Sermon Tone Analysis

ACTS 1:8

INTRODUCTION

*The prominence of evangelism in the Bible*

*Matthew 28:18-20* And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, /even /to the end of the age.

Amen.

So much of the Book of Acts is the narrative of the witnessing~/evangelism ministry of the early church.

Evangelism was simply expected.

Evangelism is needed.

Less than 18% of Tennesseans attend any type of evangelical church on a regular basis.

(NAMB)

The number of Tennesseans attending church in steadily declining down 10% since 1990.

(NAMB)

“The world has no need of half-evangelists preaching a half-gospel to the half-converted, and leading a half-hearted church.

What is needed is a generation of bold and courageous evangelist-apologists for the twenty-first century--men and women who will be witnesses to the whole world of the power of the Gospel, and who would proclaim the whole counsel of God.” (Albert Mohler)

The "How To" of Evangelism Involves:

A People - But you…

A Power - Shall receive power…

A Plan - You shall be witnesses to Me…

A Place - In Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the end of the earth

\\ 1A.

The People of Evangelism – “But you”

*But you *refer to the entire membership of the church

The people are the evangelists in the New Testament.

(Acts 8:1-4; 11:19-21)

Total penetration of our world demands total participation of the membership of the church in witnessing.

How?

1B.

Personalize the command

*Mark 16:15* And He said to them, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

*Ezekiel 3:17* Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me:

2B.

Prioritize the commission

*Matthew 28:19* Go therefore and *make disciples* of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you...

In your prayer life

In your devotional life

In your daily life

3B.

Prepare to communicate

*1 Peter 3:15* …always /be /ready to /give /a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;

*2 Timothy 2:15* Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

4B.

Proclaim the truth

*Romans 10:13-14 *For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.

14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?

And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?

And how shall they hear without a preacher?

\\ 2A       The Power for Evangelism – “Shall Receive Power”

1B.

The Holy Spirit alone can empower us to proclaim the gospel

*Acts 4:31* And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

*Philippians 4:13* I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

2B.

The Holy Spirit alone can change hearts of lost men

*Jeremiah 13:23* Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots?

/Then /may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil.

*Jeremiah 17:9-10 *The heart /is /deceitful above all /things, /And desperately wicked; Who can know it?

10 I, the LORD, search the heart, /I /test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.

\\ 3A.

The Plan for Evangelism – “You shall be witnesses”

1B.

Evangelism defined

What it is not

Ø      Evangelism is NOT an imposition of your beliefs on someone else.

Ø      Evangelism is NOT simply your personal testimony.

Ø      Evangelism is NOT social action or recruiting for the church.

Ø      Evangelism is NOT the same as the results of evangelism: conversion.

What it is

Ø      Evangelism is sharing the Gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit and leaving the results to God.

2B.

We must tell people that they are sinners and therefore in need of a Savior.

(Romans 3:23; Isaiah 59:2)

Ø      We must tell people that there is only one Savior and one way of salvation.

(John 14:6; Acts 4:12)

3B.

We must tell people that if they repent and believe they will be saved—but it will be costly.

(Luke 9:23)

Ø      We must urge men to be saved because they have no guarantee of tomorrow.

(Luke 13:6-9; Hebrews 4;7; 2 Corinthians 6:2)

Ø      Tell people with joy that if they repent and believe they will be saved.

However difficult it may be, it is worth it.

4B.

We must use the Bible as our primary source of the gospel.

(Isaiah 55:11; Romans 10:17)

5B.

We must live in such a way as to validate our witness.

(Matthew 5:16)

6B.

We must pray, because salvation is the work of God.

4A.

The Place of Evangelism – In Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the end of the earth

1B.

The strategy

Jerusalem ‑ our community~/city

Judea ‑ our country

Samaria ‑ our continent

End of the earth ‑ our world

2B.

The steps

Determine area of primary responsibility