Acts 17 : 1-4 (NKJV)

1. Acts 17 : 1-4 (NKJV) 1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

2. Acts 17 : 1-4 (NKJV) 3explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.” 4And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas.

3. A Great Evangelistic Example Acts 17:1-4

4. Evangelistic Example • While we are all very aware of the need and command to evangelize, it seems as though the church does not grow as it did in the first century • One major reason for that is that many are not following the model set forth in the New Testament

5. Evangelistic Example • We know how frustrating it is to be told to do something without being told how to do it • God did not tell us to evangelize without showing us how to do it • Many of our examples come from Acts

6. Evangelistic Example • Often, the best way to learn how to do something is to watch someone else do it • That is a strategy that Christ employed with His apostles • The same is true of our efforts to evangelize

7. Evangelistic Example • One of the best at evangelizing in the New Testament was the apostle Paul • He was a fearless preacher of God who was responsible for many converts • Acts 17 gives us a peek into why he was so successful

8. Evangelistic Example • 1. Paul went to the people • “…they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them…” • Notice Paul did not wait for anyone to come to him, but rather he went where the people were

9. Evangelistic Example • 1. Paul went to the people • Often times our only effort to evangelize is when someone comes to us asking questions • Or perhaps our only effort is to make them come to us by inviting them to worship services

10. Evangelistic Example • 1. Paul went to the people • Here we see Paul specifically going to where the people are • He searched out souls and brought the gospel to them • Jesus said we are to “Go…” (Matt. 28:19; Mk. 16:15)

11. Evangelistic Example • 1. Paul went to the people • If we only ever wait on others to come to us, then we will not be very effective in bringing the lost to Jesus • Paul, as well as Jesus, showed us the importance of finding the lost and taking the gospel to them (Lk. 19:10)

12. Evangelistic Example • 2. Paul was patient with them • For some, the problem isn’t whether or not they share the gospel • The problem with some is that they have no patience • We often wonder why others have a hard time understanding what we see right in front of us

13. Evangelistic Example • 2. Paul was patient with them • We may wonder why it is not as plain to them as it is to us • Or perhaps we wonder why they are hesitant to obey what they say they believe • All these things can cause us to lose patience

14. Evangelistic Example • 2. Paul was patient with them • Paul spent 3 Sabbaths teaching these same people • For some 3 weeks Paul found himself (likely daily) teaching in the synagogue • Paul realized that you cannot rush some into this important decision

15. Evangelistic Example • 2. Paul was patient with them • Paul said that love, in the context of evangelism, is patient (I Cor. 13:4) • In the same way, God is longsuffering towards us all (II Pet. 3:9) • It is both difficult and downright scary for someone to change what they have believed all their life

16. Evangelistic Example • 3. Paul taught effectively • It matters not just what you teach, but how you teach it (Eph. 4:15) • Paul understood that and taught in 3 ways that we should consider teaching in as well • Using the scriptures as his source…

17. Evangelistic Example • 3. Paul taught effectively • He reasoned with them from the Scriptures • Reasoned = thoroughly discuss; think different things with oneself; to ponder; to dispute with others • Falsehoods and false doctrines must be disputed

18. Evangelistic Example • 3. Paul taught effectively • We see Paul using these same methods elsewhere (Acts 17:17; 18:4, 19; 19:8) • We see Paul reason with Felix in Acts 24:25 • Paul thought things through himself, then reasoned with others concerning the truth

19. Evangelistic Example • 3. Paul taught effectively • The Bible also teaches that Paul was explaining things about Christ to them • Explaining = open thoroughly; expound; open the mind, cause to understand • The word literally means “to open” as in eyes (Acts 7:56) or mind (Acts 17:3)

20. Evangelistic Example • 3. Paul taught effectively • Paul was also described here as demonstrating Christ’s death, burial and resurrection • Demonstrating = to place beside or set before • It refers to the idea of laying out facts or proofs to get across the idea

21. Evangelistic Example • 4. Paul taught Jesus • The Bible clearly shows that Paul was reasoning, explaining, and demonstrating things concerning Jesus • Christ should be the focus and center point of our discussions with others on religious matters

22. Evangelistic Example • 4. Paul taught Jesus • The very first gospelsermon in Acts 2 focused and centered around Jesus • Once people agree that Jesus is in fact God in the flesh and understand His authority, then we can begin to look at obeying what He teaches

23. Evangelistic Example • 4. Paul taught Jesus • Notice what Philip did with the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8 • “Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him” (v. 35) • We need to preach Jesus just as Paul and others did