The Reason For Evangelism

The Reason for Evangelism

The “WHY” might be the most important missing part for choosing to not share a personal testimony and the Good News with other folks. I recently read the book, “Five Little Words to Change a Life,” by Nick and Rozanne Savoca (2022). Nick shares an experience that uses a familiar parable but with a twist:

“My New Testament reading that morning was Luke chapter 15. I first scanned the chapter and found it to be the story of the lost sheep and the lost coin, but the main part of the chapter told the story of the prodigal son.

I prayed, "Lord, I have heard the story of the prodigal son since I was a boy in Sunday School, I've also heard my pastor and a host of other evangelists preach on this text. I have even preached from the passage myself. Please show me something new, a revelation I have never understood before." I marvel at how the Holy Spirit can do this!

He began to unfold the story to me, as if telling how it could have been, or should have been, rather than the way it went. My focus became the older brother, the one who had the bad attitude at the end of the chapter. He was jealous of his brother's reconciliation with his father, and the lavish treatment the prodigal received.

I saw it unfold before me like a movie script. In scene one, the younger brother came before his father and demanded his inheritance. There is a major problem with this request, the father was not yet deceased. There could be no inheritance for either of his sons while he was still living. The father probably had to sell something in order to give his younger son the money. As he watched his brother leave, the older brother noticed tears flowing down his father's cheeks.

In scene two I saw the older son walking past his father's bedroom, stopping and listening to his father in prayer and travail for his rebellious son.

In scene three, the older brother observed his father walking down the road not once, but often throughout the day, peering into the distance, looking for any sign of his son returning home. This was very important since in Jewish law if the elders of the city saw this rebellious son before the father did, they were obligated to stone him to death for his rebellion. Therefore, the reason the father went down the road to search for his son was because he must find him first, and redeem his life from the sentence of death. This act of compassion would have registered with the older son and deeply impacted his mind and heart.

In the final scene of this "movie," the father came out of his bedroom one morning and looking toward the door noticed that there was a bag packed and ready to go. The father looked at his oldest son with a heavy heart, "Are you going to leave me too?" The older son ran to his father, wrapped his arms around him and began to weep.

"Father, I am leaving today, but not for the same reason as my brother. You see, I have been watching and listening to you since my brother left us. You have demonstrated to me your great love for my brother. You have taught me to love him too. I love you and can't bear to see you suffering any more. Last night I decided I would go and find my brother, and when I do, I will tell him about your great love for him, and how your heart is broken over his rebellion. I will do my best to convince him to come home to you Father, because I know that if I can bring my brother home, I will bring healing to your broken heart." I was overwhelmed!

The only reason for evangelism must be because we are so in love with our Father, that we can't bear to see Him suffering anymore and want to bring healing to His broken heart! Evangelism is an expression of our love relationship with God the Father and Jesus Christ, His Son. Our commitment must be to bring healing to God's broken heart. If this is not our heart motivation, we are working out of obligation and discouragement will be the inevitable outcome.”