TEXT: Various
TITLE: FOLLOW THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD…
SERIES: The Growing Church (part 2)
TOPIC: Evangelism
OCCASION: Burnside Christian Church, May 4, 2008
PROP.: Let’s explore the issues of why we don’t evangelize!!!
INTRODUCTION: Good morning! During the month of May, our focus now turns to becoming the Growing Church part two. What does that mean? That means that during the month of May, we are going to be teaching and preaching about the one Christian discipline is the most necessary for Christianity to continue, but it’s also the most dreaded: EVANGELISM!
The Wizard of Oz. This was one of the first movies I can remember watching as a kid. The characters were memorable and vivid. The heroes were real. The villains were scary! Raise your hand, and be honest now. How many of you were scared of the wicked witch of the west? I think the wicked witch of the west was played by my 1st grade teacher, Mrs. Whaley…she was scary!!!!
I’ve entitled this morning’s message: Follow the Yellow Brick Road! Because that’s what we’re called to do in life!
You see, as I think about the Wizard of Oz and think about that movie, there are many parallels that compare to the Christian life.
We are on a journey to get home!
We have an enemy who wants to prevent us from making it home!
We have companions with whom we will travel until our destination is reached
Be on the look out for flying monkeys!
We are on a journey to get home. As we travel this life, we will have many encounters…some good…some bad.
Today, I want to use this beloved movie and more importantly, the characters IN the movie to teach us about the difficult topic of evangelism.
T.S.: Let’s look at the reasons we aren’t reaching the lost…
First, let’s look at the
I. The Scarecrow syndrome (I don’t know enough!)
If I only had a brain, THEN I could reach people for Christ!
This is the excuse that says: I DON’T KNOW ENOUGH!
A. The Bible is complex!
--66 different books
--1,189 different chapters
--nearly 3500 years old
--dozens of authors
--thousands of characters
--inspired by God
--hundreds of prophecies
It’s true, the Bible is complex. There are things that we will never understand nor comprehend until eternity.
You see, this excuse comes up often. Well I just don’t know the Bible well enough.
We feel inadequate to share the good news because we can’t even tell you the books of the Bible in order, or name the 12 disciples, and while that is a problem, it’s not an excuse to not share the Good news!
Because here’s the TRUTH:
B. The Good news of Jesus Christ is simple!
--Salvation was intended for all men. Educated and non-educated a like! Colossians 3:11 tells us that Jesus Christ is for Slaves, free men, barbarians, Jews, Greeks, and Gentiles. He is intended for EVERY person! Regardless of I.Q. or social skills. So the message of Jesus Christ is simple! Here’s the message:
1st John 5:12
He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
1. God hates sin
2. You are sinner
3. But God loves you.
4. Jesus came to die to get rid of your sin.
5. Those who accept the sacrifice of Jesus will go to heaven.
6. Will you accept the sacrifice?
But what if they ask me something else that I can’t answer?
--I think we all have this fear that they are going to ask us something like: “Do you believe that we as a society are returning to the antediluvian civilization that occurred during the days of Noah?” What??
--Be honest. If you are asked a question and you don’t know the answer, just tell them, “Hmmm. That’s a good question that I’ll have to do some thinking on. But I’ll get back to you!”
Illustration: Do not allow the fear of not knowing enough of the Bible keep you from sharing the good news of Jesus Christ! If you feel you don’t know enough about the Bible, that’s an easy fix…STUDY THE BIBLE! There are so many tools that you have at your disposal!
--Books
“The Bible for Busy people” - overview of both the old and new testaments
“An introduction to the new Testament”
“The M.A.P.”
--Internet -
www.gotquestions.org stay away from the salvation issues! They are WAYYYY off!
www.biblestudy.org - good resource for just Bible facts and topical studies!
http://www.carm.org/questions_bible.htm
--Other Christian friends
The second problem in regards to evangelism is what is called…
II. The Tin Man syndrome (I don’t have the heart (or desire))
I don’t tell people about Jesus because I don’t care whether they know or not.
“If I only had a heart of compassion and love, THEN I could evangelize!”
A. The tin man was rusty!
In the movie, Dorothy comes across this odd looking fellow made of tin. He has but one request: “OIL CAN” Once Dorothy understands what he is saying, she grabs the oil can and begins using it on the rusty joints of the tin man.
And it was his rust that prevented him from moving!
--Jonah could relate!!!
Jonah had a large dislike for the people of Nineveh! So much so, that in fact when God called him to go and deliver his message to the people of Nineveh, Jonah ran the other way!
--Can you relate?
What’s your heart condition? Is your heart calloused? Is your desire to tell others the life saving message of Christ rusted tight?
This leads me to ask:
B. What is your rust??
What keeps us from moving to the ends of the earth with the message of Christ?
--Procrastination? “I’ll get to it…eventually.”
--Apathy? “I just don’t care”
--Busy-ness? The church has concerned herself with a lot of other things that are really that important! We have become self-centered instead of soul centered! We care more about maintaining our programs and schedules and budgets than reaching the lost!
C. What is our “oil can” that will re-lube the calloused heart?
--Realization of hell!
Hell is a real place that won’t be a lot of fun!
Hell is a place where many of my friends and some of my family will end up if I don’t do something about it!
--understanding that time is limited
ILLUSTRATION: Casting Crowns song - Here I go!
SALE - Limited time offer! Salvation is a limited time offer!!!!! There will come a day when the choice to accept Jesus will come to an end!
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
There WILL come a day, when God has waited long enough. Only HE knows the hour at which He will come!
The third problem in regards to evangelism is…
III. The Lion Syndrome (I don’t have the courage!)
We won’t spend a great deal of time on this point as we had en entire message addressing fear a couple of weeks ago!
A. A LION was scared?
In the Wizard of Oz, the character that needs courage is the lion! How ironic. They are supposed to be the KING of jungle!!! Afraid of nothing! Brave. Courageous.
B. A CHRISTIAN is scared? You have the power of God in your life!
2nd Tim. 1:7
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
If you are scared to death…remember what to do with fear:
1. Address the fear
What are you afraid will happen if you bring God up to your friends?
--Afraid they will be angry?
--Afraid they will laugh?
--Afraid they will stop being your friend?
2. Listen to God
--What does God say about telling others about who He is and who his son is?
Matthew 10:32,33
32"Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 33But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.
3. Do what’s right
Do the right thing! The right thing includes telling your friends, family, neighbors about Jesus and the salvation that He alone offers!!!!!
ILLUSTRATION: The next three Sundays we are going to give you the tools to talk about God to your friends! I hope you’ll plan to be here!
I want to end on the most important character in the Wizard of Oz and challenge you to...
Be like Dorothy:
IV. Go home and take as many friends with you as you can!
Here’s what I find amazing about Dorothy:
A. She loved her ‘friends’ in spite of their differences!
She could have very easily been annoyed with the faults and deficiencies of her friends. Instead, she looked past their faults and accepted them for who they were!
B. She helped them where she could!
--She took the time to help each one!
Dorothy could have very easily been self centered enough to only care about getting herself what she wanted! But she didn’t.
Why?
--Because she cared about them!
C. She took them with her!!
--Each one of her friends lacked something. And it was Dorothy’s intention to take them to one who could give them what they needed! THIS is our mission! We have people that we know that desperately are lacking something in their lives…and we know the one who can make them complete!
Let’s point them in the right direction!
D. She became all things to all men!
1st Corinthians 9:20-23
20To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
--She had the heart /desire to get there!
--She had the courage
This is our goal! To take our friends and family where we are going to be!!!
Conclusion: What excuses are keeping you from sharing the saving message of Jesus Christ with your lost family? With your lost friends? Let us set aside our sin…and press on toward our goal of heaven!
