Evangelism Reflects Communication In Our Walk With Christ Series

Date Written: October 12, 2006

Date Preached: October 15, 2006

Church: OZHBC (AM)

FOUNDATIONAL ELEMENTS

Series Title: Living A Life of Evangelism

Sermon Title: Evangelism reflects Communication in

our Christian Walk

Sermon Text: Acts 5:19-21

INTRODUCTION:

I once heard a story about a very peculiar fisherman from Minnesota. You see, this fisherman was very well prepared. He knew how to fish. He had everything you need to be a good fisherman. He had poles, nets, bait, and even a really nice boat, but this fisherman had a problem. You see, for all his preparation he never caught anything. Not one fish. Not one, not ever. And you know why he never caught a fish? What do you think? The answers easy: He never went fishing. He had all the knowledge and all the equipment, but he never got into the boat, he never left the dock.

1. We can communicate the Gospel with our lives…

At times we probably feel it would be so much easier if we could be like Lucy in the old Peanuts cartoon: Lucy says to Charlie Brown, "I would have made a great evangelist." Charlie Brown answers, "Is that so?" She says, "Yes, I convinced that boy in front of me in school that my religion is better than his religion." Charlie Brown asked, "Well, how did you do that?" And Lucy answers, "I hit him over the head with my lunch box."

When we look at the lives of the men and women in the early church we can see that they communicated God’s love simply in the living of their lives!

When a problem arose in the church, there were several men who were called out by the church to meet a need in the church. The reason they were called out was because of the life they were living… they communicated God’s love by the way they lived… let’s look at Acts 6:1-6 and see what I am talking about…

1 Now at this time while the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food. 2 So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, "It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. 3 "Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task. 4 "But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word." 5 The statement found approval with the whole congregation ; and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas , a proselyte from Antioch. 6 And these they brought before the apostles; and after praying, they laid their hands on them.

Acts 6:1-6 (NASB)

Unless you live the life… there is NO amount of words or things you can do to share Christ because the people of the world simply will NOT believe you… in their minds they are going to be thinking… "He is NO different than me… He lives the same kind of lifestyle I live… why should I change… why should I listen to him?"

Our lips will NEVER have meaning unless our lives reveal the Truth of the Gospel. Listen to this…

Once there was a young salesman and he was so very disappointed about losing a big sale! Later that day as he spoke with his sales manager and he was saddened by his failure! In hopes of getting some consolation from his boss the young man said, "I guess it just proves you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink."

The young man was surprised by what the manager then said, he said, "Son, take my advice: your job is not to make him drink. Your job is to make him thirsty."

And so it is with evangelism or the communicating of the Gospel of Christ. When we live our lives it should be so filled with Christ that when people see our life, it creates a great thirst for the Gospel in theirs! How are you living your life today!

We have to live a life of righteousness and a life of evangelism because that is obedience to God’s call on our lives, but when we live a life that communicates the Gospel to the world around us, it helps us to know that…

2. We can communicate the Gospel with our lips…

Living a life that communicates the Gospel of Christ is great, but simply living a life that communicates the Gospel falls short of what we are called to do as believers.