Takin' It To The Streets

TITLE: TAKIN’ IT TO THE STREETS

SCRIPTURE: ST. MATTHEW 28:19-20

We continue in this month long campaign – “COMPEL THEM TO COME IN” – I call your attention this morning to a very familiar passage of Scripture oftentimes referred as “THE GREAT COMMISSION.” Turn with me to ST. MATTHEW 28:19-20. I lift as a thought this morning as we continue to become equipped to Grow the Church, the thought being – Takin’ It To The Streets. My initial thought was to title this message “IT’S GO TIME” but I was afraid you might take it quite literal and get up and go home.

WE ARE LONG PAST THE DAYS WHEN PEOPLE MOVE TO TOWN LOOKING FOR A CHURCH TO ATTEND. Although there are still many who do so, they are in the minority. The American churches have become good at –

• Building attractive buildings

• Promoting attractive events

• Mirroring the culture in order to have contact with the population

I am fine with buildings that glorify the Lord and events that communicate the good news of Jesus. however, mirroring the culture will actually do more harm than good. When we are indistinguishable from the world, we cease to be salt and light. When we can no longer tell where the world ends and the Church begins, we have a problem. There is another option. WE MUST TAKE THE MESSAGE BACK TO THE STREETS.

• Jesus was not crucified in a Cathedral between two candles but on a Cross between two thieves

• He was crucified by the side of a road in a place where soldiers cursed and gambled and religious people behaved like the common rubble

• Jesus was not carried from Revival to Revival - but from Judgment Hall, to Judgment Hall

• Jesus did not raise offerings for Pastors Anniversaries – Sold Out for 30 Pieces of Silver

• His message is needed in the State House and in the School House

• His message is needed in the Marketplace and in the Metroplex

• If we do not take His message back to the streets, the day is rapidly coming when most of our churches will be more like Museums than Houses of Worship

Before His ASCENSION, Jesus issued what has come to be called THE GREAT COMMISSION. A “COMMISSION” is “AN AUTHORITATIVE COMMAND – A DIRECTIVE – A COMMAND.” When Jesus spoke these words directly to His disciples, and indirectly to us, He was giving the church her marching orders. He was telling exactly what He expected us to do in His physical absence.

• The disciples took the Lord’s command seriously

• They went into the world and shared the Gospel of Jesus and thousands upon thousands were saved by the Grace of God

• Their message was so powerful and their witness so effective that their critics accused them of “TURNING THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN” -- ACTS 17:6

Well…..That was then, and this is now! What was given as The Great Commission has turned into what some have labeled THE GREAT OMISSION. When something is “OMITTED” it is -- LEFT OUT – UNDONE - NEGLECTED” Instead of taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth as the Lord commanded, the modern church won’t even take the gospel to the end of the street. Consider the following -

• 95% of all Christians have never won a soul to Christ

• How many could come back and thank you for sharing the Gospel and leading them to Christ?

• 80% of all Christians do not consistently witness for Christ

• Less than 2% are involved in the Ministry of Evangelism

• 71% do not give toward the financing of The Great Commission

• Less than 1 in 10 will share their faith with at least one other person in a lifetime

• Only 1 in 20 will ever lead someone to faith in Christ during their life

• That is why for most Christians it’s called the “Great Omission”

• There are sins of Commission and sins of Omission

• I believe not being involved with the Great Commission is a sin of Omission

These statistics are sad because they reveal the TRUE STATE OF THE MODERN CHURCH. We are satisfied to be saved, but we are not motivated to see others come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Somehow we have come to believe the end of our responsibility is to –

• Come to church a couple of times a week

• Pray when we can

• Read the Bible every now and then

• Live a life that is slightly cleaner than the world around us

• Peter reminds us we are Just barely Saved

• I PETER 4:18 “AND IF THE RIGHTEOUS SCARCELY BE SAVED, WHERE SHALL THE UNGODLY AND THE SINNER APPEAR?”