Re-Establishing Evangelism As Our Primary Purpose Series

(The outline of this message comes from David Waddle, Sr. Pastor of Grace Heartland Church, Elizabethtown, KY, and a mentor to me in the ministry)

SERIES: “THE CHALLENGE TO THE CHURCH IN 2005”

TEXT: MATTHEW 28:18-20

TITLE: “RE-ESTABLISHING EVANGELISM AS OUR PRIMARY PURPOSE”

INTRODUCTION: A. Lot’s of “famous last words”

--Here are some good examples:

1. “Go ahead. It won’t hurt.”

2. “Oh, you can make it. The train’s not coming that fast!”

3. “Hand me a match. I think I found the gas leak.”

4. “I wonder if it’s loaded?”

5. “Hey! Watch this!”

B. Some of the last words of Jesus to His disciples are recorded in Matthew 28:18-20 –

“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been

given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the

name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey

everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end

of the age.”

1. Jesus has gathered his closest followers before He ascends into heaven

--He sums up the things He has taught them over the last 3 years

2. Basically, Jesus says, “We’ve shared a lot together over the last three years. I’ve

taught you what you need to know. Here’s what I want you to do with it.”

3. James 1:22 reminds us: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive

yourselves. Do what it says.”

--Then again in 2:17 – “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by

action, is dead.”

a. As a general rule, the church has failed to respond to what Jesus wants us to go

b. The Great Commission has become the “great omission” in many congregations

C. Jesus does three things in the Great Commission:

1. He assured them of His power and authority

--This was the same power and authority that:

a. Spoke the world in to existence

b. Commanded Satan and his demons to flee

c. Calmed a turbulent storm with three words: “Peace be still.”

d. Conquered sin and death

2. He promised His presence

a. “You won’t be left to do the task alone.”

b. Jn. 14:16-18 – “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another

Counselor to be with you forever– the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept

him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives

with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to

you.”

3. He reminded them of His purpose and aim

--Lk. 19:10 – “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which is lost.”

D. In this event, Jesus commits His purpose to be accomplished by the church

1. There ‘s a consultant to businesses and organizations who once described his

function as, “Helping the people with whom I work to ask and rigorously answer

two questions: ‘What are we supposed to be doing?’ and ‘How well are we doing

it?’”

2. First Christian Church, Washington, IN needs to ask herself and rigorously answer

those same two questions:

a. What are we supposed to be doing?

--Jesus answered that in our scripture passage this morning

b. How well are we doing it?

--Are we reaching the lost? Let’s look at some statistics:

1). Over 50% of the people of Daviess County claim no kind of religious

affiliation at all.

2). Overall, the state of Indiana has over 55% of its population that claim no

religious affiliation at all

3). If you consider that a good number of those responding only claim religious

affiliation (their religion is dead) and that it also includes those who claim

affiliation with false religions, the number of unsaved people around us is

actually much higher

3. If lost people are important to Jesus, they should be important to those who claim

to be His followers

a. It is imperative that the church gets serious about accomplishing what Christ

wants them to do.

b. So, let’s spend some time this morning re-examining what Jesus said about

our most important reason to exist as a church.

--It can be summed up in four words: Reaching, Mending Teaching, Sending

I. REACHING

A. Jesus uses a much shorter word: GO

--All records of the Great Commission involve going:

1. Here in Mt. 28:18-20

2. Jn. 20:21 – “As the Father has sent me, I also send you.”

3. Acts 1:8 – “You shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of

the earth.”

4. Once was a lady tat was married and widowed four times: millionaire, actor, minister, and funeral