Acts
2:22-24 “Men of Israel, hear
these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty
works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you
yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite
plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of
lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it
was not possible for him to be held by it.
Pastor
Kyle continued in his Sunday sermon series : “What America Really Needs” and
asked, “How do you reach a world that doesn’t believe that they need salvation?
One of the biggest problems that Rescuers run into is a person who does not know
that they are in dire need of help. They will actually fight the person
attempting to save them. Likewise, a person who does not know that they are “lost”,
does not believe that they need to be “found”. The gospel truth is that all
have sinned, are lost in that sin, cannot save themselves, and destined for
eternal damnation in Hell, unless they are redeemed and saved by Jesus Christ.
Nothing is more serious. So, how do Christians reach lost people, who don’t see
a need for a Savior? “Live and let die” is a James Bond movie; not an option.
We must continue the Lord’s mission work and that’s a rescue mission.
Luke
19:10 “For the Son of
Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Christian
present the gospel of Jesus Christ to the unbelieving world, build up the faith
of existing Believers and defend the faith by “Apologetics” (from Greek word ἀπολογία,
meaning "speaking in defense"), which is presenting and giving the
Christian argument from the truth of God's holy Word, found in the book of Scripture
and the book of nature. What does that look like? 1 Peter 3:15 “In your hearts honor Christ the Lord as
holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a
reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.”
But,
how do we get to the place where unbelieving “Seekers”, prepared in advance by
the Holy Spirit, say: “I cannot deny what is going on and happening here with
this Christian and their church?” The Lord is at work in the world, bringing
people unto Himself for transformation daily, but there are ingredients that
can be easily missed, behind every great work of God. (1) Praying together.
Prayer is the first step, because it is the environment in which take place and
where the whole power comes from, for and with you, then spreads like wildfire.
(2) Maintain a personal commitment to truth and transforming conversion. Just
say “yes” to Jesus! (3) God uses normal, common people. Those Apostles were
intelligent and wise, but had no formal education, yet they were used to reach
the world for Christ. They were as ordinary as it gets; and so are we. (4) Be recognized
as “having been with Jesus” and continuing to be with the Lord, that others may
say; “I don’t know what’s going on, but that Christian has something (a
disposition) I don’t have in their life … and I want it too.” It’s not what you
do; it’s who you are in Christ as you walk in the Spirit.
Galatians
5:22-25 “The fruit of the
Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things
there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified
the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let
us also keep in step with the Spirit.”
(5)
Model everyday boldness in being a child of God and be as effective as
possible. Acts 5:29 “We must obey
God rather than men.” This may put us out of our comfort zone, but eternity
is more important than today. Are your friends, family, acquaintances and
co-workers more drawn to Jesus by what you say, write and do? Do not ruin your
witness for Christ. The gospel is already controversial, but it is the truth
that everyone needs to hear and we are the best messenger. The next-door neighbor’s
house is on fire, they are asleep inside and do not know it … and we have a
fire truck in our driveway. Are we going to let them perish without trying to
bring them to safety? Show kindness without an agenda and invite them to church
with you to come and see for their selves the love of Christ. Love; the
undeniable work of God which you model daily.
In
Christ, Brian
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