pass out handouts: This helped lead me to Jesus… or I helped lead someone to Jesus this way…
Countdowns. We know what they are. It means there’s so much time between some future event and the present. There are 62 days until we take up the special offering for Rancho San Jose. 62 days! That means, on schedule, we’re only $16,500 away from having it all together!
And then, each week, we often have some kind of countdown on the screen. It tells you how much time you have to get a drink and take care of necessary things before we get started.
Yeah, we understand countdowns, don’t we?
Here’s a picture of the tombstone of my grandfather Bert Elmo Nichols and Aunt Norma Jean. At the time, this stone had my aunt’s name on it. It was there from the day the stone was first put there some 50 years ago. But, until just this year, my aunt wasn’t buried there. Still, for almost 50 years, here was her tombstone in Lowell, IN.
Now, why hadn’t they filled in the 2nd date on that stone? Because she hadn’t died. They only knew what year she was born. So, why did they buy that stone 50 years ago and put her name and birth year on it? Because she was going to die!
From the day you are born, there’s a countdown. The clock begins ticking. There’s the day you are born. That’s the starting date. There’s a dash, and then, for those who are living, there’s a blank space yet to be filled in. And the clock is ticking.
Sometime, around 3-4 weeks from your very first day of development, your heart began to beat. Ideally, it never stopped. Everyone will get a set number of heartbeats, because, after that number is over, your time here is over. So, what’s your number? Here’s an “on-average” chart:
Interval Beats
per min 72
per hour 4,320
per day 103,680
per year 37,869,120
80 yrs 3,029,529,600
There was a king in the Bible - good King Hezekiah – whose final date was given to him by God. Isaiah 38, the Lord told him “You’re not going to recover from this sickness.” Hezekiah’s clock was winding down. He prayed that the Lord would extend his life, and he did, for 15 years. But have you thought about it? After 14 years, do you supposed Hezekiah was joining in singing the Auld Lang Syne song at that year’s New Year’s Eve party? Probably not. Most of us don’t get to know the date of when we’re going to die, but one thing is certain, we’re going to.
We started this series, “Getting Evangelism In-Hand” last week. I’m planning 2 more weeks before we’re through it. Now, I’m not sure of the day when you or I are going to leave this earth. But I am sure of this: 2 weeks from now, every one of us will be 2 week closer to our last day here in this life, and 2 weeks closer to where we’re going to spend forever. 2 weeks.
That’s also true of everyone who’s not here today. You can’t change that, but you can affect where that will be. In fact, if you’re not helping to change that in someone else’s life, if you’re not helping someone to be closer to heaven, you’re living in direct defiance to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Let me say that again: if you are not directing people to a life that’s drawing closer to Jesus, you are defying the One Who said “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth, therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.”
So, “Getting Evangelism In-Hand” isn’t just another attempt at a catchy title for a sermon series. It’s 4 weeks to concentrate on the Lord’s commission for His Church and the necessary focus that CCC must have to fulfill our mission and to do something more than just get by or survive.
When these 4 weeks are over, I can’t guarantee how much more focused you’ll be on evangelism, but I’m sure of this: there will be 4 fewer weeks to share the gospel. Your lost neighbor will have 4 fewer weeks, 28 fewer days, to get it right. Your lost family member will be 4 weeks closer to eternity without Jesus. Your friend at school who doesn’t know Jesus will have used up 4 more weeks of his or her total allowance of time, whatever it is. 4 Weeks. 28 days. For me, I’d like to know that 4 weeks from now, someone is closer to Heaven because of something I’m doing. Wouldn’t you?
So, for 3 more weeks here, we’re going to focus on what we need to get in hand to get this done. Last week we looked at your splangchna, your innermost feelings. Today, we’re going to focus on your brain.
Some people would like to leave out the head part out of this. After all, accepting Jesus is all about feeling different, or it’s all about what you do. My mind is all made up. Don’t confuse me with facts. But I’m finding in the Scriptures that there are some things you have to know.
Then, there are many followers of Jesus who say, “I just don’t know enough to help lead someone to Jesus. Leave that to someone who has studied or something.” It’s true there are some things you must know, but they are things that aren’t outside anyone’s grasp, including you or me.
So, this morning, I want us to make sure that we know the things we have to know. Here are 6 things you have to have a grasp on to help people be closer to Heaven…
1. Your personal need
If you’re going to point someone to Jesus, you have to start with the fact you need Jesus too. If you haven’t been convinced that you need a Savior, why would you think that anyone else needs to be convinced of that? Paul didn’t hesitate to remind the Christians of Corinth that they needed forgiveness through Jesus. He lists in I Co 6 the kinds of people who won’t make it to heaven – you know, adulterers, the covetous, swindlers, thieves, drunkards – and then he says,
1 Corinthians 6:11 (NASB)
Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
Don’t forget where you’ve come from. Did you need a Savior or not? Your personal need is one of the ways you can be reminded that you’re not alone in this. Others need Jesus just like you.
Ill – Have you ever been busy and suddenly realize that you’re hungry? Then, because you’re hungry, it registers in your mind that the person who has been working alongside you may have that same hunger. “Hey, I’m hungry. Are you?”
Our story should include that we were lost. It should include our testimony of the way we needed Jesus and He has met our need.
Won’t someone be quicker to listen when you say to them, “You remind me of myself. I used to have the same kind of struggle you’re having / the same empty feeling you must feel / the same kinds of worries that you’re facing.”
Until you’re honest about your personal need of Jesus, you won’t have in hand what has to be there to help someone else be closer to Heaven.
2. That this is all about God and bringing glory to Him
If you’re going to point someone to Jesus, you need to understand that the greatest reason for it is to bring glory to God.
Somewhere along the way the world has decided that God is very man-centered; that He’s basically there in Heaven, waiting like a table waiter to bring us what we want, waiting like a fireman to put out our fires, and waiting like a Grandpa to let us complain about the way our life is and then make us feel better. And when it comes to Heaven, well the reason God is there is to bring us into Heaven.
Sometimes I think we promote this kind of thinking when we share about our faith in Jesus. We warn people about Hell, we show them how God promises to bless them, and we try to help them see what a good deal it is to be a Christian. We picture Heaven as the big gain when we accept Jesus.
It’s easy, isn’t it, to get into a way of thinking that’s very me-centered, even in this thing we call The Church?
Have you noticed that every time the throne of God is seen or described for us in the Bible, God is the One on that throne, and it’s the center of attention?
James and John’s mother wanted her boys to have the seats to the right and left of that throne. Can’t do that. Following Jesus isn’t about drawing attention to ourselves.
Revelation 7, John describes a great multitude of people, and they’re around the throne of God. There’s also a multitude of angels around the throne. God sits on that throne, and the Lamb of God is there. Those who have remained faithful to God through the great tribulation are there around the throne. All of these creatures and people are around the throne, and they’re in the picture there, but the camera is always focused on the throne.
Heaven isn’t just about people. Heaven is where God is. And sharing Jesus with people isn’t just about saving our own necks and “making it to Heaven” one day, although those certainly are very motivating. This is about bringing honor to God by fulfilling what we were created to be and to do.
Ill - I remember how much I appreciated the testimony of Morgan Weece at the P & T convention a few years ago. She was a senior at OCC. She shared about how her dad had influenced her and really given her a heart for kids in the inner city who need Jesus. Now, after her last year at OCC, she was preparing to go and minister to kids in some urban area as a vocation. “But,” she pointed out, it’s not just because of her love for the kids. It’s because of God. It’s because reaching those kids with the gospel brings glory to God.
Somewhere along the way, people are going to disappoint us. Their difficult response, or their lack of response, is going to let us down. When that happens, let’s understand, this isn’t about you or me. This is ultimately about bringing glory to God above all else.
3. How to win someone to Jesus
If you’re going to point someone to Jesus, you have to know how.
I’ve already asked you all to help me in 2 weeks by answering the simple questionnaires we passed out. I want those because I want to be able to share creative ways that we can all get this in hand.
I’m working from a presupposition this morning. I’m working with the belief that Paul expressed in Ro 1 when he said that the gospel is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes. I’m working from the presupposition of Isaiah in ch 55, that God’s word will not return to Him void, without accomplishing its purpose.
Still, there are a lot of people who just feel like they don’t know how to win someone to Jesus. “I would, but I just don’t know how to do it.”
OK, show of hands – how many of you who are Christ-followers today become that way without any other person influencing you? How many of you just decided, completely on your own, to look into Jesus and become one of His?
Now, how many of you became a follower of Jesus with the help of someone else?
So, you became a Christian because of something someone else did, right?
There you go! You already know what it takes to win someone to Jesus! You were right there when it happened to you! You already know the story of how someone was brought to Jesus, and it’s the one story to which you’re the closest!
Don’t say you don’t know how to bring someone to Jesus! You’ve already experienced that firsthand!
In 2 weeks, I want to share some of those stories so that you’ll have an even broader base of experience to use. But remember that you already know at least one!
Here’s something else you must know:
4. Who is LOST
Some of the attitudes toward outreach in the church show up on accident. One is that somewhere in the back of our minds, we’ve managed to create an idea that the need isn’t quite as overwhelming as it might have sounded.
• Maybe the situation of people isn’t as serious as preachers try to make it sound.
• Maybe those people overseas – those people in Papua New Guinea who have never heard about Jesus at all – won’t be held accountable because they just don’t know.
• Maybe God doesn’t really mean it when He says all men will be held accountable.
Paul said,
Romans 10:12-15 (NIV)
12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." 14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
We have to know this if we’re going to move people closer to Jesus!
Who is lost? Everyone. All have sinned and are falling short of the glory of God. Everyone!
That’s why there’s a cross. If it isn’t true then the cross is the biggest and worst joke of all history.
So, how long do we have? How long of a time is there to share Jesus with people who don’t know Him or even know about Him? As long as they’re breathing. If they’re breathing, they need Jesus. Until they stop, there’s a chance. As long as you’re breathing, there’s a chance for you to tell them. As soon as one of us stops breathing, that opportunity is over. I doubt we’ll take it if we don’t understand that those people outside of Jesus are lost.
Another truth we have to know is that…
5. Heaven and Hell are Real
If you’re going to point someone to Jesus, you have to know that Heaven and Hell are real.
Jesus had an awful lot to say to the multitudes about Hell. He was warning them of the place where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, where the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched. He was speaking to people who were lost. They needed to be faced with the reality of their future if they chose not to follow Him.
What about people who have? Why would they need to know about the reality of Hell, and of Heaven? Well, we need to understand the reality of Heaven to encourage us, amen? We need to look at the pictures of the place where we’re going to live so that when this current life gets to us we’ll have something great we’re planning for in the future.
And Hell? We need to appreciate the horror of Hell because we need to be motivated to rescue people from it.
I’ve heard, in years past, about preachers who would preach a sermon titled “5 people I’d like to see go to Hell,” and they’d proceed to name 5 people in their church family they’d like to see go to Hell, and back – why? Because they’d come back so “on fire for the Lord” that they’d be dragging people away from it with serious fervor. Because they’d each put their personal gifts and abilities and assets to work for the sake of keeping people from going there.
We’re doing people no favors when we try to diminish or downplay the reality of Hell to them. People outside of Jesus need to know that Heaven and Hell are real, and we need to believe that if we’re going to share it with them.
6. Jesus is the only way to be saved
If you’re going to point someone to Jesus, you have to know that He’s the only way for someone to be saved.
You have to know this. If you don’t, then please don’t share your faith.
Did you hear me? If you think that there’s some other way that people can be saved and make it to Heaven apart from a real relationship with Jesus Christ, please don’t bother telling that to someone else.
Oh, wait, there’s no reason to tell you that, is there? If you already think that people outside of a relationship with Jesus are going to be in Heaven, then you have no reason to share your faith with them in the first place, do you? If they really don’t need Jesus, you would have no reason to share Jesus with them, would you?
Could that be the reason some of us fail to talk about Jesus? Could it be that, in the back of our minds, in some dark corner deep inside of us, we actually think that people are going to be OK without Jesus? I pray it isn’t true.
Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except through Me.” Peter preached, “There is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” Did He mean it? Why do we tolerate any other idea? It sounds so benevolent, so kind, so tolerant.
If Jesus isn’t the only way for a person to live in Heaven forever, then we truly are narrow-minded fools. But if Jesus is the only way, and we fail to make that known to the people around us, we’ve become like those who persecute the church.
Conclusion:
Ezekiel 33:2-6 (NIV)
2 "Son of man, speak to your countrymen and say to them: 'When I bring the sword against a land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman, 3 and he sees the sword coming against the land and blows the trumpet to warn the people, 4 then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not take warning and the sword comes and takes his life, his blood will be on his own head. 5 Since he heard the sound of the trumpet but did not take warning, his blood will be on his own head. If he had taken warning, he would have saved himself. 6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes the life of one of them, that man will be taken away because of his sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for his blood.'
One of the greatest unkindnesses I could do to you today is to lead you to think that outside of Jesus, your life is somehow just fine. It’s not. 2 weeks from now, if you’re still here, you’ll be 14 days closer to where you’re going to spend forever. Where will that be?
You don’t have to live under that cloud of fear and uncertainty. You can begin a life-saving relationship with Jesus right here and now.
