Biblical Evangelism
II. SO SEND I YOU
Dr. Russell Tardo
Scripture Reference: Luke 14:15-24.
In this passage of scripture, Jesus is speaking of the Great Supper. Jesus had given the invitation. All the people had to do was to obey and they would be permitted to dine, however, with countless excuses, they refused the invitation. Consequently, Jesus said to take the invitation to the outcasts, the derelicts, the impoverished, the despised, the forsaken. Because the Jews refused, the invitation was given to the Gentiles, those who were considered to be beggars, despised, and unworthy. They are the ones who will gratefully accept the invitation that is offered and will sit at the Lord’s table with Him.
The Eastern custom was to have a full table. It was considered an honor to be asked to dine and by the same token, it was considered a grave insult to the host if one refused his invitation.
1Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. 2And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. [Lk. 15:1-2]
Here one sees that the publicans and sinners wanted to hear what the pious Jews did not want to hear. These verses and those following show the importance of every individual. The joy over the recovery of one lost sheep has a spiritual message. For the Lord says that there is more joy in heaven over the repentance of one sinner then over 99 just persons who need no repentance. There is joy in the Good Shepherd Himself and it is this joy in Christ which makes the angels in heaven joyful also. All heaven rejoices when someone is saved.
Numerous times God’s Word reveals that evangelism is high on God’s priority list and this is something every believer knows. However, it has not been high on the list of many believers. The Great Commission has been neglected by many today. We might say we believe the Great Commission, but our actions speak louder than words and unfortunately, speak quite the contrary. If we truly believed the Great Commission, then we’d be more evangelistic.
For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. [Lk. 19:10]
Christ came actively pursuing and saving those with whom He came in contact, i.e., publicans and sinners.
As my Father has sent me, so send I you. [Jo. 20:21]
Thus the responsibility for soul winning was passed along to believers where it now rests. Believers are to go out and compel them to come in. The same Great Commission is found in Matthew 28, Luke 24 and Mark 16 and all those passages state that the responsibility to preach the gospel to every creature is the believers. Believers are commissioned to testify of Him.
Witnessing is not something we have to pray about regarding God’s will in the matter. His will on the subject is clear as it has been set forth in the Great Commission. Witnessing should be automatic. What we has to pray for is an "open door" and the only time a believer should not witness is when he is given a direct word not to.
And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also. [Acts 17:6]
In this account the Jews had gotten into quite an uproar because of the preaching of the apostles. The Lord’s apostles had taken the Great Commission so seriously that they had turned the world upside down. Now 20 centuries later, with all our modern technology, i.e., television, satellites, the printed page, the inter-net, etc., believers have not come close to doing what the 120 did with the Great Commission. In this city (New Orleans) alone, there are over 800 Protestant churches and this does not include the many Catholic churches and cults, and they have not made even a small dent in this great city. It pales in comparison to what was done with only 120 faithful witnesses.
III. A Soulwinner’s Checklist
A. Contrasting the Church of the First Century and the Church Today.
Two significant things contributed to the success of the church of Acts and are the reason for the failure of the church today:
1. The Acts church had a sense of urgency, a tremendous sense of urgency.
2. The Acts church had a sense of personal responsibility. They practiced "every believer" evangelism. They didn’t leave the job to the clergy.
The population of the world today is in excess of five billion and although new churches are opening their doors every day, others are falling away. The rate of population increases at a faster rate than the population of new churches. In the meantime, the religion of Islam is growing by leaps and bounds.
There is one word that describes the church today and that word is complacent. In the 1970s there was something going on, i.e., the baptism of the Holy Spirit and Bible teaching were coming forth. By the 1980s however, the people began to become lackadaisical, lukewarm, with no sense of urgency. By the 21st century, the church is largely either traditional (ritualistic), or at the other end of the spectrum; modernistic, worldly, carnal. The modern church doesn’t carry the personal responsibility for soul winning. The modern church thinks that evangelism belongs to the Jimmy Swaggart’s and Billy Graham’s. The attitude of leaving evangelism to a few superstars is what’s happened to religious evangelism today and is defeating Christianity. The superstars also contribute to this thinking by implying that support of their ministry with your dollars relieves the believer of his personal responsibility for evangelism. Until the church grasps "every believer" evangelism, the church is defeating itself. And although these great evangelists are reaching souls, individual believers have the responsibility to be soul winners too.
A recent poll taken of Christians in the pews of various churches revealed that 86 percent who are now serving God in churches today were won to Christ by the personal testimony of someone, often family members. It was through one-on-one evangelism. It was the direct result of personal evangelism. The remaining percentages were won to Christ by all of the many other methods combined. Personal evangelism is the most effective method of soul winning. Yet the poll goes on to reveal that 90 percent of those church members have never led one soul to Christ. This leaves 10 percent actively pursuing the lost. The really sad thing is that the 90 percent probably don’t even try to be soul winners.
That’s the difference in the early church and the church of today. The early church shared the gospel with others. Sadly today, very few Christians seek to propagate the faith. Why is this? Are they ashamed of the gospel? Afraid they will be ridiculed, rejected, etc.? The Bible says that if we are afraid of being ridiculed here then we won’t make it into the kingdom. Many use the excuse that they don’t know enough, don’t know how. What if someone asks a question they can’t answer? etc., etc., etc. Everyone has a testimony of how they were led to Christ. Simply share it. If someone asks you a question which you can’t answer, just tell them that you don’t know but you will get back to them with the answer. There is no shame or disgrace in not knowing everything. Even the most learned don’t have all the answers.
An important factor to remember is that the church is always just one generation away from extinction. If it doesn’t reproduce itself, then there will be no church in the next generation. Every living organism must reproduce itself, and the church is a living organism, not an organization. In His divine wisdom, God chose that the church would propagate itself. And while many churches are being birthed, many are dying because they didn’t reproduce themselves. Consider many of the magnificent edifices within the inner city here who have congregations of only eight to ten members and they are primarily aged people.
13For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
[Rom. 10:13-15]
35And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. 36But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. 37Then saith he unto his disciples, the harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few. 38Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest. [Matt. 9:35-38]
In these scriptures Jesus depicts a spiritual harvest. As He viewed the multitudes, two situations aroused His compassion:
1. The sheep are scattered and in danger of being destroyed and consumed because they have no shepherd.
2. Jesus saw a ripened harvest but there were no laborers to bring in that harvest.
These same conditions exist throughout the world today, and certainly within this very city. Jude 23 says that some need to literally be pulled or snatched from the fire. Then in the above verses from Matthew, chapter 9, Jesus says to pray to the Lord that He will send out laborers to the harvest. Many believers find upon praying such a prayer that the Lord tells them to GO! Believers are to seek the Lord for a compassion and burden for the lost and to take an active role in witnessing to those with whom the Lord places one in contact. The saddest verse in the Bible is found in Psalm 142:4: No man cared for my soul.
35Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. 36And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathered fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. 37And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. 38I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labor: other men labored, and ye are entered into their labors. [Jo. 4:35-38]
Another reason for the success of the early church is their prayer and intercession for the lost. Again, in Matthew, chapter 9, believers are admonished to pray for laborers for the harvest. The key to successful soul winning is asking God to make one sensitive and aware of opportunities. Pray that God will send people and ask Him to open doors. The greatest gift that the believer has is his salvation and the greatest thing one can do for someone else is to share Jesus with them.
B. To Do the Job.
In order for God to use believers as fishers of men, one must:
1. Get our heart right. If believers want power, we must have purity of heart before God. Morgan Campbell said, "Before revival can come to the world like it did in the Hebrides, there must be deep conviction of sin in the church."
If believers’ hearts are not right, how can God hope to use them to witness to others?
7Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. 9Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. 10Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 11Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not they holy spirit from me. 12Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. 13Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. [Ps. 51:7-13]
God wants to deal with believers and convict us of anything that would hinder our being of use in the harvest fields. But before He can deal with anyone, areas in our lives that aren’t right must be dealt with.
A grave flaw for those congregations who have been well taught is their inability to meet people where they are. Charles Finney once said, "Christians are the greatest reasons for receiving Christ but they are also the greatest excuse not to." One must be extremely careful to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and not come across to those to whom one is witnessing as being self-righteous.
2. Receive the empowering of the Holy Spirit.
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
[Acts 1:8]
The power was given so that we would be witnesses. The other things, i.e., gifts, deliverance, etc., also come with the Holy Spirit, but witnessing was the primary reason for the empowering.
Many say they do not know how to witness, what to say, what to do, they do not have the training, etc., etc. The excuses are innumerable. The Holy Spirit is all the enabling that the believer needs to be a witness. One learns how to witness, what to say, etc. by being sensitive to the Holy Spirit and going out and witnessing. Ask for the Holy Spirit and God will give it.
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? [Lk. 11:13]
3. Get our priorities straight. We must make our priorities conform to God’s. He’s not going to change His priorities so we will have to conform to His. He is not going to use individuals in evangelism unless our priorities are right. The tendency of most believers is to get wrapped up in themselves and their families and affairs and forget there is a lost and perishing world out there. God is going to have laborers in the harvest. If we are not part of it, then God will use others.
37Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few; 38Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest. [Matt. 9:37-38]
There can be no harvest without laborers, and there can be no laborers without prayer. Prayer and evangelism must go hand in hand.
4. Be prepared. We must get ready to be used by God.
5Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. 6Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. [Col. 4:5-6]
We need wisdom and grace; wisdom about sharing the gospel effectively with others. Then let one’s speech be with grace, seasoned with salt so that it will be appealing (appetizing). We must present Christ for who He is and what He’s done. Being argumentative, engaging in debates, and being offensive accomplish nothing when one is witnessing to a non-believer.
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in your with meekness and fear. [1 Pe. 3:15]
Be ready to share, testify, witness, answer. Have an attitude of Christ-likeness. The verse stresses such qualities as readiness, meekness and reverence. Just what do readiness and preparation consist of?
a. We must care about people.
I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul. [Ps. 142:4]
Success in evangelism doesn’t depend on one’s talent, one’s ability, one’s knowledge.
b. We must be available. It’s not our ability, but our availability. Availability and willingness will make the difference. The individual believer can reach people where no one else can (co-workers, family members, friends, etc.).
c. We should ask God for opportunities to share our faith. Such prayers are certainly in line with God’s will and God always answers prayers that are in line with His will. Ask in faith and expect God to give the opportunity. If there is real expectancy, then because faith is expectant, we will find ourselves to be more spiritually sensitive.
5. Practice every day evangelism.
