Let’s Be Honest About Evangelism

Introduction

For many of us, a visit to the physician is an awkward exercise and medical futility. Because the visit to the doctor many times goes something like this. You complain about some ailment and some problem. And his reply is that probably the best solution is you need to make a change in your lifestyle. You need to exercise more, eat less, do this, don’t do that.

Two things happen to every one of us. Number one, we sheepishly reply, Yes, I know, I know.

And with equal unanimity, we leave the doctor’s office and make no changes.

If you want to avoid that, find a doctor who is overweight and smokes.

You know the proper advice is to do what he tells you to do and what you already knew you needed to do. On a spiritual level, the category or the topic we want to talk about this morning often fits into that realm, does it not?

We have a periodic sermon or lesson on evangelism. And just like to the doctor, we sheepishly say, I know, I know. And equally, just like to the doctor’s admonition, we leave. And all too often nothing really changes. That we keep living the same lifestyle. Nothing really changes. Although we did not disagree with the doctor’s advice, in fact, we probably knew that before he told us. But nothing really changed. I think maybe two grand obstacles to evangelism are both fears. One is the fear of rejection. We may often take a rejection in an attempt at evangelism rather personally. And so one way to avoid rejection is to never ask.

Another realm of fear that often keeps us back from doing what we know we ought to do. And every time a Bible class teacher, preacher, or elder tells us that we ought to do it, we say, Yeah, I know, I know. Is in addition to the fear of rejection, is just the abject fear of doing it at all. Because we felt like that’s just not me. I can’t, I don’t know what I’m doing. And what if they ask some question in the book of Revelation or Romans that I just don’t know the answer to, and avoidance wrongly, but in our mind seems like the best path. Well, this morning I’d like for us to talk on the subject of evangelism in what I hope is not an awkward exercise in futility.

I hope that those of you who are actively engaged in evangelism will be further boldened to be even more active and encouraged to keep it up. And those of us who may be shirking our responsibility in this realm may finally follow the advice that we already knew we ought to be doing. And that we’ll do something.

1. The Great Commission Wasn’t Given to You

And I’m hoping this, what I believe to be an honest lesson about evangelism will help assuage some of your fears, and therefore get you more actively involved in what we all know we ought to be doing. Let’s start here. If we’re honest about evangelism, I believe we need to start here. And that’s with a statement that may be a shock to some of you, and that is to realize that the Great Commission wasn’t given to you. One of the first fundamental principles of Bible study is to answer two questions. Who is speaking and to whom are they speaking? Because not every statement in the Bible is something we ought to be doing, because we have the words of Satan and other wicked people. And even instructions of God may have been given to specific people under specific circumstances, and therefore do not directly at least apply to me.

So many times we talk about evangelism, this is where we start. We start with God told you to go out into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. Well, if I’m being honest, no, he didn’t. Jesus didn’t speak those words to you and I. Those words were given to the apostles. Turn with me, if you will, to Matthew chapter 28. This great commission, great or unlimited in contrast to that earlier, more limited commission in which they were to go. This great commission was given to the apostles. And it was great in two senses. Number one, in the sense that it was unlimited, but great because of the scope of it. They were to go into all the world and preach the gospel to everybody.

Look with me. In Matthew 28, verse 16, it says, Then the eleven disciples, eleven, because Judas is now dead by his own hand. And Matthias, his replacement, has not been put into office until Acts chapter 1. Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All authority hath been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 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. Mark’s account of this tells us that not only were they to go and to preach the gospel everywhere to everybody, but that they would have supernatural help in this. Mark chapter 16, verse 14, says, Later he appeared to the eleven, the same eleven, the same Savior appearing to the same eleven, giving them the same message. He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table, and he rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen him after he had risen. And he said to them, to the eleven, go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned, and these signs will follow those who believe.

In my name they will cast out demons. They will speak with new tongues. They will take up serpents. And if they drink anything deadly, it will be not by no means hurt them. They will lay hands on the sick and they will recover. You see the special accompanying signs that went with those to whom this commission was given. To go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. And so let’s be honest about evangelism. That commission was not given to you and I. Two things that we need to say about this. Number one is, first and foremost, this does not relinquish me from all responsibility. The sermon’s not that short.

But secondly, and maybe for our purposes this morning, more importantly, I want that to be a source of encouragement to you. That your task is not that great. What do we do many times when we are confronted with a huge undertaking? Many times we just want to quit before we begin. Several years ago we were living in North Alabama, and we had a day of all days of tornadoes. There was a record number of tornadoes that raked across the state and did untold damage. Many of us got together and we were going to go and volunteer and help. Help clean up and do some afterwork that was to be done. And we arrived in one city that had been decimated and destroyed. And you could stand on one hill and look down that hill into the valley, up onto the next hill, and everywhere you saw, you saw absolute destruction.

It was tempting to just say, we can’t clean all that up. Let’s stop by the restaurant and get something to eat and go home. Because we can’t do that. And if we’re honest with ourselves, sometimes maybe evangelism is kind of like that. We see the Great Commission that says, go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. And you think, I can’t do that. And so we do nothing. Because we feel like to fail by a little is the same as failing by a lot. And so if I’m going to fail anyway, why even try? I can’t go into all the world and preach the gospel to everybody. But I want you to remember this morning that God didn’t ask that of you.

He asked something of you. And we’ll talk about that. But don’t let the enormity of the task given to these eleven soon to be twelve again remarkable men who were helped, they couldn’t have done it if not helped by the power of the Holy Spirit. And so let’s start there and being honest. The task is manageable. God didn’t ask of you what you could not do.

2. We’re Not All Given the Same Talents

Secondly, if we’re being honest, and let’s do that, we need to also recognize this biblical truth that we’re not all given the same talents, therefore are not given the same jobs. Not everyone is a teacher. By teacher I mean one who has the knowledge, the ability, the aptitude to be able to sit down in a Bible class setting, or across the kitchen table, and to open up the Bible and with some level of eloquence and ability to be able to explain the Bible story and how it applies to everyone. Turn with me if you will to Romans chapter 12. The Bible talks about in very plain language about the different responsibilities that we all have in the body. Romans chapter 12 beginning in verse 3 the apostle says this Romans 12 verse 3 for I say through the grace given to me to everyone who is among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think but to think soberly as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function. So we, being many, are one body in Christ and individually members of one another. Notice verse 6. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them. Speaking of the spiritual gifts of that day, he says, if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith, our ministry, let us use it in our ministering. He who teaches in teaching, he who exhorts in exhortation, he who gives with liberality, he who leads with diligence, he who shows with cheerfulness, shows mercy to do so with cheerfulness. Now, while we understand the distinction between those gifts that may be imparted by a direct operation of the Holy Spirit in the first century and gifts that may come to us in a more providential way today, we cannot dismiss the principle of this passage that still today we have different gifts.

And both in Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians chapter 12, the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to say, that’s a blessing. Because if he, as he said in 1 Corinthians 12, if we were all the ear, where would the mouth be? If we were all the mouth, where would the hearing be? You see, we have different gifts and different talents and different abilities.

We’ve allowed the misconception that we’re all to be the most eloquent gifted Bible teachers, I believe, to actually discourage us from being involved in evangelism at all. To our first point, the task is too big, so I will do nothing. The task is outside my realm of ability, so I will do nothing. And so nothing is done. Now, again, to this first point, please do not miscontro misconstrue my statement to excuse you from responsibility. Two points about this point. Number one, if you have this gift, this ability, you better believe God is expecting to use this talent to his glory and his honor, and you better be about it. Secondly, if this isn’t your gift, then use what part of the body you are in the realm of evangelism.

I want you to contemplate this morning how effective we would be if we all, every part of this local body, if we all understood, accepted, and fulfilled our roles in regard to evangelism. Would that mean that we could be a congregation of a hundred and fifty, two hundred teachers? Or would it mean that some parts of the body would fulfill a different role in evangelism. An important role. We can think of numerous accounts, both biblical examples and examples in our own life of people who came to the saving knowledge of the grace of God. And they were multiple parties involved. I’ll leave out the names to protect the innocent, but I want to tell you about a couple that I know who obeyed the gospel. The story started with just a simple conversation.

That they, like Jesus, to the Samaritan woman at the well, turned a physical conversation into a spiritual one. That led to a simple invitation to come to one night of a gospel meeting. This couple, these two non-Christians showed up one evening of that gospel meeting. And two other Christians met them in the parking lot, introduced themselves, welcomed them. And did something that was so simple yet has profoundly impacted me. Is they said, Do you know where you’re going to sit? And they said, No. And they said, then sit with us. To me, that’s a simple but such a wow moment. And I want to pause there and introject this. Have you ever thought about how intimidating it is to come to an assembly such as this when you’re not familiar with the people or what’s going on or what’s being taught?

It’s been likened to step in, stepping out into the middle of a Broadway play for which you have not rehearsed and don’t know the script.

That’s how awkward and intimidating that might be. But what a simple, beautiful gesture to say, we’re so glad you’re here. Instead of fumbling around trying to find a place to sit, that you don’t offend somebody else, that you get their sacred pew. Come sit by me. And by the way, in case you missed it, that was not the couple that originally invited them to come to the gospel meeting at all. A sermon was presented that piqued their interest enough that they came back. And eventually a Bible study was set up. And someone studied with them in their home. Studied with them a long time. Taught them the gospel. And in that period of study, they were fairly regularly attending the services. And so other people got to know them.

And invited them out to eat, invited them to their homes, and built a relationship with them. After the Bible study is going on, the preacher who was having the Bible study, got to kind of an awkward point in the Bible study to where he was kind of almost like I’ve taught them everything I know. And they haven’t obeyed the gospel yet. And someone else, unprompted by the preacher, came up to them and said, I’ve been here a while. You’ve been studying with the preacher for a while. When are you going to become a Christian? Now, let me preface that that the relationship had been built up, and it was said in such a way that it didn’t come across as being, you know, hateful or ugly.

It was taken in the spirit which it was intended. And they kind of paused and said, You know, we need to. And that person went and got the one that had been studying with them and brought them and said, Tell him what you just told me. And they both put on Christ that night. And there they stood in their wet hair and their damp clothes. And every member of that congregation had put aside their other plans and lined up from here to the back of the building. And every one of them hugged them, smiled, some cried, and welcomed them to the body of Christ. I think that’s a beautiful illustration of everybody accepting their role. And somebody saying, you know, I’m not the mouth, but I can be the hand that pats them on the back.

3. No Substitute for the Personal Touch

I can be the ear that listens. And maybe when necessary, I can be the foot that kicks them and prods them into obedience. Again, think about how effective we would be as evangelists if we all accepted and embraced our role of leading others to Christ. If we’re being honest about evangelism, we must honestly recognize that there is absolutely no substitute for the personal touch. In what sometimes can be our hyper-organized attempt at being a local church. What I fear that we do sometimes is we institutionalize the local church. And maybe not an overt, but a simple and subtle attempt to relinquish the individuals of any personal responsibility. Whether it becomes evangelism or benevolence, that we can say, well, I gave it the office, or I gave in the contribution on Sunday.

And so let the church do that. That’s what I’m paying them for. And this has many oftentimes led to unscriptural practices of the local church. But even when scriptural practices, even when we can find biblical authority for the things that we may do as a group, we so often find that those group activities of evangelism are very expensive and very ineffective. And even when those group activities of evangelism work, at some point the personal touch had to be introduced into it, did it not. And so let’s just be honest, there’s no substitute for the personal touch. What’s the most biblical and effective method of evangelism of people just talking to people they already come in contact with about the gospel of showing genuine care and interest in somebody else’s life and spiritual condition, of genuinely inserting yourself into somebody’s life and letting them know that you love them and you’re interested where they’re going to spend eternity.

4. Our Job Is Not to Save Souls

Personal touch. Much like the first and maybe the second point, this point may come somewhat as a surprise to you. But let’s be honest about evangelism. That our job is not to save souls. Now that might need some explanation.

You and I recognize that we don’t have that ability at all, do we? We don’t have the power, the grace of God within our power to impart salvation, to forgive somebody of their sins. And so that’s not our job. In fact, turn with me, if you will, over to the book of 1 Corinthians chapter 3. And let’s see where our job is and what it isn’t, and how that might impact our study this morning. 1 Corinthians chapter 3. Starting verse 5. Even Paul, who was one of those to whom the Great Commission was given, to whom the Holy Spirit imparted those wonderful first century spiritual gifts, could say this of his role. 1 Corinthians 3 verse 5. Who then is Paul? And who is Apollos? But a minister’s, but ministers through whom you believe, as the Lord gave to each one.

I planted.

So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God gives the increase. Now he who plant and he who waters are one. And each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. Who does Paul say does the saving? God. And so our job is not to save their souls. Our job is to introduce them to the one who can save their souls. In other words, how do we gauge success when it comes to the realm of evangelism? One gauge of success, the one most often used, I think, is how many people did we baptize? Maybe a more accurate gauge then is after we baptism, after we baptized them, how many of them stayed around for more than three months.

When we understand that that may be the ultimate goal. But really, our job is to simply sow the seed. That our job is to sow the seed, not to determine the condition of the soil. The illustration of the sower of the seed, I think an ancillary point in that parable is that seed was scattered on three types of soil that would not effectively receive it. But the sower was never reprimanded for wasting seed. And so our job is to simply spread the word.

Well, then it doesn’t matter how we do it.

That’s an illegal, illogical conclusion to the point I’m trying to make here. But understand that when you, with sincerity, love in your heart took the truth of the gospel and tried it to tried to introduce it to someone else, you were successful. Because it wasn’t your job to make the seed take root and to grow and to produce great fruit up until a hundredfold. Your job was to reach out to them with the gospel.

It’s God who gives the increase. It’s the soil, the heart itself that determines the receptive condition they’re in. And so don’t be discouraged. Well, I tried that one time and it didn’t work. Understand, according to the words of Isaiah, look at Isaiah chapter 55.

According to the words of Isaiah, it did work. Or God through Isaiah. Isaiah 55, look at verse 11. God through the prophet says this, Isaiah 55, verse 11, so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth. It shall not return to me void. It shall accomplish what I please, and it and it shall prosper in the thing for which I send it. Every time the gospel is presented and introduced in a sincere way, it does what God intended it to do. And if you sincerely and humbly, to the best of whatever gift God has given you, participated in that, you did so with success. Because your job was to lovingly, patiently, to the best of your ability, sow the seed. Not determine the condition of the soil.

5. I Need to Do More

One more point. Let’s be honest. And if we’re honest, surely we can agree on this last point. I need to do more.

What part of the body am I? Be honest. What can I do? I’ll have to give an account for what I do, and so it behooves me to be honest. What can I do? And then do it. Don’t be overwhelmed by the task because you don’t have to go into all the world, preach to everybody. But you kind of are a part of the chain that Paul talked to Timothy about that what you’ve learned from faithful men you impart to others, that they might impart it to somebody else. You can follow the example of those Christians in Acts chapter 8 that says, though the apostles stayed behind, they were all scattered. Verse 4 says, and they went into all the world, all to their world. Not into all the world, but all into their world, and taught the people that they came in contact with.

Conclusion

Start small and let the intimidation and fear fall away. Let the success breed further success and further interest into this absolute important role that we have, not just as a local church, but as individual Christians. And so the question is, child of God, will you be honest this week? Will you honestly accept your role, your part of the body, your function, your gift, and use it to help lead dying souls to Christ. You can do it. Find your gift and use it. Well, let’s be further honest. If today you find yourself outside of Christ, what better time? You find yourself in an audience of people who will not laugh at you for making the decision to come to Christ. They will embrace you. They will rejoice with you, they will support you, help you, encourage you, do everything they can to help you make your way to heaven.

If you’ll start that journey today. So why not be honest with your sins? Honest with yourself and honest with God and come to Him in grace. Come to Him in faith. Come to Him in obedience. Maybe you’ve done that, but you solicit the prayers of the brethren. You need help in some other spiritual way that you feel that we might be able to assist. Then be honest and step out and step forward this morning. If we can help you in coming to the saving grace of Jesus Christ, then why not let it be known right now as together we stand and as we sing.