"In House" Evangelism

"In House" Evangelism

Acts 16:13-15

Years ago I worked for a large manufacturing company. We had a certain project come up and we had to decide whether to produce the product "in house" or whether to "outsource" the job. We decided to contract the job out to another company and the results were disastrous. They were late delivering the product which caused us to be late shipping it. Even worse was the fact that they did not do the job correctly and we had to work overtime to correct their error. Because of this we lost a great deal of time and money.

Whoever coined the phrase "if you want something done right, do it yourself" must have outsourced some work somewhere along the way. Unfortunately, many people are tying to outsource their responsibility to reach their family with the Gospel. It is no cliché to say that "Evangelism starts at home".

Recently in this assembly we have seen the impact one person can have on their entire family. Today we baptized a mother, a daughter and an aunt. A few weeks ago we baptized a father & daughter together. Soon we will baptize a brother and sister together.

It is exciting to see families coming to know Jesus simultaneously. However, what we are experiencing is nothing new. In fact, people reaching their families with the good news of Jesus Christ is as old as the church itself. Consider:

- Andrew introduced his brother Simon Peter to Jesus.

- Peter introduced his mother-in law to Jesus.

- The apostles James and John were brothers.

- Their mother was a follower of Christ.

- Cornelius was promised that his entire household would be saved.

- The Philippian jailer received salvation and so did his family.

- Paul speaks of the faith that was possessed by Timothy, his mother Eunice and his grandmother Lois.

As we arrive at our selected text we read the story of a woman named Lydia. Verse 15 tells us that she and her entire household came to faith in Jesus. I would like to examine her story and preach on the subject of "In House" Evangelism.

It is important to me that the people I encounter throughout the week have a personal relationship with the Savior. If they don't know Him, I want to introduce them to Him. It is very important to me that each of you have been born again. And if you don't know Him, I would love to introduce you to Him today. But most importantly I want to know that my wife and my children know Jesus in the free pardon of sin. If I reach the whole world and yet my children die without Jesus I have failed. Consider what the scripture says in - Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

As a father I have the great opportunity to have influence my children with the Gospel. And you have an opportunity to reach your wife, your husband, your siblings, your children, your parents and your extended family with the Gospel Journal, issue #49, p. 41.

Paul told the Philippian jailer, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” There is no guarantee that once you believe in Jesus, your family members will automatically saved. But when you trust in Jesus you have open a the door for God to move into your family’s life and to touch every member of your family! Let's look to the text and see the process of "In House" Evangelism.

During this season of ministry Paul, Silas and Timothy were traveling and establishing churches. v5. The Lord was moving and people were being saved. Paul and his associates traveled through Phrygia and Galatia. They desired to preach the Word in Asia. But the Holy Spirit did not allow this. They then traveled to Mysia & Bithynia and they were not permitted to preach there either. As they arrived in Troas Paul received what we refer to as "The Macedonian Call". He had a vision of a man asking him to "Come over into Macedonia, and help us". Eventually they arrived in Philippi. It was Paul's custom on the Sabbath day to find a synagogue and to reason with the Jews about Christ. (17:1-3) Apparently this community did not have a synagogue. As a result, the women gathered by the riverside in order to pray together. Paul confronts this assembly and delivers the message of the life changing good news of Jesus Christ.

- Notice in verse 13:

I. THE REVELATION OF THE GOSPEL - v13 And on the Sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.