Five Reasons We Share Our Faith?
2 Cor. 5:9-19
9 Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest to God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences. 12 We are not again commending ourselves to you but are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, so that you will have an answer for those who take pride in appearance and not in heart. 13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; 15 and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. 16 Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. 17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. NASU
Introduction
Christians keep the faith—but they shouldn’t keep it too themselves. But it looks like that’s precisely what we’ve been doing for the last thirty or forty years; keeping the good news to ourselves!
A Contradiction about witnessing. Witness, Needed because:
A light that does not shine, A spring that does not flow, A germ that does not grow,
Is no more abnormal that a life in Christ which does not witness for
Christ. A. T. Pierson
1. Because It’s Our . . Choice. v 9
Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.
A. The . . Ambition of Choice. v 9 a
1. We Need the Ambition to tell of Jesus.
a. The aim to Win others to Christ.
b. 1Cor. 9:22 KJV To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
2. All of us have know people without any ambition.
3. There are like people who could pray Lord help me to wonder around for you today.
B. The . . Aim of Choice. v 9 a
1. We Need an aim to our ambition.
a. The aim to glorify God.
b. 1 Cor. 6:20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. NASU
2. All of us know people with aimless ambition.
3. They are like the people Paul spoke of by saying
For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. Rom. 10:2 NASU
Illustration EVANGELISM:
A missionary sat on the patio watching a black ant crawl up a table leg until it reached some spilled sugar. It seemed to eat, then crawled back down the table leg. Soon the two black ants crawled up the table leg to the sugar. They ate and left. Soon a steady steam of black ants moved up and down the table leg to enjoy the sugar. The missionary thought to himself, "They must have some system by which they communicate, ’I have found something good and I want to share it!’"
Application
We Should Share Because It’s Our . . Choice.
2. Because of . . Consequences. v 10
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
A. The Consequences of . . Appearing. v 10 a
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so
that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body,
1. All Christians will stand at the Judgement Seat.
2. It Is A Day of Reckoning.
B. The Consequences of . . Accounting. v 10 b
". . . according to what he has done, whether good or bad."
1. We Will Give An Account of Faithfulness.
a. Good
b. Bad
Application
We Should Share Because of . . Consequences.
3. Because of . . Commendations. v 12 - 13
12 We are not again commending ourselves to you but are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, so that you will have an answer for those who take pride in appearance and not in heart. 13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you.
A. The Commendation of . . Pride. v 12
We are not again commending ourselves to you but are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, so that you will have an answer for those who take pride in appearance and not in heart.
B. The Commendation of Peace. v 13
For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are of
sound mind, it is for you.
Illustration
Recently a person was in the hospital in West Plains and one of our members was asked if their pastor (meaning me) who make a visit and talk to the relative about the Lord. This member said "you don’t know our pastor do you" The were sure I would visit and I had and already lead the person to prayer the sinners prayer.
Illustration
In St. louis I had a Lady call the office and Christa (my wife) answered the phone. The Lady asked does your pastor make visits and talk to people about eternity? Christa said "yes". The lady wanted to hear it from me specifically so I got on the phone and told her I would make that kind of visit.
She asked me if she could come by the next day and talk to me about it.
Application
We ought to share our faith because of the commendation it gives to our Christian example.
4. Because of . . Compassion. 2 Cor. 5:14 For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; NASU
A. The . . Control of Our Compassion. 2 Cor. 5:14 a
"For the love of Christ controls us, . . . " NASU
"The Love of Christ leaves me no choice, . . . " NEV
1. Our Love for the Lord can be shown as we share of faith.
2. Does He Control our Tongue?
3. Does He Control Our Time?
4. Does He Control Our Talent?
B. The . .Conclusion of Our Compassion. 2 Cor. 5:14 b
". . . having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died;
Illustration
In his little book "And Peter," J. Wilbur Chapman told the story of travelers were making their way across the desert. Their water was gone and they were pushing on with the hope that more might be found. As a last resort they divided into groups and sent them on, in a sort of "leapfrog" march. If the advance group found water, they were to shout the news to the group nearest to them, and on down the line.
The long line reached far across the desert. Men were fainting when suddenly everyone was cheered by the good news. The advance party found water. They shouted to the next group, which then shouted to the next group and so on, until the farthest man heard: ‘Water! Water!’ The word went from man to man, until the whole company heard and soon all were drinking to their hearts’ content!
Application
Out of compassion we should share were we as a thirsty person found the Water of Life.
5. Because of the . . Condemnation.
2 Cor 5:11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men,
but we are made manifest to God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences.
A. God Will Chastize His Children. v 11 a
Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men,"
B. God Will Chastize The Devil’s Children.
Heb 10:29-31 29 How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY." And again, "THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE." 31 It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God. NASU
Mark 9:43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
Mark 9:44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
Mark 9:45 And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
Mark 9:46 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
Mark 9:47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:
Mark 9:48 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
Illustration
From a book in my library comes the following incident:
In 1981, a Minnesota radio station reported a story about a stolen car in California. Police were staging an intense search for the vehicle and the driver, even to the point of placing announcements on local radio stations to contact the thief.
On the front seat of the stolen car sat a box of crackers that, unknown to the thief, were laced with poison. The car owner had intended to use the crackers as rat bait. Now the police and
the owner of the VW Bug were more interested in apprehending the thief to save his life than to recover the car.
Application
We Share because we know the end result of participation in the Devils lies. Their is poison in all his crackers.
