Sermon Central
-
Consecrated Life - Evangelism Series
Contributed by Donald Stanley on Nov 23, 2008 (message contributor)
Summary: There is an evangelism program that 100% of Christians can be involved in and effective in. This program involves no formal training and is long-term effective.
5 Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.”
• Consecrate = To be set apart, Holy, Sanctified.
• Before the people could follow God into the Promised Land, they had to separate themselves from all that was unholy.
o They had to consecrate themselves wholly to God.
• In our service last week we sang the song, “Take My Life and Let It Be, Consecrated Lord To Thee”
o The verses of that song talk about all the areas of our lives that need to be consecrated – set apart – to the Lord.
o Today we are focusing on the verse”
Take my voice and let me sing,
Always, only for my king
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee.
• Today’s topic is evangelism
• There are different ways to do evangelism
o Evangelistic programs. (Evangelism Explosion, Share Jesus Without Fear, Church Visitation)
Involve training
Very small percentage participate
Short term effectiveness
Only long-term effectiveness when new Christians are connected through relationships.
• There is a program that 100% of believers can participate in and be effective in.
o Involves no formal training
o Long-term effectiveness because it begins with relationships.
LIFESTYLE EVANGELISM
Lifestyle Evangelism Happens:
1. Day by day and not just 2 hours on Sunday.
46 Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.
• In community with other believers.
• In connection with the world.
o Not association with the world – we are in the world but not of the world
Jesus had 132 contacts with people in the gospels. Six were in the Temple, four in the synagogues. All the others were out in life situations. One of the accusing comments the religious leaders threw at Jesus, was He connected with people they considered down-and-outers -- outcasts -- little people, rejects in their religious culture.
2. Only by God’s power and grace.
31 And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness. 32 And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them. 33 And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all.
• Paul puts this in perspective for us:
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.
If you are walking with Jesus, in the Spirit, you need not fear going too far. No believer has gone as far as God wants him to go
• Brings boldness
• Brings unity
• Brings results
o Garden results not Graham results:
6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. 7 So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.
3. Only in a separated life.
11 But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,
4 marks of a separated life:
• What you flee from
• What you follow after
• What you fight for
• What you are faithful to
4. Only Through a generous life.
6 Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;
Show Schindler’s List clip.
