Introduction: Last week we began talking about the core values of our church. The “Christian Ministry and Education” committee (CM&E) met a number of times with the specific purpose of determining these values. Today we will be considering the second of those values. It is an aspiring value of our church, a value that we hold in high regard, but one that we do not regularly or effectively practice; the value is evangelism.
When I say the word “evangelism” what comes to mind – a tent, a preacher on TV begging for money, guys riding bicycles and knocking on your door? What about past experiences you have had evangelizing? Seriously, what is evangelism?
Certainly the word evangelism carries much baggage in our society. For example, think of a time when you were driving down the road and you saw two people in black pants, a white shirt and a tie riding a bicycle. What came to your mind? Do you think, “Mormons! I sure hope they do not come to my door.” Then about an hour later there is a knock on your door. Who is there? You guessed it! It is the duo wearing the black pants, white shirt and tie you saw earlier riding their bicycles. Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses doing their door-to-door evangelism, spreading their version of the “good news” has given many people a bad taste of evangelism. Let us be honest, how many of you want to go knock on every front door here in Mooresville? If you do not want to, why not? Is it out of your comfort zone? Is it that you do not like when they knock on your door, so you do not want to bother people the way they have bothered you in the past?
What about those preachers on TV known as “televangelists.” You know, those men who preach to large congregations halfway across the country; the men who are known and introduced as “The Evangelist so-and-so.” They preach for a while, maybe they even say something that connects with you, but at the end they are begging for your money. I do not know anyone who likes that. But the fact remains, evangelism has heavy baggage in our society, therefore not many Christians want anything to do with it.
Evangelism is simply the act of proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ, whether is it through a sermon, conversation at work, text messaging, Facebook, or whatever! Evangelism does NOT have to be going door to door, on TV, or only from the pulpit on Sunday mornings! Evangelism can be done anytime anywhere because all it is is stating the facts of the Gospel – Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection for our sins, and giving an invitation for someone to begin to believe.
1 Peter 3:15 gives us an imperative, “…always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you…” So today we focus on four reasons for evangelism, for sharing of our faith.
I. Evangelism is Commanded By God (Matthew 28:19)
“19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…”
The very last sentence recorded in the Gospel of Matthew is a direct commandment given by Jesus. He tells His disciples, “Go, tell everyone about Me.” You must understand the disciples had been with Jesus for three years now. They had watched His miracles and listened to Him teach on a daily basis all over the Promised Land. This account, here in Matthew 28, is after Jesus’ death and resurrection, so it is as if He is saying to the remaining disciples, “All of the things you have seen me do, all of the things I have taught you, it is time to put it into practice…go, tell everyone about my death and resurrection, and the forgiveness of sins and eternal life available to those who believe in Me.” It is as if this command culminated His teaching ministry.
Illustration: A church in Des Moines, Iowa had perhaps the largest and most successful evangelism outreach in the state. One day per week the congregation had 40-50 people out knocking on doors and witnessing for Christ. Someone asked “Why are so many people involved in the programming?” It turned out that the pastor was scaring them into witnessing. Basically, this commandment was used as fear as a motivation. He told his people if they did not witness they would be committing willful sin, God would be angry at them, and they would be the reason people were going to hell.
We are commanded to share the Gospel of Christ and can be driven by many motives, but the greatest motive for witnessing should not be fear of temporal or eternal punishment.
II. Evangelism is Connected to Our Love for God (John 14:15)
“If you love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)
While we are to fear God (Proverbs 1:7) and it is a significant motivator in the life of the believer, but it is not the loftiest. Jesus said in John 14:15, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” Further, the Apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:14a, “For the love of Christ compels us.” Agape love is not only the highest motive for the Christian but the very substance of his or her life. Love is what removes the fear of rejection, offending people, inexperience and insecurities, and being embarrassed from witnessing. Love is what drives the believer zealously to prepare to witness by honoring 1 Peter 3:15, “But sanctify the Lord in your heart and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.”
Someone once loved God so much that he or she looked at you and realized your need to know Christ. Maybe it was a preacher in a pulpit or counselor at a church camp, or a Sunday School teacher or was a relative who lead you to Christ. Regardless of whom it was, that person was acting in obedience and love as they were sharing the Good News of the Resurrected Savior, Jesus Christ. Similarly, while we will never know the depth of our sin, we do know that Christ has rescued us from its eternal consequences. For that we ought to be so overwhelmed with gratitude, joy, and love that we will ambitiously witness to others about the good work He has done within us.
III. Evangelism is connected to our love of the Lost (John 3:16-18)
“16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
It was God’s love for us when we were lost (Romans 5:8) that prompted Him to sacrifice His Son that we might be transformed from creatures of damnation to creatures of salvation. When He places that love in us through His Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22) it prompts us, not only to love God as He has loved us, but also to love the lost as He loves the lost. The fact is that the lost right now are living under the condemnation of God. “…he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believe in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:18) Yet, this temporal condemnation pales in the face of the eternal condemnation they could face. Revelation 20:12-15 says:
“12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”
Illustration: There are people all around us dying of cancer. If we were to poll the congregation today, I am certain that 100% of us will have known someone who died of cancer. Let me ask you this: What would you think of an individual who had the cure for cancer but refused to share it with anyone? The thought is disgusting. How much worse is it if a believer has the cure for sin and eternal damnation but refuses to share it with unbelievers? Again, if we were to poll the congregation today, I am certain that 100% of us know someone who needs to know Jesus. Why are we not sharing the cure that we have? This is not the nature of agape love.
IV. Evangelism Is A Movement By God (acts 4:19-20)
“19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, ‘Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. 20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.’ ”
Peter and John were preaching and preforming miracles in Jerusalem, but the council (the government) was both jealous and offended by the power of God and the increasing popularity of the Gospel. Thus, they sought to place a “gag order” on the two apostles; they commanded them not to speak in the name of Jesus. Acts 4:19-20 finds them explaining that witnessing is a spontaneous act, not something that can be turned on and off. “For we cannot but speak of the things which we have seen and heard.” They could not help but preach! They could not keep quiet! The prophet Jeremiah shared a similar feeling. After years of preaching and no one listening to him, he decided to call it quits and never preach again. But then he remembered the things God had done and promised, “Then he said, ‘I will not make mention of Him, nor speak anymore in His name.’ But His Word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, and I could not.” (Jeremiah 20:9).
Illustration: Have you ever heard of “The Works bomb?” It is a rather simple bomb to make. The two necessary ingredients are found in most houses: bleach and The Works toilet bowl cleaner. In order to make the bomb, all one must do is mix the two chemicals in a two liter bottle, screw the lid on tight, shake it up, and quickly throw it in the air. Within a short matter of time, the chemistry takes over and causes an explosion in the air. The key to the whole bomb is not the chemicals; if mixed they will let off a gas that we probably shouldn't breathe, but the mixture of the chemicals alone will not cause it to explode. The mixture will only explode when it is confined and agitated (screwing the lid down and shaking it up). That is exactly what happened with Peter and John – they were preaching and people were getting saved, then the government attempted to put a lid on them to silence their preaching. They refused to stop preaching because of the explosion of the Holy Spirit and Word of God within them. In the same way, Jeremiah tried to stop himself from preaching, but the Word of God was in him so fiercely it was like fire in his bones and he could not keep from preaching!
Application: God sent Jesus to save us because He loves us. Jesus became a man, lived, died, and rose again because He loves us. The forgiveness of our sins, our salvation, and promise of eternal life come only by His grace and mercy – His undeserved love for us. It is immaterial whether the people may be close to us or complete strangers, it is our responsibility and privilege to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with them. Evangelizing (witnessing) is commanded in Scripture, is a measure of our love for God and others, is the only hope for people who are living condemned right now, and is a direct result of our intimacy with God. Who in your life do you know needs to hear the truth of Jesus? Who is the Holy Spirit placing on your heart right now? Pray for that person’s salvation, and ask the Lord’s assistance in your witnessing to that individual. Maybe that person’s name will be added to the Book of Life because you acted in obedience and love for that lost soul.
