Scripture NIV with links using The BibleGateway at Gospel Com
They speak of a soverign God, in control of all things and doing whatever He knows is best - which since he is God must be best. Last time I spoke we found out that the suffering receive as Christians is designed to refine out faith - worth more than gold. God knows what He is doing.
If God is in control of everything, and I think we can agree with that - then why does His sovereignty end at choosing who will be saved and who won't be? A rhetorcial question - because it doesn't.
A few times ago I spoke on this subject. That God is sovereign in all things - including the choice of who receives salvation and who doesn't. What I didn't get to do was to make much of an application of this idea. Let's assume that God is in control of all things - something that I am sure we all agree on and let's see what difference - if any - it makes to our evangelism.
The first question must be - "Do we even have to? After all if God chooses then what difference does it make?" Well to even ask that question shows little understanding of the Bible and the fact that we are responsible, despite the fact that God is in control.
A sentence that may bring these two things together - laying out what the Bible says about sovereignty versus responsibility might be something like "Each one of us is responsible by out actions for the fact that we are rebels against God and sentenced to death, judgement and eternal punishment. In his great mercy God chooses that some of the guilty will be pardoned - not because of what they have done - but because He is merciful and full of grace."
Back to the question though, why bother to even tell people, after all God does it all and so we don't have to. This is clearly wrong - we all know that we have to tell others about Jesus - or do we?
Well let's see what the bible says:
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely
I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Matthew 28:19,20
Pretty clear instructions from Christ to his disciples that they have to tell others, and the book of Acts is full of examples of Christians doing just that.
So the bible clearly states that we have to be telling people abotu Jesus and making them disciples. So that they too will be telling others and making disciples and so on.
We still have to tell, we still have a responsibility because God tells us we have. We can't hide our head in intellectual sand, throw our hands in tha air and say why bother - God says to bother.
Are you telling others? Please note that God doesn't just say to show them about him, but to teach them. Teaching is more than just living a lifestyle, teaching involves telling people the facts so that they can wrestle with them and grow.
This brings us to the next point - how do we evangelise, living in the light that God is completely in control.
Does it matter? God is in control and so what we say and do doesn't matter. This doesn't seem right and yet many Christians seem to act like this, they neglect the full gospel with no add ons, they don't live as they should, they basically live as if what they do doesn't matter.
Well think again, what we do and say does make a difference.
We are God's ambassadors [2 Corinthians 5:18-21].
Our lives must be an example to others to win them over [1 Peter 2:12].
What we believe matters [Colossians 2:8].
What we say matters [Romans
1:16,17].
Only the gospel is God's power for salvation.
What we believe about the gospel really matters [Galations 3:1-5].
Pretty strong stuff in the last verse. Paul in this letter is really laying into this church whiuc is moving away from the gospel and onto something else - something wrong, something deadly.
We need to make sure that we have the gospel right when we tell others - for some reason God has decided to use us as a part His method of saving others, we have to do our homework and make sure that we stick to the gospel.
Paul wrote to the Galations at the start of that letter "but if even we or an angel from heaven should a preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you" let them go to hell - well he actually says "let him be eternally condemned" but I think its the same message.
So its' important we get it right. Do we know the gospel? can we tell people the good news, can we answer the questions "What must I do to be saved?", or "what is a christian and why do I need to become one?" or even "Who is Jesus?"
It says in 1 Peter 3:15 "But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect."
Are we prepared? Have we made sure that we know the gospel. Have you made sure you know the gospel?
So what is the gospel. Well there are things to help you - Two Ways To Live is a small booklet and a six step explanation of the gospel - which helps you to make sure you have what they call the "gospel logic" in the right order - not missing or adding anything - and also making sure you have verses from the bible to back it up.
Christianity Explained is a bible study type approach which deals with the big issues. There are things called The 4 Spiritual Laws and Evangelism Explosion which is a whole method based around the gospel and The Roman Road 5 verses from the book of Romans which explain the gospel and help you share it.
One that I like at the moment is again a guide to help you get all the bits and pieces of the gospel in order.
GOD
MAN
GOD [see also]
WHAT IF YOU DO?
WHAT IF YOU DON'T?
Very simple and easy to remeber and explain.
Since we began by talking about how much God is in control of everything I have something which I was shown last year which amazed me.
I am sure that you all would agree that God knows everything, yes? Yes?
Well a Texan told me a couple of years ago that that is wrong - God doesn't klnow everything - in fact there are four things that God doesn't know - and since then I have found that God even tells us in His word that this is true - the game is up.
Are we christians? The why aren't we out there telling out friends - why aren't I telling my students? Why aren't you sharing over lunch the great news that you've found the answer everyone has been looking for.
We need - as we look to our future hope, as we look into the face of the risen lod, we need to remmeber that he has holes in his hands and feet and side and that he died a horrible death - because every one of us has a big problem - my parents, sister, grandparents, wormates, friends, kids at school where I teach - maybe your friends and relatives and work mates - they are going to hell unless they believe they are sinners and need a saviour, and that Jesus is that saviour.
Why is it so easy for us to turn our backs on the drowning when we have a life raft we can share?
Think on one person you know who you are pretty sure is not a Christian - think of them, what can you do to get to know them better? What can you do to tell them the truth about God, Man, God, What If They Do?, What if They Don't. Just one person and pray about them, pray that you would be do something, ask each other who we are praying for, pray together, be accountable - maybe you are the one God has chosen to use to tell them the gospel so that He would save them.
And what if you are here, and maybe you've been here many times, you are not a christian - you do not believe you are sinful, can't save yourself from God's wrath and need to be saved - then today is the day you can be saved - remember the four things. Remember this. What if you don't? What if you do?