Evangelism part 1
Sharing our faith in the 21st Century
I would like you to name a few of these icons.
(show each slide on a separate page)
Almost all of us can recognise the logos. When doing research for this sermon I was fascinated that almost every logo we know is constantly being twicked, or slightly altered. They are always changing. Why?
Because companies know that if they do not embrace constant change and get their message out to a new generation they will die.
In Western society we can get excited about hamburgers, banking products and car engines to such a point we easily recognise different company logos. Even teachers got passionate this week about teaching. More than 6500 teachers stopped work to hold meetings at Langley Park and regional areas, forcing the closure of 46 schools across the state. This was on Thursday in nearly 40 degree heat.
Today I would like to speak about getting passionate for Jesus in the 21st century.
Matthew 9:35-9:38
According to the Australian Bureau of statistics
Australian society in 1901
40% of the population being Church of England,
23% Catholic,
34% other Christian
1% professing non-Christian religions.
2001 Census question,
27% Catholic,
21% Anglican,
21% other Christian denominations
5% non-Christian religions.
Just over one-quarter of all Australians either stated that they had no religion, or did not adequately respond to the question.
Between 1996 and 2001,
Catholic affiliates increased by 4%
Baptist affiliates by 5%.
However, as the Australian population grew by 6% during this period this is not enough.
The most notable decreases in Christian affiliation occurred for Churches of Christ (decreasing by 18%), the
Uniting Church (decreasing by 7%), and
Presbyterian and Reformed (decreasing by 6%).
An increase was seen for Pentecostal affiliation, which increased by 11% between 1996 and 2001 (from 174,720).
A substantial increase, associated with immigration from South Eastern Europe, was also seen for the Orthodox Churches, with the number of Orthodox affiliates increasing by 7% (from 497,015).
According to the American preacher Kirk Devine ‘the greatest problem facing us is not the gang problem on the outside, not the drug pusher on the outside, not the moral values of our youth, not ungodliness... Not unrighteousness, not darkness on the outside, not sin on the outside.... Let me suggest to you that the greatest problem facing us today is not what’s going on, on the outside... but what ain’t going on, on the inside…!!!’
Rev 3:14 To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God? creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm?either hot nor cold? am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ? am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.?But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Rev 3:19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
A strong case could be argued that Australian Baptists have taken on the mindset of the Laodicean church, which was neither hot nor cold concerning the things of God… They went about their usual routine of doing things.
The fact of the matter is that they were in such a state, that the Lord Himself said that because they were neither hot nor cold, that he would literally ’spit them out of His mouth!’ And the problem is that our lukewarm churches of today are rapidly losing passion, which grieves the heart of God…
In the book, “Every Believer, A Minister,” Dr. Rex D. Edwards graphically paints the pathetic picture of far too many Christians today. “We sing the words of the hymn ‘Onward Christian Soldier,’ and wait to be drafted into His service. We sing ‘Oh, For A Thousand Tongues,’ but don’t use the ones we have… ‘Serve the Lord with Gladness,’ yet we complain when someone asks us to do something…”
But the bible lets us know that God has called the church to do more than survive...! God has called the church to do more than exist...! He wants us to move from a place of survival to a place of Revival. To a place where people come to church, not to hear a great sermon for themselves, but because they have brought their friend to church to hear the message of God’s love.
In order for us to be successful, there are some concepts that we must grab hold of… Jesus shows us here in our text that there is a job to be done… There is a need that must be fulfilled… I believe what Jesus is telling us here is that there is a need for some workers… There is a need for some laborers… There is a need for some folks who are willing to get their hands dirty for the cause of Christ…
We live in a world today where every company in Western Australia is looking for someone. Every shop, every store, every company is looking for trained staff. Building companies are looking for tradesmen, universities are looking for students, hospitals are looking for doctors and schools are looking for teachers.
The Lord likewise… Is looking for somebody…!
The Lord is looking for someone who is willing to give their all… The Lord is looking for someone who is willing to help in the harvest of the lost… The Lord is looking for someone who is willing to labor… For the Kingdom…!
But what constitutes a willing laborer…? What separates him from everyone else…? How do I make sure that I’m doing my part in our move “From the Seats To The Streets…?” The text gives us three points to consider as we seek to reach others through the harvest. The first thing we must do is….
I. RECOGNIZE THE TASK AND DON’T FUDGE AROUND IT.
Notice what the real issue is here… He says in verse 37 Then he said to his disciples, The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.?
The word, harvest, comes from the Greek word, therismos (ther-is-mos’), which means ‘to reap…’ To Collect… To Bring in
I don’t claim to be a farmer, but the last time I looked, harvesting was done OUTSIDE…! Harvesting is done in the fields…!
So that suggests to me that we’ve got to go outside of these four walls in order to get into the fields… So that we can reach others…! Let me put it like this, we’ve got to get off our ‘blessed assurance’ and go into the highways and hedges and compel men, women, boys, and girls to come to Christ…!
The problem is, many of us especially pastors, we’re more concerned with ‘church work’ than with ‘Kingdom work…!’ Church work is what goes on in these 4 walls, kingdom work is what goes on in the wider community.
We’d rather have raffles and shave our hair for kids with cancer instead of talk about Jesus and bring others to church with us… Church work… Instead of Kingdom work…!
Some of us have the “Martha Mentality” found in (Luke 10:38-42)
Lk 10:38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord? feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, ?ord, don? you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!?
Lk 10:41 ?artha, Martha,?the Lord answered, ?ou are worried and upset about many things, 42 but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.?
We’re so worried about painting walls, installing air-conditioning, making sure we come across as proper, that we’re missing out on getting Kingdom work accomplished for the body of Christ…! Talking to family, friends and generally anyone that needs God’s love, including people going through a rough time that we may not like.
Sharing our faith is full-time employment…. So many think that it’s a Sunday morning, 9:30-2:00 job and maybe an hour or two on Wednesday nights… But the Bible lets us know “that Satan the adversary is roaming to and fro as a lion seeking whom he may devour…” And if you know anything about lions, you know that they are always on the prowl… They are always on the hunt… They are always seeking their prey… Many non-church people openly say, I considered becoming a Christian but they don’t seem to be any different to non-Christians.
So if McDonalds and Qantas etc is always speaking about their product… We should be speaking about ours too…! It’s a full-time job…! There’s no such thing as a time clock when it comes to speaking about Jesus…
II. Rely on what God has given you.
Many of us feel like Moses at the burning bush. God asked Moses to save the Jewish people from Egyptian slavery.
Ex 4:10 Moses said to the LORD, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue. Ex 4:11 The LORD said to him, who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD? 12 Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say. Ex 4:13 But Moses said, Lord, please send someone else to do it. Ex 4:14 Then the LORD’S anger burned against Moses and he said, ‘what about your brother, Aaron the Levite?’ I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and his heart will be glad when he sees you. 15 You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. 16 He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. 17 But take this staff in your hand so you can perform miraculous signs with it.
So it is with us. There are so many Christian books we can share with work colleagues who ask about our faith. I realized in my early days of being a pastor I am not very good about sharing my faith. I am actually an introvert and speaking about Jesus Christ to friends scared me. So instead I developed a way of lending people my Alpha dvd’s whenever they asked about Christianity. I also comfortably invite people to our church’s playgroups and I say grace with people over their food.
The Apostle Peter informs us that we are “…A chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that you may the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).” He’s saying, There is something different about us… We’re not like everybody else…! Notice the different descriptions used…He’s telling us that we have been called out of darkness into the light to be a witness, and because of this calling, I now have a responsibility.... To go into the fields and tend to the harvest…!
“How do I tend to the harvest…?” By becoming a laborer…! The word laborer, comes from the Greek word, ergates (er-gat’-ace); which means to be a toiler; a worker… But not only that, but it is also a teacher…
He is one who is able to instruct others in the Word, not only by teaching, but also by example… Matthew 5:16 says, “Let our light shine before men, so that they may see our good deeds and praise the Father in heaven.” Our light is to clearly shine forth into the darkness of human hatred, so that others may see the example Christ’s love for all to live by…
III. Develop a proper plan to share your faith
The bible is not asking us to do anything stupid in sharing our love of Jesus. We have all been caught by the teller marketer at dinner time trying to sell us life insurance. We all know the pain of government elections and being harassed for our vote. We have all seen corny adds on TV trying to sell vacuum cleaners.
Mt 7:6 Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.’
The bible asks us all to find an intelligent and respectable way to share our faith. It is not respectable to think that if I just be nice people will guess I am a Christian and find Jesus. If they see you being nice, people will simply think, what a nice person and that is that.
If we are to share our faith intelligently, I will encourage you over the next couple of weeks to find your way of ‘harvesting people for the kingdom’.
Firstly start with a prayer, that God will help you share your faith well and intelligently.
Some people like to share a Christian book with friends, others invite friends to church, some invite friends to their home group, others share DVD’s. one particular Christian I know always has people around for dinner on Wednesday nights, at the end of the evening he announces ‘I have to go, I have bible study’. He says a surprising high number actually ask to come to the bible study.
I. RECOGNIZE THE TASK AND DON’T FUDGE AROUND IT.
II. Rely on what God has given you.
III. Develop a proper plan to share your faith
A the start of the sermon you were given a piece of paper. I would like you to write down two names of people you will pray to know Jesus in the coming month.
On March the 16th in two weeks time Peter Barney is coming to give an evangelistic talk. This is a great opportunity to being your friends.
Let’s spend some time in prayer for the names on our sheets of paper.
