Sunday, May 24, 2015 pm
EVANGELISM 2015
Jesus and Evangelism
We
have been devoting the 4th Sunday of each month to
evangelism. By evangelism I
simply mean, efforts that we put forth to reach the lost.
The word evangelism is based upon the Biblical Greek word from
which our English word evangelist (εὐαγγελιστής,
euangelistēs) is derived. It
means a proclaimer of the gospel.
The Greek word for Evangelist is derived from the word εὐαγγέλιον,
(euangelion) which is the word translated gospel in our Bibles.
We
have been examining attitudes that motivate us to try and reach the lost
and in coming months we want to make some practical applications.
Last month we began noticing examples of evangelism in the New
Testament. Reaching the lost
was important in the first century.
Acts 8:4 records how disciples when they were spread went
everywhere preaching the world.
We noticed several examples including Andrew who got his brother
Peter, Philip the apostle who brought Nathaniel to Jesus, Philip the
evangelist who went to both Samaria and the Eunuch, Aquila and
Priscilla, and we mentioned Jesus.
In
our lesson today we want to take a closer look at Jesus and reaching the
lost.
a.
It was important to Him
– He taught about evangelism.
b.
Luke 19:10, His purpose
for coming – to seek and save the lost.
On another occasion He said, “I have not come to call the
righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” (Luke 5:32)
c.
He trained His apostles
“to catch men” – Luke 5:10, Matt. 4:19 “fishers of men”
He commissioned them to reach the lost – Mark 16:15, Matt. 28:19-20,
etc.
And He did not limit that commission to the 12.
In Luke 10 we read of His sending out the 70 to teach.
d.
Jesus went to many
individually
i.
Zacchaeus – in
Luke 19:1-10, as Jesus was passing through Jericho, he saw Zacchaeus in
a tree looking for Him.
Jesus walks up to him, goes to his house and teaches him.
Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector.
ii.
Nicodemus –
John 3:1-8. Nicodemus was a
Pharisee, a ruler of the Jews.
He was religious. He
was part of a group of whom many would adamantly reject Jesus.
He came to Jesus at night to converse with Him.
Jesus told him he needed to be born again.
Beyond that He took time to explain it in more detail (Jn.
3:10-21)
iii.
The Rich, young ruler – Matthew 19:16-26, another young ruler comes to Jesus asking about
eternal life. This man did
many things right, but he had sin.
Jesus took time to talk with him and exposed that which he was
doing wrong. Sadly, the
ruler didn’t accept the truth.
e.
As we seek to follow
Jesus in all that we do (cf. 1 Cor. 11:1), let us learn from Him in this
also.
a.
In this text we have a
“case study” in seeking the lost.
There are many principles we can apply as we consider reaching
the lost today.
b.
Jesus did not isolate
Himself from the world
– (4:4) He interacted with people.
Jesus was not one who advocated monesterial life (isolationism).
He was continually busy interacting with the public (cf. Luke
4:43). He associated
with His disciples, but also with the crowds wherever He went.
And He was always seeking opportunities to teach someone.
At times He went places that the self-righteous would avoid.
Going to Samaria is an example of this.
We learn from Jesus that we will NEVER reach the lost by staying home.
While we certainly are not of the world, we are in the world!
John 17:14-15 as Jesus
prayed for His disciples.
c.
He went to a Samaritan – The fact that Jesus chose to go through Samaria is a lesson
in itself (4:4). While there
he spoke with this woman.
There are many factors to consider – she was a Samaritan (despised by
the Jews), a woman, of immoral character (which Jesus knew of), etc –
but Jesus still spoke with her.
Jesus did not limit His teaching to a select class.
He would teach whoever and wherever there was one searching.
Notice the examples mentioned earlier – Zacchaeus – a tax
collector, Nicodemus – a Pharisee, etc.
Luke 5:31, while being criticized for eating with tax collectors
and sinners, Jesus said, “Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who
are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not
come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”” (Luke
5:31–32)
1 Cor. 5:9-11 – associate with the worldly to teach them.
NOTE: This does NOT
mean we partake of their evil deeds:
Jesus set the example of interacting! (cf. 2 Cor. 6:14-18 still
applies to us!)
Thought: Typically, it
is those who have struggles in this life that are more likely to be
receptive. Those whose lives
are well ordered are less likely to give that up for God (though some
will and we cannot avoid them either!!!)
NOTICE also that in
doing this Jesus demonstrated proper behavior – He was not prejudiced,
not self-righteous, and He was kind in dealing with her.
d.
He sat at the well
– looking for someone to come (4:5-6).
The woman came to Him.
Jesus didn’t wait for someone who would initiate a conversation
with Him. He didn’t wait for an invitation to teach.
He made the opportunity and spoke up.
Just a reminder – if we are going to fish for men, we have to go where
the fish are! We can’t fish
in “the barrel of our building”.
Haggai 2:19, “Is the seed still in the barn?”
e.
He asked for water
(4:7-8) – He started with something in common – the need for water.
He asked her for water.
It was a way to see if a conversation could be started.
This also established something of interest to both.
There is something to be said about starting conversations like this.
Sometimes this is the challenge – get the courage to even say
hello.
On a plane, after a greeting, “Where are you going?”
Often you have something in common – a place of residence or a
reason to go to a particular place”
You see someone reading a Bible, introduce yourself and see if a
conversation can start.
A coworker has a job in common.
Your opportunity may end there, but you don’t know.
f.
He turned the conversation from physical to spiritual matters
– After conversation about the woman drawing water for Him, Jesus turns
the conversation in a spiritual direction – from physical water to
living waters that with which you will never thirst again. (4:10)
NOTICE how this piqued the woman’s interest.
To reach the lost, this has to happen eventually.
You cannot fish for opportunities if you never turn the
conversation toward spiritual matters.
You may be in agreement politically or socially, but that will
not win souls.
When possible, a good place to start this is with common ground as well.
That was typical of scripture.
- Philip began with the scripture the Eunuch was reading (Ac. 8:30).
- Acts 13:16-19 as Paul is in Antioch speaking to Jews he begins the God
of Israel and His plans.
- Acts 17:22-23, in Athens, to idolaters, “I perceive that you are
religious…”
With time and practice we can learn to turn conversations to spiritual
matters.
NOTE: This will never
happen if spiritual matters are not on your mind!
THIS might simply be
an invitation to worship services or a Bible study.
g.
He did not ignore her sinful condition,
but He was not harsh with her either (4:16-19).
It is a challenge to wisely know when to address specific sin in one’s
life. It needs to be handled
with diplomacy. (Col. 4:6)
But it has to be addressed if one is to truly repent and obey.
You do not do one a favor by pressing on while ignoring sin in their
life.
HOWEVER, we must use restraint in our conversation.
Jesus did on this occasion.
He did not treat this woman like the hypocritical leaders he
dealt with. (cf. Jude 22-23)
h.
He did not avoid
doctrinal error either!
(4:19-26)
It needed to be confronted.
The worship of the Samaritans was wrong!
Jesus dealt with it.
She expressed what she understood, and Jesus taught her beginning with
that point.
If people believe error, it needs to be exposed BEFORE they respond.
Or else they may simply be deceived into thinking they are fine
where they are at.
i.
BUT, in this Jesus also gave her hope.
(4:26), after all the conversation Jesus identified Himself as the
Messiah. He gave her the
TRUTH to consider and she did.
In teaching others, we eventually need to get to the truth of the
gospel. We are lost, we need
the blood of Jesus and how we come in contact with that blood (cf. 1
Cor. 15:1-5, Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38, etc.)
a.
After this, the woman
believed, or at least she expressed a desire to learn more (4:27-30)
b.
She also went and told
the men of the city about Jesus – she didn’t keep it to herself (4:30)
c.
Jesus continued
teaching, this time His disciples –among the things He told them was to
lift up their eyes and look because the field is white unto harvest
(4:34-38) and also He noted that you never know when you are watering
seed that has already been planted.
d.
The Samaritans of that
city come out and speak with Him.
They invite Him to stay, and He does for 2 days (39-42).
As a result they believe in Him.
Thought: Devote adequate time to studying with one about the
truth.
And
thus we find Jesus as an example of reaching the lost.
Let us learn from Him in this as we do in other matters.
The future of the Lord’s church depends upon our willingness to
look for the lost and to plant seed in their hearts.
Are you doing your part in this?