295 – Unashamed Evangelism

Illustrate Humor: Late one night, a man had gone to a party and had too much to drink, so he decided it would be best to walk home. He found a shortcut through a poorly lit cemetery and, in the darkness, stumbled into an open grave. He tried to climb out but the walls were too slippery. Again and again he fell back into the grave. Finally, in exhaustion, he settled in a corner to wait for sunlight.

A few minutes later, another man in the same condition was cutting through the cemetery and fell victim to the same grave. He, too, tried desperately to climb and claw his way out, and he was equally unsuccessful.

As he was about to give up in hopeless resignation, he heard a voice from the darkness of his pit: "You may as well give up. You’ll never get out of here."

That’s all he needed to hear… surprisingly, he made his way out! – Sometimes we need to hear something to get us going!

Sermon Study 295 – UNASHAMED EVANGELISM

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Key Passage: John 4:39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, "He told me everything I ever did." John 4:40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. John 4:41 And because of his words many more became believers. John 4:42 They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world."

WHAT CHANGED THE WOMAN & THE SAMARITAN PEOPLE?

1. TESTIMONY OF CHRIST

• Woman - John 4:25 The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us."

• People - John 4:39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, "He told me everything I ever did."

Illustrate: The evangelist, Lieghton Ford was speaking at an open-air crusade in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Billy Graham was to speak the next night and had arrived a day early. He came incognito and sat on the grass at the rear of the crowd. Because he was wearing a hat and dark glasses, no one recognized him. Directly in front of him sat an elderly gentleman who seemed to be listening intently to the preacher. When he invited people to come forward as an open sign of commitment, Billy decided to do a little personal evangelism. He tapped the man on the shoulder and asked, “Would you like to receive Christ? I’ll be glad to walk down with you if you want me to.” The old man looked him up and down, thought it over for a moment, and then said, “Naw, I think I’ll just wait till the big gun comes tomorrow night.”

2. CONFRONTATION WITH CHRIST

• Woman - John 4:7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?"

• People - " John 4:40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days.

Personal Illustrate: I was confronted with Christ at a youth camp (near a campfire). I knew a lot about Him, but that day I met Him.

3. MESSAGE FROM CHRIST

• Woman - John 4:19 "Sir," the woman said, "I can see that you are a prophet.

• People - John 4:42 They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world."

Illustrate:

Getting saved is like getting to 1st base, Maturing in Christ is like getting to 2nd base, Getting involved with a church is like getting to 3rd base -- But you don’t get to home plate unless you win someone else to the team – points are scored by who you testified to.

FIRST STEP TO EVANGELIZE:

Illustrate: Survivor Eva Hart remembers the night, April 15, 1912, on which the Titanic plunged 12,000 feet to the Atlantic floor, some two hours and forty minutes after an iceberg tore a 300-foot gash in the starboard side: "I saw all the horror of its sinking, and I heard, even more dreadful, the cries of drowning people."

Although twenty life-boats and rafts were launched-too few and only partly filled-most of the passengers ended up struggling in the icy seas while those in the boats waited a safe distance away.

Lifeboat No. 14 did row back to the scene after the unsinkable ship slipped from sight at 2:20 A.m. Alone, it chased cries in the darkness, seeking and saving a precious few. Incredibly, no other boat joined it.