Connect, Respect, Protect - Evangelism

Today’s Scripture reading is from Romans 10:1-15 (NLT)

“Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved. I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal.

“For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with Himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law.

“For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in Him are made right with God. Salvation Is for Everyone.

“For Moses writes that the law’s way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands.

“But faith’s way of getting right with God says, ‘Don’t say in your heart, “Who will go up to heaven?” (to bring Christ down to earth)’. And don’t say, “Who will go down to the place of the dead?’ (to bring Christ back to life again).

“In fact, it says, ‘The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.’ And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

“For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us, ‘Anyone who trusts in Him will never be disgraced.’

“Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on Him. For ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

“But how can they call on Him to save them unless they believe in Him? And how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him? And how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them?

“And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, ‘How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!’”

May the Lord open the ears of our hearts to hear what He has to say to us today!

Let’s look again at Romans 10:14

“But how can they call on Him to save them unless they believe in Him? And how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him? And how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them?”

Now, that’s a pretty good set of questions, isn’t it?

You almost need to take the questions as statements in reverse

They need to be told about Jesus

They need to believe that Jesus is Lord

They need to call on His name for salvation

And verse 13 says:

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

There is a TV show that I like to watch. It is called “Flashpoint.”

This is a unit called a Strategic Response Unit

Whenever they are called at least one life is on the line.

It is NOT a show where they go in with guns blazing, kill the bad guys and then go home as if nothing happened.

When interacting with the people involved they have a three point plan:

Connect, Respect, Protect and often as they leave the station the leader will say, “Let’s keep the peace.”

Connect, Respect, Protect. The very first time I heard that I thought,

“What a great model for reaching those who do not know Jesus, those who are in danger of losing their immortal souls to a lost eternity!”

Now, obviously, this sermon is targeted to those who already know Jesus as the One who has already saved them from sin and hell. And, if that describes you then this is for you and for me as well!

Connect!

Really! I don’t really care for the term “no brainer” but this really is a “no brainer”!

Romans 10:14b

‘How can they hear unless someone tells them?”

According to one count, the gospels record 132 contacts that Jesus had with people. Six were in the Temple; four in the synagogues and 122 were out with the people in the mainstream of life.

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Jimmy Carter Illustration:

Jimmy Carter, in his autobiography WHY NOT THE BEST? shared an incident that made him aware of his lack of witnessing to people.

Each year the congregation of Plains Baptist Church holds a one-week revival service.

-In preparation for the week, the congregation would venture into the community inviting non-churched members to the services.

-As a deacon, Carter always participated in this exercise.

-Carter would always visit a few homes, read the Scriptures and have prayer, share some religious beliefs, then he would talk about the weather and crops and depart.