Blessing and Evangelism

Intro

Count your many blessings… name them 1 by one..... At the top of that list.... I hope and pray that it is the blessing found in having Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior!

That is the beginning point of this morning.... do you have that blessing? You Forgiven of your sins? Reconciled to God.... your relationship made right for now and eternity because of FAITH in Jesus Christ?

Bible makes it clear..... you didn’t earn it, deserve it, or will it..... You were given a free gift.... the blessing above all blessings if you are a true believer and follower of Jesus Christ!

This month.... we are bringing “Into Focus” God’s mission for us to make disciples.... to be UNITED as a Church in evangelism!

We are looking at Luke 10 this morning for the last time and we are going to put a bow on our strategy of evangelism...

There is a great opportunity for evangelism NOW

We must be fully devoted disciples

We Must pray in evangelism

We must Go and invite others to saving faith in Jesus

We must bless others because we have been blessed by Jesus!

Luke 10:1–12 ESV

1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. 2 And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. 3 Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. 4 Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. 5 Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ 6 And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. 7 And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house. 8 Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. 9 Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ 12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.

1. We are blessed in Christ to be a blessing to Others

a. We sacrificially and joyfully obey Jesus....

We established in the last several weeks that Jesus’ call to Follow Him is not a get in line in elementary school.... It is not a got out of jail/hell free card and an easy road to eternity..... But it is a call to take up our cross and follow him DAILY.

Luke 9:23-24 “23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.”

Jesus’ command here is special.... he is sending them out with nothing.... to be lambs in the midst of wolves!

Luke 10:3-4 “3 Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. 4 Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road.”

What would you take with you on a deserted island if you could take 2 things?

In following Christ, we are not given that option...... our picture of baptism illustrates what has happened.... we have been buried in Christ.... dead… no more… and raised to walk in newness of life!

Here Jesus tells them.... Rely on me fully in this..... Do you trust me enough for that?

Do you trust me?..... Aladin says to Princess Jasmin..... Jack says to Rose on the Titanic....

Jesus is truthfully asking his disciples here to trust him with EVERYTHING!

We can honestly admit that this is a difficult and almost impossible task outside of Jesus working within us through FAITH!

1 Timothy 6:17–19 ESV

17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

"I have had many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever I have been able to place in God’s, I still possess" (J.H. Merle D’Aubigné, History of the great Reformation of the sixteenth century in Germany, Switzerland, &c., trans. H. White, vol. 4 (New York:  RobertCarter, 1846), 183).

Jesus is calling for our open hands to be placed in his hands.... to trust him!

b. We experience the Peace of Jesus and share that peace with others

The peace that is mentioned in Luke 10 is not a state of relaxation or comfort or removal of something.... instead it is the peace that is found in the life changing presence, work, and faith in Jesus.

Luke 10:5 “5 Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’”

The message of Peace is salvation found in Jesus!

Luke 2:14 “14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!””

Luke 24:36 “36 As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!””

John 14:27 “27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

John 20:21 “21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.””

Acts 10:36 “36 As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all),”

Ultimate, eternal, everlasting peace is found in Jesus Christ alone! - You have a sin problem, your relationship with God because of that sin makes you an enemy of God..... ENEMY..... On the wrong side of the equation.... but in Jesus Christ, we have been reconciled, justified, sanctified, and glorified in Jesus!...... Once God’s enemy, now seated at God’s table forever.... that Peace..... that complete, whole, perfection is eternally found in Jesus!

We experience the Promise of the blessings of the Covenants to Abraham.... to Israel....

Abraham Genesis 12:1-3 “1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.””

When you enter the room.... what are you a messenger of peace found in Jesus Christ?

What are you known for? Political commentary? Sports...... or Jesus?

Does counting your blessings end with your thankfulness to God and no more? Or does your thankfulness overflow to others?

Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks..... what is overflowing out of your heart?

2. We are not self-seeking as we bless others

a. Not seeking better food or shelter

Do you question Jesus’ strategy here?..... Kinda strange.... go tell people that the kingdom is coming.... but also don’t leave the house?

Luke 10:7 “7 And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house.”

We bless others without a self-seeking promotion for better food, shelter, etc. We are looking to expand into someones sphere of influence because you show up for a steak dinner and you get the one vegeterian household in town… We are to share the gospel without partiality.... without judging what is a better outcome for us!

Luke 14:12-14 “12 He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. 13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.””

We do not serve others to get something out of it.... We are not using our blessing to better our response back to us!

b. Not seeking the experience of blessing – verse 17-20

Luke 10:17–20 ESV

17 The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” 18 And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

There are blessings that come from fruitful ministry to others..... look at the disciples here.....

I did that or even more humble.... I experienced that!

- Moments at ARBC - with friends sneaking around awana to host our own Bible study

- Moments with Colby in college -

- Moments in Church planting with Krystle

- Moments here experiencing the love and unity we share as a church family

....All of them blessings as a part of being on mission with Jesus...... but listen to Jesus response....

Jesus says..... do not focus on the results of your ministry that is done through you...... REJOICE IN YOUR SALVATION AND ETERNAL SECURITY IN JESUS!

3. We bring the kingdom of God near

a. Jesus was soon to come behind these disciples

Luke 10:1 “1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go.”

Luke 10:9 ESV

9 Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’

How many of you are show me learners?..... Prove it?.... I will believe it when I see it?..... That is what the signs, miracles, and demon exercising proved about Jesus!

Today, these miracles happen through the power of the Holy Spirit, but we do not seek them out as proof of who Jesus is, was, and what he accomplished........ God ordained them to happen at a certain time and place to bring undeniable credit to Jesus as Lord and Savior and to the early church!

b. Jesus is with us now – through the Holy Spirit

2 Cor 2:14-16 “14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life.

We bring with us a fragrance..... the Holy Spirit at work in you is evident to those around you! Like linus on Charlie brown his cloud of dirt follows him!

When we live the #blessed life...... we aren’t talking about healthy, wealthy, wise, and successful.... we are talking about the blessing of FAITH in Jesus and the local church where we display to the world that Jesus is real!

There is blessing in Christ, and the blessing of the local church displaying Christ!

1 John 4:12–15 ESV

12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.

If you are living your #blessed life without Jesus and outside of the church....... THEN YOU ARE NOT TRULY LIVING THE #BLESSED Life.

Our church is a beacon of the blessing found in Jesus Christ… because if we love one another..... God is seen in us by the Power of the Holy Spirit at work within Us!..... LCBC is a Lighthouse of Jesus in Midlothian.... LCBC we MUST love one another!.....

1. Let us continue to Be known by the Love of God towards one another

2. Let us continue to meet together regularly FACE to FACE..... I know life comes… and you can’t always be in the same seat each week.... but let us commit to not neglect the regular meeting face to face with each other to display this love! Technology is good.... but it is not a replacement for this!

3. Let us eagerly greet, interact, and pursue others with the blessing that we have received in Jesus

In Focus

A. Personally

a. Are you praying for your street name? More on the table up front...

b. Who is your one? More on the table up front....

b. Are you generous with the blessing you have received in Christ to share with others?

i. Time, Talents, and Treasures for others!

B. Small Groups at LCBC

a. Bible Study – Bible study leaders and teachers in this room...... Ask your class next week this question......

How can we be a blessing to those outside of our 4 walls?

1. Make a list..... get into this..... brainstorm....... There really is no wrong answer......

2. Then as a class.... pick one and commit to do it together in 2022!

3. God has brought your small group together for a reason...... How will it be a blessing to others outside of the walls of LCBC?

b. CONNECT Group – going to the Lord on behalf of others….. on Wednesday April 6 and 13th ….. we are going to go pray for our neighbors.... some will stay and pray.... and a group of us will go and hang door hangers letting our neighbors now.... we have been blessed to be a blessing to them in the powerful act of praying for them.

C. As a Church Family

I want this to be on your radar.... but it cannot be the only thing on our radar...... A church that hosts programs and events ONLY will miss the 1 on 1 opportunities for disciple making!

a. Good Friday and Easter

b. VBS

c. Fall Festival

d. Etc.

To put a bow on this sermon series.... This is the beginning..... are your ready to committ to

1. Praying,

2. Inviting

3.Blessing.....

Uniting in Evangelism? for the remainder of this year?..... Let’s remain united..... “In Focus”.... on God’s mission to make disciples!

Invitation

Know Jesus and find the blessing above all blessings in Christ

Join our Church or be baptized

Convicted.... to take this command in Luke 10 seriously.... to be more united on mission here at LCBC.... Let’s do this!