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The gospel and personal evangelism

The gospel and personal evangelism. (1) A desire to be obedient Evangelism wasn’t an idea thought up by traveling revivalists or marketing specialists.

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The gospel and personal evangelism

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  1. The gospel and personal evangelism

  2. (1) A desire to be obedient • Evangelism wasn’t an idea thought up by traveling revivalists or marketing specialists. • It was the risen Lord Jesus Christ who commanded his disciples to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19). Why should we evangelize?

  3. One of the clearest places in the New Testament where we find the command to evangelize is 1 Peter. • 1 Peter 3:15-”Be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” • Peter says that to do this is part of setting apart Christ as Lord, that is, of obeying him. Why should we evangelize?

  4. (2) Love for the lost • It is not only a godly but a Christ-like thing to have mercy on those in need. • John 3:16-”For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” • We were the objects of God’s saving love, so we should show such love to others. Why should we evangelize?

  5. Matthew 9:36- “When he (Jesus) saw the crowds he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” • Such compassion should mark us and motivate our evangelism. Why should we evangelize?

  6. Compassionate love marked the evangelism of Paul. • Romans 10:1-”Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.” • 1 Corinthians 9:22-Paul was willing to become “weak” if he needed to, in order to “save some.” Why should we evangelize?

  7. Augustine talked about this over 1500 years ago. Speaking of Jesus’ great command, he wrote: • “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” Now you love yourself suitably when you love God better than yourself. What, then, you aim at in yourself you must aim at in your neighbor, namely, that he may love God with a perfect affection. For you do not love him as yourself, unless you try to draw him to that good which you are yourself pursuing. For this is the one good which has room for all to pursue it along with thee. From this precept proceed the duties of human society. Why should we evangelize?

  8. Evangelism is a duty of the Christian, and it is a duty born of love for others. And it is a privilege. Why should we evangelize?

  9. (3) Love for God • Our love for people can prove inadequate. The motivating force of our whole life, including our evangelism, must be our love for God. Why should we evangelize?

  10. Love for God is the only sufficient motive for evangelism. Self-love will give way to self-centeredness; love for the lost will fail with those whom we cannot love, and when difficulties seem insurmountable, only a deep love for God will keep us following his way, declaring his Gospel, when human resources fail. Only our love for God---and, more important, his love for us---will keep us from the dangers which beset us. When the desire for popularity with men, or for success in human terms, tempts us to water down the Gospel, to make it palatable, then only if we love God will we stand fast by his truth and his ways. Why should we evangelize?

  11. Ultimately, our motive in evangelism must be a desire to see God glorified. We share the gospel to glorify God, which happens as we declare the truth about God to his creation. God is glorified in being known. The call to evangelism is a call to turn our lives outward from focusing on ourselves and our needs to focusing on God and on others made in his image who are still at enmity with him, alienated from him, and in need of salvation from sin. Why should we evangelize?

  12. We bring God glory as we speak the truth about him to his creation. We will not have this privilege in heaven; it is one of the special privileges of living now, in this fallen world. 1 Peter 2:12-”Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.” Why should we evangelize?

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