Apr 06

Response Evangelism

avatar Published in Untagged  by Pastor Mark
  It's been a great weekend thus far, as we have been focusing on our amazing honor to share Jesus with everyone we come in contact with.  We met with people on three different meetings yesterday to talk about how easy it is to take advantage of the opportunities that God gives tous to share with others the hope we have in Jesus.  Randy Hurst who serves as the commissioner on evangelism for the Assemblies of God is sharing and teaching simple steps to respond to those opportunities in ways that will allow people to receive Jesus. He said yesterday that only about 10% of Christians share their faith on a regular basis and bring people to a knowledge of the truth and of those 10% most of them have known the Lord less than 18 months.  The point that Randy continued to bring to us over and over was that what we need to know is that God is with us and wants us to share in the joy of sharing Jesus.  Many times he said all that believers lack is confidence, because we so many times feel inadequate as to our knowledge and our ability to respond to hard questions.  But as we have heard and seen in our own lives, the Lord will use us in so many unique ways if we will allow the Holy Spirit to lead us and to take advantage of the doors that He opens.  Randy shared that if we are worried about just the right formula we may miss some of those opportunities, and yet it is a simple process for us first to say yes to the Lord and secondly to step out in confidence that God is with us and that He will gives us the words we need to reach others.  He told us that his premise for response evangelism comes from the book of Colossians chapter 4:2-6

"2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. 5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."

 

Notice the main points in this passage;

 

Pray for Open Doors

Share Christ Clearly

Be Wise with Outsiders

Make the Most of the Opportunities

Conversation always full of Grace

Respond Individually

 

What a simple and yet powerful overview of how you and I are to live and to respond to those who the Holy Spirit is already working on.  The last point is a great one, a reminder to respond individually.  Each time we share each person will have a different need at that moment we will not always be able to use the same method or the same manner, but we had the amazing help of the Holy Spirit who is more than willing and able to allow us even at a moments notice to share our faith and respond to the needs of that individual.  There are so many things that were shared in the meetings yesterday and for those who would like to you can check out today's message on line from the morning service. But one thing that really stood out for me was a reminder that possibly the best know verse in all the Bible was given as a result of response evangelism.  John 3:16  "For God so loved the world...."   Was not spoken in a sermon in front of crowds of people, or during Jesus teaching in the synagogue, but was given to an individual named Nicodemus who came to Jesus one evening asking "How can a man be born again?"  That verse was given to one man and has been used now by hundreds of millions of people who have come to Jesus.  Our honor is to share Jesus with our world.  Would you join me and in a fresh way offer yourself to the Lord and say "Jesus I am ready to share your life and your love, I pray for open doors, and to be clear about you to others, I want to make the most of every opportunity you give me. To speak with grace and hope and to respond individually to each person whose path you have me cross."  May this week be the beginning of a new understanding of our role in God's master plan of redemption.  I am praying that you will have an awesome day with Jesus.