Evangelism (see also Witnessing)

• We are God's messengers (Isaiah 43: 10-11)-"But you are my witnesses, O Israel!" says the LORD.  "And you are my servant.  You have been chosen to know me, believe in me, and understand that I alone am God.  There is no other God of salvation; there never has been and never will be."

In this verse God is telling us believers that we are His witnesses.  This shows us that we are able to have knowledge that others do not have.  We are His servants.  We are here to serve Him.  To follow His commands.  To lead others to Him.  We have been chosen to know Him on a level that no other knows Him.  We are chosen to believe in Him.  Because not everyone has the ability to believe in Him.  We are chosen to have the ability to understand that He alone is God.  He alone is the one true God.  There never really has been another God, and there never will be another God except the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 

• Christians bring light to a spiritually dark world (Matthew 5: 14-16)-"You are the light of the world-like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see.  Don't hide your light under a basket!  Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all.  In the same way; let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father."

We are the light of the world.  This shows that the world is living in darkness.  We glow so that everyone will see the truth.  The LORD does not want us to hide our light under anything that the world presents us with.  This could be anything from not living to the fullest capacity of your calling, keeping quiet when instructed by the LORD to speak on something, or being lead by the Holy Spirit to speak to someone, to fear, to secrecy, or anything else stopping you from expressing the gospel to a lost soul, or living out your calling to it's fullest potential.  Instead, He wants us to show the world what He has given us.  He wants us to treat others the way He would treat them so that they will know that He lives in us.  So they will know, and give Him praise for all we do.

• Jesus made salvation available to all people (Matthew 9: 9-13)-As Jesus was going down the road, he saw Matthew sitting at his tax-collection booth.  "Come, be my disciple," Jesus said to him.  So Matthew got up and followed him.  That night Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to be his dinner guests, along with his fellow tax collectors and many other notorious sinners.  The Pharisees were indignant.  "Why does your teacher eat with such scum?" they asked his disciples.  When he heard this, Jesus replied, "Healthy people don't need a doctor-sick people do."  Then he added, "Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: "I want you to be merciful; I don't want your sacrifices."  For I have come to call sinners, not those who think they are already good enough."

At dinner with Matthew the tax collector, The LORD sat with other tax collectors and sinners.  The Pharisees didn't understand why, and they were judgemental, or biased in their thoughts towards this.  But the LORD does not make exception, or favor one over the other.  He loves all the souls.  He wants to reach out to everyone from everywhere.  He wants the gospel to be preached to every background, culture, language, race. He wants to save the poor, blind, lame, disabled, drunkards, prostitutes, drug addicts, homosexuals, murderers, idolaters, adulterers, fornicators, etc.. He wants us servants to also be merciful to them all, just as He is merciful to us.  He does not want our sacrifices.  He wants us to live a sound life in submission to the Holy Spirit.  And He wants to reach out to all the souls that do not know Him, not the ones who already do.  He wants to touch the lives of those who maybe believe perhaps, but, lack the confidence or willpower to take the first steps, receive His free love gift, or get to a Church/place of worship, or to  a place where they can grow and learn more of Him.  That is who we also need to focus on.

• Be bold in your evangelism (Matthew 10: 33)-"But if anyone denies me here on earth, I will deny that person before my Father in heaven."

What Jesus is saying is that if we are ashamed to speak the truth about the evangelism that He taught the disciples, and deny that we follow Him, He will deny us before the Father in heaven, and we will not be saved.  We should not be ashamed of the gospel.  We should speak it boldly before anyone.

• Jesus sent his followers to make disciples (Matthew 28: 18-20)-Jesus came and told his disciples, " I have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth.  Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.  And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

What He wants us is to be fishers of men.  He wants us to find souls who are also destined to lead in discipleship for His kingdom and glory.  He wants us to spread His truth.  He also wants us to teach them to obey His commands.  Obedience is the key to remaining saved.  If we obey Him and do not continue to practice sin, we will be saved.  And He wants us to be sure that we know that He is with us every step of the way.

• The Holy Spirit gives us power to evangelize (Acts 1: 8)-"But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive the power and will tell people about me everywhere-in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

He let his disciples know that when the Holy Spirit comes upon them, that they would receive a special power to speak the gospel and tell about Him everywhere they went.  All over the world.  He was giving them assurance that He would be with them, and that they didn't need to be afraid to speak the truth that their reward is in His kingdom in heaven.

This is the study on evangelism.  I hope it is as useful to you the reader, as it has been to us.  Please keep your faith and continue to pray for strength and wisdom in these last days on earth.  The LORD BE WITH YOU TODAY AND ALWAYS..  Amen!