OceanSide church of Christ

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I AM RESOLVED…

To Diligently Evangelize

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    What is our major responsibility as Christians?

1.      To be faithful (I Cor. 4:2)

2.      To live godly lives (Tit. 2:11-12)

3.      To worship God (John 4:24)

4.      To grow (II Pet. 3:18)

5.      To be an example to others (I Tim. 4:12)

 

B.      Our main priority should be evangelism.

1.      Other ways to say it:

a.      Spreading the good news of salvation to others

b.      Soul-winning

c.       Saving the lost

d.      Teaching others the gospel

2.      Before Jesus left earth to return to the Father’s right hand, evangelism was the command given to the apostles (Matt. 28:18-20).

 

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:  and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.  Amen.

 

C.     Our theme at OceanSide for this year is:  “I Am Resolved…”  This morning, let’s look at the topic:  “I Am Resolved…to Diligently Evangelize.”

 

I.                   SOME PICTURES FROM ACTS

 

A.    Masses of Jews were taught in the city of Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:22-41).

 

B.      “And daily in the temple, and from house to house, they ceased not to teach and to preach Jesus Christ” (Acts 5:42).

 

C.     A man named Stephen preached Christ before the supreme council of the Jews (Acts 7).

 

D.    The city of Samaria was evangelized by Philip (Acts 8:35-39).

 

E.      A man of Ethiopia taught by Philip (Acts 8:35-39).

 

F.      A combatant named Saul converted by Ananias (Acts 9).

 

G.     The first Gentile convert brought in the church and was taught by Peter (Acts 10).

 

H.    Three missionary journey’s take by Paul and his companions and a voyage to the Imperial City of Rome (Acts 13-28).

1.      A deputy on the isle of Cyprus was converted (Acts 13:7-12).

2.      Paul preached in the synagogues of the Jews (Acts 14:1).

3.      Greek philosopher was taught on Mars’ Hill (Acts 17:16-32).

4.      Greek cities like Ephesus, Corinth, Colossae, and Thessalonica had churches established in them.

5.      The gospel was even spread throughout the palace in Rome (Phil. 1:13).

 

II.                WHY WE DON’T EVANGELIZE

 

A.    Fear

 

B.      Embarrassment

 

C.     Lack of knowledge

 

D.    Uncomfortable

 

E.      Content

 

F.      Not convinced

 

G.     Not my job

 

III.             WHY EVANGELIZE?

 

A.    To fulfill my Christian responsibility (Mark 16:15)

 

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

 

B.      To show my love for God (John 14:15)

 

If ye love me, keep my commandments.

 

C.     To bring glory to God (I Pet. 4:11)

 

If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God, if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth:  that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever.  Amen.

 

D.    To be like Jesus (Luke 19:10)

 

For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

 

E.      To help the church grow (Acts 6:1, See Acts 5:42)

 

And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied…

 

F.      To show my love for my fellow man

1.      God loved the world and gave His only begotten Son (John 3:16).

2.      What better way to show the world that we love them than by telling them about the love of God?

 

 

 

G.     To save souls (I Cor. 1:21)

 

For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

 

H.    To follow the example of the first century church (Acts 8:4)

 

Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.

 

I.        To express my trust in the gospel of Christ

1.      The gospel is

a.      The seed of the kingdom (Luke 8:11)

b.      The power of God unto salvation (Rom. 1:16-17)

2.      When we teach it to others, we do so because we trust it will do what God has designed it to do.

 

J.        To bear fruit (John 15:8)

 

Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

 

K.     To make the world a better place

1.      In I Corinthians 6:9-10, Paul lists 10 sinful practices that the Corinthians had been engaged in.

2.      I Corinthians 6:11

 

And such were some of you:  but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord, and by the Spirit of God.

 

L.      To overcome Satan

1.      Satan does not want us to evangelize.

2.      When we teach others, we are resisting Satan (James 4:7).

 

M.   Opportunity to teach the gospel.

1.      This is a divine message and an important message.

2.      We do not have to be in a classroom to teach it.

3.      Matthew 28:19

 

Go ye therefore and teach all nations…

 

N.    We get to apply the blood of Jesus to a sin-sick soul (Eph. 1:7; I Pet. 1:19; Rev. 1:5).

 

Unto him that love us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.

 

O.    To make me a better person

1.      Soul-winning makes one pray more, study more, and develop patience and longsuffering.

2.      II Timothy 2:225a

 

The servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient; in meekness instructing them that oppose themselves…

 

P.      To be free from the blood of others (Ezek. 3:19)

Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou has delivered thy soul.

 

Q.    To be a soul-winner (Prov. 11:30b)

 

…and he that winneth souls is wise.

 

R.     To have joy in the last day (I Thess. 2:19-20)

 

For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing?  Are not even ye in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?  For ye are our glory and joy.

 

S.      To hear the words:  “Well done thou good and faithful servant” (Matt. 25:21).

 

T.      So fewer souls populate hell.

1.      Conversion saves a soul from spiritual death.

2.      Romans 5:9

 

Much more then, being justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

 

IV.             SIMPLE CONVERSATIONS

 

A.    Many souls were saved by simple conversations in the Scriptures.

1.      The woman at the well (John 4:7)

 

Then cometh a women of Samaria to draw water:  Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.

 

2.      Philip with the eunuch (Acts 8:30)

 

And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?

 

B.      Simple things we can do.

1.      Questions:

a.      Are there things in the Bible you do not understand?

b.      When will you be 100 years from now?

c.       Are you living with hope beyond this life?

d.      Why don’t spiritual things interest you?

2.      Giving them something:  a tract, a CD, a DVD, a book.

3.      Do you have a minute?  Which question interests you more?

a.      Where did I come from?

b.      Why am I here?

c.       Where am I going?

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.    We all know at least one lost person.

 

B.      We all can influence at least one lost person.

 

C.     We can all commit to evangelizing one lost person.