GO
TELL EVANGELISM
CHAPTER
2
OUR WITNESS FOR CHRIST
A.
WHY SHOULD WE WITNESS?
1. Because it Glorifies God - John
15:8
Our purpose for living is to glorify God. He alone deserves our
praise, worship, and service. Sharing the gospel brings glory
to the Lord.
2. Because of the Joy it brings to:
a. To God and all in Heaven - Luke 15:1-10
Sharing
the gospel brings joy to all in Heaven.
b. Those who believe in Christ -
Acts 8:5-8
Philip
went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them and many
trusted in the risen Christ to save them and forgive their sins.
After they believe in Christ the Bible says, "there was great joy
in that city."
c. The Christian who wins another to Christ -
Philippians 1:1 -
4:23
Psalm
126: 6 - "He that goth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed,
shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bring his sheaves with
him."
There are no words that
can really describe the joy that comes in leading a person to Christ.
You will have to experience it for yourself.
The
gospel brings great joy to all involved.
3. Because it is Our Privilege to Share the Gospel -
1 Thessalonians 2:4
God could have chosen angels to carry the message of salvation, but
He didn't. He gave every Christian the privilege and responsibility to
be a carrier of the gospel. There is no greater joy than to be used
of God in leading a person to Christ. What a privilege to share in the
mission and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ.
4. Because God Commands us to Witness - Mark
16:15
We
Witness because the Lord has told us to do it.
Obeying God must have preeminence over obeying our fears, or anything
that keeps you from witnessing.
5. Because the Need is Real -
Luke 16:23-26; John 3:18,36;
2 Corinthians 5:11; 1Thessalonians 1:8,9
God
is real. Heaven is real, and Hell is real. People die
every day condemned to eternity in Hell because they have not trusted in
the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. We witness because we
don't want anyone going to Hell when they die.
B. WHY
DON'T WE WITNESS?
It
is not a great mystery why most christians never win a soul to Christ.
They never try. This is absolutely inexcusable.
There
are several reasons why Christians don't share the gospel.
1. Because of Fear.
We
can talk about current events, politics, sports, our spouse, children,
boyfriend, girlfriend, and everything that is important, or means
anything to us. But, when it comes to explaining to someone
how they can be saved, we get scared to death and never say a word. This
"fear" that we all experience does not come from God.
2
Timothy 1:7- 8 - "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear,
but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be
not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor
of me His prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the
gospel according to the power of God."
a. Fear is Normal in Evangelism.
1).
Paul admits to
experiencing fear -
1 Corinthians 2:3
2). Peter and John had fear in evangelism -
Acts 4
b. You Can Overcome Fear in
Evangelism.
2. Because We Don't Know How to Share the Gospel with Others.
A
lot of Christians don't witness because they don't want to say the wrong
thing. This is a valid concern, but not a valid excuse for
not witnessing during a lifetime of a Christian. God's word tells
us to "to be diligent to become an approved workman for God"
(2Timothy 2:15).
3. Because We are Not Following Christ -
Matthew
4:19 - Jesus
said, "Follow Me and I will make you fisher of men."
This
is Discipleship 101. The basic meaning of a disciple is a follower
of a teacher, philosopher, or rabbi with the assumption that the pupil
would become like his teacher. A
disciple of Jesus Christ is first of all: a believer who chooses to
follow Christ. A disciple of Christ is teachable and
desires to obey the Lord.
Our
ultimate goal is to be more like Him. The
Lord Jesus Christ was a fisher of men.
Follow Him and He promises to make you a fisher of men.
4. Because We are Not Living by the Power of the Holy Spirit -
Acts
1:8 - "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit
is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in
Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the
uttermost part of the earth."
C. HOW TO OVERCOME YOUR FEAR IN WITNESSING
How
did the Apostles (Paul, Peter and John) overcome their fear of
witnessing?
1. Pray To God About Your Fear
to
Witness.
Prayer
is the key to effectively sharing the gospel.
a. Pray for God's power.
Acts
1:8 -
1
Corinthians 2:3-5
-
b.
Pray for boldness.
Ephesians
6:18-20 -
Acts
4:29-31 -
Don't
ask,
“How can I avoid fear in evangelism?” That is the wrong question.
We need to pray. Ask the Lord to give
you courage, boldness and power. You don't have to be scared to death at
the thought of witnessing. Boldness
in evangelism is the courage to speak with freedom, plainness, and
confidence about the Lord.
c. Pray
for wisdom to know how to approach people with the gospel.
James
1:5 -
d. Pray for clarity as you share the gospel.
Colossians
4:4 -
2. Focus on the
Message of the Gospel – John 3:16-18; Acts 4:12
Romans
1:16, 17 - "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it
is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to
the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the
righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, The
just shall live by faith."
The
Power of God is the Gospel of Christ. That is why we are told in
scripture to share the gospel, not our faith!
We
are to live our faith. Share the gospel of Christ.
PUT
YOUR FAITH INTO ACTION BY SHARING THE GOSPEL!
The message of
Christ's death and resurrection is the most amazing power in the
universe. The
Greek word for "power" is dunamis. The English words dynamite
and dynamo are derived from this word. The gospel is so
powerful that it takes every person who "believes in Christ"
all the way to Heaven.
The
gospel is God's spiritual dynamite which breaks the granite-like
heart of the believing sinner into dust and it is God's spiritual
dynamo that produces and builds a new and better life for those
who live by faith.
3. Focus
on Your Relationship with the Lord – Acts 4:13
4.
Focus on the Needs of Others – Acts 4:18-20
5.
Realize you are an Ambassador of the King of Kings –
2 Corinthians 5:20; Ephesians 6:20
6. Learn
How to Share the Gospel.
Obeying
God must have preeminence over obeying our fears. Learning to witness
will help you to witness in spite of your fear. The more you witness,
the more comfortable you will become in telling others about the
Lord.
D.
BE A WITNESS
FOR CHRIST.
1. The Words We Speak.
1 Thessalonians 2:4 - "But as we were allowed
of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we
speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our
hearts."
Romans 1:16 - "For I am not ashamed of the gospel
of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to
every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the
(Gentiles)."
2. The Testimony We Live.
2 Corinthians 3:2,3 - "Ye are our epistle written in
your hearts, known and read of all
men: for as much as ye are manifestly declared to be the
epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but
with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but
fleshy tables of the heart."
2
Corinthians 6:3 - "Give
no offense in any thing, that the ministry be not
blamed: But in all things approving ourselves as the minister of God..."
E.
OUR MESSAGE IS A GREAT PART OF OUR WITNESS
1. Keep it Simple.
1 Corinthians 2:1,2 -
"And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with
excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony
of God, For I determined not to know anything among
you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified."
2
Corinthians 3:12 - "Seeing then that we have such hope, we
use great plainness of speech."
2. Keep it Clear.
Colossians 4:3,4 - "...Praying also for us, that
God would open unto us a door of utterance, to
speak the mystery of Christ, for
which I am also in bonds: That I may make it manifest (clear), as
I ought to speak."
3. Keep it Biblical.
The
main "issue" in witnessing is: GRACE VS WORKS. In
the Greek New Testament, the word, "gospel"
is the translation of the Greek noun euangelion (occurring 76 times)
“good news,” and the verb euangelizo„ (occurring 54 times),
meaning “to bring or announce good news.” Both words are derived
from the noun angelos, “messenger.
The
sad news is that many "Christian" Denominations, all
Religions, and Religious Cults teach works for salvation. None
of the faith plus add-ons are conditions for eternal life.
The
Apostle Paul Defines the Gospel:
1 Corinthians 15:3-5 - "For I delivered unto you first
of all that which I also received, how that
Christ DIED for our sins according to the scriptures:
And that He was BURIED, and that He ROSE again the
third day according to the scripture : And that He was SEEN..."
The
Apostle Paul summarizes the most basic ingredients of the gospel
message, namely, the death, burial, resurrection, and appearances of the
resurrected Christ.
a. This is the one place where the historical elements of the
gospel are clearly defined.
Our
responsibility is to make the gospel clear and Biblical. But
in order to do so, we must have a clear understanding of what the gospel
means in the New Testament.
These
verses, give us the heart of the gospel. Note the four clauses
introduced in verses 3-5.
b. The Apostles Paul in defining the gospel uses four
verbs:
1). Christ Died.
1
Corinthians 15:3 -
"...Christ died for our sins according to the
scriptures (Biblical proof that He died)."
The
word "for" (hyper) conveys the idea of "on account of,"
i.e., to deal with our sins. Christ died
as our substitute. He died in our place. He took our punishment. He
died for our sins. That
He died for our sins implies that we are sinners in need of forgiveness.
Examples
of Old Testament Scriptures:
Isaiah
53:5 - The
Prophet Isaiah, seven hundred years before Christ, prophesied, "He
was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our
iniquities."
Psalms
22:16 -
David wrote of the Messiah, "...they pierced my hands
and my feet" about a thousand years before the
Romans used the cross as the means of execution of the Lord Jesus
Christ.
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In
His Death He Would:
1. Be Betrayed by a Friend for Thirty Pieces of Silver -
Psalms 41:9; Zechariah 11:12.
2. Not Opened His Mouth, and like a Lamb to the Slaughter
- Isaiah 53:7.
3. Have His Beard Plucked Out and be Spit Upon – Isaiah
50:6.
4. Be Executed By Rulers - Psalms 2:1-2.
5. Have His
Garments Parted and Gambled for – Psalms 22:18.
6. Be Wounded for Our Transgression and Bruised for Our
Iniquities - Isaiah 53:5-6.
7. Have His Hands and Feet Pierced - Psalms 22:16;
Zechariah 12:10.
8. Not Have a Bone Broken - Psalms 34:20.
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2). Christ was Buried.
This
is physical proof that He died. The fact that He was buried
verified His death. This statement functions as
Jesus' death certificate. Only dead men are buried.
3). Christ Rose.
1
Corinthians 15:4 -
"...He rose again the third day according to the
scriptures" (Biblical proof of the resurrection).
He
arose attests to Christ's resurrection from the dead, which implies
that God accepted the sacrifice. A dead man cannot save anyone. A
Savior has to be alive. Only then can He offer and effect
salvation.
Romans
4:25 - "Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised
again for our justification."
Examples
of Old Testament Scriptures:
This is the second time Paul used the phrase "according to the
scripture." He wants us to know that, just as the death of
Christ was not a surprise, neither was His resurrection. When
the suffering and death of the Messiah is discussed this is often
followed by a declaration of His reign (Isaiah 53).
Psalms
16:10 -
David predicted the resurrection of the Messiah (Christ) when he said, "For you will not leave my soul in hell (sheol), neither
wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption."
Psalms
16:8-10 was cited by Peter in Acts 2:25-28, 31, and Psalms 16:10 by Paul
in Acts 13:35 as referring to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
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In
His Resurrection He Would:
1. Rise in Three Days - Psalms 16:10; Hosea
6:2.
2. Conquer Death - Isaiah 25:8.
3. Ascend to Heaven - Psalms 24:7-10.
4. Be Seated at God's Right Hand - Psalms 110:1. |
4). Christ was Seen.
This
is physical proof of the resurrection. There were many eyewitnesses
of the risen Christ. The fact that He appeared to others verified
His resurrection. The central ingredient of the gospel
message is two-fold: Christ died for our sins and He was raised
on the third day.
BIBLICAL
TRUTH:
The
gospel by which we are saved (What people are asked to believe) is
that Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead. The
death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the emphasis of our message. Jesus
Christ, the God/man has removed the barrier of sin. His death paid the
penalty for our sins and His resurrection made eternal life possible to
those who put their trust in Christ.
"Faith
Alone in Christ Alone, because Jesus Christ is Lord!"
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THE
GOSPEL
Most
Christians do not put themselves in the shoes of the
non-Christian who has never read the Bible, nor been to church,
nor really heard the gospel. Too often they glibly quote
John 3:16 and think they have given the gospel when that
non-Christian does not have a clue who "God's only begotten
son" is nor what it means that He "gave his Son."
Our minds are so full of what all that says that we need to
think like the unsaved so we can explain how to be saved and he
will "understand" Matt 13:23 it and not make a false
profession of faith.
Read "gospel" tracts and listen carefully to sermons
and it will shock you if you are discerning, how the gospel is
left out. Most will emphasize that "all have
sinned" and "the wages of sin is death" and then
leave out what ought to be the obvious next statement and that
is "Christ died for our sins." He paid the debt
in full and rose again. Now that is the gospel, the good
news that, is the "power of God unto salvation to everyone
that believes" Rom 1:16.
Many will say, Jesus died on the cross and think they have given the
gospel but don't forget the two thieves died on a cross.
Some say Jesus suffered on the cross but so did the thieves.
Others will say Jesus gave his life for us but millions gave
their lives for us in the second world war.
The
difference is Jesus gave his life, suffered and died "for
our sins." No one else could or did die for our sins
and that alone is why God can forgive us of our sins. This is
what people must "believe" and trust in to get them to
heaven.
Too
often people are told Jesus is the way and then exhorted to
"give your life to God" or "confess you
sins" or "confess Christ as Lord" or whatever.
No, "He that believes on the Son has life" John 3:36.
Remember
Matt. 7:22 when they said, "Haven't we done many wonderful
works in thy name" as their reason for expecting to go to
heaven. They were believing in what they were doing and not in
what Christ did to get them to heaven and thus were never saved,
or "born again" and will hear him say, "I never
knew you."
Some are told to "give your heart to Christ" or to
"give you life to God." No, we are told, not to
give God something but to receive the Lord Jesus as you own
Savior (John 1:12), for "He that has the son has life"
1 John 5:12.
Dear friends, do you want to be an effective soul-winner? Do you
want to see more people saved through your preaching? This is
not splitting hairs. This is the difference between heaven and
hell, being saved or lost.
We
must be careful to give the "gospel." Many think
they have when they have not told "Christ died for our
sins." You will be wise and see more results if you say it
over and over again in your sermon or witnessing. People often
do not catch it the first time they hear the gospel.
Let's get the gospel to "every person." Good gospel
tracts are an excellent way to begin doing this. May the dear
Lord help us to plant a lot of seed and see many souls come to
Christ and help really change the world -
(Dr. C. Sumner
Wemp - http://www.sumnerwemp.com/series/the_gospel.htm)..
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c. The Apostle Paul gives a warning to make sure that the gospel
we preach is the same gospel as He preached.
Galatians 1:6-10 - "I (Paul) marvel that ye are so soon
removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another
gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble
you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But
though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other
gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be
accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If
any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let
him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I
seek to please men? for if I yet please men, I should not be the
servant of Christ."
F.
We must be ready to offer more than tidbits of the truth.
Colossians
4:6 - "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with
salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man."
1. We Can't Just Say:
a. "God loves you" - That
Biblical truth alone does not save anyone.
b.
"I will pray for you" - Praying alone is not enough.
We
must be prepared to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our
responsibility is to share the gospel message and the Lord will give the
increase.
2. It is Amazing
What Some People Tell Unbelievers to do in
Order to be Saved:
a. "Give your heart to Jesus"
b. "Ask Jesus into your heart"
c. "Commit your life to Christ"
d. "Join ________ ________ Church"
e. "Make Jesus Lord and Master of your life"
f.
"Believe in God"
g.
"Obey the Ten Commandments"
h.
"Surrender Your Life to Christ"
i.
"Ask Jesus into your life"
There
is not a verse in the Bible that tells people to do the above in order
to be saved. The question: "What must I do to be saved?"
is a simple question with a simple answer. Satan has blinded many
into falling for the lie that the answer is more complex.
In
Acts 16:30 - 31 the Bible records the question with the
correct answer. "...What must I do to be saved? And
they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt
be saved..."
