It's Go Time Series

TEXT: Matthew 28:19,20

TITLE: Intentional evangelism (vs. Accidental Evangelism)

SERIES: The Growing Church part 2 (# 2 of 4)

TOPIC: Evangelism

OCCASION: Burnside Christian Church, September 16, 2007

PROP.: In this message on evangelism, the GO TIME plan will be shared, and each person will be encouraged to realize that evangelism is something that even I can do!

INTRODUCTION: Good morning. This sermon I hope sounds familiar to you! Because it is a sermon I preached about a year ago. I changed the title, text, and sub-points. But I kept the main points, key illustrations. So if this sermon sounds vaguely familiar to you, then I’m happy about that because it means you were paying attention the first time! But I felt this was a lesson that needed to be repeated. I don’t know if you’re like me or not. But I’m slow to learn lessons sometimes. It’s only by repetition do I learn what I’m supposed to learn!

Having said that:

Our main text this morning is Matthew 28:16 - 20

How many of you could quote these verses? Please turn there in your Bibles at this time.

Lets read:

Matthew 28:16-20

16Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

The title of this morning¡¦s message is: It’s Go time!

This month I promised to give you the tools to evangelize. The tools needed to share your faith. And I¡¦m keeping good on that promise!

In these familiar verses, Jesus has been crucified, died, been buried, and has risen from the dead. Here, is he having one last meeting with his disciples before He goes back to heaven.

Jesus’ very words are recorded. He reminds them who He is! All authority has been given to me!¨ He says! And now as Christ is getting ready to leave his followers and students for good, He commissions them and says I am giving YOU authority to make disciples! To share the message of truth! To be God’s love in the flesh!

So the very first thing I want to tell you about evangelism today is that if you’re a little unsure about telling others what Christ has done, be confident and bold! Christ (who has all authority) is the one now sending you with authority!

T.S.: And I don’t want you to be discouraged in thinking how difficult evangelism is instead, I want you to be encouraged after this mornings sermon to think: Hey, I can do that! So, today, I am going to encourage you in regards to intentional evangelism by giving you THE GO TIME PLAN to help you tell others about Christ!

The First part of this GO TIME PLAN is¡K

I. PRAY - Romans 10:1 - Jesus prays for more workers¡KPaul prays for the Israelites.

WOW! That’s REALLY, REALLY revolutionary! A preaching telling me I should pray!

Yes, I am telling you the first thing to do whenever you¡¦re faced with a challenge is to pray about that challenge! And listen, sharing Jesus with your friends, family, neighbors mail man is going to be a challenge!

1. You have heard these verses before. But I want to share with you from

Matthew 9:37,38

37Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

Jesus PRAYS about Evangelism! He asks us to pray about Evangelism. Do we do it? And then we wonder why evangelism is difficult. And we wonder why we aen’t seeing results!

PRAYER IS THE FOUNDATIONAL AND FUNDAMENTAL

TOOL TOO ANY BIG CHALLENGE YOU

ARE FACING!

Whether it be health, money, relationships, and ESPECIALLY evangelism, prayer needs to be the first thing you do!

2. Pray with a purpose! 30 day challenge! Pray for this person for 30 days see what happens!

In your bulletin, I want you to write down the name of someone you want

and need to share Christ with! Ponder Romans 10:1 Paul writes

Brothers, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them that might be saved!

The Greek word translated prayer in this verse is: deh-ay-sis) It literally translated means to PLEAD. Paul is pleading with God to save the Israelites. When is the last time you pleaded with God to save one of your friends? Or one of your family members?