A Great Burden
Romans 9:1-3
Paul was ready willing to give up his relationship with Jesus (his salvation) to see his own brethren get saved. Paul had a great sorrow and continual grief. Paul realized a horror.. He was saved yet his brethren were not!!
I. The Burden
Luke 10:2
“Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly [is] great, but the labourers [are] few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.”
Mat 9:37-38
“Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly [is] plenteous, but the labourers [are] few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.”
A. Are you burdened?
Charles Spurgeon:
“Have you no wish for others to be saved? Then you are not saved yourself. Be sure of that…. The saving of souls, if a man has once gained love to perishing sinners and his blessed Master, wil be an all-absorbing passion to him. It will so carry him away, that he will almost forget himself in the saving of others…..
If sinners will be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies. And if they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees, imploring them to stay. If hell must be filled, at least let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions and let not one go there unwarned and unprayed for.”
Ray Comfort:
“I don’t know how anyone can call himself a Christian and not have a concern for the lost…. Hell should be so real to us that its flames burn away apathy and motivate us to warn the lost. Do we see the unsaved as hell’s future fuel? Do we understand humanity is the anvil of the justice of God? Have we ever been horrified or wept because we fear their fate? The depth of our evangelistic zeal will be in direct proportion to the love we have. If you are not concerned about your neighbor’s salvation, then I am concerned for yours.”
“If you have no concern for the lost. If you have no zeal for sharing your salvation. Then I doubt and am very concerned for yours!”
For if you are born of God’s Spirit, you will find that something compels you to run to the lost, to reach out to the unsaved, because God gave you a new heart that delights to do His will!!
B. The Great Commission- Are you really called to Evangelize?
There is a story of a man walking by a lake. As he passed by the swimming area a woman ran up to him in tears. Sir, Sir, My son is drowning could you please save him. In the background you could here the garbles cries for help as a helpless young lad was sinking into death. The man replied “I am sorry, for I am not a lifeguard, so it is not my job.” And walked on without a second thought in his mind about the boy that just drowned in the lake.
I believe God calls all saved men and women to do Full-Time Evangelizing
Mar 16:15-16 “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”
Luk 10:1-2 “After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly [is] great, but the labourers [are] few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. “
Then HE challenges us by saying:
Joh 14:15 “If ye love me, keep my commandments”
If we love God, If we truly are saved, If we have any Fear of God in our lives. We Must obey HIM!
This is Evangelizing.
Evangelist Clarification:
Eph 4:11-16
“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we [henceforth] be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, [and] cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, [even] Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”
2Ti 4:2-5
“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.”
DEFINITIONS:
Evangelize
To instruct in the gospel; to preach the gospel to, and convert to a belief of the gospel; as, to evangelize heathen nations; to evangelize the world.
Evangelist
1. A preacher or publisher of the gospel of Jesus Christ, licensed to preach, but not having charge of a particular church.
A Called Evangelist:
1. Shares The Full True Gospel With the unbelievers
2. Takes the Gospel into the churches to convert the false converts.
3. Teaches the church how to share the gospel.
4. Edifies New Believers. Provides Discipleship and Training.
Not all are called to be Evangelists however ALL are called to Evangelize!!
II. The Obstacles
A. Lack of Priorities- The Worshipping Fat Church
Mat 4:10
“Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”
Where are our priorities? –Worshipping vs. Obedience
There was once a respectable captain of a ship whose crew spoke highly of him. They said they esteemed him to a point where everyone knew of their professed love for him. One day, however, the captain saw to his horror an ocean liner had struck an iceberg and people were drowning in the freezing water ahead of his ship. He quickly directed his vessel to the area, stood on the bridge, and made an impassioned plea to his crew to throw out the life preservers. But instead of obeying his charge, the crew lifted their hands and said, “Praise the captain...praise you...we love you! You are worthy of our praise.”
Can you see that the reality of their adoration should have been seen by their obedience to his command? Their “admiration” was nothing but empty words.
The ‘Church’ today enjoys a Fat life of:
Men’s Camps, Men’s Meetings, youth camps, marriage seminars, ladies meetings, worship services, prayer and praise meetings, young people’s meetings, Bible studies, audiotapes, videotapes, CD’s., camp-outs, fishing trips, revivals, Singspirations, etc. etc.
WE HAVE ITCHING EARS!!
WE are soo fat and content and dulled by so much over-consumption that we fail to hear the cries of those going to Hell!!
B. Misplaced Fear
Luke 12:4-9
“And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.”
There is no understanding of a True Hell!
-Story of Rebecca-
C. False Convert-The ‘Lukewarm’
Rev 3:15-16
“ I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. “
Greek:
Lukewarm (chliaros). To liquefy (or waterdown), to melt, only time in New Testament
Spew thee (se emesai) old verb to vomit, to reject with extreme disgust, here alone in N.T.
They are rejected (unsaved) and have watered down The Gospel Presentation and meaning. Removing fear, repentance, hell & perverting love and grace.
I John-
Written mainly to bring The False Convert to know Christ!
1Jo 5:13
‘These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”
No doubt, you will know you are saved after reading these words.
1Jo 2:4-11
“He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.”
Other Signs of a false Convert:
1. The modern Gospel says: “You need to have assurance that you’re going to heaven. You shouldn’t go to hell. You need to come and give your life to Christ. You must have faith in Jesus,” and they preach Christ Crucified. So, the sinner thinks he/she deserves heaven anyway, comes and give his/her heart to Jesus, and gets assurance he/she is going to heaven. He/She has no possible understanding of sin!! (Romans 7:7)
1John 3:4
“Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.”
No Repentence because they do not understand there true sins against a Holy, Righteous and Just God!
2. There is a lack of moisture (Luke 8:6). There is no thirst for God, for the Living God.
3. Matthew 13:5,6- There is no depth of Godly character.
4. They Receive the Word with GLADNESS. No Godly Sorrow because the Law has not been brought to them that they might see themselves in truth.
Mar 4:16-17
“And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.”
5. They receive the Word with joy. There laughter isn’t turned to mourning, and their joy is not turned into heaviness. Matthew 13:20
6. For a while they do believe. (Luke 8:13). There is a genuine false conversion experience. For a while they do believe.
False Converts often find a church that fits there needs.
They often are extremely offended if someone questions there salvation or asks for a testimony.
They do some good works (that they feel are justified) and believe themselves to be holy and righteous.
They often believe there rewards should be great and that they in no way deserve hell.
Mat 7:21 -23
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
False Converts in America Run in The Millions!!!
2Co 13:5
“ Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?”
Before we go let’s examine ourselves under the law.
