DiscipleShift Part 9: Disciples Go and Tell

Introduction

Today is sanctity of life Sunday.

It’s a day where Southern Baptists have dedicated themselves to talk about how God is author of life.

He is ascribes value to life.

We call on our nation to stop treating human life as anything less than sacred.

God is the one who gives life physically and spiritually.

While we must certainly bring attention to ending horrible practices that devalue humanity such as abortion and sex trafficking, how much do we value the lives of those we encounter every day?

We must value and love those around us. We must love them enough to tell them about Jesus!

John 1:35–51 ESV

The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter). The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

1) Evangelism is Necessary for Kingdom Growth!

Jesus has chosen you and I as the primary means for getting people to Him.

We are plan A…there is no plan B.

Romans 10:12–17 ESV

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

“Preach” in this passage means to proclaim or deliver a message. This doesn’t have to be on a stage!

We can talk about the hope Jesus gives in every day conversation!

There is no legitimate excuse for a Christian to not share their faith:

Common reasons people don’t share their faith:

I don’t know enough. (Yes you do…how did you come to know Jesus?)

I’m afraid of rejection. (Do we fear someone will disagree with our choice of sports team? In reality, we do not get rejected, Christ continues to be rejected.)

My life sends mixed messages. (Let that motivate you in sanctification! You don’t have to have it all together to share Jesus with others. We are works in progress! Broken people need Jesus…We are all broken!)

Someone coming to know Jesus doesn’t depend on us or how we perform. It depends on the power of the Holy Spirit.

John 14:6 ESV

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 6:44 ESV

No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.

We must go and tell or go and invite people to come and see Jesus. God is not going to spell out the gospel in the clouds…His desire to see His Kingdom expanded is by stirring up the Gospel in our hearts and letting it overflow to others.

2) Evangelism is Necessary for Spiritual Growth!

Surveys have consistently shown that only 1 in 10 American Christians will share their faith with others. (90% do not share their faith.)

Is it no wonder that the American Church is shallow?

If we want to grow deeper in our relationship with Jesus, then we must be obedient to Jesus!

John 14:15 ESV

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

Matthew 28:19–20 ESV

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.”

Too often, Christians are stunted in their growth because they do not share the good news of Jesus with those around them.

Many will say, “Yeah, but I’m just good at sharing my faith with others.” Why not? It’s usually because we don’t practice.

If you never start, you’ll never be good enough.

It’s okay to feel awkward. It’s usually awkward when you jump out there and do something outside of your comfort zone.

When Quaid was little, he was hesitant to jump to me. I would have to talk it up real big and reassure him that I would catch him. He would often say, “but you’ll drop me.” But the more he jumped, the more he trusted. The more he trusted the more he jumped. Now I have to be on my toes because the boy is always jumping off something onto me.

This is how our father wants us to engage with Him and His Kingdom work of salvation!

The more we go and tell others, the more we trust in God and the more we trust in God, the more we will go and tell others.

Romans 10:13–14 ESV

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?

Romans 10:17 ESV

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

CLOSING