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Learn about evangelism, the church's role in sharing the gospel, and biblical passages emphasizing spreading the good news of Christ worldwide. Explore the importance of obedience to Christ and the Great Commission in sharing the message of repentance and forgiveness.
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Apologetics 101 January 22nd, 2008 Presented by: Randy Olsson
Evangelism Defined • The activity of the church in telling the gospel to sinners with the intent to bring them to a saving knowledge Christ – J.C. Macaulay • To present Christ Jesus to sinful men in order that through the power of the Holy Spirit they may come to put their trust in God through Him – J.I. Packer
Is to spread the good news that Jesus Christ died for our sins and was raised from the dead according to the scriptures and that as reigning Lord, He now offers the forgiveness of sins and the liberating gift of the Holy Spirit to all who repent and believe. Our Christian presence in the world is indispensable to evangelism and so it is that kind of dialogue who purpose is to listen sensitively in order to understand.
But evangelism itself is the proclamation of the historical, biblical, Christ as Savior and Lord, with a view of persuading people to come to him personally and be reconciled to God. In issuing the gospel invitation we have no liberty to conceal the cost of discipleship.
Jesus still calls all who would follow Him to deny themselves, take up their cross, and identify them selves with this new community. The results of evangelism include obedience to Christ, incorporation into His church and responsible service to the world. – Lausanne (1974)
The Commission… • Genesis 12:1-3 The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."
King David • 1 Chronicles 16:24Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.
Isaiah 66:20And they will bring all your brothers, from all the nations, to my holy mountain in Jerusalem as an offering to the LORD -on horses, in chariots and wagons, and on mules and camels," says the LORD. "They will bring them, as the Israelites bring their grain offerings, to the temple of the LORD in ceremonially clean vessels.
Jeremiah 3:17At that time they will call Jerusalem The Throne of the LORD, and all nations will gather in Jerusalem to honor the name of the LORD. No longer will they follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts.
Jesus • John 20:21 • Matthew 28:19-20 • Mark 16:15 • Luke 24:44 • Acts 1:8
John 20:21 • Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you."
Matthew 28:19-20 • Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Mark 16:15 • He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
Luke 24:47-49 • … Repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high
Acts 1:8 • “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
Only about half (53%) of "born again" Christians feel a sense of responsibility to tell others about their faith
Entrusted… • 1 Thessalonians 2:4“On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts.” • 1 Corinthians 4:1-2 “So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.”
Paul’s words to Timothy • “What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.” - 2 Timothy 1:13-15 • “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.” - 2 Timothy 2:2
To whom shall we go… • 1 John 5:19 “We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.” • Romans 3:12 “All have turned away; they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one."
John 8:24 Unbelieving • Luke 13:3 Unrepentent • Mark 16:16 Those who reject the gospel • 1 John 5:12 Those without Christ
All Nations • Revelation 5:9 • Revelation 7:9 • Revelation 15:4
The Task. The Opportunity. • Matthew 9:37Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. • Luke 10:2He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.
God’s Perspective on the Lost… • Mark 8:36 – Too valuable to be lost • Luke 19:10 – Jesus came for them • Mark 2:16-18 – To call the lost • 1 Timothy 1:15 - To save the lost • Romans 5:8 – Jesus died for sinners • Romans 4:25 – He was raised for us
God’s Heart • Matthew 18:12 – Jesus will leave to find… • 1 Timothy 2:3-6 – He wants… • Luke 13:34 – He longs… • Ezekiel 18:30-32 – He pleads… • Ezekiel 33:11 – He grieves…
Philemon 1:6I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.
What is our role? • Entrusted… • Witnesses: • One who can give a firsthand account of something seen, heard, or experienced:
Witness of God • Isaiah 43:10"You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.
Of Jesus Christ and His work • Acts 10:38-40 “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. "We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen.”
Of Jesus Christ and His work 2 Peter 1:16 - “We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eye-witnesses of his majesty.”
Of the Resurrection • Acts 2:32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. • Acts 3:15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. • Acts 5:32We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him."
Acts 13:30-31, 38-39 “But God raised him from the dead, and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people”…"Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses.
Of what you have seen • Acts 4:19-20 But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."
Of what God has done for you • John 9:25 - He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” • John 4:29 - "Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ ?"
Mark 5:15-20 – “When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well…., "Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.
Proclaim the Message • Testify Through Preaching: To proclaim or put forth. To advocate, especially to urge acceptance of or compliance with.
Romans 1:9God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you • Romans 1:15That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome
1 Corinthians 1:17For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel — not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. • Romans 1:16 “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. “
What is the gospel? • It’s preface… • The gospel itself… • The right response…
The Preface… • Isaiah 59:2 • Romans 3:10, 23 • Romans 6:23 • Ezekiel 18:4 • 1 John 1:8 • Romans 7: 7-13 • Galatians 3:22-25
2 Corinthians 5:11 Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. • Psalm 19:7The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
A matter of truth or falsehood… • John 8:55Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and keep his word.
John 16:7-11 “But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.”
Apologetics 1. Establishing Biblical Presuppositions • Romans 1:20For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. • Acts 17:23-25 • Acts 14:17
Evangelism Scale • Atheist • Agnostic • Deist • Theist • Monotheist • Seeker • Believer
What is Apologetics? 2. Giving Answers for the hope we have. 1 Peter 3:15But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect • The word answer comes from the Greek word apologia, from which we get our word apologetics, meaning a defense or vindication of what we believe. In other words, apologetics is not an apology for the faith, but a defense of the faith, and it presupposes that the faith we have given our life over to is defendable.
Apologetics • "I have carefully examined the evidences of the Christian religion, and if I was sitting as a juror upon its authenticity I would unhesitatingly give my verdict in its favor. I can prove its truth as clearly as any proposition ever submitted to the mind of man." Alexander Hamilton • “It is absurd to hold that a man ought to be ashamed of being unable to defend himself with his limbs, but not of being unable to defend himself with speech and reason, when the use of rational speech is more distinctive of a human being than the use of his limbs.” Aristotle
Apologetics 3. Defending the gospel (upholding truth propositions) • In Philippians 1:7 Paul speaks of his task as “defending and confirming the gospel.” He adds in, “I am put here for the defense of the gospel.” This implies that the defender of the gospel is out where her or she can encounter others and help preserve the truth.
Apologetics 4. Demolishing Arguments (refuting falsehoods) If Jesus is really Lord, then we should be obedient to him as it is stated in II Cor. 10:5 “we demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”