The Need for Personal Work

Edited/arranged by: M. Allen.  Most material originally by Brent Hunter

 

FILING INFORMATION:

98015

SUBJECT: Personal Work/Evangelism

Preached Originally: 3/8/98 - Rapid City, SD

 

I.  Introduction.

A.  The greatest need today is for the church to get back to its mission and "seek and save the lost" (Luke 19:10)!

1.    God could have done anything he wanted with His Son but He made Him a soul-winner!

2.    The first twelve men Christ chose were soul winners except Judas -- and he was a traitor to the cause.

B.     The church has many capable workers in the huddle but is in desperate need of personal workers out in the field (Luke 10:1-2).

C.    Christ needs you. He is the head but you are His hands and feet (Ephesians 1)

1.    He can't get His work done unless you do!

2.     Let's not betray that coveted trust He gives us --to teach the lost (Hebrews 5:12).

3.    We are to be the light and salt of the world (Matthew 5:13-14)

a.    Salt both seasons and preserves.

b.    We need personal contact. How can we preserve anything sitting on a shelf?

D.    What we all need is more genuine concern for the lost.

1.    Paul's heart had "great grief and unceasing sorrow" over those lost (Romans 9:1-3).

a.    Illustration -- If everyone had a terminal illness and you found the cure, would you share it or keep it to yourself?

b.    Walk down the street in your neighborhood and look at the houses. How many are lost (Jude 22; Matthew 7:12)?

c.     The Need is Fulfilled through the Lord's Plan of Evangelism.

E.    The early church carried out the great commission in 29 years!

1.    Jesus spoke Mark 16:16 in A.D. 33

2.    Paul wrote Colossians 1:23 in A.D. 62

3.    The Lord's plan is most effective.

a.    Obviously, the Lord adds people to His church as they are saved (Acts 2:41;47), but in regards to church growth (as those who are converted teach others, who teach others, who teach others, etc.) the Lord's plan is multiplicative.

b.    If just one individual converted five per year, and after a year each of his converts did the same, at the end of the second year there would be 25, the third 125, the fourth 625, the fifth 3,125, the sixth 15,625, and so on until the fourteenth year when SIX BILLION people would be reached. Since the whole world has less than 5 Billion people, in just 14 years the whole world would be Christian.

4.    If every member of the church converted just one a year, (assuming we begin with @ 2,000,000) and they in turn converted just one, in just 18 years the whole world could be converted.

a.    Teaching is the second half of Christianity

b.    Evangelism is not complete until the evangelized become the evangelist (II Timothy 2:2)!

5.    This is only a theoretical example of course, (Matthew 5:13-14) shows that since not all have honest hearts, in actuality many will reject the gospel message! However, if more had an opportunity to hear, no doubt countless more would respond!

F.    The Scope of the Need -- the Field is the World (Matthew 13:38).

1.    Red and yellow black and white, they are all precious in His sight!

a.    We are to teach every creature (Matthew 13:38).

b.    Opportunities are unlimited (John 4:35-38).

c.     The Great Commission did not limit who we were to teach.

d.    When Jesus said "the fields are white unto the harvest," he was not referring to white and middle class!

2.    We will discuss this more under the lesson entitled "Finding Prospects."

 

II.   Eight Reasons Why "I"-You- Need to be a Personal Worker.

A.    It is a direct command (Matthew 28:18-20).

1.    We'd never dream of forsaking the Lord's supper or lying or stealing, yet we think very little of disregarding our Savior's last words to go teach. It is not an optional thing (See Hebrews 5:12).

2.    The Great Commission stipulates all who hear and believe are to be baptized and then tell others.(Though originally given the twelve this is certainly implied.)

3.    Let's not make the great commission, the great omission (Acts 4:19-20)!

a.    "Go ye" means "go me".

b.    Christ said "go" not "invite". Instead of an outreach we have an indrag!

4.    Remember, all of us, male and female, are priests. We are part of a "royal priesthood." (I Peter 2:8). What did the priest do? They studied the law and taught (blessed) the people! If we are to be more than priests in name only, we must study God's word, and bless people with the gospel so they can receive the forgiveness of their sins!

1.    Is our model physical Israel (which had a national focus, mainly concerned about keeping the lineage pure so Christ could come) or spiritual Israel, the church, (which had an international focus, and looked outward as well as inward)?

2.    The very reason why we are not taken by the Lord right away once we come to Him, is so that once we have been called out, we can go back into the world and call others out as well!

B.     It is necessary for self-preservation (John 15:16).

1.    Like the barren fig tree we must produce -- or be cut down (Luke 13:6-9)!

a.    Employer-Employee. If employee was not doing his job right --"but they're not causing any trouble" -- how long would you keep him!

b.    Personal evangelism is one of the best means of personal growth.

2.    If we don't teach their blood is on our heads (Acts 18:6, Ezekiel 3:18)!

a.    People won't listen? Maybe so, but at least you are no longer responsible.

b.    We are called to faithfulness -- not results (Romans 5:1, I Corinthians 3:6)

c.     Noah preached 120 years -- no results -- yet he never quit. If he had, do you think it would have pleased God?

3.    Illustration -- "Some hot advice for cold Christians"

C.    It should be a natural result of our Love for others.

1.    What greater gift could you give to someone you love than to help him save his soul?

a.    If we really loved our fellow man we wouldn't keep the gospel to ourselves.

b.    We love to share our favorite health remedy with all who have the ailment.

c.     Yet, we too often rarely share the greatest remedy on earth -- the gospel (James 5:20, Romans 1:16)!

D.    Because of the value of a soul.

1.    We will never really consider the lost until we stop and count the cost!

2.    In this day and age man knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. Our soul is our most valuable possession (Matthew 16:26, I Peter 1:18-20).

E.    Because we need to be like the early church.

1.    The church is said to have a two-fold purpose - gather the saved and scatter the seed.

2.    The early church went everywhere preaching (Acts 8:4, 26:20)!

3.    This is what they lived for -- it was the impelling force of their lives.

F.     Because of the terror of the Lord (II Corinthians 5:11).

1.    Do we really believe in Hell and that our friends are going there (Mark 16:16)?

2.    It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Hebrews 10:31).

G.    Because we are a Debtor.

1.    Paul was a debtor to teach (Romans 1:14-17).

a.    With all Christ has done for us, this is the least we can do for Him -- share the gospel with others (II Corinthians 5:14-15).

H.    Because of the Joy of Being a Personal Worker.

1.  First, there is the joy you give your heavenly Father.

a. You can cause the angels to rejoice (Luke 15:7).

b.    You can make God smile and have a joyous effect on Deity!

2.    Second, there is the personal joy you experience.

a.    Paul referred to his "joy and crown" (Philippians 4:1)

b.    John states he had "no greater joy than to hear of my children walking in the truth" (III John 4).

1.    There isn't a more satisfying feeling than to see someone you've taught obey the truth and then continue to witness a transformed life!

2.    You in one sense become immortal and live through others...shine as the stars even after you die (Daniel 12:3).

3.    We need to have more vision in the church!

a.    "It doesn't take much vision to see how many seeds are in each apple -- but it does take vision to see how many apples are in each seed!"

 

III.  You Must Fulfil this Need or the Church will decline and suffer greatly.

A.    The "lifeblood" of any congregation is its teaching program.

1.    If a church becomes apathetic about this they are doomed (Rev. 3:15-16).

a. The church would not edify as it should and would soon lose its influence.

b.    Internal problems always arise when we look inward instead of outward.

c.     Without personal workers the church will stagnate and die!!

2.  What Have You Been Doing For the Lord in Regards to Saving Lost Souls?

a.    Are you wise (Prov. 11:30)? Do you have beautiful feet (Rom. 10:14-15)?

b.    Are you following Christ and His mission (I Corinthians 11:1)?

B.    A Few Objections considered

1.    "Not enough talent?" Consider Matt. 25:14-30 the parable of the Talents.

a.    They all had some talent...what are you doing with what you have?

b.    Everyone can be involved in some way.

2.    "Afraid"? So was the one talent man and He was called into judgment.

a.    The gospel is the power -- it works!!

b.    Just let it shine through you.

3.    "Don't know much"- Share what you do know.

IV.  Conclusion.

A.    Trust in God my friend. He believes you can do it, so do it!

1.    Do you? Will you?

2.    This is perhaps the greatest test of our spirituality (Matthew 7:16).

B.    The answer lies in ten of the shortest yet most powerful two letter words in the language: "If it is to be it is up to me."

1.    God doesn't need POWER (He dipped his hand into chaos and spoke into existence the universe)! He doesn't need BEAUTY, (one look at the grand crayon or beautiful sunset makes that abundantly clear), but he does need YOU (committed men and women who are willing to do His cause and His bidding on the planet earth)!

C.   Are You Committed?

D.   I N V I T A T I O N