The Outreach Factor
Jared DEA director of Polk County will share on the problem with drug use and abuse in our county.
Thesis: The Christian needs to understand that we must reach out to our society because it is a matter of life and death. We cannot sit back and let the vices of the world destroy the people in our community.
Video clip: Star Wars Episode One- The Phantom Menace
Clip Overview: Qui-Gon and Obi –Wan ask the Gungan ruler Boss Nass to help them warn the Naboo of impending danger. Boss Nass responds that they don’t care about the haughty Naboo since the Gungans are safe in their underwater home. Obi-wan cautions that whatever happens to one affects the other, but Boss Nass will not listen (Belknapp, pg. 26).
* Joshua 7:1-13 reveals that the sins of others does affect a nation and our lives personally.
Questions to ask New Life Community Church:
1. Why should we care about the drug problem in Polk County?
2. Do you think like Boss Nass that what happens to them will not affect you in your safe environment?
3. Why should we show concern for a community that has chosen to follow their own selfish ways?
4. What would Jesus do if he where here in our community today?
5. What opportunities present themselves to you each week where you can show concern and compassion to another?
6. When was the last time you showed concern for a person’s eternal destiny?
7. When was the last time you shared that there is hope for a person immersed in sin and bondage?
Texts:
John 15:1-17 The Holy Bible, New International Version
John 15:1 (NIV)
1“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
John 15:2 (NIV)
2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes£ so that it will be even more fruitful.
John 15:3 (NIV)
3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.
John 15:4 (NIV)
4Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
John 15:5 (NIV)
5“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
John 15:6 (NIV)
6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
John 15:7 (NIV)
7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.
John 15:8 (NIV)
8This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
John 15:9 (NIV)
9“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.
John 15:10 (NIV)
10If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.
John 15:11 (NIV)
11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
John 15:12 (NIV)
12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
John 15:13 (NIV)
13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
John 15:14 (NIV)
14You are my friends if you do what I command.
John 15:15 (NIV)
15I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
John 15:16 (NIV)
16You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
John 15:17 (NIV)
17This is my command: Love each other.
Matthew 9:35 - 37
35Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
John 4:34 - 37
34“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. 38I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”
Introduction:
The reaching out to our community is really about life and death- let me add true eternal death. We talked last week that there is a battle for the lives of individuals raging all around us. We may not see the war but we can definitely see how the war is rapping, destroying, killing and mutilating many lives in our community. I have consciously chosen to see the destruction caused by this war of the soul. I pray that you today would chose to see it today as well. We live in a community were lost people are dying, were desperate people are crying out for help as they go under for the last time. Many people are desperately searching for something real, something genuine that can deliver them from their chains.
Many un-churched are unaware that there is an answer to their chains, in other words that there is a key that can unlock the chains of bondage that they are in. The answer they are looking for in their life is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I also want to clarify that what they need and we need is not a decision, not information about whether we believe in Christ, but a life changing relationship with Jesus Christ.
George Barna states, “I am convinced that much of the difficulty of church based-evangelism is that we seek decisions for Christ rather then conversions. A decision may be as simple as repeating the “Sinners Prayer” with no real follow-through after the fact. A conversion, on the other hand, is a total life transformation in which the decision to follow Christ results in a new lifestyle, a new heart for people and for God and a determination to live for totally different ends” (131).
I compare the majority of modern day Christians in America this way. We are a group of people who believe in God as a supreme being. We learn about this deity, we gain information about this deity but we don’t want to have to change our lifestyle to serve this deity. In essence we are a society that knows about God but we are not a society that is transformed by God. Information does not produce transformation! Transformation comes to the believer when they chose to die to themselves. Then the Holy Spirit wonderfully transforms their hearts desires into God’s desires by a daily intimate living encounter with Spirit of God.
Just this week I observed this in many facets of our society. I saw it on the show Survivor were a bunch of the participants held hands in the morning and prayed for Jesus’ help. Then they turn around the rest of the day and lied, manipulated, use foul language, put others down, and spread rumors about the others.
I also saw it this week in a family that claims to be Born Again, but does not believe in church attendance, she lives with another person, gets drunk and parties all the time, and attacks other people who are trying to help her and her family mercilessly. I n one breath she confesses, “ I’m a Christian.” And another breath she turns around and cusses up a storm.
George Barna recently did a poll and discovered the following about the American’s. Most Americans 85% confess to being Christian so George Barna poled a group of Americans and asked them these questions about the Christian faith:
1. What is the “The Great Commission”?
a. This is Jesus’ charge to His followers found in Matthew 28:19, 20 is nearly 2,000 years old. (It states, 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in£ the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”)
b. It is one of the defining commands of Jesus, given as a core challenge to all of His followers, and a central element in the stated mission of churches, denominations and parachurch organizations worldwide. But the typical American adult, who has undoubtedly been exposed to this long – standing challenge many times, has no recollection of the content of the challenge.
c. He discovered that when asked outright to define the meaning of the term, 9 out of 10 adults (*6 percent) admitted that they did not know-they did not even hazard a guess. Another 5 percent offered and incorrect answer. Just 9 percent of all Americans correctly described the Great Commission” (35,36).
2. They were then asked, “What does the verse John 3:16 say and mean?
a. 2 out of every 3 said they did not know and could not even offer a guess. They did some other poles with other people and the average was 75% of the ones poled could not give or guess it’s meaning.
b. The verse is: 16“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
c. The verse is talking about salvation and How God loved the world so much he sent his son to deliver them from their sins if they believe in Him and live for Him.
3. They also asked people what “The Gospel” was?
a. 1/3 of the nation had no clue (31 percent). Another 1/3 of those poled defined the term inaccurately (32 percent). Among the remaining 1/3 half described the gospel as the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection undertaken to save people from their sins. (The correct answer!) The other half said it was the first four books of the New Testament – actually not a correct answer but they gave them credit for it.
b. When they and completed these questions they tallied how many got all three of the answers correct. It totaled only 4%.
Everyone here this morning look at me please pay attention very closely so if you are ever poled by the Barna Research group you get these three core questions correct:
1. The Gospel is the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection undertaken to save people from their sins.
2. John 3:16 states: 16“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Refers to salvation!
3. The Great Commission states: 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in£ the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
· This is Jesus charge to go out and into the world and share the Gospel to people. When they repent of their sin then spend time with them and help them become one of Jesus disciples. Make sure they are baptized and teach them about God’s ways.
· In other words show people that there is an answer to their problems there is one who can deliver them and give them New Life!
T.S.- Yes! Believe it or not Jesus has commissioned every believer to reach out to their community and the world.
I. Why should we reach out to others in our area?
a. Because God has not changed his mind on the importance of reaching out. The Evangelistic truths in the Bible still apply today! George Barna in Evangelism That Works asserts:
i. The message is God’s. But the means of getting the message to those who need to here it is by people communicating that message through words and actions that are consistent with the lessons in the Bible.
ii. God can, has and will use anybody who is open to serving Him to convey the Gospel.
iii. We are called to take advantage of opportunities to share our faith in Christ and to make the most of those opportunities.
1. However, the act of converting a person from the condemned sinner to forgiven and loved disciple of Christ is the job of the Holy Spirit. The evangelizers plays the role in the conversion process but will not be held accountable for the choice made by those who hear the gospel.
iv. The most powerful attraction to a nonbeliever is seeing the life of someone transformed by the reality of the Gospel.
v. The most effective evangelists are the most obedient and committed Christians.
1. All you need is a passion for Jesus Christ to lead someone to Christ..
2. We cannot give away what we don’t have. Therefore, we must be in close relationship with God.
vi. Evangelism (Outreach) is the bridge we build between our love for God and our love for people.
vii. Evangelism that starts at the nonbelievers point of felt need and ties the gospel into that area of need has the greatest capacity for capturing the mind and the heart of the non-Christian.
(page, 29).
b. Maybe you think everyone in America has heard the message of the Gospel.
i. Just because someone may have heard the message does not mean that they have heard the meaning of the truth.
1. We learned earlier that just because someone knows the term Christian and applies it to themselves does not mean they are one. There has to be fruit in their lives!
2. Barna states, “Being exposed to information does not mean that people absorb it, understand it or embrace it” (35).
3. How many times have you talked to someone about something and, then if you quiz them about it, they get it all wrong?
4. Just ask a teacher or preacher if everyone who hears their lectures gets it and understands it?
a. Quiz the church on the 3 fundamental beliefs of Christianity.
b. Hand out quiz have them write down the answers to:
i. What is the Great Commission?
ii. What does John 3:16 say?
iii. What does “The Gospel” mean?
ii. In America today there are around 262 million people who live in the United States. By a recent Barna survey he estimates that 187 million have not accepted Jesus Christ.
1. The harvest field is very ripe! The Question really comes back to us, “ Are we willing and obedient to do it?”
T.S. – The truth is God has not changed his mind on reaching the world and therefore we should decide to do what God has assigned us to do reach out.. But I know what your thinking, “How can I do it?”
II. What can you do to reach the lost, the hurting for God?
a. Seven things we need to do to reach the hurting and lost of our society:
i. Pray- Prayer has always and will always precede great awakenings in people.
1. God always and will always answer the prayers of those who are trying to do his will. He loves answering those kind of prayers.
ii. We need to as Fully devoted followers of Christ own the Great Commission and be obedient to it.
1. Being obedient is defined by Barna as:
a. A personal commitment to Christ in which we acknowledge Him to be our one and only Savior (see John 3:16-18)
b. A personal commitment to holiness, perhaps best defined by Paul as the fruit of the Spirit ( See Gal. 5:22-24; I Thess 4:7).
c. A personal commitment to pleasing God, not for the purposes of salvation, but as a way of bringing Him glory, honor and pleasure through our obedience to His commands (See Exodus 20:1-21).
d. A personal commitment to consistent worship of God alone (See Matthew 4:10).
e. A personal commitment to performing selfless acts of service for others, motivated by the exemplary love of Christ and conducted to reflect our love for God and His creation (See John 13:1-17).
f. A personal commitment to share the good news of Christ’s sacrificial life, death and resurrection (See Matthew 28:19).
(Barna, page 29)
iii. We need to be relevant to those who are searching for the answer.
1. Stay away from religious talk like:
a. Washed in the Blood
b. Be Sanctified
c. Fed by the Word
d. Be slain in the Holy Spirit
e. Repent of transgressions
f. Speak in King James English
g. Possess a broken spirit
h. Seek the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.
2. If we are not relevant – understood – up to date they tune you out immediately.
3. We have to show that eternal salvation is relevant to their condition and future condition today.
iv. We must do everything with excellence – excellence requires sacrifice.
1. Maxwell states, “A leader must give up to go up!”
a. He adds “Sacrifice is an ongoing process, not a one-time payment” (188).
2. Excellence is what the world is looking for today. If they perceive you or your church as doing things without excellence – without the effort required of excellence - they will tune your message right out.
3. The world has taught the world to look for excellence- quality! So you better deliver in the church or you will never succeed in winning the lost for Christ.
v. We need to be creative with the presentation of the Gospel.
1. God is a creative God – just take a look around. We are created in His image – should we not be creative in how we present the Gospel?
vi. We need to show the seeker that we care about their needs.
1. What are the un-churched top 4 needs in priority?
a. Finances
b. Job employment issues
c. Personal health
d. Family matters
i. Child care
ii. Parenting.
iii. Marriage issues
2. This society is very lonely!
a. Barna notes, “Sociologists have described America as the loneliest nation on the face of the earth. Our research suggests that they may be right. Although we live in close proximity to tens of thousands of people and probably come in contact with hundreds of people every week, most of us have few real friends, few confidents” (149).
b. The un-churched are looking for true friends!
i. Share about what one person said to Kathy.
vii. We need to celebrate our victories with parties and celebrations when people have been led from here to eternity.
1. We need victory bashes at Baptismal services.
2. Why? God likes a good clean party!
T.S.- We need to implement these seven principles into our lives to effectively reach this society because if we do we will gain the benefit.
III. What is the benefit to me if I reach out?
a. The old what’s in it for me question is a valid question lets see what the answer is.
i. Lets re-examine John 15:16 “…then my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.”
ii. If you do God’s work the Lord Jesus said the father will give you what you ask for. Some of you just perked up – I saw your mind spring to attention.
1. You mean Pastor mike I could win the 220 million dollar lottery!
2. I could drive a Roys Royce?
3. I could get my own airplane?
4. I could – I could - I could!!!!!
a. Lose the materialistic self-centered mindset. Focus on the lost not on what you lust after!
iii. The Scripture context here is, “If you prayer for assistance with winning your neighbor to Christ I will help you do it. I will answer your prayer for them.” Promise from God!
iv. Yes! I will answer your prayer for wisdom and give you insight into how to win your loved one back from the enemy.
v. Yes! I will meet and supply all you evangelistic needs.
vi. Jesus is telling us don’t worry just reach out and I will help you bear fruit.
b. Another benefit is finding personal fulfillment in your life.
i. I could know that I made a difference.
ii. I could see that I made a difference.
iii. I could feel like I made a difference.
iv. I would experience a life filled with accomplishment and purpose.
c. What are some of the other benefits that would come from reaching out:
i. The reality that God would meet our daily needs.
ii. The benefit of knowing that our life is and was effective in helping others.
iii. I could help lead a person out of a life of misery into a life of happiness and joy. And in turn this person could become a lifelong friend.
iv. I could see a person find peace for the first time in their life.
v. I could experience a life filled with eternal rewards that I would enjoy forever.
1. Not like an Academy Award that lasts for moment but an eternal reward that lasts for eternity.
Conclusion:
Barna notes, “Mind-boggling revivals have occurred throughout history not because of innovation but because of radical obedience to the call to evangelize. Evangelism is effective when people do whatever is necessary to reach the un-reached, rather than maintain traditions and accept outdated assumptions for the sake of continuity. Effective evangelism is not about programs, methods or techniques. It is about people who love Christ, about loving other people in the name of Christ. As it turns out, Nike uses a promotional slogan that should be the Church’s evangelistic motto: Just do it!
