We need to share the Gospel

It’s a good time to refocus on your relationship with the Lord. Resurrect things that have died off during the pandemic. Put to death bad habits that have crept up during the pandemic.

Last week, you raised $1600 for Hurricane relief.

Sons of Issachar… they knew the times

1 Chronicles 12:32 NLT

32 From the tribe of Issachar, there were 200 leaders of the tribe with their relatives. All these men understood the signs of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take.

It’s important for us to understand the times we are living in.

I believe that we are in the End Times… or at least the beginning of the end. It’s exciting.

Matthew 24:12–14 NIV

12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

It’s important to not grow cold. We know this is happening. People are growing cold … everything negative is up… but those who stand firm will be saved. Last week, I gave a good message that should be an encouragement to you.

This week…

This Gospel will be preached.

We are living the greatest revival time in all of history. More people saved in the last 40 years than in the previous 2,000 years.

There is a danger of Christians falling away

We don’t want to let our friends and family fall away.

There is an opportunity for non-Christians to be saved

For years, we have told you to invite a friend but right now we can’t do that. Not like we were. We can’t pack people in here on top of each other. Jesus has still told us to reach people.

Before the pandemic, 40% of unchurched people sad they would not come to a church… with the pandemic that number has gone up. So that means we have to reach people outside the walls of the church.

We are all evangelist. I know that makes a lot of us break into a cold sweat. You either get a picture of a loud person blasting the gospel… LSU - Holy Hubert & Sister Cindy - burn in the lake of fire… or someone on a bull horn at Mardi Gras… Or you think of Billy Graham and know you won’t be him.

Some of you have had negative experiences with people like this… If you have run into these people, that’s not what I am talking about.

We also worry that someone will say something that we cannot answer… we will help with that today.

Listen to me. We can’t get away from the fact that Jesus is telling us to share our faith. We are his plan A… he doesn’t have a plan B

Look at the word for Evangelism or Gospel or Good News…

Gospel: Good message from a good messenger

The Gospel is a great message … it’s the only thing that’s working right now.

It’s also a messenger… the message is no good if a messenger doesn’t share it.

I am going to talk about you can be a good messenger and then share the good message with you.

Good messengers

Isaiah prophesied about you and I…

Isaiah 52:7 NIV

7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

The mountains were not the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, it was you when you share the message.

Luke 10:2 NLT

2 These were his instructions to them: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.

We don’t harvest problem. There are people who would let you pray for them… eat a meal if you offered one … accept Jesus if you would ask them.

We have a worker problem. There are people being saved all over the world… In Beirut people are being saved because Christians are proclaiming Jesus. In Lake Charles, people will be saved because people are proclaiming Jesus as they work to help.

1. Accept personal responsibility

It’s important for you and I to know that we are God’s plan… no plan B.

Romans 10:13–15 NLT

13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”

People are ready. They are looking for something… trying to fill a hole in their heart that only Jesus will fill. People are suffering loss of family, jobs…

There are people around us who are miserable and we have the Words of Life.

All we have to do is to look for opportunities. Right now there are many opportunities because people are hurting.

ILL -

There are people who are hurting and you have the words of life.

2. Develop a personal relationship with a person

You have to develop a personal relationship. People think that well, tell them what you know. Don’t do that. Develop a personal relationship. You have to connect before you correct.

People want to fight over issues. Don’t. You don’t have to correct them. Jesus always connected before he corrected.

ILL - Zacheus in Luke 19. Zacheus was a crook… he was a big sinner. Jesus could have looked at him and told him to stop stealing… he didn’t. He invited him to lunch. He connected and afterward Zacheus paid back three times everything he had stolen.

Jesus connected with Zach and it changed his life.

1 Corinthians 9:22 The Living Bible

22 When I am with those whose consciences bother them easily, I don’t act as though I know it all and don’t say they are foolish; the result is that they are willing to let me help them. Yes, whatever a person is like, I try to find common ground with him so that he will let me tell him about Christ and let Christ save him.

“I don’t have to be like them to reach them, but I do have to like them.” John Maxwell

3. Share my personal story

We miss this because most people think that they are supposed to point out what the people need to change. NO. We are to share what God has done in our lives.

1 Peter 3:15–16 NLT

15 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. 16 But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.

ILL - Chris playing golf with a guy who said he would never go to a church… He played along. yea, that’s why I had to start my own church. There is a group that wants you to clean up before you come, but you have to come before you can clean up…

That’s not what God looks like.

Most of us have had a bad experience in a church. So you will run into people who won’t go to church because of that. West Rome Baptist - pastor kept looking at us during the invitation…

4. Give a personal invitation

We can’t just invite people to church right now.

Maybe you can see if people at work might want to review your sermon notes during lunch one day per week.

Right now media group?

The good message

Isaiah 52:7 NIV

7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

Here is the good news…

God loves you and sent his son to pay for your sins

John 3:16 NLT

16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

People need to know that God loves them. Everyone has something in them that is looking for God. They try to fill it with all sorts of things, but that emptiness is searching for the Lord.

We are made in the image of God and we have an un-redeemed spirit that is constantly looking to reconnect with God. When you try to fill that desire with anything but God, you will feel empty.

Did you know we are the only creation that feels guilt. Sin makes us feel guilty. Jesus takes away our guilt.

We also get to proclaim peace…

God can give you peace no matter what the circumstance

It doesn’t matter what you are going though, you can have peace on the inside. If you will look for it, God’s peace will be with you.

John 16:33 NLT

33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

God will give you strength to make it through

Good tidings - God will give you the strength to make it through.

2 Corinthians 4:3 NLT

3 If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing.

2 Corinthians 4:8–9 NLT

8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.

God will give you the strength to make it through.

Good News.... proclaim peace… good tidings… Salvation - lifeline if you are willing.

God is ready to save you right now

God is waiting on you. You may not be ready right now, but if you ever decide, I would love to have the privilege of leading you to a relationship with Jesus.

Romans 10:9–10 NLT

9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.

ILL - Chris lost his autistic son for about 25 minutes. Panic… When they realized he was gone no one asked for clarification… everyone knew Joseph was gone and needed to be found. No one asked what do I say… I am not good at searching… they just went.

ILL - The time we searched for a young man lost in the woods.

We are in a season where it’s time for you and I to walk out of this place and live out our faith and go find … This is a critical hour.

ILL Chris found his son and asked where were you… son said dad I was looking for you the whole time.

More people are looking for Jesus right now than ever before.

Revelation 3:20 NLT

20 “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.

Salvation Prayer…

Prayer of commitment to share… If you are willing to accept this commission…

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