Jesus' Simple Plan For Evangelism

Jesus’ Simple Plan For Evangelism

[Tile and main points taken from James Smith’s sermon Jesus’s Simple Plan for Evangelism and Church Planting. Http://www.sermoncentral.com.]

April 21, 2002

Luke 10:1-17

1 The Lord now chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them on ahead in pairs to all the towns and villages he planned to visit. 2 These were his instructions to them: "The harvest is so great, but the workers are so few. Pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest, and ask him to send out more workers for his fields. 3 Go now, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves. 4 Don’t take along any money, or a traveler’s bag, or even an extra pair of sandals. And don’t stop to greet anyone on the road.

Introduction: How I hate commercials. Too fake.

Company’s send their best and brightest in the hopes of making the sale.

Commercials don’t show ugly, obnoxiously overweight individuals in rags

Yet, this is what Christ is sending out. Early in Acts it indicates the nature of these disciples "uneducated, common men" (Acts 4:13)

Low income, blue collar, high school dropouts

Jesus said he was sending them out as "lambs among wolves"-vulnerable, defenseless

-task is beyond reason

70/72 disciples = Gen 10 70/72 nations

-to all the world

-no money, traveler’s bag, or even a second pair of sandals. Don’t even stop for small talk, but keep to the task

Imagine being told to take a trip to California, but told not to take your wallet (save license), no snacks, no games, no tapes, no C D’s, and no spare tire.

Yet, Christ sends out His disciples with the incredibly daunting task of world evangelization with nothing more than the shirt on their back. In spite of this verse 17 indicates they returned successful. What was the secret of their success?

In this story we discover four principles that Jesus sets forth for successful evangelism

Four Principles Of Evangelism

5 "Whenever you enter a home, give it your blessing. (New Living Translation)

1. Bless The Area And The People

We commonly greet one another with the words "How are you doing?"

-shallow and merely functional as a means of recognition

but the phrase, "Peace be to this house" "

meant much more than a superficial greeting. The term for peace comes from the Hebrew word Shalom

So unchanged is the offering of this greeting that even today in Israel friends and acquaintances are greeted with the words mah shlomka "What is your peace" or "How are you doing"

[Vine, W. E., Merrill Unger, William White. Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary Of Old And New Testament Words. (Thomas Nelson, Inc.: Nashville, TN, 1996).]

It is a meaning of completeness, soundness, and well being of the total person. [Youngblood Ronald F., gen. ed. Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary. (Thomas Nelson Publishers: Nashville, TN 1995).] A blessing of life that only God could provide.

It is to say to someone "I wish your enemies would become your friends;

Your finances would abound

Your marriage fruitful

Your children successful

Your life enriched by all that is said and done"

Imagine the impact that we could have if we begin to seek God’s blessing for our community!

[March for Jesus 2001 "Peace Be To These Streets" Graham Kindrick. Copyright 1996 Make Way Music. CCLI#1861871]

Peace be to these streets (3x)

In the name of Jesus

Peace be to these streets (3x)

In the name of Jesus

Walk here Lord

Draw near Lord

Pass through these streets today

Bring healing, forgiveness

Here let your living waters flow

Love come to these streets (3x)

In the name of Jesus

Joy come to these streets (3x)

In the name of Jesus

6 If those who live there are worthy, the blessing will stand; if they are not, the blessing will return to you. 7 When you enter a town, don’t move around from home to home. Stay in one place, eating and drinking what they provide you. Don’t hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve their pay. (New Living Translation)

2. Fellowship With Them

-not to be peddlers lolly gagging around

-not to abuse the hospitality of the town

Find a focal point and begin building bridges of friendship

[Evangelist’s story]

One of the most obnoxious things about commercials are when they blare out their message.

Christ is saying find that one who is receptive and build a network

To eat and drink with someone was a matter of relationship. It means "I am identifying with you" Christ was slurred as one who ate and drank with sinners and tax collectors.

"People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care"

Before they ever trust your faith, they have to trust you!