Principles of Evangelism Part 2: Purpose (Youth Message)

Note: mentioned seeing Satanic lyrics about killing animals etc and that I found it in the bible. I forgot to mention two things about the difference between them

The sacrifices mentioned by these satanists were of cruelty and domination, while the Bible reveals them as something that was innocent and underserving that was killed because our nature is sinful (propitiatory sacrifice)

Any animal sacrifices done now are in a way insults to the great sacrifice of Christ (as if He was not enough)

Note: promised to have lyrics to a song/poem… My Friend – by D.J. Higgins

My friend, I stand in judgment now

And feel that you’re to blame somehow

While on this earth I walked with you day by day

And never did you point the way

You knew the Lord in truth and glory

But never did you tell the story

My knowledge then was very dim

You could have led me safe to him

Though we lived together here on earth

You never told me of your second birth

And now I stand this day condemned

Because you failed to mention him

You taught me many things, that’s true

I called you friend and trusted you

But now I learned, now it’s too late

You could have kept me from this fate

We walked by day and talked by night

And yet you showed me not the light

You let me live, love and die

And all the while you knew I’d never live on high

Yes, I called you friend in life

And trusted you in joy and strife

Yet in coming to this end

I see you really weren’t my friend

Matthew 4:18–22 (ESV)

Jesus Calls the First Disciples 18 While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

A. Your Coming to Christ is Proven in Your Willingness to Follow Christ

This was mostly a physical and volitional thing for the first disciples

Today, this is a spiritual and intentional thing for us

Paul, one who never followed as one of the twelve was converted and later said “Follow me as I follow Christ”

1 Corinthians 11:1 (KJV 1900) 11 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

1 Corinthians 11:1 (ESV) Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

B. The Willingness to Follow Christ Will Have the Affect of Drawing Others to Do the Same

Important: some will be affected immediately, others will take the “long game”

A Fisher of Men would mean that their lives would become attractive like bait is to a fish or that they would draw would in like fish in a net

In my first months walking with God: I remember the ability to challenge church going teens, church kids who wanted the world, and even my old

Later: in the construction industry

C. Our Lives Then, have the Purpose of Attraction

They Will Wonder at Our Hope: 1 Peter 3:15

1 Peter 3:15 (ESV) 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,

They Will Marvel at Our Confidence:

October 1991, Speaking to the Assistant Principal at Cibola High School

They Will Recognize The Superiority of Our God: Boys in Babylon: They Followed their God even in very difficult situations and

Daniel 2:46–49 (ESV) Daniel Is Promoted 46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face and paid homage to Daniel, and commanded that an offering and incense be offered up to him. 47 The king answered and said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.” 48 Then the king gave Daniel high honors and many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. 49 Daniel made a request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon. But Daniel remained at the king’s court.

Daniel 3:24–30 (ESV) 24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” 25 He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”

26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. 27 And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them. 28 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.” 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

Our Joy:

Unintentional

Intentional

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