THE HEART OF EVANGELISM ROMANS : 10:1:21
WHAT MOTIVATES YOU EACH NEW DAY?
WHAT ARE YOUR AIMS IN LIFE?
WHAT IS YOUR HEARTS DESIRE?
ALL OF US HAVE HEART DESIRES , YOUNG OR OLD ALIKE, WE ALL PURSUE OUR DESIRES. MAYBE FOUND: EDUCATION - BUSINESS - MEDIA - RELATIONSHIPS – LEISURE – PLEASURES - WEALTH - SUCCESS – FAME - POSSESSIONS FOR MANY OUR HEARTS DESIRES WILL BE MOTIVATED BY THESE IDEALS WE CREATE.
BUT ASK YOURSELF IS YOUR HEARTS DESIRE SELF ORIENTATED (ME CENTRED) OR IS IT SELFLESS ORIENTATED (OTHER PEOPLE CENTRED) ARE YOUR HEART DESIRES MOTIVATING YOU TO LOOK INWARD TOO YOURSELF AND CONTINUALLY FULFILLING YOUR OWN NEEDS OR IS IT DIRECTED OUTWARD TOWARDS OTHERS?
A CHRISTIAN WILL ALWAYS NEED TO BE EXAMINING THEIR MOTIVES FOR DOING WHAT THEY DO IS IT SELF ORIENTATED OR IS IT GOD CENTERED - PEOPLE CENTERED? BECAUSE IT IS SO EASY TO GET PULLED INTO THE MINDSET OF THE WORLD... ROM 12:2 DO NOT CONFORM ANY LONGER TO THE PATTERN OF THIS WORLD, BUT BE TRANSFORMED BUY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MINDS
1. OUR MOTIVATION. THE LOST
• GOD’S HEART FOR THE LOST
WHAT WOULD YOU THINK GODS HEART DESIRE IS FOR PEOPLE? WITHOUT QUESTION, ONE THING WE LEARN FROM THE BIBLE IS THAT GOD’S HEART DESIRE IS...... TO SEE PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND ME SAVED JOHN 3:16 . TO BE BROUGHT INTO A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.
WHY ELSE WOULD HE HAVE SENT JESUS TO DIE UPON A CROSS? 1JHN 4:14 THE FATHER SENT THE SON TO BE..... MATT.1:21 YOU SHALL GIVE HIM THE NAME JESUS BECAUSE HE WILL SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS. GODS HEART FOR THE LOST MOTIVATED THE FATHER TO SEND HIS SON TO BE OUR SAVIOUR.
GOD IS NOT SOME SELF ABSORBED DEITY ONLY THINKING OF HIS OWN NEEDS, HE IS RELATIONAL BEING (TRINITY) AND AS A RESULT HE IS PEOPLE CENTRED – OUR GOD HAS A BIG HEART FOR THE LOST- FOR THE PEOPLE OF THIS WORLD. HE CARES PASSIONATELY ABOUT PEOPLE ABOUT OUR LIVES.
• JESUS HEART FOR THE LOST:
WHERE DO WE SEE THIS HEART OF GOD FOR THE LOST? JHN1:1, IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD AND THE WORD WAS WITH GOD, AND THE WORD WAS GOD , HE WAS WITH GOD IN THE BEGINNING V14: THE WORD BECAME FLESH AND MADE HIS DWELLING AMONG US. COL:1:19 GOD WAS PLEASED TO HAVE ALL HIS FULLNESS DWELL IN HIM. JESUS IS THE EXACT REPRESENTATION OF GOD.
WE SEE THE MULTITUDES WHO WERE HUNGRY JESUS FEED - INDIVIDUALS HEALED - HE WEPT OVER MULTITUDES WHO REJECTED HIM – HE GAVE HIS LIFE TO THE DISENFRANCHISED - AND HE MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE - HE LAID DOWN HIS LIFE IN ORDER TO SAVE THE LOST. SO IN THE LIFE OF JESUS WE SEE THE HEART DESIRE OF GOD MANIFESTED IN THE FLESH WHICH WAS MOTIVATED TO REACH OUT TO OTHERS, TO SEE THE LOST FOUND.
• PAULS HEART FOR THE LOST V1
A HEART FOR THE LOST SHOULD MANIFEST ITSELF IN THE LIFE OF A CHRISTIAN - IT SHOULD BECOME A CONSUMING PASSION OF OUR LIVES, OF OUR CHURCH, TO SEE OTHERS FOUND BY CHRIST . WE SEE IT IN THE APOSTLE PAUL 9:3 10:1......BROTHERS MY HEART’S DESIRE AND PRAYER TO GOD FOR THE ISRAELITES IS THAT THEY MAY BE SAVED.
PAUL CONSISTENTLY SPOKE, HE PREACH, HE DEBATED HE WITNESSED HE MINISTERED IN WORD AND DEED TO JEW AND GENTILE. HE WOULD TRAVEL THOUSANDS OF MILES, HE WOULD SUFFER MUCH HARDSHIP, SACRIFICE A PROMISING CAREER, YET HE WOULD SEE PEOPLE SAVED, CHURCHES FLOURISH, CHRISTIANS EQUIPPED AND ENCOURAGED, TO DO THE SAME, ULTIMATELY HE PAID THE HIGHEST PRICE, HIS LIFE, ALL BECAUSE HE HAD A HEART FOR THE LOST.
• WILLIAM BOOTH ONCE HAD AN AUDIENCE WITH KING EDWARD VII OF ENGLAND. HIS MAJESTY HIGHLY COMMENDED THE SALVATIONIST FOR HIS UNFLAGGING ZEAL AND WONDERFUL WORK AMONG THE POOR. HOW REVEALING WAS BOOTH’S REPLY TO THE KING’S GLOWING WORDS! HE SAID, "YOUR MAJESTY, SOME MEN’S PASSION IS FOR ART. SOME MEN’S PASSION IS FOR FAME. MY PASSION IS FOR SOULS.’
WHAT AM I PASSIONATE ABOUT? GARDENING – SEWING – HOUSEKEEPING – MUSIC - GOOD FOOD – SOCIALISING - ART - CARS – WHAT ABOUT THE LOST WHO ARE BOUND FOR HELL? ARE YOU MOVED AT ALL WHEN YOU CONSIDER THEIR PLIGHT? OUR GOD WAS JUST LOOK AT THE LIFE, DEATH AND RESURRECTION, SO THAT SINNERS COULD BE SAVED.
GOD IS CALLING US TO EXAMINE OUR HEARTS DESIRES... WHAT IS IT REALLY? ..... ARE YOU IN A STATE OF APATHY WHEN IT COMES TO THE LOST? DO YOU REALLY CARE? ASK YOURSELF WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WITNESSED TO OTHERS ABOUT THE GOSPEL? WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU BROUGHT SOMEBODY TO CHAPEL? CONSIDER YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS, YOUR FRIENDS, OUR COMMUNITY, THIS CITY, THE NATION, THE WHOLE WORLD. COUNTLESS PEOPLE ARE HELL BOUND. AND IT COULD BE YOU THAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH. IF WE REALLY CARE WE WILL BE MOTIVATED TO GET INVOLVED IN EVANGELISM AS INDIVIDUALS AND AS A CHURCH. THE GREAT COMMISSION THAT JESUS PASSED ONTO HIS DISCIPLES, HIS NOW PASSED ONTO US, WE NEED TO ASK OURSELVES IS IT OUR HEARTS DESIRE TO SHARE IT OR IS THERE SOMETHING/SOMEONE ELSE IN THE WAY?
2. A MISTAKEN MOTIVATION V 2 - 5 .
A) ZEAL AND SINCERITY. HERE WE SEE PEOPLE WITH A SINCERE ZEAL FOR GOD - YET LITTLE DO THEY KNOW, ITS A MISPLACED ZEAL - PAUL IS SPEAKING FROM BITTER EXPERIENCE V2 – WE ALL KNOW HOW HE LIVED BEFORE HE WAS CONVERTED TO CHRIST – REMEMBER HOW ZEALOUS HE WAS IN HIS RELIGION, ADVANCING WINNING RECRUITS , PERSECUTING CHRISTIANS, HE WAS DEVOUT ZEALOUS AND SINCERE IN ALL THAT HE UNDERTOOK.
BUT HE SAYS THIS ZEAL IS MISPLACED V2 SINCE IT WAS NOT BASED UPON KNOWLEDGE V2 PRV 19:2 IT IS NOT GOOD TO HAVE ZEAL WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE. SO HERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE SINCERE AND ZEALOUS FOR GOD - YET IT WAS TOTALLY MISPLACED.
B) MOTIVATED BY WORKS: THEY ESTABLISH THEIR OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS V3 .... RATHER THAN LIVING BY FAITH THESE JEWS ESTABLISH CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS OF THEIR OWN IN ADDITION TO THE LAW OF GOD V5 MOSES PERSCRIBED . THIS IS WHAT PAUL THOUGHT UNTIL HE WAS CONVERTED GAL3:10 . HERE WE SEE RELIGIOUS PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO MAKE THEMSELVES ACCEPTABLE BEFORE GOD, BY THERE OWN EFFORTS. (PERFORMANCE RELATED) RATHER THAN SUBMITTING TO THE RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT COMES THROUGH CHRIST TO ALL WHO BELIEVE V4.
THIS WAY ISN’T LIMITED TO JEWISH PEOPLE. RELIGIOUS PEOPLE OF ALL FAITHS STILL ENDEAVOUR TO ESTABLISH THEIR OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS IN THIS WAY. IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS IT WAS PAULS, TO POINT OUT ERROR AND TO POINT TO THE RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT COMES THROUGH CHRIST V4 TO ALL WHO BELIEVE V5 : AND THIS ISNT BEING FUNDAMENTAL THIS IS HAVING A HEART FOR THE LOST.
FRIENDS YOU CAN BE AS ZEALOUS AND SINCERE AS YOU LIKE IN RELIGION, YET BE SINCERELY MISTAKEN. YOU CAN ESTABLISH YOUR OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS THOUGH LAW AND GOOD WORKS, YET IT WILL NEVER SAVE YOU. ISAIAH 64:6 “ALL OUR RIGHTEOUS ACTS ARE LIKE FILTHY RAGS” ROM 3:10 THERE IS NO ONE RIGHTOUS NO, NOT EVEN ONE.
V4 OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS BEFORE GOD COMES THROUGH CHRIST ALONE THROUGH FAITH ALONE. PAUL HAD COME TO EXPERIENCE THIS ITS NOT UNTIL WE HAVE WILL WE TRULY BEGIN TO HAVE A HEART FOR THE LOST.
3. OUR MESSAGE V 6 - 13. TO SHARE
HAVE YOU EVER ASKED YOURSELF HOW DO I BECOME A CHRISTIAN?
SOME PEOPLE THINK ITS COMPLICATED , SOME PEOPLE MAKE IT COMPLICATED - FOLLOW THESE RITES – DO THIS DO THAT AND YET IN USING – SOME PREACHERS LEAVE YOU CONFUSED, HOW CAN I BE SAVED? BUT IN REALITY ITS AS SIMPLE AS A-B-C.
V6-7 PAUL USES MOSES FAREWELL SPEECH DEUT 3:11 -14 HERE MOSES IS TELLING THE PEOPLE THAT GODS DIRECTIVES FOUND IN HIS WORD ARE AVAILABLE AND EASILY ACCESSIBLE, SO PAUL IS MAKING THE POINT THAT THE GOSPEL MESSAGE IS ALSO AVAILABLE AND ACCESSIBLE, THAT ITS NOT COMPLICATED.
PAUL TELLS US THAT SALVATION IS AS CLOSE AS YOUR OWN MOUTH AND HEART... WE SEE THAT FIRSTLY THAT FAITH COMES BY HEARING YOU MUST BE IN THE PRESENCE OF THE GOSPEL MESSAGE ITSELF. IT MUST BE HEARD....... .
V17 FAITH COMES FROM HEARING THE MESSAGE AND THE MESSAGE IS HEARD THROUGH THE WORD OF CHRIST.
OUTWARD CONFESSION - INNER BELIEF..
V8 THEN WE SEE AN OUTWARD RESPONSE/ CONFESSION V9 IF YOU CONFESS WITH YOU MOUTH JESUS CHRIST IS LORD. AND THEN AN INNER BELIEF AND BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART THAT GOD RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD YOU WILL BE SAVED.
THIS OUTWARD CONFESSION AND INNER BELIEF BELONG TOGETHER, YOU CANNOT HAVE ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER, YOU CANNOT CONFESS JESUS IS LORD WITHOUT THE INNER BELIEF THAT WOULD BE A LIE AND YOU CANNOT HAVE THE INNER BELIEF WITH OUTWARD CONFESSION SPURIOUS. SO THE TWO ARE MARRIED TOGETHER IN FAITH V10 FOR IT IS WITH YOUR HEART YOU BELIEVE AND ARE JUSTIFIED , AND IT IS WITH YOUR MOUTH THAT YOU CONFESS AND ARE SAVED.
THE GOSPEL TRUTHS FOUND HERE ARE : JESUS DIED – ROSE AGAIN – WAS EXALTED – REIGNS AS LORD AND GIVES SALVATION TO ALL WHO BELIEVE. THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS TO RECEIVE SALVATION THROUGH FAITH THIS IS AN INTELLIGENT FAITH WHICH LAYS HOLD OF THESE TRUTHS. 1COR 15:1- 4.
THIS IS OUR MESSAGE ITS NOT COMPLICATED, ANYBODY CAN SHARE IT, FROM A 9 YEAR OLD CHILD TO A 99 YEAR OLD PENSIONER. THIS MESSAGE CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ETERNAL LIFE AND ETERNAL DEATH . ARMED WITH THIS MESSAGE ON OUR LIPS AND IN OUR HEARTS – PEOPLE WILL BE SAVED BY THE GRACE OF GOD AS THEY COME TO CONFESS JESUS AS LORD AND BELIEVE IN THEIR HEART HE WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD. THIS IS A PROMISE V13 “EVERYONE WHO CALLS UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.
4. OUR MANDATE 14 -21. TO GO
IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE THE GOSPEL KNOWN ROM:10:14 HOW WILL YOUR LOVED ONES NEIGHBOUS HEAR IF WE DON’T TELL THEM … WITHOUT SOMEONE SPEAKING TO THEM IS TO MAKE THIS MESSAGE KNOWN TO GO AND TELL THIS IS OUR CHARGE – IF YOU’RE A CHRISTIAN THIS MORNING YOU HAVE BEEN COMMISSIONED BY JESUS TO GO EXACTLY WHERE YOU ARE. MATT 28:18 ARE WE? AR YOU MAKING AN IMPACT?
MAKING AN IMPACT? THE IMPACT OF COCA COLA
• 91% OF THE WORLD’S POPULATION HAS HEARD OF COKE.
• 74% HAVE SEEN COKE
• 51% HAVE TASTED
• 10% OF THE WORLD’S POPULATION HAS HEARD THE GOSPEL.
WHAT IF EACH ONE OF US MADE IT OUR HEARTS DESIRE TO SHARE WITH ONE PERSON THIS WEEK IN OUR COMMUNITY, THIS SIMPLE GOSPEL MESSAGE THEN EVERY WEEK, WHAT SORT OF IMPACT MIGHT YOU THINK WILL HAVE AS A CHURCH, OVER TIME?
MAYBE YOU HAVE SPOKEN TO FAMILY MEMBERS TO FRIENDS AND NEIGHBOURS AND YOU FEEL IT ALL TO NO AVAIL MAYBE YOU HAVE PRAYED FOR THEM BUT STILL THEY ARE NOT SAVED (I THINK OF MY OWN BROTHER) ITS EASY TO GIVE UP, I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO MAKE THE MOST OF EVEY OPPORTUNITY AND NEVER GIVE UP, WITNESSING AND PRAYING.
BILL HYBELS TELLS ABOUT AN INTERESTING EXPERIENCE HE HAD AFTER A BAPTISM SERVICE: HE WRITES: “I BUMPED INTO A WOMAN IN THE STAIRWELL WHO WAS CRYING. I THOUGHT THIS WAS A LITTLE ODD, SINCE THE SERVICE WAS SO JOYFUL. I ASKED HER IF SHE WAS ALL RIGHT. SHE SAID, ‘NO, I’M STRUGGLING.’ SHE SAID, ‘MY MOM WAS BAPTIZED TODAY. I PRAYED FOR HER EVERY DAY FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS. THE REASON I’M CRYING IS BECAUSE I CAME THIS CLOSE TO GIVING UP ON HER. AT THE 5-YEAR MARK I SAID, “WHO NEEDS THIS? GOD ISN’T LISTENING.” AT THE 10-YEAR MARK I SAID, “WHY AM I WASTING MY BREATH?” AT THE 15-YEAR MARK I SAID, “THIS IS ABSURD.” AT THE 19-YEAR MARK I SAID, “I’M JUST A FOOL.” BUT I JUST KEPT TRYING, KEPT PRAYING. EVEN WITH WEAK FAITH I KEPT PRAYING. THEN SHE GAVE HERE LIFE TO CHRIST, AND SHE WAS BAPTIZED TODAY. I WILL NEVER DOUBT THE POWER OF PRAYER AGAIN.” SOMETIMES WHEN WE PRAY AND PRAY WE FEEL LIKE WE ARE EXPERIENCING THE LAW OF DIMINISHED RETURNS — SO WE STOP PRAYING. WE CORRESPONDINGLY DIMINISH OUR DESIRES AND DREAMS. WE STOP BELIEVING THAT GOD CARES AND THAT HE WILL ACT — THAT HE IS INDEED A GOD WHO WANTS US TO ASK. I HOPE THAT YOU WILL TRUST GOD’S LOVE AND CONCERN FOR YOU, AND HIS ABILITY AS WELL. I HOPE THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO BE PERSISTENT IN PRAYER, NO MATTER HOW DISCOURAGING THE CIRCUMSTANCES SEEM.
WHAT CONDITION ARE YOUR FEET IN THESE DAYS? GOD SAYS IF YOUR SHARING THE GOSPEL V15 HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET ARE THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS... THERE IS NO GREATER PRIVILEGE THAN SHARING THE GOOD NEWS WITH OTHERS, THE NEWS OF REDEMPTION , SALVATION AND PEACE .... WHO DO YOU NEED TO GO TO?
GOD HAS EQUIPPED US WITH ARMOUR AND SUITABLE FOOTWEAR... EPH 6:15 AND YOUR FEET FITTED WITH THE READINESS THAT COMES FROM THE GOSPEL OF PEACE.
SHARING THE GOSPEL WE WILL FACE REJECTION AND ACCEPTANCE
V18 – 21 YES THERE WILL BE THOSE WHO WILL REJECT YOUR MESSAGE - MANY RELIGIOUS JEWS REJECTED THE MESSIAH ( SELF RIGHTOUS)- DID GOD GIVE UP, DID PAUL GIVE UP? NO HE WENT TO OTHERS BECAUSE GOD PROMISED THAT OTHERS WILL RESPOND V20 WHO DO NOT SEEK - WHO DO NOT ASK - LOOK WHAT GOD SAYS TO THOSE WHO REJECT HIM ..... ALL DAY LONG I HAVE HELD OUT MY HANDS TO A DISOBEDIENT AND OBSTINATE PEOPLE. V21.
WE MUST NEVER MAKE JUDGEMENTS ABOUT INDIVIDUALS UPON HOW THEY LOOK WHAT THEY’VE DONE, HOW THEY HAVE RESPONDED IN THE PAST, IF THEY HAVE REJECTED THE GOSPEL ONCE IT DOESN’T MEAN THEY WILL CONTINUALLY REJECT - GOD HAS HIS ARMS OPEN STILL.... SO DONT BE PUT OFF BY REJECTION DONT PREJUDGE THAT PERSON BUT CONTINUE PRAYING AND WITNESSING TO THAT PERSON.
SATAN DESIRES TO IMMOBILISE ALL OF US - FROM TELLING OTHERS THE GOOD NEWS - MAYBE HE HAS GOT THE BETTER HAND WITH YOU RIGHT NOW - YOU’VE HAD NOTHING BUT NEGATIVES RESPONSES - THE TASK SEEMS TO BIG.... SO YOU GIVE UP....MAYBE YOU’VE LOST ALL MOTIVATION FOR EVANGELISM, YOUR HEART DESIRES HAVE BEEN DIVERTED , YOU NO LONGER SHARE THE MESSAGE YOU’VE BECOME SELF CENTRED RATHER THAN OTHER PEOPLE CENTRED.
THERE IS A STORY ABOUT A TRAVELER WHO FELL INTO A DEEP PIT AND COULDN’T GET OUT. SEVERAL PERSONS CAME ALONG AND SAW HIM STRUGGLING IN THE PIT. THE SENSITIVE PERSON SAID, "I FEEL FOR YOU DOWN THERE." THE REFLECTIVE PERSON SAID, "IT’S LOGICAL THAT SOMEONE WOULD FALL INTO THE PIT." THE AESTHETIC PERSON SAID, "I CAN GIVE YOU IDEAS ON HOW TO DECORATE YOUR PIT." THE JUDGMENTAL PERSON SAID, "ONLY BAD PEOPLE FALL INTO THE PIT." THE ANALYTICAL PERSON SAID, "HELP ME MEASURE THE DEPTH OF YOUR PIT." THE CURIOUS PERSON SAID, "TELL ME HOW YOU FELL INTO THE PIT." THE PERFECTIONIST SAID, "I BELIEVE YOU DESERVE YOUR PIT." THE EVALUATOR SAID, "TELL ME, ARE YOU PAYING TAXES ON THIS PIT." THE SELF-PITYING PERSON SAID, "YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN MY PIT." THE SPECIALIST IN MEDITATION SAID, "JUST RELAX AND DON’T THINK ABOUT THE PIT." THE OPTIMIST SAID, "CHEER UP! THINGS COULD BE WORSE." THE PESSIMIST SAID, "BE PREPARED! THINGS WILL GET WORSE." JESUS, SEEING THE MAN, TOOK HIM BY THE HAND AND LIFTED HIM OUT OF THE MISERABLE PIT. *SOURCE UNKNOWN
MAYBE YOU WANT TO COME OUT TO THE FRONT TO RECOMMIT YOUR LIFE TO THE HEART OF EVANGELISM ONCE AGAIN......
CLOSING PRAYER ....
ITS TIME FOR EACH ONE OF US TO RECOMMIT OURSELVES TO THE HEART OF EVANGELISM LORD WE PRAY YOU WILL GIVE US YOUR HEART FOR THE LOST... THAT YOUR MOTIVATION WILL BE OUR MOTIVATION, THE LOST, AND YOUR LOVE, THAT WE WILL NO LONGER BE SELF ORIENTATED BUT OTHER PEOPLE CENTRED. LORD EXPAND OUR LOVE FOR THE LOST, EQUIP EACH ONE OF US WITH YOUR SIMPLE GOSPEL MESSAGE: THAT IF YOU CONFESS WITH YOUR MOUTH JESUS IS LORD AND BELIEVE IN YOU HEART GOD RAISED FROM THE DEAD YOU WILL BE SAVED. LORD SEND US OUT IN YOUR LOVE AND POWER, EQUIP US THROUGH YOUR HOLY SPIRIT TO FULFIL THIS MANDATE AND WE PRAY THAT YOU WILL GRANT US SUCCESS IN SO DOING IN JESUS NAME AMEN.
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