Sermon Tone Analysis

*Engaging Culture I: Do You Want To?*

*Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 2:42-47*

*/January 2, 2011/*

 

*Prep:*

·         LO (Piper), Facebook Responses

·         133, 003

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*Scripture reading: *Matthew 28:18-20

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Intro

 

Happy New Year!

There is something *exciting* about *looking* *ahead* and wondering what this year will bring – challenges and successes, joy and pain, births and death.

·         I believe this is going to be a year *unlike* *any* *other* at TG.

As I said a couple of months ago, *this* *year* God is calling us to “*engage* our *culture*,” reach out, to share the great news of the Gospel (BTW: Evangelism simply means “sharing the good news”).

I cannot stress enough that this has to be *your* *goal* – the *leadership* cannot pull this off.

In fact, have decided to *avoid* any of the typical *outreach* *events* and focus on your role.

·         For that reason, we are taking a four-week break from *Inscriptions* to focus on *equipping* you for this challenge.

I also cannot stress enough that this cannot be accomplished by our *own* *strength*.

We will need *God’s* *help*, just like I talked about last week.

Prayer

 

 

Want to or have to?

There are a couple of ways I can talk about evangelism – I can either speak in terms of “*have* *to*” or “*get* *to*.”

I can either try to convince you that you should or motive you to want to.

·         It’s not that one is *right* and one *wrong*, it’s like *stages* –first you obey because you have to, then because you want to.

Q   Isn’t that is with our *kids*?

We make them clean up their *room* in hopes that they learn to want order.

The “have to”

 

There is a “have to” aspect to evangelism.

We call that opening reading “The Great *Commission*,” not “the Great *Suggestion*.”

NIV *Matthew 28:18* Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

19 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, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

·         In the *Greek* it’s an *imperative*, so it means what it says.

This is Jesus’ *last* *orders*, his standing command to the church.

Q   *Who* is the *church*?

·         It’s not the organization, it’s *you*; this is each of our responsibility.

“Yeah,” you say, “But that’s not my *gifting*, I am not wired that way.”

It is true that God has given *certain* *people* of the gift of evangelism (Eph.

4:11) – they excel and sharing the Gospel.

*Acts 1:8 *But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Q   *Who* has *received* *power* from the Holy Spirit?

All believers.

Q   *Why* are we given that power?

To be witnesses.

·         Not all of us are *evangelists*, but all of us must *evangelize* – to be a Christian and not doing this is to be in *disobedience*.

So, I don’t want to in any way *minimize* the *mandate* to evangelize, but I probably don’t need to *belabor* any more.

·         If you have been a Christian for any time, then you know you “have to,” and probably *feel* *guilty* for not.

The “Get to”

 

Let’s focus on the “get to,” this is actually something you *want* to do, whether you realize it or not.

Let’s take a look at what the *disciples* did (this is the account of the *first* ch*u*rch).

*Acts 2:42-47 *  42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

This is a great, *compact* *description* of the Christian life:

 

They *devoted* themselves – their new faith wasn’t an addition to their busy lives, it overtook everything else.

They learned and *grew*, they *prayed*, were rooted in *community*.

43 ¶ Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.

44 All the believers were together and had everything in common.

45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.

This isn’t a description of *socialism*, it’s *community*, the body caring for the body.

There was no need for welfare.

46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.

They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,  47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.

And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

No wonder!

Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that!

*C**ommunity*, *eating* together, *worshiping* God, and just genuinely being *happy*.

Q   Is this what we want for *our* *church*, to have “the Lord adding to our numbers daily”?

Remember how full the church was for the *Children’s* *production*?

Remember the *energy* and *excitement*?

That’s what God is calling us to.

I’m not making a deal of numbers, but to give a *visual*.

Q   Do you want that?

Q   Do you want it *bad* *enough* to be a *part*?

Don’t get overwhelmed!

In this series, we are going talk about the “*how* *to*,” making evangelism both “*do*-*able*” and “*not* *weird*.”

But that won’t do any good if you *don’t* *want* to.

·         I know that many of you are sitting here *convinced* that you *can’t* and *won’t* evangelize (which is why I pray so much).

Q   So for a moment, *set* that *aside* and ask yourself: If you *could* do it, *would* you do it?

I don’t know about you, but I can be *overwhelmed* by big tasks.

If something looks *insurmountable*, it’s easy just to shut down.

Accordingly, the *fear* makes it hard for you to *honestly* *answer* the “want to.”

Here’s *three* *questions* to help you break it down.

If you answer “yes” to these, they you really want to “Engage.”

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/**/Do you really believe this stuff/**/?

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Do you really believe the world is *deep* in *sin* and *desperately* *needs* *Jesus*?

If you view evangelism as *pushing* something on people that they *don’t* *want* or need, then you will feel *guilty* when you do it.

But if you feel like you are *offering* something they *can’t* *live* *without* (literally), then you will feel *guilty* if you *don’t*.

·         That’s why I was such a lousy salesman at “*Thing* *Remembered*,” I felt guilty for selling *overpriced*, *useless* stuff.

That’s why the “really believe” is so important.

2.

*/Have you been changed by the Gospel/**/?/*

 

Years ago, my sister and I were in a mall in CA and watched a demonstration for *Bose* *Speakers*.

The young lady doing it could not have been any more disinterested in what she was doing.

·         Imagine that same demonstration by a *fanatical* *customer*.

Q   What is the *difference*?

*Excitement* and *passion* about a *personal* *experience*.

You are passionate about what is meaningful to you.

This is *so* *great* that I *can’t* *help* myself from trying to share it with others.

Q   Have you ever gone to a *new* *restaurant*, loved it, and *texted* your friends about it?

That is *evangelism*.

But rather than talking about some great *peanut* *sauce* you enjoy for a *few* *minutes*, we are talking about a life freed from the *destructive* power of sin, we are talking about *deep* *joy* and *satisfaction* from *community*, and *eternal* *fulfillment* in *God*.

*Wanting* to reach out and share the Gospel flows from a heart *deeply* *changed* by the Gospel.

If your Gospel isn’t touching others, it hasn’t touched you!

 

*1 Peter 3:15 *  Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.

·         It has to be a hope that *you* *have*.