Witnessing to your Jerusalem
Gladstone Baptist Church - 10/4/05
We are looking at our Witness in the next couple of weeks. Okay - here’s your chance for a chup-a-chup. Who knows our church’s mission statement ...
Through our Worship, Witness and Works of service, we aim to reach people with the good news of Jesus and lead them to Maturity in the Family of God
Through our worship and witness and works of service we aim to reach people with the good news of Jesus in order to lead them into maturity. We aim to reach people. How? Firstly, through our worship. 2 months ago we talked about worship and how it impacts on those around us. It attracts them, challenges them, and leads them to God. Secondly, through our Witness - what we say to them. How we live our lives. Thirdly, through our works of service - what we do for each other and for others. Witness and Works of Service are actually part of how we live our lives. As such it is part of our Worship.
Tonight, I want to continue our series on Witness. Who was here this morning. Pastor Roger spoke about ....
Tonight I am going to talk about Witnessing to your Jerusalem - that’s Gladstone for us. That’s why I’ve got an areal shot of Gladstone as a backdrop tonight. Next Sunday morning we’ll talk about Witnessing to your Judea and Next Sunday night we’ll talk about Witnessing to your world.
At the outset, I want to say that we have formed this series around Acts 1:8. Open up your bibles and have a look at this passage ...
Acts 1:7-9 So when they met together, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
A couple of things to note in this passage and many of you know what I’m going to say ... It is not Jerusalem, or Judea and Samaria or the ends of the earth. We’ve split this series up into 3 parts so we can talk about how we can practically witness in our local community (Jerusalem), in Australia as a nation (Judea and Samaria) and the rest of the world.
But in Jesus’ mind, these are inseparable. He didn’t say that you could choose two of the three to be involved in, or better still - only one. He said. No ... You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, AND Judea and Samaria AND the ends of the earth. Jesus intended us to be involved in all of these areas. In his mind there was no distinction, it was all World evangelism.
So over the next couple of weeks and right through the next 5 months infact, we will be trying to help you to see how you can be involved in witness in This world - in Gladstone, Australia and indeed to the rest of the world.
Let’s Pray ...
Tonight I want to take a quick look at a time when Jesus sent out his 12 disciples out on an evangelistic trip. He sent them to villages and towns around Galilee - between Nazareth and Capernaum. This was where they had all grown up. This was their homes. This was their Gladstone and Central Queensland area.
Open our Bible to Luke 9:1-6 ...
When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 He told them: “Take nothing for the journey-no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic. 4 Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. 5 If people do not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town, as a testimony against them.” 6 So they set out and went from village to village, preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere.
There are some things I want you to note about this passage. Important things for us as we consider How we should witness to our Jerusalem....
1) Jesus CALLED them together for an evangelistic task. The disciples had been back in Galilee for some time and it was likely that they had returned home to their families for a time. But Jesus was calling them back out for a task. They were to go through all the villages in the region spreading the good news and healing the sick. Now they could have said - Go away, I’m happy where I am, I’m just getting back into life. But they didn’t they gathered.
Just like the disciples Christ has called us for a task. We all know the great commission. Mark records it this way ...
Mark 16:15-18 “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
2) Jesus EQUIPPED the disciples for the task. This preaching tour happened at the beginning of the third year of training for the disciples - so they had been with Jesus 2 years already. They didn’t need any further training. But to aid their knowledge Jesus gave them power and authority (vs 1) to drive out ALL demons and cure diseases
Jesus equips us all for the task he has called us to. In Mark 16:15-18 ... And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.
There is no difference, because it is the same God and it is his power and strength we go in.
3) They were sent to PREACH AND HEAL. Jesus’ ministry involved both physical and spiritual aspects. Jesus came to preach about the coming Kingdom in order to bring repentance and he was to minister to those in need - the poor, the sick, the blind, the oppressed. I find it wonderful that Christ asks his disciples to continue the work that he began. Preaching and healing. Verbal witness through proclamation of the gospel and active witness through helping people out.
In Mark 16 We are similarly commissioned to drive out demons, heal the sick.
Many people get an unbalanced view of evangelism. Some think it is only preaching and ignore the needs of people they are preaching to. But others go to the other extreme and say, our works will show we are Christians - we don’t have to share the gospel with words because they can see it in our actions. In fact, we feel we’d be hypocrites to preach until we had alleviated all poverty, sickness and suffering.
Both of these stances are garbage. You can’t have one without the other. To preach without caring for the needs of people is wrong. To care for the needs without preaching is useless. Jesus knows this and so exhaust both the disciples and us to do both.
4) They are to RELY ON GOD ALONE. Jesus told them to take no staff, no bag, no food, no money, no clothes. Interesting instructions don’t you think. Particularly when later at the Last Supper (Luke 22:36) , he instructs his disciples to take a bag, some money and a sword. Why didn’t he let them take anything - part of the answer is in Luke 22:35
Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?”
“Nothing,” they answered.
He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.
Jesus was sending them out with no preparation to teach them a lesson. They had to learn to trust God for their provisions. They were on God’s business and He would supply for them.
We need to learn this lesson also. When we are on God’s business, He will supply. It is all too easy for us to worry about “where will the money come from”, “who will look after our house while we are away”, “who will care for me if these people reject me?” Jesus was trying to teach the disciples to trust Him and so this first tour he sent them out without any preparation. We need to learn to trust God in this way also.
5) They were to be FOCUSED. When they got to a town, they were to find someone who would welcome them in and they were to stay with that person for the duration of their visit. Why? To build relationships. Their whole lives would be a witness to their hosts as would their specific words and actions. But by staying with one family, they could maximise their impact on that family and leave behind a firm foundation for the growth of the church in that place.
This is the model that Jesus Christ had when he was on this earth. He focussed on a few people. I know he preached to and healed the multitudes, but he focussed most of his attention of just 12 men. These were the ones who were going to be the foundation of the church. In the same way, Jesus was saying to his disciples, focus on a few. “An inch wide and a mile deep is better in this instance than a mile wide and an inch deep.”
Jesus’ command for us is the same. He says in Matt 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in a the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.
The aim is not for converts but for disciples. We are to convert them and baptise them. But then we are to teach them. This is going the mile deep. Discipling people so that they become self reproducing.
This is a key strategy ... Consider this comparison.
„X What if I was able to convert 1 person per month ... I’m 35 now. By the time I was 85 say - I would have brought 600 people to Christ - fantastic you say ...
„X But what if I only converted 1 person a year and then spent another year discipling them so that at the end of that second year they had grown to a point that they could convert and disciple another person each year. Every 2 years the number of Christians would double and by the time I was 85, just 50 years later, there would be 33.5 Million believers.
Who thought 600 was a fairly good effort? Who thinks 33.5 Million is a bit better. Jesus’ strategy has far greater impact in the long term. Based on my calculations, if everyone here converted and discipled a person every 2 years, the whole of Australia could be Christian within 38 years. Now I know that not everyone in Australia will accept Jesus, but this gives you an indication of the power of multiplication.
6) They were to not to WASTE TIME ON HARD PEOPLE. Lastly. Jesus told them, if anyone doesn’t listen to your message, shake the dust off your feet and leave. Jesus was basically saying - don’t waste your time. Not everyone is going to accept your message, so don’t waste your time on those that aren’t interested or those that aren’t ready for it yet.
Strict Jews in Jesus day, believed that the land of the Gentiles was defiled and so when they had been travelling outside of Judea, they would stop at the border and literally shake off the defiled dirt from their clothes and sandals before entering their land. Jesus told the disciples to do the same to show those who rejected the message that they were no better off than Gentiles.
Sometimes we waste time trying to convince people to accept Jesus, instead of leaving them and moving onto greener pastures. Jesus said, the fields are white with the harvest. There is plenty of people out there willing to accept the message of forgiveness, so let’s not get bogged down with those who are hardened.
Remember - we are in a team here - you may not be able to bring someone to Christ, because it is not the right time or you are not the right person. Commit them to God and trust Him that He will bring someone else into their lives who can share the gospel with them at a later time.
Now I don’t want you to misinterpret me ... I don’t think Jesus wants you to go out and strike off your list of friends all your non-Christian friends who refuse the gospel. That wouldn’t be Christ like would it? We are still to love them and accept them unconditionally, but we are not to limit our ministry to them.
So now keeping these 6 principles in our minds, I want to ask you 2 questions as we close
How can we witness to people?
Lets do a bit of a brain storm - What are all the ways we can possibly witness to people around where we live. Remember - witnessing involves verbal speaking and action doing ...
Who would God have us witness to?
I want you now to turn over your pieces of paper ...
There is a grid on the back of your page. I want you to write down the names of three non Christians who you have a friendship with or who you can establish are relationship with and influence for the gospel. This is your impact list - the people you are most able to influence for Jesus.
For the first one you’ve written down, I want you in the next box to list a few things that you have in common with them - it may be sports. It may be work. You may have kids the same age. You might be neighbour. You might both like to debate or argue. Write down a few things you have in common.
In the next square write down some things you might do to help them or improve your relationship. These are the doing things ... Maybe - meeting for lunch, playing tennis, doing something with the families, helping Him build his deck, deepen conversations to a personal level, babysit for them. Maybe some are on the whiteboard ...
In the last square, write down some things you can do to witness verbally to them about spiritual things... Maybe give them a book on parenting, invite them to your home group, invite them to a concert, research their questions ...
I want you to go home and do the same thing for the other names on your list. See, God has called you to be a witness in your Jerusalem - in the area around which you live and work. He has equipped you, He wants you to address the spiritual and physical needs by preaching and healing, He wants you to rely on Him, to be focussed and not waste time and energy on those who resist your message. Are you prepared to begin witnessing to those around you?
Some of you are still not convinced, I can see it in your eyes. You don’t think you can do it or that you have any skills at all. Well listen to this story...
Play clip - George Street.
Sometimes what we do might not be much, but it has an incredible impact for the Kingdom of God. God has promised that his word will not come back without bearing fruit ...
Is 55: 8-11 The Lord says: “My thoughts and my ways are not like yours. Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, my thoughts and my ways are higher than yours.
“Rain and snow fall from the sky. But they don’t return without watering the earth that produces seeds to plant and grain to eat.
That’s how it is with my words. They don’t return to me without doing everything I send them to do.”
Are you prepared to go out and witness to your Jerusalem? Go out and start this week doing something to make that happen.
