#3
“The Lord Is With You” Series
"THE LORD IS WITH YOU IN EVANGELISM!"
TEXT: Matt.
28:16-20
INTRO: One of the
more difficult things for Christians to do is to witness for Christ, to do the
work of evangelism. For many
Christians they just ignore this command!
The call of Jesus for us to witness to others was never a suggestion, it
was a command! Many things hinder
us in this area, mostly fear! Often
we are afraid of what others will think, or worse, that it won't make any
difference if we do share our faith!
God
clearly states however that He will be with us in evangelism! Yet even when we know He is there we
still are not sure about it!
ILLUS: Like
the man who was walking along a narrow path not paying much attention to where
he was going. Suddenly he slipped
over the edge of a cliff. As he
fell, he grabbed a branch growing from the side of the cliff. Realizing that he couldn't hand on for
long he called for help. THE man: "Is anybody up there?" Voice: "Yes, I'm here." the man: "Who's that?" Voice: "The Lord." the man: "Lord, help me!" Voice: "Do you trust me?" the man: “I trust you completely, Lord!" voice: "Good! let go of the branch!" the man: "What???" Voice: "I said, Let go of the branch!" THE man: [after a long pause!] “Is anybody else up
there?”
– Source Unknown
Like
this man, we often know God desires us to evangelize and that He will be with us
and help us but we still hold back hoping something else will come up to
distract us from following through!
PROP.
SENT: The Bible teaches
us that God promises to be with us when we witness to others, this means He will
make Himself real to us and through us to others! We have His Word on
this!
I. WINNING THE WAR! 28:16-18
A. Christ's
Commitment
28:16
1. Jesus would not ask His disciples
to fight a battle that He hadn't made winnable!!
a. This was one of the big lessons of
the
b. Christ would never ask us to do
what can't be done!
2. Christ's commitment to make the war
winnable for us was to die and settle the sin issue for
us!
3. He does the hard part, we just have
to share the news!
a. This was the point of this meeting,
to give instructions to them for proclaiming the best news since the world
began, that man could have a new beginning, he could be "born
again!"
b. When God proclaimed to Adam and Eve
that the wages of sin would be death He planned to take His own medicine, to
send His Son to die for us!
c. This is the gift of love ... and
life!
4. One of the great honors when war is
raging is the task someone is given to finally announce the end of that war,
that peace is now possible, that life would take priority over death ... that
enemies were no longer to be thought of as enemies.
a. This is the message of
Jesus!
b. He secured the peace accord with
God the Father by His own death!
c. And we have been selected to be the
messengers or heralds of "PEACE!"
B. Conviction & Conflict 28:17
1. As soon as they saw Jesus they did
what many of today still do!
a. They worshipped Him
...
b. And yet doubt was there
too!
2. The doubt here is not condemned, it
is merely reported; after all this news was quite
radical!
a. Like all wars when they first end,
the news of peace is sometimes hard to really believe, especially if the war
seemed impossible to win!
b. Jesus certainly recognized the
difficulty of faith here!
c. Certainly there are times when our
faith is small but that's ok if we continue to build on it! Small faith can become great faith in
time!
ILLUS: Years
ago when the
3. Jesus understood the difficulties
of belief, this news of God's salvation for man was quite
remarkable!
a. Faith grows in time as it
experiences God's reality.
b. God asks only for the faith of a
grain of mustard seed to get us doing great things for
Him!
c. The youngest baby in Christ can
realize dynamic spiritual realities with the little faith they act
upon!
4. Even in the midst of conviction
(they worshipped Jesus), conflict of faith existed ... this is often our
experience still today!
C. Commander
in Chief! 28:18
1. To help them realize this task was
achievable, unlike their earlier attempts at getting the message out, Jesus
emphasizes for them the present reality of Himself as the resurrected
Lord!
a. "All authority
in heaven and earth are possessed by Him!"
b. This is not the weak effeminate
Jesus often pictured by artists when they painted
Jesus!
c. This is the Lord of the Universe
and beyond!!!
2. There is no challenge to Christ's
authority here or in the heavens!
3. He is the SUPREME Commander in
Chief!
4. His orders for action carried the
weight of the greatest authority ... and the
a. Jesus wasn't looking for weak
disciples who were uncertain of their call or uncertain of their power to
effectively witness.
b. He wasn't calling into existence a
church that would sit around and look for having its needs met by a hired few
professionals!
c. The modern concept of church is so
unbiblical ... for us to sit and be entertained and inspired by moving sermons
only to return home and ignore those who are dying without Christ ... feeling
satisfied with having our own needs met, but ignoring those whose greatest need
of salvation goes ignored!
ILLUS: A
generation ago. Dr. F.B. Meyer said this
about the local Church: "IT
IS URGENTLY NEEDFUL THAT THE CHRISTIAN PEOPLE OF OUR CHARGE SHOULD COME TO
UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE NOT A COMPANY OF INVALIDS, TO BE WHEELED ABOUT, OR FED
BY HAND, COSSETED, NURSED, AND COMFORTED, THE MINISTER BEING THE HEAD PHYSICIAN
AND NURSE; BUT A GARRISON IN AN ENEMY’S COUNTRY, EVERY SOLDIER OF WHICH SHOULD
HAVE SOME POST OR DUTY, AT WHICH HE SHOULD BE PREPARED TO MAKE ANY SACRIFICE
RATHER THAN QUITTING!"
– Source
Unknown
5. Jesus is not just a "Santa Claus"
in the sky, He is the commander in chief of the most powerful and awesome
fighting force in the universe, the church!
6. We have been given a mission, not a
pew to warm, or to just have our needs met ... we are to be ON ACTIVE
DUTY!
a. This is possible because of Jesus'
authority!
b. Unlike a President's power as
Commander in Chief which comes to an end at the close of his term of office ...
God's never ends!
II. WITNESSING THE WAY! 28:19-20
A. Calling
the Church
28:19
1. "Therefore..." indicates that because of Jesus'
mission accomplished and the reality of His authority and call we are being
asked something!
a. Christianity WITHOUT demands is NO
CHRISTIANITY!
b. Christianity WITHOUT SERVICE is no
Christianity!
2. Therefore
what?
a. "GO AND MAKE
DISCIPLES..."
b. The call is pretty clear ... we are
to be witnesses for Christ!
c. This is not “THE GREAT SUGGESTION
... IT IS THE GREAT COMMISSION!”
3. Notice that there were no
qualifiers in His statement of purpose for the church!
a. Didn't say some should go, like
paid clergy!
b. Didn't say only those who are good
at speaking should go!
c. Notice too that He doesn't define a
certain territory, but “ALL THE WORLD!”
d. The extent of the command is quite
sweeping!
4. There is more to being a Christian
than just an uplifting worship experience ... there is the work or calling of
the church also, evangelism!
ILLUS: D.L.
MOODY ONE DAY WAS WALKING ALONG A STREET IN CHICAGO WHEN HE NOTICED A MAN
STANDING BY HIMSELF, GOING RIGHT UP TO THE MAN HE ASKED, "SIR, ARE YOU A
CHRISTIAN?" THE MAN'S RESPONSE WAS,
"WHY DON’T YOU MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS!"
MOODY REPLIED, "THIS IS MY BUSINESS!" ... Not just because he was a Minister but because
he was a Christian!
– Source
Unknown
5. You will note that this calling was
for far more than just making converts ... it was for making
disciples!
a. Just getting people saved doesn't
fulfill the great commission; we need to disciple them, to teach
them!
b. This is done by teaching by word of
mouth and also by example!
c. This is why the church needs small
groups for building relationships that enhance
discipleship!
6. As we disciple we baptize them in
the name of the FATHER, THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT.
7. In fact ... notice that making
disciples is stated first by influence or example before verse 20 mentions "teaching them to
obey everything!"
8. One of the greatest tools of
discipleship is EXAMPLES!
a. You don't have to be a gifted
speaker!
b. We need gifted
EXAMPLES!
B. Calculating the Costs!
28:20a
1. We are not talking about comfort
here ... or hoping that unsaved people will simply walk up to us or attend our
church and ask to get saved!
a. This may happen from time to time
... but we must understand that witnessing is a full time job, 7 days a week, 24
hours a day!
b. We are supposed to be FISHERS OF
MEN, not KEEPERS OF THE AQUARIUM!
c. Too often we want evangelism to be
easy or convenient!
ILLUS: LIKE
ONE OLD FARMER WHO WAS FISHING IN A TUB OF WATER IN HIS BACK YARD. HIS NEIGHBOR NOTICED IT AND OUT OF
CURIOSITY CAME OVER AND ASKED HIM, "MAN, THERE AREN'T ANY FISH IN THAT TUB, WHY
ARE YOU WASTING YOUR TIME LIKE THAT?"
"YEAH," THE FARMER REPLIED, "I KNOW THERE AIN'T NO FISH IN THERE, BUT IT
IS JUST SO POWERFUL CONVENIENT TO FISH THIS WAY."
– Source
Unknown
2. It just isn't always going to be
easy, the task of evangelism is everyone's task ... and it involves commitment
and sacrifice of time and energy!
3. Teaching others to obey everything
Jesus commanded means also that we are endeavoring to be obedient to His
commands as well!
a. This requires
discipline!
b. Certainly it requires
obedience!
c. It requires
effort
d. It requires all the saints’
involvement!
C. Confidence in Christ!
28:20b
1. Jesus adds here at the end the
encouragement that will help inspire us to try reaching out for
Him!
a. "and
surely I am with you always, to the very end of the
age."
b. There is no restriction on God's
promise here to those who are believers!
c. His promise is SURE, and the extent
of it is SPECIFIC, the end of the age!
2. Two things make evangelism a
guarantee:
a. The certainty of Jesus' death and
resurrection.
b. The promise of Jesus' presence with
us!
3. The real confidence we need for
witnessing comes from this promise of Jesus ... you are NEVER ALONE WHEN
WITNESSING FOR CHRIST, He is present when you are sharing
Him!
a. Jesus came to seek and save that
which was lost.
b. Therefore evangelism is a high
priority for His church, it is the fulfillment of the mission we have been
given by Christ!
ILLUS: MARTIN
LUTHER ONE DAY WAS DISCOURAGED AND READY TO LOSE CONFIDENCE IN GOD WHEN HIS WIFE
FOUND A WAY TO RESTORE HIS CONFIDENCE.
HE HAD QUIT EATING AND TALKING TO FRIENDS, SO SHE WENT AND DRESSED UP IN
WIDOW’S GARMENTS AND PRETENDED TO MOURN GREATLY. LUTHER WAS SURPRISED AND ASKED WHO SHE
WAS MOURNING OVER. "DEAR DOCTOR"
SHE SAID, "I HAVE CAUSE FOR THE SADDEST OF WEEPING, FOR GOD IN HEAVEN HAS
DIED!" HER POINT WAS MADE AS HE
REBUKED HER FOR SUCH A TERRIBLE THING TO SAY! SUDDENLY HE REALIZED THIS WAS HOW HE WAS
ACTING ... LIKE GOD HAD DIED. AND
SO COURAGE AND CONFIDENCE RETURNED FROM HIS WIFE'S UNIQUE REBUKE! GOD WAS VERY MUCH WITH HIM STILL, EVEN
IN HIS SELF-PITY!
– Source
Unknown
CONCLUSION:
Healthy organisms grow and reproduce. In reproducing, they don't just create
life; they nourish it and guide it.
It is not God's plan for us to just "go to church!" We are to be "the church" and "go to the
world" with the Gospel ("good news")!
Our message is that Christ is the "way, the truth,
and the life!" What
makes this call for action potentially successful? Jesus said, "I am with you
always, to the end of the age!" EVANGELISM WORKS IF WE
DO!