A Faithful Witness - Always Ready
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READ 2 Timothy 4:1-5
READ 2 Timothy 4:1-5
What is something about you that people who really KNOW you, would say you are characterized by?
Grand-kids, money, guns, gardening, mechanical, pets… (nothing wrong with....)
What about “Oh, if you ever talk to _________, you’ll hear about Jesus.”?
A big point today: sharing the Gospel is not passive
Your life shows if you live for Christ, that’s good
You can attract people to Christ by your marriage, parenting, work ethic, etc....
But people need to HEAR Christ - we cannot assume they understand, and not speak
TODAY:ALWAYS BEING READY TO SHARE
An example from Paul, in Acts 17
(Look at verses 1-3, and others, tell the background)
(Focus on verses 22-34)
Key Steps to Effective Witnessing Being Prepared
Key Steps to Effective Witnessing Being Prepared
1) Pray
1) Pray
For opportunity, boldness, courage, prepared heart, words to say
(Realize this- I doubt the Holy Spirit will do these through you if you are not willing to do this)
Believers want to witness, they just do. If you do NOT want to share Christ with others, just being content with your own beliefs, check that with Him!
2) Know Your “Audience”
2) Know Your “Audience”
Their backgrounds, interests, likes/dislikes, what makes them who they are
Paul - addresses Jews first in His travels - synagogues
Paul knows them well, He’s Jewish - as he sates in Phil. 3:5-6
He knows their customs, lifestyle, laws and rules
He connects with them
Paul - then addresses Gentiles
Paul knows them by having lived around and with them
The two people whose names you wrote down last week:
(If not, do that now, two people you know who need to be saved)
What do you know about them? What do you have in common? How are you different?
How do you connect with them? Live around/with, work with, family or extended family?
You can use what you know about them to start or continue conversations, and steer to Christ
(This is NOT manipulation - if you have a GENUINE desire to see people get saved, if you are truly concerned, deeply, about their souls)
3) Know the Beliefs of Others
3) Know the Beliefs of Others
Paul with Jews - He knows they believe in God, that they already know that God is Creator, and that people sinned, and that He promised Messiah- they just denied that it is Jesus Christ
So his challenge to them is to demonstrate Jesus being the sent Messiah
Then he challenges them to repent
Paul with Gentiles - He knows they may not even agree that there IS a god or God. He knows they are very “religious” and are OK with any God - UNKNOWN GOD
I hear often that people want others to go to church, any church, as long as they are going. Just realize that most churches are not preaching the truth of the Gospel
So Paul starts with Creation - God who created the world/universe - “THE God, that’s who I’m talking about” (Creation is a big deal to God, it’s how He introduces Himself to people so often in Bible)
Then he discusses mankind, how God is near to them, if anyone wants to “find” Him, He is right there
THEN - just like the Jews, the challenge to repent
POINT - Repentance of being a sinner is the means of salvation - turning, asking forgiveness
Just like Peter in Acts 2, 3, 5
Paul knows what others believe - not just because he’s smart, but because he is sincerely interested in them, in order to help them see themselves as Christ does - sinners in need of grace and salvation
AND PAUL HAS THE ANSWER TO LIFE - So do you, believer....
Paul was concerned about false beliefs of those around him
Jews-rejected Christ- felt like good works was enough
Gentiles - didn’t really know Christ, may have heard about Him, and just tried to be “good” people
WHAT ABOUT US - PEOPLE AROUND HERE
“Churched” - “Religious” - OK with acknowledging God - think of James 2:19 and “belief”
Some “atheists” - but they may be people pushing back from forced religion, or maybe from parents and church leaders unable to provide Bible answers to questions
Satan is very good with “religion” - man’s ideas how to relate to God (Christians read His Word and let Him define that relationship)
The “Churched”
(See slides on Methodists, RCC, Christian Church)
Ask people how they know they are saved, on their way to Heaven - underlying these false teachings is a belief in works, “good enough”
I am NOT saying every person in those churches is lost
I am also NOT saying every person here is saved
DANGER: Easy to just let “good” people go, leave them alone, I mean at least they are going to church, at least they say they believe in God, and even talk about Jesus, right?
“OK, pastor, what SHOULD we do with knowing this?
4) Know the TRUTH - Bible
4) Know the TRUTH - Bible
Paul never strays from truth of God’s Word
Reminds Jews of what God has done for them
Proclaims to Gentiles how they need a Savior, and that it’s Jesus
What about us, and here?
Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
This is underlined in my own old Small Catechism, along with what Martin Luther believed, and then found Scripture to back him up- while never explaining the context and the conclusion (v. 41)
So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.
Those getting baptized had accepted the word, professed their faith
“Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;
Peter never strayed from repentance as the basis for profession of faith
Neither did Paul
So how do you refute this?
You know the Bible - you have these primary verses written down, highlighted, maybe memorized
But know where to find them, so you can point them to GOD’s Word, not yours
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,
that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
Baptism is not mentioned as a means to salvation (Bible study tip, let Scripture interpret Scripture)
This is one point
Not mentioned cults, another time - they deny Jesus is God
Others say, How can you know you are saved?
These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.
I want EVERYone to know they can be saved and know it
And often I have to explain to them my concern that they are not - out of genuine concern
5) Pray some more
5) Pray some more
6) Expect Outcomes
6) Expect Outcomes
Some will reject - now that it is not YOU they reject, but God’s Word
Some will consider - may ask questions, may challenge you, want more information
Some will accept - PRAISE GOD! Then we disciple them
Regardless - if you present the Gospel - you have been successful. Let God deal with the “saving”
CLOSE
Church will only grow with new believers
Church will only grow with new believers
THIS church!
New believers come from witnessing
TOOLS - besides the Word (next week), specifics
For now, take a Bridge tract - give it to someone, and ask them to just read through it
Take notice of how the Holy Spirit fills you with peace when you do
DECIDE - Do you want others to know what you do? They need to hear it from you!