Sunday Sermons
What You Can Do
What You Can Do
When it comes to personal work and trying to reach the lost, at times there are some misconceptions. Some see saving souls is the work of primarily the preacher, elders, or “gifted” members. Probably, one of the most dangerous assumptions is the feeling that the only person who is needed to save a person is the one doing the teaching.
The Process of Saving A Soul
“When I speak of ‘saving a soul’, I am referring to a process that begins with the initial contact with an unbeliever, and does not stop until years after their baptism into Christ. Many Christians see only the baptism. They are unaware of the time and effort spent patiently instructing, discussing, encouraging, and persuading. Further, Christians who are not involved in this process do not realize how difficult it is for a new convert to exchange their old carnal friends for new spiritual relationships. Most have forgotten the tough changes that must be made and the help needed for a new Christian to go from sin to righteousness” (Focus Magazine, November 2000, Berry Kercheville, p. 12). It is important that we see saving people as a process that takes the cooperation of the entire congregation (1 Thessalonians 5:14; Hebrews 3:12-13). We need to be impressed that much of the work that Paul did in Acts, was the process of strengthening and encouraging people who were already Christians (Acts 14:22; 15:40-41; 16:5). We need to see saving a person as involving much more than just the initial teaching or more than just the person who is having a class with them. Congregations can be filled with the best-qualified teachers and yet fail to grow because the rest of the process isn’t happening. Remember, “it takes more than just a good teacher for a church to grow” (p. 12).
Ephesians 4:16
“From whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by that which every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love”.
“By that which every joint supplies”: “By the aid of every contributing ligament” (Wey). “According to the proper working of each individual part”: Notice the term “proper”. Each member, must not only do something, but also fully use their talents. The church isn’t going to grow if each member is only offering a token effort. "According to the energy in the measure of each one part" (Tyndale). "According to the operation as every part has its measure." The meaning is, that each part contributes to the production of the whole result, or "labors" for this. This is in proportion to the "measure" of each part; that is, in proportion to its power. Every part labors to produce the great result. No one is idle; none is useless, but none are overtaxed or overworked. The support demanded and furnished by every part is in exact proportion to its strength” (Barnes Notes).
What Can I Do?
I Can Love The Lost: People can sense whether or not we have a genuine concern for their welfare, or if we are just “putting in our time” in talking to them. Loving the lost isn’t always easy; for people in the world have worldly attitudes and they at times use foul language. Our first impression might be, “I don’t like this person very much”. But we have to look past such things, and see what this person could become if they obeyed the gospel. Remember, the first time that we read about Paul in the Scriptures, he wasn’t very likeable either (Acts 7:58; 8:1; 9:1). People must be told that they are in sin or that their attitudes and behavior are wrong (Acts 17:22-23; 14:15), but we must do this in a way that conveys our concern for their welfare and in a way that they know we want our friendship to continue. Remember, the second great commandment is, “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). Well, how does one develop a greater love for lost souls? 1. Have the conviction that Christianity is for everyone, and that Jesus has everything that people need (Acts 26:29). 2. Realize the agony that this person will experience if you don’t share the gospel with them. Every now and then Hollywood creates a movie or television show where someone has the ability to read the future of the various people that they run into. In a sense, Christians have this ability. Every lost person that we encounter, imagine that person suffering for an eternity, for that is their future if you don’t try to save them (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9; Revelation 20:15). 3. Jesus died for this person; this person has an eternal inheritance if they will only obey the truth. 4. This person was once a little child, but somewhere in life they went astray. You can get them back on the right track! 5. You have great news for this lost person! (John 3:16)
Persevere: “Jesus compared seeking the lost to fishing (Luke 5: 10 “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men”). There may be a lot of similarities, but one is notable: you cannot do it a little bit and be successful. You cannot become impatient. The work God gave us cannot be done a little bit now and then. It cannot be done in brief programs that last a few months or even a couple of years” (p. 12). Personal evangelism cannot be viewed as an occasional program; rather, it must become part of our daily lifestyle. Concerning Paul, the Scriptures state, “So he was reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the market place every day with those who happened to be present” (Acts 17:17). I believe that some have given up on personal evangelism, because they tried it once and the person they tried to reach didn’t respond or responded in a very negative manner. We need to understand teaching others as something in which we will probably encounter many negative reactions as we seek to find honest hearts. It is also compared to farming (1 Corinthians 3:6-8). Our task is to continually plant and water.
Have a positive attitude about the success of the gospel: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). To see the power of the gospel, just look around at all the other people in this auditorium and others across the nation, who have become Christians. Just consider the changes that the gospel has brought upon your life. The person who should really understands the power of the gospel is a former sinner whose entire life, both outward and inward, has been changed by this message (Hebrews 4:12-13). Too many Christians talk themselves out of sharing the gospel with someone else. If we are always anticipating a “no” answer or a confrontation, then we will lack the motivation we need to spread the good news. Be impressed that when the message encounters a good heart, that such a person will produce a tremendous amount of fruit for God (Matthew 13:23).
Have a positive attitude when you talk about God: When people ask you questions about your faith, are you defensive, apathetic, and cold? Do you present the good news in a boring manner? People are going to be more apt to take us seriously if we are genuinely excited about Bible study, prayer, times of worship, being with Christians, and living the Christian life.
Actively seek new friendships: We cannot expect people to always come to us. We need to go out of our way to meet people. One of the major reasons why some churches never grow is because the members feel no compulsion to make any more new friends. It is very difficult to reach people with the gospel if we aren’t trying to meet new people. In order to be the salt of the earth, we must have continual and regular contact with the people of this world (Matthew 5:13-16).
Be an encourager: There are congregations where the teaching and preaching are great, but no one greets the visitor after services. We need to make a regular habit of including visitors in our Sunday plans, which would include having them over during the week. We need to learn to go out of our way to build friendships. This is probably one of the simplest tasks involved in personal work and yet it is often neglected. “Not many people are going to accept an invitation to a personal Bible study if the members of the church do not care enough to make them a part of their social circle” (p. 13). This is something that just about everyone can do, and remember that “hospitality” means a “love of strangers” (Hebrews 13:1; Romans 12:13).
Be an active upbeat participant in Bible classes: This involves coming to class ready and willing to participate. Silently sitting in the class for the entire period isn’t much help. “Visitors to a class will not be encouraged to further investigation of the word if most of the class are silent deadbeats” (p. 13). It is amazing how a class that is filled with constructive and active participation can influence visitors. Such participation sends the following signals: 1. Bible study can be exciting! 2. With diligence and work, anyone can understand what the Bible says. That is, the Bible wasn’t written primarily for the scholar or the expert. 3. The Bible is relevant for modern life and has the answers people need today for very difficult situations. 4. The Bible was written to be practiced and obeyed and not just contemplated. 5. There are people who are sincere and serious about following the Bible. Look at things from the perspective of the non-Christian. If they are going to give up their favorite sin and commit to a life of service to God, then they certainly don’t want to spend their lifetime worshipping with a group of people who aren’t interested in God’s word.
Learn to teach: The more we are personally prepared to teach others, the more opportunities God can send our way. Secondly, if we are unprepared, then obviously we will lack the confidence to ask others for a class. The answer for such unpreparedness is to find someone who is good at teaching people the Bible and ask them to teach you how to do it (2 Timothy 2:2; Hebrews 5:11-14). Start making notes on what you would teach in a first lesson, a second lesson and so on. Practice your lessons on your spouse or another Christian.
“There are talented people in every church who do not teach simply because they are afraid or unwilling to put forth the effort. Others keep waiting until they are more ‘polished’. Such a person is forgetting that the power is in the gospel, not in the polish. If you genuinely love the person and teach in gentleness, the gospel will bring success. On the other hand, really work on becoming good at it. Observe good teachers to figure out what makes them good” (p. 13).
Remember, remaining afraid is a situation that God doesn’t like (Revelation 21:8). In addition, it really isn’t any fun to continue to hide one’s light under a bushel. Christianity doesn’t work when you keep it to yourself. Look at the people who are positive and zealous for God, look at the people who are enjoying being a Christian, and one thing they have in common is that they are typically involved in personal work on a regular basis. We tend to forget that a tremendous amount of motivation is gained in bringing someone to Christ. Such successes naturally breed more confidence. If you really want to feel that you are accomplishing something and are making a lasting influence upon this earth, then share the gospel with people. People involved in personal work have a clear understanding of their purpose on this planet, they know that they are involved in the greatest work in the world, and they tend to be immune to worldly distractions (Mark 4:19). After all, who wants to get preoccupied or yield to a temptation if they are confident that they can change a person’s eternal destiny!
Be a co-teacher: “It is helpful to learn to teach with someone else. Even Paul took people with him. These people not only learned from him but helped him in the job of teaching (Acts 16:1-3)” (p. 13). You can even ask another member of the Church to be a co-teacher with you.
Mark Dunagan/Beaverton Church of Christ/503-644-9017
www.ch-of-christ.beaverton.or.us/mdunagan@easystreet.comWhat You Can Do
When it comes to personal work and trying to reach the lost, at times there are some misconceptions. Some see saving souls is the work of primarily the preacher, elders, or “gifted” members. Probably, one of the most dangerous assumptions is the feeling that the only person who is needed to save a person is the one doing the teaching.
The Process of Saving A Soul
“When I speak of ‘saving a soul’, I am referring to a process that begins with the initial contact with an unbeliever, and does not stop until years after their baptism into Christ. Many Christians see only the baptism. They are unaware of the time and effort spent patiently instructing, discussing, encouraging, and persuading. Further, Christians who are not involved in this process do not realize how difficult it is for a new convert to exchange their old carnal friends for new spiritual relationships. Most have forgotten the tough changes that must be made and the help needed for a new Christian to go from sin to righteousness” (Focus Magazine, November 2000, Berry Kercheville, p. 12). It is important that we see saving people as a process that takes the cooperation of the entire congregation (1 Thessalonians 5:14; Hebrews 3:12-13). We need to be impressed that much of the work that Paul did in Acts, was the process of strengthening and encouraging people who were already Christians (Acts 14:22; 15:40-41; 16:5). We need to see saving a person as involving much more than just the initial teaching or more than just the person who is having a class with them. Congregations can be filled with the best-qualified teachers and yet fail to grow because the rest of the process isn’t happening. Remember, “it takes more than just a good teacher for a church to grow” (p. 12).
Ephesians 4:16
“From whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by that which every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love”.
“By that which every joint supplies”: “By the aid of every contributing ligament” (Wey). “According to the proper working of each individual part”: Notice the term “proper”. Each member, must not only do something, but also fully use their talents. The church isn’t going to grow if each member is only offering a token effort. "According to the energy in the measure of each one part" (Tyndale). "According to the operation as every part has its measure." The meaning is, that each part contributes to the production of the whole result, or "labors" for this. This is in proportion to the "measure" of each part; that is, in proportion to its power. Every part labors to produce the great result. No one is idle; none is useless, but none are overtaxed or overworked. The support demanded and furnished by every part is in exact proportion to its strength” (Barnes Notes).
What Can I Do?
I Can Love The Lost: People can sense whether or not we have a genuine concern for their welfare, or if we are just “putting in our time” in talking to them. Loving the lost isn’t always easy; for people in the world have worldly attitudes and they at times use foul language. Our first impression might be, “I don’t like this person very much”. But we have to look past such things, and see what this person could become if they obeyed the gospel. Remember, the first time that we read about Paul in the Scriptures, he wasn’t very likeable either (Acts 7:58; 8:1; 9:1). People must be told that they are in sin or that their attitudes and behavior are wrong (Acts 17:22-23; 14:15), but we must do this in a way that conveys our concern for their welfare and in a way that they know we want our friendship to continue. Remember, the second great commandment is, “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). Well, how does one develop a greater love for lost souls? 1. Have the conviction that Christianity is for everyone, and that Jesus has everything that people need (Acts 26:29). 2. Realize the agony that this person will experience if you don’t share the gospel with them. Every now and then Hollywood creates a movie or television show where someone has the ability to read the future of the various people that they run into. In a sense, Christians have this ability. Every lost person that we encounter, imagine that person suffering for an eternity, for that is their future if you don’t try to save them (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9; Revelation 20:15). 3. Jesus died for this person; this person has an eternal inheritance if they will only obey the truth. 4. This person was once a little child, but somewhere in life they went astray. You can get them back on the right track! 5. You have great news for this lost person! (John 3:16)
Persevere: “Jesus compared seeking the lost to fishing (Luke 5: 10 “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men”). There may be a lot of similarities, but one is notable: you cannot do it a little bit and be successful. You cannot become impatient. The work God gave us cannot be done a little bit now and then. It cannot be done in brief programs that last a few months or even a couple of years” (p. 12). Personal evangelism cannot be viewed as an occasional program; rather, it must become part of our daily lifestyle. Concerning Paul, the Scriptures state, “So he was reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the market place every day with those who happened to be present” (Acts 17:17). I believe that some have given up on personal evangelism, because they tried it once and the person they tried to reach didn’t respond or responded in a very negative manner. We need to understand teaching others as something in which we will probably encounter many negative reactions as we seek to find honest hearts. It is also compared to farming (1 Corinthians 3:6-8). Our task is to continually plant and water.
Have a positive attitude about the success of the gospel: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). To see the power of the gospel, just look around at all the other people in this auditorium and others across the nation, who have become Christians. Just consider the changes that the gospel has brought upon your life. The person who should really understands the power of the gospel is a former sinner whose entire life, both outward and inward, has been changed by this message (Hebrews 4:12-13). Too many Christians talk themselves out of sharing the gospel with someone else. If we are always anticipating a “no” answer or a confrontation, then we will lack the motivation we need to spread the good news. Be impressed that when the message encounters a good heart, that such a person will produce a tremendous amount of fruit for God (Matthew 13:23).
Have a positive attitude when you talk about God: When people ask you questions about your faith, are you defensive, apathetic, and cold? Do you present the good news in a boring manner? People are going to be more apt to take us seriously if we are genuinely excited about Bible study, prayer, times of worship, being with Christians, and living the Christian life.
Actively seek new friendships: We cannot expect people to always come to us. We need to go out of our way to meet people. One of the major reasons why some churches never grow is because the members feel no compulsion to make any more new friends. It is very difficult to reach people with the gospel if we aren’t trying to meet new people. In order to be the salt of the earth, we must have continual and regular contact with the people of this world (Matthew 5:13-16).
Be an encourager: There are congregations where the teaching and preaching are great, but no one greets the visitor after services. We need to make a regular habit of including visitors in our Sunday plans, which would include having them over during the week. We need to learn to go out of our way to build friendships. This is probably one of the simplest tasks involved in personal work and yet it is often neglected. “Not many people are going to accept an invitation to a personal Bible study if the members of the church do not care enough to make them a part of their social circle” (p. 13). This is something that just about everyone can do, and remember that “hospitality” means a “love of strangers” (Hebrews 13:1; Romans 12:13).
Be an active upbeat participant in Bible classes: This involves coming to class ready and willing to participate. Silently sitting in the class for the entire period isn’t much help. “Visitors to a class will not be encouraged to further investigation of the word if most of the class are silent deadbeats” (p. 13). It is amazing how a class that is filled with constructive and active participation can influence visitors. Such participation sends the following signals: 1. Bible study can be exciting! 2. With diligence and work, anyone can understand what the Bible says. That is, the Bible wasn’t written primarily for the scholar or the expert. 3. The Bible is relevant for modern life and has the answers people need today for very difficult situations. 4. The Bible was written to be practiced and obeyed and not just contemplated. 5. There are people who are sincere and serious about following the Bible. Look at things from the perspective of the non-Christian. If they are going to give up their favorite sin and commit to a life of service to God, then they certainly don’t want to spend their lifetime worshipping with a group of people who aren’t interested in God’s word.
Learn to teach: The more we are personally prepared to teach others, the more opportunities God can send our way. Secondly, if we are unprepared, then obviously we will lack the confidence to ask others for a class. The answer for such unpreparedness is to find someone who is good at teaching people the Bible and ask them to teach you how to do it (2 Timothy 2:2; Hebrews 5:11-14). Start making notes on what you would teach in a first lesson, a second lesson and so on. Practice your lessons on your spouse or another Christian.
“There are talented people in every church who do not teach simply because they are afraid or unwilling to put forth the effort. Others keep waiting until they are more ‘polished’. Such a person is forgetting that the power is in the gospel, not in the polish. If you genuinely love the person and teach in gentleness, the gospel will bring success. On the other hand, really work on becoming good at it. Observe good teachers to figure out what makes them good” (p. 13).
Remember, remaining afraid is a situation that God doesn’t like (Revelation 21:8). In addition, it really isn’t any fun to continue to hide one’s light under a bushel. Christianity doesn’t work when you keep it to yourself. Look at the people who are positive and zealous for God, look at the people who are enjoying being a Christian, and one thing they have in common is that they are typically involved in personal work on a regular basis. We tend to forget that a tremendous amount of motivation is gained in bringing someone to Christ. Such successes naturally breed more confidence. If you really want to feel that you are accomplishing something and are making a lasting influence upon this earth, then share the gospel with people. People involved in personal work have a clear understanding of their purpose on this planet, they know that they are involved in the greatest work in the world, and they tend to be immune to worldly distractions (Mark 4:19). After all, who wants to get preoccupied or yield to a temptation if they are confident that they can change a person’s eternal destiny!
Be a co-teacher: “It is helpful to learn to teach with someone else. Even Paul took people with him. These people not only learned from him but helped him in the job of teaching (Acts 16:1-3)” (p. 13). You can even ask another member of the Church to be a co-teacher with you.
Mark Dunagan/Beaverton Church of Christ/503-644-9017
www.ch-of-christ.beaverton.or.us/mdunagan@easystreet.com
