preachy either, you know, you still have to love and so cuz sometimes, you know, we could get to the point where people see us coming and if they want to go the other way. Right, that's not good either, but we have to be consistent. So we have to find, you know, what, that, that middle ground here, and, and work in that. Okay, brother, I would
Not that you could not get freaky on camera showing people in that light or do you have their best interest? with the gospel, but more films with right. Yeah, absolutely. So anything that we do never the bong, so refuse the word of God. A man. So we have to understand that this is true 1st Timothy 2 and 4 and that is God desires all men to be saved. Will all men be saved, we know that and to come to a knowledge of the truth. Does God want man to come to a knowledge of the truth? So we just have to be consistent with that truth. And when we have the opportunity to sow the seed of that truth and allow God to do what God does. And so it doesn't mean that we're doing something wrong because people are getting baptized. K. What doing something wrong when we're not proclaiming the word of God? That's what we're doing something wrong when we purchase of doing today. You know, I looked on the roads, haven't seen a baptism and a few months there by the Giants. Are we can have to change up what we do here that message that you've been preaching about Jesus and him on the cross. Just making people mad. If we're going to get people in this building, you going to have to, you know, put some drums and organ up there. You need a praise team. The fog machine. We're going to send you the class on how to deliver a modern-day sermon. Okay. Now we might, you know, the numbers might start increasing on who comes through that door, but we're not doing what's right anymore.
Bright lights. They might get baptized. But where they baptized, right? Can you be baptized long? Absolutely, and we could be guilty of that. Oh, yeah, we have to. We have to be careful. God wants this to happen. So let's work with God because God will bring that about if, if it's his will and the other person's will, that's the thing. God is not going to overcome any individuals will write it. If he did say, if you did not want to be saved. He would not be a loving God. Why would he be a loving God if he made a people follow him? Love requires a choice. Without choice. It cannot be love.
Is that simple, right? And you can ask the ladies about that that God is following them around. You know, what it what do you call him, stalker? I'm going to make you love me. That's not love. That's deranged. There's something wrong with that. Isn't it? Now? You start before you come out the door, you looking around the corner? Are you going? Are you going to make you love him? Right? God is not a stalker. He is not deranged. Okay, he he he is allowing you. The choice DNA. Gives you all the knowledge, all the wisdom of all the truth, to make a good choice. All right, that's stalkers. Could probably learn from that.
Yay, right.
I better if you had your hand up.
I'm going to make you love me. Like to be in control. Only if we admit it. And so being in control, want to be in control of the person that lives in class would be in control of who saved. And whose loss, we want to be in control or who loves us and who doesn't want to be in control, but that's not how God has design things. And so follow his plan is ultimately going to be best at all. So and I for steps for evangelism, also going to have patience for that sum up this idea of personal evangelist. Okay. For starting next week, we're going to look at what makes the Church of Christ unique because of wind up happening. Is we deal with questions that people bring to us and we're talkin about defending our faith. Things that people says is what's the difference between the Church of Christ and you fill in the blank? Right. And so the next class is going to be about that. It's going to be about answering what that difference is. And there is a huge difference that I hope that we come to understand which will also allow us to remain steadfast. And in, in God's word, does the moment we move from it. We're no longer different, right? And they say what the reason that question comes up here. So can I can I be saved at such-and-such a place know why? What is the difference between such-and-such a place and Christchurch the Church of Christ? And his lesson is going to look at a lot of those things. It won't be an exhausted look, but it'll be a really good. Look at what makes the church different, right? And then some of the answers will be surprising to you because they're fairly simple. And for me, it's a wonder why we haven't been comfortable with standing on that rock, that Foundation guy. Anita.
Weber High School.
And it's a small group AD.
You know what, the foundation of those religions were, and then we came back together and we can discuss.
And compared those beliefs to the scriptures that can be very enlightening, very enlightening and hopefully it will allow us to also feel secure in sticking with the Bible in the Bible. Only a man. I see any questions or comments about personal evangelism for a move on? I bought the Tony. I need a word of prayer to close out, please.
I think he and his information. Let us always look to you up and finisher of our faith. But as possibly look to the Bible who gives us all things that pertain to life and godliness still, and let us continue to Proclaim. What is true and not Proclaim. What is 14 this Prairie? Ask your distance name? Amen. Amen. Thank you.