We are continuing in our series on Dynamic Disciples or Dynamic Discipleship and this month our focus is on Evangelism.
The Dictionary defines Evangelism as the spreading of the Christian gospel by public preaching or personal witness.
Evangelism is a word that was first used in the 1620s. Previously in Medieval Latin there was the word evangelismus and in Late Latin there was the word evangelium both come from the original Greek word euangelion (yoo-ang-ghel’-ee-on) which occurs 76 times in the New Testament.
Euangelion means “the good news - the gospel”
When we speak about sharing the Gospel, what is it that we are talking about?
The Gospel includes the entire Word of God, the whole Bible - it is not limited to only how a person can become a follower of Jesus.
Most of us would say that the core of the Gospel is the fact that Jesus was real, that He lived, died to pay the penalty for our sins, rose from the grave, ascended into heaven and one day He will return.
At the heart of the Gospel is the truth that Jesus Himself said He was the Way, the Truth and the Life.
The Apostle Peter in Acts 4 spoke these words: “Jesus Christ... There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved...We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.” Acts 4:10,12,20
We are not saved by being nice people,
we are not saved by our works,
we are saved when we repent and place our faith and trust in Jesus as our Lord and Saviour.
As disciples of Jesus - He wants and expects us to tell others about who He is and how they can be saved.
This morning, I want us to consider two days in the life of the disciples Peter and John.
Two days where Peter and John are engaged in Evangelism and clearly proclaim the message of the Gospel.
The first day I want us to consider was a typical Sabbath - well as typical as it got for the disciples.
I’m sure this Sabbath began like many others.
I can picture the Apostle Peter laying in his bed as the early morning sun begins to creep across the floor of his room.
Peter cracks open one eye, to check its actually morning.
Maybe outside a rooster crows.
Perhaps Peter still has a bit of an issue with the sound of a rooster.
Peter knows that Jesus has forgiven him, yet I wonder if every time Peter heard a rooster if he remembered the night when he denied Jesus three times.
In the Temple in Jerusalem, there were three services on a Sabbath, 9.00am, 3.00pm and Sunset.
I don’t know if Peter rolled over and went back to sleep, or if he decided to have a lie in,
or if he jumped out of his bed and set off to do something he needed to do that morning,
but Acts 3 tells us it was at 3pm in the afternoon that Peter and John set off to the temple.
You know the account of what happened that afternoon, as Peter and John go through the gate called Beautiful, there is a crippled man begging.
Peter looks at the beggar and says “Look at us” - Silver or Gold I do not have, but what I have I give to you - in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk”.
Then Peter stretches out his hand, helps the man up, and the man’s ankles and feet become strong and he starts jumping, and leaping and running around praising God. And the people who are there and see this happening are seriously surprised.
Peter opens his mouth and asks them “Why are you surprised?”
Then he explains how the man was healed in Jesus name, who Jesus was and why the people needed to repent of their sins and turn to Jesus.
Then Acts 4 records while Peter and John were speaking to the people, they were confronted by the priests, the captain of the Temple guard, and some of the Sadducees.
They didn’t like the way Peter and John were teaching the people about Jesus and that through Jesus there is a resurrection of the dead.
They arrested Peter and John and put them in prison until overnight.
The next day the council of rulers, elders and teachers of religious law met together in Jerusalem.
Annas the high priest was there, along with Caiaphas, Alexander, pretty much everybody who was anybody was there.
Peter and John were brought in and one of the council members asks them about the healing of the man by the Beautiful Gate - “By what power, or in whose name, have you done this?”
Acts 4:8-12 says Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of our people, are we being questioned today because we’ve done a good deed for a crippled man?
Do you want to know how he was healed?
Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead.
For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says,
‘The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’
There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”
There is the core message of the Gospel, Salvation in Jesus alone.
Remember Peter and John were ordinary men.
The Bible records that the members of the council were amazed by the boldness of Peter and John.
The council also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.
The crippled man who had been healed was also standing there among them, everyone could see him so the council was speechless.
Peter and John are sent out of the room and the council conferred among themselves.
Acts 4:16-17 records their words “What should we do with these men?” They asked each other. “We can’t deny that they have performed a miraculous sign, and everybody in Jerusalem knows about it.
But to keep them from spreading their propaganda any further, we must warn them not to speak to anyone in Jesus’ name again.”
So the council calls Peter and John back into the chamber and command them never again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus.
Acts 4:19-20 Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than Him? We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”
Peter could not stop himself from telling others about Jesus.
Peter spoke the Good News, the Gospel, he spoke words of truth, words of life.
The people who heard the Gospel responded to what they heard.
These events took place shortly after Pentecost, and the Bible tells us at this point there were around 5,000 men, women and children who had responded to the Gospel Message and come to trust Jesus as their own personal Lord and Saviour.
“Jesus Christ...There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved...We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”
Peter and John had been transformed by the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
Peter and John were ordinary fishermen, Jesus called them to follow Him and they followed Him.
They were ordinary men, just like the other disciples, people with issues, people with problems everyday ordinary people like you and me.
Yet God used them to share the good news with others.
God used them to share the truth of who Jesus was and is with others.
They spoke with boldness, God gave them a deep understanding of the truth.
They believed what they were saying; their words were alive and real!
They spoke with passion about who Jesus was, and why people needed to be in a personal relationship with Him.
They used every possible opportunity to speak about Jesus and we should do the same.
Friends, God expects all - yes all - all of His children to share the truth about Him.
God expects all of His people to open their mouths and tell others who Jesus really is.
God expects us to share the truth of the Gospel with the people we meet, with our friends, with our family, with the people we say we love.
“Jesus Christ...There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved...
We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”
How many hours did you spend talking to other people last week?
Peter and John could not stop telling others about Jesus...
How much time did you spend telling people about Jesus?
The most important conversation you could have with another person is the Gospel, the Good News, the news they need to hear -
Jesus loves them,
died for them,
and if they repent and place their trust in Him they will be forgiven and assured of a place in Heaven?
How many times have you actually had that conversation with someone?
How many times have I had that conversation?
Shall I tell you how many?
The answer is probably the same for every single one of us.
How many times have we had that conversation? Not enough!
None of us spend enough time telling others about Jesus.
None of us.
The command Jesus gave to His disciples in Acts 1:8 is also a command to each of us
“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
As dynamic disciples:
We are called to share the truth.
We are called to be Salt and Light.
We are called to open our mouths.
We are called to serve God.
We are called to be witnesses.
Every day we have an opportunity to speak words of truth and life.
Every day we have an opportunity to share the truth of the Gospel.
Let me encourage you to share the Gospel with someone this week.
Look for an opportunity to share your testimony with someone?
The truth about how you came to discover for yourself that Jesus is real.
The truth why Jesus came.
The truth why He was willing to sacrifice Himself for your sins.
The truth why you know you have been forgiven and reconciled to God.
The truth Jesus rose triumphant from the grave and ascended to Heaven.
The truth that one day He will return.
The truth that you are assured of a place in Heaven because of what Jesus has done.
I will close with the words of Romans 10:8-15 “The message is very close at hand;
it is on your lips and in your heart.”
And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on Him. For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
But how can they call on Him to save them unless they believe in Him? And how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him? And how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”
This week,
look for the opportunity to share the truth,
be a witness for Christ,
be the messenger who brings the Good News of the Gospel,
be the dynamic disciple God has called you to be.
Let’s pray.
