Jesus’ Simple Plan For Evangelism
[Tile and main points taken from James Smith’s sermon Jesus’s Simple Plan for Evangelism and Church Planting. Http://www.sermoncentral.com.]
April 21, 2002
Luke 10:1-17
1 The Lord now chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them on ahead in pairs to all the towns and villages he planned to visit. 2 These were his instructions to them: "The harvest is so great, but the workers are so few. Pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest, and ask him to send out more workers for his fields. 3 Go now, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves. 4 Don’t take along any money, or a traveler’s bag, or even an extra pair of sandals. And don’t stop to greet anyone on the road.
Introduction: How I hate commercials. Too fake.
Company’s send their best and brightest in the hopes of making the sale.
Commercials don’t show ugly, obnoxiously overweight individuals in rags
Yet, this is what Christ is sending out. Early in Acts it indicates the nature of these disciples "uneducated, common men" (Acts 4:13)
Low income, blue collar, high school dropouts
Jesus said he was sending them out as "lambs among wolves"-vulnerable, defenseless
-task is beyond reason
70/72 disciples = Gen 10 70/72 nations
-to all the world
-no money, traveler’s bag, or even a second pair of sandals. Don’t even stop for small talk, but keep to the task
Imagine being told to take a trip to California, but told not to take your wallet (save license), no snacks, no games, no tapes, no C D’s, and no spare tire.
Yet, Christ sends out His disciples with the incredibly daunting task of world evangelization with nothing more than the shirt on their back. In spite of this verse 17 indicates they returned successful. What was the secret of their success?
In this story we discover four principles that Jesus sets forth for successful evangelism
Four Principles Of Evangelism
5 "Whenever you enter a home, give it your blessing. (New Living Translation)
1. Bless The Area And The People
We commonly greet one another with the words "How are you doing?"
-shallow and merely functional as a means of recognition
but the phrase, "Peace be to this house" "
meant much more than a superficial greeting. The term for peace comes from the Hebrew word Shalom
So unchanged is the offering of this greeting that even today in Israel friends and acquaintances are greeted with the words mah shlomka "What is your peace" or "How are you doing"
[Vine, W. E., Merrill Unger, William White. Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary Of Old And New Testament Words. (Thomas Nelson, Inc.: Nashville, TN, 1996).]
It is a meaning of completeness, soundness, and well being of the total person. [Youngblood Ronald F., gen. ed. Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary. (Thomas Nelson Publishers: Nashville, TN 1995).] A blessing of life that only God could provide.
It is to say to someone "I wish your enemies would become your friends;
Your finances would abound
Your marriage fruitful
Your children successful
Your life enriched by all that is said and done"
Imagine the impact that we could have if we begin to seek God’s blessing for our community!
[March for Jesus 2001 "Peace Be To These Streets" Graham Kindrick. Copyright 1996 Make Way Music. CCLI#1861871]
Peace be to these streets (3x)
In the name of Jesus
Peace be to these streets (3x)
In the name of Jesus
Walk here Lord
Draw near Lord
Pass through these streets today
Bring healing, forgiveness
Here let your living waters flow
Love come to these streets (3x)
In the name of Jesus
Joy come to these streets (3x)
In the name of Jesus
6 If those who live there are worthy, the blessing will stand; if they are not, the blessing will return to you. 7 When you enter a town, don’t move around from home to home. Stay in one place, eating and drinking what they provide you. Don’t hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve their pay. (New Living Translation)
2. Fellowship With Them
-not to be peddlers lolly gagging around
-not to abuse the hospitality of the town
Find a focal point and begin building bridges of friendship
[Evangelist’s story]
One of the most obnoxious things about commercials are when they blare out their message.
Christ is saying find that one who is receptive and build a network
To eat and drink with someone was a matter of relationship. It means "I am identifying with you" Christ was slurred as one who ate and drank with sinners and tax collectors.
"People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care"
Before they ever trust your faith, they have to trust you!
[personal experience]
8 "If a town welcomes you, eat whatever is set before you 9 and heal the sick. As you heal them, say, ‘The Kingdom of God is near you now.’ (New Living Translation)
3. Meet Felt Needs, Letting Them See The Power Of God When He Answers Prayer
It’s hard for someone to hear the good news of Christ in the midst of a bitter separation.
It’s hard for someone to understand the provisions of a loving heavenly Father when their broke and jobless.
It’s hard to see the love of Christ in the face of rape, abuse, and molestation.
9 heal the sick. As you heal them, say, ‘The Kingdom of God is near you now.’ (The New Living Translation)
4. Share The Gospel With Them
Now is the best time to hear the good news of Jesus Christ! The task is great and we are vulnerable, weak, and poor, but God has called us to "Go and make disciples"
Conclusion: "When people see the reality and power of Jesus, it takes little convincing on our part for them to accept Him as their Lord and Saviour. Many times we think we have to do the work, when the Lord is more than willing to do it for us. Jesus’s pattern of evangelism is quite simply, the best there is." [ibid, James Smith]
16 Then he said to the disciples, "Anyone who accepts your message is also accepting me. And anyone who rejects you is rejecting me. And anyone who rejects me is rejecting God who sent me." (The New Living Translation)
But when they turn you away, remember, it’s not you they reject, it’s the one who sent you.
