Lesson 4: "Personal Evangelism"
I. We must understand the mission of the church.
a. Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16.
b. 1 Timothy 3:15.
c. These passages emphasize that the primary mission of the church is to teach and preach the gospel to the lost and to uphold the truth before an unbelieving world.
d. How does the church function in accomplishing this all-important task?
i. Ephesians 4:11-16.1. The body accomplishes its work only by the effectual working of “every member.”
2. The church doesn't function as an abstract unit But By the activity of the members,
3. The church will evangelize the world only as the individual members teach and preach wherever they have opportunity,
4. While supporting men to give their full time to preaching and teaching is authorized in the scriptures, the New Testament makes it plain that we cannot pay anybody to do by proxy that which God has assigned to each of us.
II. Some reasons why every Christian should strive to teach others.
a. To be like Christ. Matthew 9:35-39; 10:25; Luke 19:10.
b. To be like the early Christians.
Act 5:42 “And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.”
Acts 8:4 “Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.”
Philippians 1:14 “and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.”
Philippians
2:12-16 “Therefore, my beloved, as
you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in
my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
13
for it is God who works in you both to
will and to do for His good pleasure.
14
Do all things without complaining and
disputing, 15
that you may become blameless and
harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and
perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
16
holding fast the word of life, so that I
may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored
in vain.”
c. To glorify God. John 15:2-8.
d. To have “fellowship” (Joint participation, partnership) in this greatest of all works - 1 John 1:3-4.
i. The need is unlimited (John 4:35-36).ii. If just preachers, elders, deacons and teachers engage in this work, the progress will be slow.iii. If every Christian were to lead jest one person to Christ in a Year, the membership would double.iv. But only by giving my time, talent, influence and effort to saving others can I have fellowship in this work.
e. To fulfill god's purpose in making me a Christian. Ephesians 2:10; 1 Peter 2:9.
i. What if I fail in this? James 4:17.
f. But more important than all of these, because I love the souls of others and a concerned about those who are lost.
i. The value of the soul - Mathew 16:26.ii. We have the example of God's Love. John 3:16; 1 John 4:10.iii. We have the example of Christ's love.iv. We owe an unpaid debt to those who were interested enough in our souls to teach us the truth and to those in need of the gospel.
Romans 1:15-16 “So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”
v. No stressing of “duty” and “responsibility,” no outlined program of personal work training can substitute for a sincere interest in the lost condition of others and a genuine love for souls.
III. What can the babe in Christ do in this work?
Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”