If you use any or all of this message--would you be willing to fire off a quick email to:pastorjerryvargo@juno.com? I would like to have an idea of how often my sermons are actually being preached to strengthen the Body of Christ. Thanks!
Sharing the Good News!
Calvary Christian Chapel
Pastor Jerry C. Vargo
I. Introduction.
“Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. And the LORD said to Satan, "The LORD rebuke you, Satan! Indeed, the LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?" Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and standing before the angel. And he spoke and said to those who were standing before him saying, "Remove the filthy garments from him." Again he said to him, "See, I have taken your iniquity away from you and will clothe you with festal robes.”
Zechariah 3:1-4
A. I’m so glad that I have been plucked from the fire!
B. I’m so glad that my filthy rags have been removed!
C. I’m so glad that my iniquity has been taken away!
D. I’m so glad that I’m now clothed with festal robes!
E. But the real question is this: Am I glad enough to tell others? Are you?
F. This morning, I want to talk about God’s plan for His church!
II. Body.
A. Listen to John 3:16-17:
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him.”
B. This is the central purpose of God…to love the world. How does God love the world? He loves the world through us!
C. Everything flows out of this purpose. There can be no discipleship without sharing the good news. No worship, no fellowship, no true stewardship, no true prayer…nothing happens without sharing the good news.
D. I’m reminded of the important words of Jesus in John 14:12:
Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to the Father.”
D. If this is true, then when Isaiah prophesied about Jesus in Isaiah 61…it also applied to us.
E. Go there…and let me explain. TEXT: Isaiah 61:1-3 (There has been some disagreement about this text…as to who Isaiah was talking about).
F. My goal today is to shatter the notion that sharing the good news is just about preaching a canned presentation of the way of the cross.
G. Much more is involved. If we are to be the church that God has called us to be, then we must be people who love people. John Maxwell captured this idea when he said:
“People don’t care how much you know, till they know how much you care.”
H. If you are “In Christ,” then you are equipped to share the good news.
I. Briefly, let me mention some very simple principles about sharing the good news.
1. It is ALWAYS God’s work through us!
A. Listen to Isaiah 61:1a again. What awesome words.
B. It is God upon us that can make all the difference. We have exchanged our old rags…with His bright clean new linens.
C. My attempt to share the good news without His Spirit upon me is really very useless.
D. This is why we need the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:8.
E. So, we must remember that it is always His work through us. We are not responsible for the outcome…we are just responsible to share!
F. Notice also the next part of the verse 1b. Why is the Spirit of the Lord upon us? Because He has anointed us.
G. He has rubbed us with the oil of His Spirit. This simply means that whatever He has called you to do…He will equip you for that task.
H. Remember, it is ALWAYS God’s work through us…Why? Because He has empowered us with His Spirit and He has equipped us for the task.
2. Sharing the Good News involves many elements.
A. I said a few minutes ago that my goal was to shatter the notion that sharing the good news is just about preaching a canned presentation of the way of the cross.
B. Isaiah 61:1-2 gives us many ways to share the good news.
1) Bring good news to the afflicted.
a. The words “good news” carries the idea of bringing “fresh news.”
b. The afflicted are those who are depressed. Those whose circumstances are pressing in on them.
“Like cold water to a weary soul, so is good news from a distant land.”
Proverbs 25:25
Illustration
I’ll never forget the news that one of my pastors gave our church many years ago. He pressed a man on a Wednesday night to give his heart to Jesus. The man was open, but wanted to put it off till the following Sunday. The pastor persisted (which was out of character for him being a very patient and gentle man). He just felt it was necessary to press him. The man finally agreed to pray and give his heart to Christ. Guess what? He never made it till the following Sunday...He died the very next day!!!
c. The man was depressed…he was dying. But, the good news took away his affliction.
2) Bind up the brokenhearted.
a. To bind is to wrap. Pat of sharing the good news is to wrap our arms around those whose lives are bursting at the seams.
b. It speaks of wrapping our arms around those whose feelings have been hurt.
c. Remember, if we are to be the church that God has called us to be…we must love people. We must care about how they feel.
d. This is why a canned presentation of the gospel is not always the key to helping people.
3) Proclaiming liberty and freedom to those who are bound.
a. This speaks to me about caring for those whose lives are bound by addictions or just bound by sin.
b. If you are a captive or a prisoner…then you are chained in a dungeon. There can be no spontaneity in their lives.
c. The good news is that they can be set free. This is one of the things that I enjoy about serving the Lord…I can have spontaneity…I’m free to enjoy life.
4) Comfort those who mourn.
a. Part of sharing the good news is to show pity and to console those who are in mourning.
b. I have often struggled with this part of sharing the good news. I often don’t know what to say. But I’m learning very important lessons in life…words aren’t always necessary. Just share the good news by your presence.
c. But remember; if you do share words…share God’s good Word.
“This is my comfort in my affliction, that Thy word has revived me.”
Psalm 119:50
5) Offer them an exchanged life.
a. Three elements of an exchanged life. (Illustrate: Ragman)
1. Beauty (bonnet) for Ashes.
2. Oil of gladness for Mourning.
3. Garment of praise (vestment) for Fainting (feebleness).
C. Why should we share the good news with others? The answer is in our text this morning.
D. Look at the last part of verse 3.
“So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”
E. That’s it. He is the Ragman and He takes our old garments. He then plants us as oak trees for His glory.
III. Conclusion.
A. Sharing the good news is NOT about us. It is about Him.
B. I challenge you this morning to join the team…to be a player and not an armchair quarterback. It’s time to get in the game and share the good news.
C. Calvary Christian Chapel exists to be a messenger of the good news. This is the first and central purpose of God.
Altar call: Salvation
