Sermon Tone Analysis

As we gather together for worship this morning, it is appropriate that we recognize that tomorrow our nation celebrates Memorial Day.

Memorial Day is often confused with Veteran’s Day, so if you are confused as to why we are not taking time to recognize our veterans, here is the reason.

Memorial Day is set aside as a time to honor those who died while in service in the United States Armed Forces.

Therefore, we will not be asking our veterans to stand to be recognized, although we deeply appreciate their service to this nation.

Memorial Day is exclusively for those who have given their life while serving.

It is unfortunate that in this day, so few Americans appreciate the sacrifice that was made by many others so that they could enjoy the freedoms they so richly embrace, even if they do not realize it.

Many people will hold a cookout today or tomorrow in honor of Memorial Day, without giving a single thought to the lives it represents.

What is worse, it is even common today to see people disrespect the very flag these men fought to see raised high above the land.

or speak negatively about the men and women who still fight to keep it safe.

When we see people in today’s culture disrespect the flag, bad-mouth the soldiers, male and female, who make sacrifices every day so that they can be free and safe, it is heartbreaking.

It turns most of our stomachs.

Am I correct?

However, that being the case, how do you suppose it affects God to see so many Christians disregard the sacrifice that was made by the One who paid it all for everyone?

As Christians, it would be equally wrong for us to celebrate Memorial Day without recognizing Jesus Christ, the One who truly bought our freedom for good.

It is important that we recall the sacrifice He made, and why He did it.

And, at the same time, understand how we might best honor His sacrifice.

Many people feel they honor His sacrifice by coming to Church.

However, worship is not enough to please God.

The Bible says that God desires obedience, not sacrifice.

Now, before you sit here and think you have that side covered, the Bible says that if a person breaks a single law, they are guilty of breaking all of it.

There is one are that the majority of Christians are significantly deficient in their obedience, even if they are not aware of it: Evangelism.

For most people, their failure is in large part because they do not understand the nature of Evangelism.

Evangelism is not a calling, it’s a command.

It’s not optional.

Each and every Christian is commanded to be a witness for Jesus Christ.

Therefore, it is impossible to claim obedience to Christ, to truly honor Christ, unless you are sharing what Christ has done.

So, this morning, we are going to look at a passage in the Old Testament so that we can better understand the Nature of Evangelism in hopes that as we celebrate Memorial Day, and every other day of the year, we will become more committed to Christ’s command to make Disciples.

Background

The city of Samaria was currently under seige by the Aramean army.

King Joram was trapped in the city along with his people.

No one could get in or out, and the city was on the verge of starving to death.

People were so hungry that they were buying donkey heads and dove dung at astronomical prices for food, and women had even resorted to eating their own children.

There was no way to get food into the city or for the people to get out of the city to find food elsewhere.

One evening, the central figures of this story, known only as four leapers, began discussing what they should do.

As leapers, they lived in small huts just outside the city.

Like everyone else, they were starving.

They decided that whether they went into the city or stayed where they were, they would eventually starve to death.

So, they decided to do the only thing they could.

They took a chance.

Rather than accepting certain death, they decided to go to the enemy camp, to see if they could get some food there, At the worst, they would be killed by the enemy, what many would argue would be more favorable to a slow death through starvation.

What these men didn’t know was that at the same time they left the city to head towards the enemy camp, God caused the enemy to hear the sound of a great army.

Fearing the King of Israel had hired reinforcements, the Aram army fled in great haste, leaving behind many of their supplies and spoils of war.

When the men got to the camp, they discovered the great provision God had provided for the relief His people.

As the men begin to gather up food and treasure, they have a moment of clarity, where they realize the implications of what they are doing and recognize their responsibility in light of God’s blessing.

In studying this historical narrative, we see two distinct principles necessary to Understanding the Nature of Evangelism.

The first principle we see illustrated here is that:

God’s Blessings are Intended to be Shared

Once, when walking down a certain street in Chicago, D. L. Moody stepped up to a man, a perfect stranger to him, and said, “Sir, are you a Christian?”

“You mind your own business!”

was the reply.

Moody replied, “This is my business.”414

Above and beyond everything else that the Church of Jesus Christ involves itself in, there is nothing more important than the work of Evangelism.

It’s the only reason we are still here.

Aside from the Great Commission, no Scripture better illustrates the role of the Christians than .

Psalm 93:

The conclusion these four leapers came to in light of God’s blessings illustrates the reasoning that should motivate even the most reluctant witnesses to share their testimony to those who are still trapped in their sins.

Two primary points demonstrated

First, Christians have a Moral Obligation to Share God’s Blessings.

Moral Obligation

The men recognized their moral obligation to the starving people in Samaria.

The people were trapped in the city.

The people were dying of starvation.

Separating the Sheep from the Goats

Matt 25:3

Matt 25:

(Separating the Sheep from the goats)

Jesus stresses the moral obligation Christians have to help those in need, implying that those who refuse, are not really Christians.

Jesus stresses the moral obligation Christians have to help those in need.

He addresses social, physical, and emotional needs.

No greater need exists other than the need for salvation (elaborate)

To the woman at the well in the Gospel of John, Jesus compared what He offered to living water.

The vast majority of people today, even in our own nation, are dying of spiritual thirst, and they do not even know it.

By logical implication, Christians have a moral obligation to bring the Gospel to those who are perishing.

Knowing the truth places a certain responsibility on every Christian.

Knowing the fate that awaits people who do not know or understand the debt of sin they owe while possessing the knowledge of the only means of salvation obligates us to share that knowledge with others.

How many of you, if you woke up in the middle of the night and saw your neighbor’s house was on fire, would refuse to at least call the fire department, if not also go and bang on their door to alert them to their problem?

What would you think of a neighbor who did refuse?

Isn’t that exactly what we are doing when we are either too afraid, too uncaring, or too lazy to take the time to tell someone about the fire they are facing and the only way to avoid it?

If Jesus turned people away who did not have the compassion to tend to the material or emotional needs of others, how do you suppose He will respond to all those who know the truth, but bury it in their hearts rather than broadcast it for all to hear?

Second, Christians have a Legal Obligation to Share God’s Blessings.

Legal Obligation

The men recognized that they were not only morally obligated to do good in this case.

They were legally obligated.

In other words, if they did not tell the people about it, and it was discovered that they knew about it, they would face civil punishment.

instructs on the importance of providing true testimony.

One of the implications in this passage is the guilt that is acquired by refusing to do what is right.

For example, it says in :

God is saying that refusing to do good is just as sinful as knowingly doing wrong.

Both are a violation of the law, and both are regarded as sin in His eyes.

James tells us that if we fail to keep even one point of the Law, we are guilty of braking all of it.

Now, while Christ has died for our sins, if you are genuinely a Christian, saved by the grace of God, our goal should be to develop spiritually to a point that we are turning away from any known sins.

There will still certainly be times when we sin without realizing it, but our goal should be to turn away from anything that we know goes against the will of God.

If that is the case, then the knowledge that Christ commands the Church to multiply by making more disciples of Christ, and the OT command to help even your enemy in his need should be motivation enough to stop holding our tongue and start sharing the Gospel with those who still need to hear it.

The Second Principle we see illustrated here is:

Sharing God’s Blessings Requires Active Participation

Sales departments have several different ways of trying to reach people.

There are both active and passive approaches.

An example of a passive approach would be when stores place the things they really want to move in their store at the ends of the aisles in an elaborate display.

The hope is that as you go by, you will notice the things that are standing out, it will place a desire for these things in your heart, and you will pick them up as you go by.

We know this practice as impulse shopping.