Topic - Connections Key connections for reaching people in need of Christ

Danny Parker

Connections • Sermon • Submitted a year ago • Presented a year ago

Evangelism

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I. To reach people: First Connect with God

A. Be certain of a personal connection with God 1 John 5:11-13

1. Certainty of salvation – rests in His Son

(ESV) 1 John 5 11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

2. Assurance of own salvation

(ESV) 1 John 5 13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.

3. Continue to impact your life

NKJV 1 John 5 13…and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son o God.

B. Live connected with God Acts 17:28

(ESV) Acts 17 28 for “ ‘In him we liveand move and have our being’; …

1. A vital relationship with the living God

2. “Live” in Him

C. Shine as a light that cannot be hid Matthew 5:14-16

(ESV) Matthew 5 14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Fatherwho is in heaven.

II. To reach people: Connect with spiritually needy people

A. Jesus met them where they were Luke 15:1

(ESV) Luke 15 1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

1. Went to them (all the way from heaven – then to their house)

2. Built relationships with them

3. Not condemning while not condoning

4. Willing to reach out to their need without partaking of their deeds

B. Jesus loved enough to pursue them Luke 15:2-7

(ESV) Luke 15 3 So he told them this parable: 4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’

1. Passionate

2. Sacrifice to reach out – leave the comfortable

III. To reach people: Connect the spiritually needy with Jesus

A. Heard and followed, told and brought John 1:40-42

(ESV) John 1 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his own brotherSimon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. …

1. Priority to reach brother

a. Is Jesus the answer?

b. Natural response is to bring others to Him so that they too can enjoy Him

2. Intentionally went to reach brother

3. Talked to him

4. Told him his story

5. Responsible for bringing him to Jesus

B. Via prayer for them Col 4:3; Eph 6:19; Rom 10:1

1. To have opportunities to speak

(ESV) Colossians 4 3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—

2. To be able to speak boldly

(ESV) Ephesians 6 19 and also (pray) for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel,

1. To be saved

(ESV) Romans 10 1 Brothers, my heart’s desireand prayer to Godfor them is that they may be saved.

IV. To reach people: Then Connect the spiritually needy with the church

A. The church is central in Jesus’ commission Matthew 28:18-20

(ESV) Matthew 28 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

1. Connecting to the church is part of the commission

a. Involves baptizing into the church

1) Baptism –

a) External act to demonstrate Christ’s work in our life – picture of His death/burial/resurrection – (hence immersion)

b) Reflect the spiritual baptism that puts us in the universal body of Christ

2) Identify with Christ and His body

2. Membership – commitment

a. Not a “live in” relationship but a commitment – for better or worse

3. Important means for evangelism, discipleship, and teaching

B. The church is God’s plan God to glorify Himself Ephesians 3:10

(ESV) Ephesians 3 10 so that (His intent) through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

1. When you see the word church think on two planes

a. Universal – immediately added to the body of Christ at salvation

b. Local. the visible manifestation of the full body –

c. A body – spiritually (universally) and physically (local)

1) Christianity is not an “individual thing”

2. The wisdom of God is displayed in the church

a. God reaching out to all people and nations

b. Creating a unity in that diversity – reflective of the trinity

3. Need investment of one’s life in God’s plan for the age

C. The church was redeemed by Jesus Ephesians 5:25

(ESV) Ephesians 5 25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,

D. The church is the means to grow in Christ

(ESV) Ephesians 4 16 from whom the whole body (the church), joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

1. Growth occurs as one connects with other Christians in the church

2. Exercise of gifts

E. It is essential for the church to meet together Heb 10:24-25

(ESV) Hebrews 10 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

1. In midst of persecution

2. Need each other whether just coming to Christ or a long-term Christian

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