POWER OF EVANGELISM
Scripture Text: 1 Samuel 2:1-2; 10
Introduction: Last week, Martin was kind enough to bring us a message on the Joy of Evangelism. In fact, in further support of his message last week; 1 Samuel 2:1 says, “My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies,” Why? “Because I rejoice in Your salvation.” I wanted to complement Martin’s message this week, so today’s message is entitled the Power of Evangelism.
Propositional Statement: Although God has entrusted us with the assignment of evangelism; people do not become saved because of us. Jesus is the true power in evangelism. It is only through Jesus that we will conquer our fear. Jesus is the ‘annointed horn’ of 1 Samuel 2. “Hannah’s prayerful song eloquently affirms core concepts of Israelite faith: the Lord is the great judge and overseer of human destinies and a rewarder of those who earnestly seek him (cf. Heb 11:6). He is the source of empowerment and victory for those who fear him, but for all others he is the overpowering authority who dispenses fearful judgment (Robert D. Bergen, vol. 7, 1, 2 Samuel, electronic ed., Logos Library System; The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2001, c1996),75).”
I. Overcoming Fear
A. Six Reasons to Be Fearful- In Share Jesus Without Fear, William Fay gives only six reasons why people are afraid to witness. Some are afraid of rejection, some are afraid of what their friends might think, some are afraid to share their faith at work, some think that they don’t know enough of the Bible, and some are afraid of losing relationships with friends and relatives. There are answers to all these fears; but overall, some rationalize that they just don’t have the gift of evangelism or that it is just too difficult. If you are curious about the answers to these questions, then please join us in a study of sharing your faith on Sunday nights for the next several weeks at 6:00 PM. Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” And in the strength of the Lord Jesus, you can share your faith and even rejoice in it!
B.One Reason to Not Be Fearful- When we do follow the command of Jesus to ‘Go’ and make disciples, we sometimes think that it is dependent on us whether or not someone gets saved. We need to get away from the mentality that allows us to think of evangelism as a contest, where people are really not people anymore. People do not become saved because we persuade them. They do not get saved because they come forward in church at the invitation time. Even if I were to create the greatest sermon in attempts to convince people of the truth of Christianity; it would not be what gets people saved. What I would accomplish in a message, God accomplishes in silence.
They get saved because they have faith that Jesus Christ died on a cross for their sin, and that by being their substitute in that death and burial; that Jesus was raised to life so that they could be delivered.
“In fact, if we have ‘won’ someone to Christ, then he or she is probably not saved. It is said that D.L. Moody, the evangelist, was riding on a train after a crusade. An old drunk came up to him and said, “You know, Mr. Moody, I’m one of your converts.” Mr. Moody looked him in the eye and said, “Son, I’m afraid you are one of mine, because you are obviously not a convert of Christ’s.” Moody understood the difference (William Fay, Share Jesus Without Fear, Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishing, 1999,17).” Frankly, you are simply being obedient when you share your faith.
Transition: Incidentally, if anyone rejects the message that you bring; they are not rejecting you, they are rejecting the love of God and gift of God’s Son. With the love of God comes the righteousness and holiness of God; which is an accountability that people simply would rather deny. Jesus assured us that this would be the case when he said, “If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also (John 15:20).” Again, your success in sharing your faith is not dependent upon whether people become saved; but is dependent upon your sharing the message. “There are two kinds of people in this building today, those who talk about the lost, and those who talk to the lost (William Fay, Share Jesus Without Fear, Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishing, 1999, 8).” Romans 10:14 says, “How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? (NASB) How will anybody know about Jesus if you do not tell them?
II. To those Who Contend with the Lord (1 Samuel 2:10) In 1 Samuel 2, not only does Hannah express her confidence in God; but also expresses a future expectation of strength and security. Show the difference between the present words of Hannah and the future promises of God to judge and anoint. 1 Samuel 2:1-2-in the present) (Verse 10 in the future) There are two main ideas here in verse 10. The first is judgment and the second is exaltation.
A. Judgment- It was the judgment of God that Hannah would have a son, even though it was a certainty that she could not have children. God is not only is powerful in the details of our lives; but also the vanquishing of evil in our world. What will happen to those who contend and oppose God? They will be shattered!
1 Samuel 7:10 gives us an example of God’s judgment when He protected Samuel. It says, “Now Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, and the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day against the Philistines and confused them, so that they were routed before Israel.”
Some of you will not like being taught about God’s judgment. How could I be so critical? How could I even allude to the fact that you are a sinner and deserving of judgment? One day a pastor was teaching on Matthew 25:46; which says, “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” One of the men present for that message went to the Pastor and expressed his disagreement. He said, “you taught that the unrepentant would face eternal punishment, and I don’t think that is so!” The Pastor simply said, “Your argument is not with me. It is with the Lord Jesus and I would advise you to go immediately and settle it with Him (AMG Bible Illustrations, electronic ed., Logos Library System; Bible Illustrations Series (Chattanooga: AMG Publishers, 2000).”
Not only does Samuel speak of judgment; but ultimately there is the exaltation of the King! And the Father will give strength to Jesus His Son and will exalt Him!
B. Exaltation of the King. Verse 10 says, “And will exalt the horn of His anointed.” This king is the Messiah Jesus. This passage is the first in the Old Testament that mentions the anointed Christ; yet all throughout the Old Testament, we would find passages that re-enforce this coming King.
Hebrews 12:2 explains that Jesus is the “author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Prophecied as the Messiah, God come in the flesh; Jesus is finally given the glory that He once had with the Father (Jn. 17) and is crowned King of Kings and Lord of Lords. “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? (NASB, Romans 8:31).
Transition: We know that God has many attributes. God is loving, righteous, holy, and merciful; and among many other things, that even our language cannot express. The judgment and exaltation of Jesus simply show us His power. But these are just a couple of the points that might be made concerning Him.
As I begin my conclusion, I want you to know that you cannot fail in your task to share Jesus with other people. Remember, success is not in bringing someone to the Lord; but simply sharing. Are you one that talks about the lost, or talks to the lost?
Illustration: William Fay wrote, “One night I had a dream. A women clutched a little girl, struggling to hold her child’s head above the water. Nearby, a wave plunged a man into its salty depths. He choked for air as he thrashed his arms against a ceiling of water. All around, the ocean churned with drowning people, gasping for air and desperately trying to push their heads above the surface. Their screams were doused by the roar of the relentless waves. Their cries caught the wind, but only in vain. They were alone in their terror, with no help in sight.
Then a huge rock appeared, and a voice called into the darkness. People began crawling up the rock’s craggy sides to safety.
But when they got to safety, …. (something mystifying happened, mine) The people who emerged from the waves got busy. They got involved in building rock gardens, rock lives, rock jobs, listening to rock music, and going to rock meetings where they talked about people who were still drowning in the ocean. But nobody went back to water’s edge to help.
Have you ever tried to run or yell in a dream? …. Fay says, I tried to yell at the top of my lungs, “How could you have forgotten you were once in the sea?”
As I watched the “saved” scurry about their rock work and as I listened to their rock talk, I realized the rock was the cross of Calvary. The voice they heard was Jesus, calling by the power of the Holy Spirit, inviting them to come join Him. He’s never high upon the rock where it’s safe; he’s calling from the ocean’s edge, where the dead, the diseased, and the lost are found, and as you might recall, that’s where he found you. …. Have we gotten so busy and involved with the safety of “the Rock” that we have forgotten to reach out to those who are still drowning? (William Fay, Share Jesus Without Fear, Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishing, 1999, 5-6).
Conclusion: These messages are not meant to compel us by negative consequences to go witness. We all have reasons to be fearful in witnessing; but you must know that we can be effective in sharing the relationship that we have with Jesus. We do not have to convince people of the truth of Scripture; we only have to give them the Scripture. Horns, used by animals for defense and attack, symbolized strength. Thus Hannah spoke of her horn in describing the strength that had come to her because God had answered her prayer (John F. Walvoord, Roy B. Zuck and Dallas Theological Seminary, The Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1983-c1985), 1:434.)
. Let’s look at 1 Samuel 1. Hannah said, “My heart exalts in the Lord…..and my mouth speaks boldly….” What God did in Hannah’s life affected both her heart and mouth. Romans 10:9-10 says, “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” Not only was Hannah affected in this way; but so are those whom God transforms and changes. It is by our hearts and mouths that we worship God and glorify Him in our lives. May we continue to worship Him by sharing our faith.
Note that I used the general ideas of William Fay in developing this message. His illustrations and ideas concerning sharing your faith are helpful.
