BIBLICAL LESSONS CONCERNING EVANGELISM
Acts 10:1-48
INTRODUCTION:
A. Evangelism – What are we to think?
1. For some Evangelism is a program dilemma.
a. Just a quick look in our own Lifeway catalog sets the tone
1) Faith
2) The NET
3) Share Jesus Without Fear
4) Servanthood Evangelism
5) The School of Biblical Evangelism
b. Add to that
1) CWT
2) FISH
3) And more!
c. All advertising to be the program that will help us to get our evangelism program on track.
2. For some Evangelism is a maze of statistics: according to information survey by Barna Group in 2004
a. Nearly half (43%) of all Americans who accept Jesus Christ as their savior do so before reaching the age of 13 (2004)
b. Two out of three born again Christians (64%) accept Jesus Christ as their savior before their 18th birthday. (2004)
c. One out of eight born again people (13%) made their profession of faith between the ages of 18 to 21 years old. (2004)
d. Based on these numbers only 23% got saved after their 21st birthday
e. And when it came down to making that decision only 10% did so in a church setting or service.
3. For others Evangelism is a collection of questions.
a. “How do I do it?”
b. “Can I learn enough to do it right?”
c. “What if I can’t answer all their questions?”
d. “How can I mark my Bible?”
e. “What if people reject me and make fun of me?”
f. “How do I find the time?”
B. Now I understand people have questions, statistics give us trends, and programs are supposed to help us do things better.
1. But, folks evangelism is more than questions, statistics and programs.
2. In its most essential elements it is a GOD thing.
a. I can answer all your questions, explain all the statistics and provide you with a program, yet without the Holy Spirit doing the real work, it won’t happen.
b. Evangelism, the activity by which we express the gospel, in any form, is empowered and directed by God!
3. So, if we want to learn about this activity, the Lord invites us to be a part of, the best place look is in His word.
4. And that is what I want us to do this morning.
C. I originally outlined Acts chapter 10 about 6 months ago
1. When I went through it initially I intended to preach chapter 10 in 5 messages – then I got to thinking If I pull it out that long the people will loose their train of thought and get bored.
2. So I decided Tuesday that I would do it all in one message, but again I got to thinking If I do it all at once I will overload them and they will get bored.
3. So, half way through the message on Tuesday I changed my mind and decided to do it in two parts. I figured this way they won’t lose their train of thought and I won’t overload them, but they might still get bored – 2 out of three is not bad!
D. So in Acts chapter 10 I believe we can glean some Biblical Lessons Concerning Evangelism. In fact we have four, of which we will look at the first two this morning and the second two next week.
1. Lesson 1: God Prepares the Heart
2. Lesson 2: God’s Messenger Follows God’s Leadership
E. So lets look to God to help us become better at proclaiming our faith and relating it to others so that we might proclaim the gospel better!
PRAY
We begin with what is arguably the most important lesson of them all – certainly all else depends on it
I. LESSON 1: GOD PREPARES THE HEART, Acts 10:1-23 This preparation is two fold. In our text we first see the Lord
A. Preparing The Heart Of The Lost To Accept The Gospel, Acts 10:1-8 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, [2] A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. [3] He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. [4] And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. [5] And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: [6] He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do. [7] And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually; [8] And when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.
1. Here we find a man who is being prepared by God to receive the message of the gospel
a. God has spoken to him
b. He was willing to do what the Lord wanted him to
c. Interesting to note that even though the man had good deeds and gave a lot he still needed to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
2. One of the first and greatest things we must learn about evangelism is that God prepares the heart of those who need the gospel to accept the gospel.
a. Evidentially this man was rich (he had servants) and it was Christ who said, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 19:23
b. Yet, nothing is impossible when God is doing the work
c. However if God is not at work preparing the heart of the unsaved it will be impossible for that person to be saved
d. For Jesus also said, No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:44
e. We must know and believe that God goes before us preparing the hearts of the lost for the gospel.
At the same time God is preparing the heart the lost to accept the gospel he is
B. Preparing the Heart of the Servant Of God To Present The Gospel, Acts 10:9-22 On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour: [10] And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance, [11] And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: [12] Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. [13] And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. [14] But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. [15] And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. [16] This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven. [17] Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made enquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate, [18] And called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there.
[19] While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. [20] Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them. [21] Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come? [22] And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee.
1. Please notice a number of things from these verses
a. Peter was going about his normal religious disciplines: praying
b. Secondly God spoke to him
c. Thirdly, Peter listened to God
d. Fourthly, Peter obeyed
2. Now these are important to us
a. God uses the one who is already doing what he knows to do, in this case praying, and we need to take that to heart
b. If we are going to spread the gospel will need to pray a lot.
c. Its during this time we will hear from God and we need to be listening.
1) This maybe why the psalmist said, Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth, in Psalm 46:10
2) We have to slow down let God speak to us and listen – he will show us where and when to speak the gospel
d. How many of you watch NCIS? The main character is Jethro Gibbs and one of his favorite saying is “I don’t believe in coincidences.”
1) It was no coincidence that God showed him the vision 3 times and then 3 Gentiles show up at his door. (Gentiles were considered unclean by Jews)
2) So called coincidences for us could very well be God’s fore-ordained holy providence at work and we will only know that and be ready if we have listened to God and are alert to the situation.
So lesson one is that God prepares the hearts: both of recipient and messenger of the gospel – not a program.
II. LESSON 2: GOD’S MESSENGER FOLLOWS GOD’S LEADERSHIP, Acts 10:23-34 Then called he them in, and lodged them. And on the morrow Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him. [24] And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends. [25] And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. [26] But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man. [27] And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together. [28] And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. [29] Therefore came I unto you without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for: I ask therefore for what intent ye have sent for me? [30] And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, [31] And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God. [32] Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter; he is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner by the sea side: who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee. [33] Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.
A. Peter having already been prepared for the gospel encounter by God then became obedient to God’s leadership. From this text we can find a couple of things of interest to us:
1. Obedience was expressed in going where the Lord told him to go
a. He went to Caesarea immediately and entered into Cornelius’s house
b. He was not worried about who he was and did not know completely what he was there for – he went by faith in God at His leading
2. Secondly we learn that Obedience is found in humility – Cornelius wanted to give a great honor to Peter
a. The Greek word translated “worship” means to kneel or lay prostrate to do homage (to one) or make obeisance, whether in order to express respect or to make supplication
b. Peter in essence said, No, don’t do that, I am a man like you
c. Peter did not see himself as someone better than this
d. He went to Cornelius’ house – discarding old traditions and prejudice’s following God’s leadership
3. He stepped out of his comfort zone and became obedient to the Lord.
B. Following God’s Leadership, may just be one of the hardest things we do, because it often requires us to step outside our comfort zone.
1. This is where humility comes into play.
a. James 4:10 states, Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
b. It takes a lot of grace to go and do what God wants us to however, we find God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. James 4:6
2. There is no place for pride in the child of God for it is pride that will not let us lay down our prejudices, which often lead to fear, which, in turn, keep us from following God’s leadership.
3. We need to be ready to go where ever God leads – now that does not just mean out to a mission field in some far off place
a. That can mean changing the way we do things right here at home, if it is necessary to go out into our community to present the gospel.
b. If God wants us to reach out to our community He might just see fit to move us out of our comfort zone
1) That could be as simple as converting to chairs from pews or changing our style of music
2) It could mean something a little harder such as going to small groups in homes rather than in church – maybe even on other days than just Sunday mornings
3) Or it could be something as big and complicated as building a church that looks different and is used in a much different fashion that we are used to.
4. It does not matter what it is that needs to be done, its about God’s Messengers’ Willingness to Follow God’s Leadership
5. Are we willing to follow God’s leadership?
CONCLUSION: In closing
A. While looking into Biblical Lessons Concerning Evangelism we come to find out that it is more than a program
1. Its based on a personal growing relationship with the God of Creation
2. It’s not about statistics, its a matter of our faith in God to do the work.
3. And its not so much about our questions, as it is about our obedience!
B. And believe it or not these things are not just relevant to evangelism, but to all of our Christian life.
C. Have you learned these two lessons?
1. If the Lord is speaking to you about them – submit to Him, get them learned so you can follow through on the next two lesson which we will present next week
2. Read the rest of the chapter and see what you might think those lesson are – I might just ask for your thoughts!
