Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Two questions to ask...

One of my dear friends (Josh A.) posed a stirring question to a group of teenage boys. He had just spent 20-30 minutes sharing the Gospel with them. The boys were in a hurry to run off to a movie and as they were leaving Josh asked them a very simple but profound question. He stated it something like this: "More than likely I will never see you boys again so I want you to know that I have a genuine passion and compassion for you to know Jesus Christ. So, based on what I've told you tonight what is it that you find so unattractive about Jesus?" One of the young men replied "nothing". WOW! What a great question, I think that question will have an impact on these young men.

This next encounter occurred a few years ago. I was sharing the Gospel with a co-worker who became very angry and starting cursing (not at me-well, not entirely at me); he was taking God's name in vain and using a variety curse words. I informed him that it was not my desire to anger or offend him and that I was simply offering him the mercy that God affords us in His Son. I then informed him that I will pray that God opens his heart to what I've shared with him. Then I warned him that there will come a day when he draws his last breath and will stand before this God he so freely cursed and have to give an account for every thought, word and deed. That he would remember this conversation for all of eternity and would know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God had offered him mercy. But now -- it's to late. He turned white as a ghost and walked away.

Evangelism Training Session 8 -- Proclaim the Gospel—the Example of Jesus and the Apostles

(Mat 10:7) And proclaim as you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'

(Mat 10:27) What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.

(Mat 12:18) "Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.

(Mar 5:20) And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.

Proclaim = state publicly, announce, declare, state, make known, decree, assert, say publicly, broadcast, pronounce.


(Mar 16:15) And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.

(Luk 4:18) "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,

(Luk 4:19) to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

(Luk 9:2) and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.

(Luk 9:60) And Jesus said to him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God."

(Act 15:21) For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.

Why the emphasis on proclamation? We are making a factual, provable, historic statement – not a me oriented subjective assertion.

(Act 16:17) She followed Paul and us, crying out, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation."

(Act 17:3) explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ."

(Act 17:23) For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, 'To the unknown god.' What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.

(Act 26:23) that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles."

This is a simple but profound understanding – when we speak the Gospel amazing things happen.

Evangelism Training Session 7 "What is our Primary Apologetic?"

1Pe 3:15-22 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, (16) having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. (17) For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil. (18) For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, (19) in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, (20) because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. (21) Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, (22) who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

apologia
ap-ol-og-ee'-ah
From the same as G626; a plea (“apology”):
- answer (for self), clearing of self, defence.


Act 1:22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us--one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.“

Notice the sense of urgency.

Act 2:22-32 "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know-- (23) this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. (24) God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. (25) For David says concerning him, "'I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; (26) therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. (27) For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. (28) You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.' (29) "Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. (30) Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, (31) he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. (32) This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.

Notice the emphasis on the Resurrection in Peter’s argument. Not just NT argument.


Act 3:25-4:2 You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, 'And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.' (26) God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness." (4:1) And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, (2) greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

The resurrection was the offense.

Act 3:12-15 And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: "Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? (13) The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. (14) But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, (15) and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.

Healings are a picture of the resurrection. To the resurrection we are witnesses. There is NO historical argument that can refute the historical fact that Jesus rose from the dead—that is why the Apostles appeal to the resurrection as their proof.


Act 4:33 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.

The grace that comes with speaking the truth in love.

Act 17:18 Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, "What does this babbler wish to say?" Others said, "He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities"--because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection.

Act 17:32 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, "We will hear you again about this."

Act 17:33-34 So Paul went out from their midst. (34) But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.


Act 23:6 Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, "Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial."


The only message Paul was willing to die for.

Evangelism Training Session 6 "Who is our Authority?"

Mat 28:16-20 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. (17) And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. (18) And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (19) Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.“

Why do we understand that we have the right to go out…

Mar 16:9-20 [[Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. (10) She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. (11) But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it. (12) After these things he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. (13) And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them. (14) Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. (15) And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. (16) Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. (17) And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; (18) they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover." (19) So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. (20) And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.]]

The importance of the Resurrection – the proof of the Good News – it must be proclaimed.

Luk 24:13-53 That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, (14) and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. (15) While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. (16) But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. (17) And he said to them, "What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?" And they stood still, looking sad. (18) Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, "Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?" (19) And he said to them, "What things?" And they said to him, "Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, (20) and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. (21) But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. (22) Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, (23) and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. (24) Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see." (25) And he said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! (26) Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?" (27) And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

All of Scripture points to Jesus, therefore Christ and His Gospel is the preeminent message.


(28) So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, (29) but they urged him strongly, saying, "Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent." So he went in to stay with them. (30) When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. (31) And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. (32) They said to each other, "Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?" (33) And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, (34) saying, "The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!" (35) Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread. (36) As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, "Peace to you!" (37) But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. (38) And he said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? (39) See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." (40) And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. (41) And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?" (42) They gave him a piece of broiled fish,

We have news to tell – He is Risen!


(43) and he took it and ate before them. (44) Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled." (45) Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, (46) and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, (47) and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. (48) You are witnesses of these things. (49) And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high." (50) Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. (51) While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. (52) And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, (53) and were continually in the temple blessing God.

Jesus tells us all the nations (which includes Owasso) are to hear that repentance and forgiveness are in His name.


Act 1:4-9 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, "you heard from me; (5) for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." (6) So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" (7) He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. (8) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." (9) And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.


We live in the time between our Lord’s ascension and return. We are to be about the business of His kingdom not trying to turn Nod into Eden.