Evangelism God's Way, Part 2

In this part of the sermon: Pastor Martin begins by reading Matthew 28:16-20 and Luke 24:45-49, then reviews the previous sermon's metaphor of evangelism rooted in the Word of God (the soil) and the first…

The sermon series is organized around the visual metaphor of a tree rooted in good soil, with taproots, trunk, branches, and leaves, representing different aspects of evangelism. This sermon focuses on the 'soil' (Word of God) and the first 'taproot' (understanding who people are).

Now the message tonight is the second in a brief series which I have entitled Some Biblical Perspectives Concerning God-Honoring Spirit-Empowered Evangelistic Endeavors. In the first message this morning I set before you the visual metaphor of a tree rooted and nourished in good, healthy soil. And I said that the brief series of messages will be organized around that visual metaphor with the soil of the tree, and then the tree with its tap roots, its trunk, its major branches, and its secondary branches, and its leaves. And I began by asserting that the soil of God-honoring, spirit-empowered e...

3:42 - 5:00 Read in full sermon

The point: Understand that the evangelistic mandate is given to the church collectively, not every individual believer to perform all aspects.

Communicating the gospel in an age of pluralism is like 'throwing down the gauntlet,' as it asserts there is only one way to God, which challenges the prevailing cultural belief that all ways are equally valid.

with its call to acknowledge Jesus Christ in the language of Peter in Acts 4.12, that there is salvation in no other, we are throwing down the gauntlet in this age of pluralism. When you hear the word pluralism, don't be put off by it, it simply means the teaching that all ways to God are equally valid. You have your way, I have my way.

14:36 - 15:06 Read in full sermon

The point: Constantly inquire of the Lord, 'What is my place in the church's fulfillment of this evangelistic mandate?'

Martin mentions sending gospel balloons with tracts across the Iron Curtain as an example of evangelistic effort, but contrasts it with the true goal of making disciples, which is far more glorious than simply 'blitzing a community with a two-page tract.'

They become followers of Him. The evangelistic mandate has something far more glorious in mind than simply blitzing a community with a two-page tract and then saying, it's been evangelized. We have fulfilled our evangelistic mandate. Or sending gospel balloons across.

20:48 - 21:10 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin emphasizes that Christ authorizes believers to stand in His stead, pleading with sinners to be reconciled to God, offering a free and earnest gospel of repentance and…

Martin illustrates the authority of the preacher by saying Christ will not physically come down to plead with individuals, but He authorizes His servants to stand in His room and make the offer of mercy and salvation.

Christ is not going to leave the right hand of the Father. And come down into this building tonight. And stretch out his hands. And say to you.

45:39 - 45:49 Read in full sermon

The point: Cultivate relationships of respect and trust to be able to hand out gospel literature with an earnest plea, even if you are not a verbal, confrontational evangelist.

He gives an example of a believer establishing a relationship of respect and trust, then handing a booklet like 'Ultimate Questions' with an earnest plea to read and discuss it, as a way to fulfill the evangelistic mandate without being a confrontational evangelist.

And trust that when you hand them. That booklet. Ultimate questions. With the earnest plea.

50:28 - 50:35 Read in full sermon

The point: View every unconverted person as savable and possibly elect in Christ, getting a sense of excitement for what God can do in their lives.

People without God have a 'God-shaped hole' in their soul, which they try to fill with 'everything under the sun,' but it remains a chasm that only God can fill, and believers have the secret to how it can be filled.

They've got a God-shaped hole. And they're stuffing everything under the sun into that hole. Trying to fill it. And it's still a chasm.

54:59 - 55:08 Read in full sermon

The point: Pray for God to take away the 'cataracts of worldly carnal perspectives' and give clear biblical sight, moving hearts with genuine compassion and Spirit-enabled grace to find ways to engage consciences and minds.

Martin prays that God would take away the 'cataracts of worldly carnal perspectives' that clog spiritual eyeballs, so believers can see their fellow men clearly through biblical sight.

Oh, our Father. We confess to you that. The world's thinking and the world's ways. Have too much clogged up our spiritual eyeballs.

58:04 - 58:15 Read in full sermon