Theme: Soul-winning/Discipleship (Mar.

24, 2019)

Devotion: 2 Cor. 6:1-2 (Col. 1:13-14)

Title: Called to share the Gospel

Introduction:
Good morning to every one of you. Before we begin, let us have a word of prayer…
Our message for today should bring us a much needed reminder that we should always
be aware of our identity as Christians, but more than that, we should always be aware of our
duty as Christians serving under the almighty God. Daily we seek to reach out to other people,
almost all of them unaware of the truth that has already been revealed in God’s word. People
go about their lives with various concerns daily: work, school, money, health, and pleasures.
They devote their time, even their lives for these things, not knowing of the more valuable
things, the intangible things concerning the spirit and the soul. Which is why we are here, and
we are responsible for bringing the inspired word of God to enlighten the people still lost in the
darkness. WE ARE RESPONSIBLE. The most important need of every person who is alive right
now is to have a genuine relationship with God through Jesus Christ His son. Anything else
however important, is just secondary to it. So important is this that we see it throughout the
whole bible. From the time of the Old Testament to the New, it all points to a single thing, the
person of Jesus Christ. Why did He have to come? To what purpose was His ministry? What did
He achieve? More than just easing the pain and suffering of the daily life of the people, he
came to seek and save sinners. He came because our spiritual need was great, so great that no
one else could fulfill it. That is why the title of our message today is: Called to share the Gospel

Exegetical Idea: The greatest need for our time today is to share the good news with every
person. We must be reminded because sometimes the need is not being met. We are to pursue
to fulfill the great commission given to us by our Lord Jesus Christ.

Proposition: Brothers and sisters in Christ, the many needs of man daily are outweighed by the
more important spiritual need. What is true then is still true for today. We are reminded and
strengthened that we are part of God’s plan to fulfill this need in the lives of people all around
us.

Interrogative: What does the bible tell us?

Paul expresses the whole idea sufficiently in Titus 3:3-8 stating the pitiful condition of
humankind, as well as the solution God had given, which was conceived in eternity past, being
fulfilled only by His son Jesus Christ. it brings to mind our responsibility to it as well, what we
have heard and received, we also live out and share to others.

I. It is time to take action – 2Cor.6:1-2; Matt. 24:3-14; 2Tim.3:12-13

A. There is impending destruction – Rom 1:18-23; 28-32

 The bible has already proclaimed the truth that each person is sinful. All have
sinned and failed to reach the standard of God’s glory. This is one problem that we all
share, and we cannot ignore. Everything in the world is temporary and fleeting, but the
punishment for our sins is real, and it is eternal. We cannot kid ourselves that this is a
matter to be taken lightly. The sad thing is many people already suffered in their lives
here, it would be even worse if they were to still suffer for all eternity. This all the more
greatly emphasizes our duty when it hits close to home: relatives, friends, neighbors,
and family will be lost in their sins. They will endure suffering and the righteous
punishment from God. We cannot just wait and sit idly by as people go on about their
lives not knowing the impending judgment from God that awaits each person.
Rom.1:18-23; 28-32 But now we have access to the Good News of the grace of God.
Sadly however, many still do not give it the importance it is due, not knowing of the
consequence of their choice. Those who would believe would be saved, but those who
do not remain condemned. Jn.3:36 Now in our time the gospel should be
communicated more easily right? Because of easy access to communication, to the
internet, to social networks, but in reality, this just opens up more and more distractions
that hinder people from coming to know the Lord. So we cannot rest easy knowing that
more and more people are treating the gospel with such apathy. The world is the field,
but as Jesus has said in His parable it is made up of different kinds of soil. Matt.13:19-23
Using plain math we see a 3 to 1 deficit. But still our duty stays the same: we must
proclaim the word of God to such people. We were the same kind of people ourselves
before, and that is why it is important for them to hear the good news as well.

B. We have been commanded – 1Tim.1:3; 1Tim.6:3; 2Tim.3:1-7

The church is the chosen agent of God by which He proclaims to the world His
message. Sad to say there are some churches in our time today that do not act what
they are supposed to be. Some churches have become little more than a social club.
Where you can go to hang out and make some new friends and do some activities, even
sports together. Some churches have become burdened with only meeting the social
and emotional needs of the people. They involve themselves in helping people in their
finances, in their jobs or even in welfare. There is nothing wrong with these things, but
some are so focused with these things in mind that they altogether forget what the
main thing is. Although their hearts may be in the right place, a church not fulfilling its
main purpose is still found in the wrong. Just remember Jesus Christ, who even though
he fed thousands, he healed many sick, performed many miracles, even raised the dead,
that was not the main thing. He did not even try to change the political climate of his
time. When He said “it is finished” many people were still starving, many were still sick,
and the government was still corrupt and broken. But He said it is finished because His
main purpose was to be a sacrifice for our sins. The same can be said for the church that
God established here on earth. Remember that we have enemies both in and out of the
church, and it will take great effort not to fall into the schemes and traps of the
enemies. Paul reminds us through his letters to not be overcome by meaningless talks,
as some have succumbed to today. 1Tim.1:3-4;6:3-5 and let us not lose our way in the
difficult circumstances we can clearly see happening today. 2Tim. 3:1-5 Let me say that
 this may not be the condition of every church, but still, we must understand that we are
all part of the same universal church under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. And when even
just one church does not do what it is supposed to do, then every other church suffers.
This is a reminder to us that we must not lose our purpose and become tossed by the
waves of the world. Just as the reminder of Paul says: 2 Cor. 10:3-5

Application:
As long as the world is still here, the great need for the gospel will continue to exist.
Time is always running short, and many people do not know or understand the good news of
the Jesus Christ. We should face this important work sincerely and seriously, for the lives of
many people are on the edge of destruction. We are the chosen agents of God by which His
grace and mercy are to be proclaimed to all. So we should not be lagging behind. The world
does not sleep for a moment, and it only gets worse from here: Matt.24:3-14 We the church
should be ready for the many challenges awaiting us. 2Tim.3:12-13

II. The necessary tools in our work

To advance the purpose of Christ and the mission of the church, Christians should be
prepared on all fronts to face the vast field that has been set before us. There will be
hindrances and enemies in the way, so we must take every precaution and be at the ready for
what ever we might face.

A. A genuine concern
Knowing the truth of God and word led us to realize the predicament we were
in, before we knew Christ, before we heard of the gospel. We were lost and helpless
people, not knowing of the death that awaits us at judgment. This however, is the same
truth that makes us realize the position that every other living being is in right at this
very moment. They are all lost, they are all helpless, from every walk of life, all across
the board, every single one of them who do not know Christ is doomed. Eph.2:1-3; 12
This fact gives us our burden for the lost. This alone should cause us to view our
mandate for the gospel with strict urgency. Many are already suffering in their present
state of living here on earth, but many more will be caught by surprise by the torment
that is to come which will never end. Rev.21:6-8 2Thess.1:8-9 Every single one of us is
deserving of such a fate of course, yet hope has been given by the grace of God through
Jesus Christ. The world however has many ways of hardening our hearts in the face of
our mission. Whether by its foolishness or stubbornness, at times we will feel weary in
our work. To counter this, we need only remember of our own condition: God was the
one who reached out to us, who called us to His presence. We were at one time just as
lost as those who do not know Christ. But God used somebody to lead us to His
presence. Let us feel genuine concern for the lost, let it be our burden to bear.

B. A deep faith
A deep seated faith, a faith that believes in God is what we must cultivate in our
Christian life. Only with this kind of faith can we truly be fishers of men in the world.
Lk.17:5-6 Remember that the kingdom of God is not man’s own invention. The gospel
 does not rely on man’s power. The church, the gospel, and the salvation of men rest
solely on the power and might of God. When we take action, we are in fact working out
our faith by doing our duty of spreading the good news of the gospel. It is His purpose, it
is His command, that is why we do it. God will see to it that His purposes be fulfilled.
Isa.55:11 if we truly have faith, then we will take action according to what God has
spoken to us in His word. A major enemy of our faith we should be guarding ourselves
against is fear. Fear is something very real to us. we could be rejected by our loved ones,
ridiculed by friends and strangers, and even reviled by the enemies of Christ. Yet, even
though those things are always a possibility, our faith in God must be greater. Faith that
God knows what we are experiencing, faith that God knows what He is doing through
us, faith that believes in the promise of God. Let us by our walk, display our great faith
for God. 2Cor.4:16-18

C. A God-glorifying testimony
Through faith and godly living we are to lead a God-glorifying life, for anyone to
see, through which God will be praised. Take careful consideration however and be not
deceived: god-glorifying and not man-pleasing. Some have mistaken one for the other,
and have fallen away from the truth. We are to be fishers of men, and not pleasers of
men. And our godly living – our testimony can be used by God to open the way to the
advancement of the kingdom of God. But we must remember that this can go both
ways: we can either please and honor God, or we can grieve the Holy Spirit and bring
dishonor to the name of Christ. During the time of the apostle Paul he received both bad
1Cor.1:11;5:1-2 and good 1Thess.1:8-10 reports of those who call themselves believers.
Our testimony speaks on how we live, and how other people see us as we follow the
lordship of Jesus Christ. it is a natural by-product of our right relationship with God. If
we are careful and wise, it can be a great tool in sharing the gospel to all people. Our
lives are to be an open book, being read by all people, pointing them to our Lord and
savior. 2Cor.3:2-3 However if we become careless, this same testimony can come back
to bite us, and cause people to reject the word of God. We should not take these things
lightly. I can say that our testimony relates to our “everything else” outside of the
church. Inside the church building is a stable and controlled environment, and for many
it has become an easy routine. But our testimony begins out of that comfort zone. What
kind of christians are we at home? In the neighborhood? At work? In front of people
who do not know us? That is where our proper conduct as christians should be at
display the most. Do not think of this so lightly brethren. All it takes is one act of
misconduct to worsen the chances of the gospel being received. Again, while it may not
be the primary motivator for people to accept the word of God, it can be used as a tool
for the advancement of the kingdom of God.

Application:
In what area then do you think you are lacking? All is not lost, and we still have time as
God gives it to us. Do you have a burden for the lost? Ask God for compassion so that people
might be saved. Do you fear of rejection? Remember that Jesus Christ Himself was rejected by
many while He preached the kingdom of God. That should not stop us in pursuing the will of
God while we do His work. Are you tired? While not all people will respond positively to the
gospel, do not let those emotions get the better of you. Do not let a bad patch of ground make
you give up on the work. Remember: there is still a whole field out there waiting for the
harvest. Is the problem with your testimony? Godly living is the only solution for that problem.
Ask God for help, He is generous with all things and He will supply our every need.

III. The gospel is our duty

A. To fulfill the command of Christ

Jesus commanded his disciples that they should go and make disciples as well.
This is a command to all of his disciples. If we are disciples, we are to obey this
command as well. And to tell you the truth, the command that God gave to us was a
simple one. He did not make it hard for us to obey. He did not say that we should go and
make mega churches. He did not say to go and make the largest denomination, he did
not even say to go and change the world or something else out of our reach. He only
commanded that we go and make disciples. John 8:31 we share the gospel just for the
fact that God commanded us to. But remember there is still a standard. We are to make
disciples, not just fill the up the church with attendance. I would rather have a small
church with everybody having a real commitment with the Lord, than a large church
with very many attendees, who do nothing but sit down and listen. God could have used
angels, he could have done something else, but he chose us for this wondrous task.
And as always, as I always reflect upon anything being done for the Lord, it is always a
great privilege to be trusted by God to bring the good news to the people.

B. To show our love for others

Again, it was God who first showed unfathomable love for us, remember the
word grace? it was really the grace of God that brought us hope and life that we have
now. And that love that you and I received? We weren’t deserving of that. We don’t
deserve anything but punishment. But the good news has appeared to us, to us who do
not know how to love others except when we ourselves would gain something, he loved
us. In preaching and living the gospel we are to make Christ known: Jesus did not call us
to become champion debaters or brilliant philosophers. He calls all of us to become His
witnesses to the world. He does not save us based on any human or worldly merit we
have of our own, but according to His vast love. We are to make His name known
among all people. Many truly are unlovable and unrepentant in their sinful state, but so
were we once in our life. If God took us all seriously when we first rejected the message
of the gospel no one in the world would be saved. We can make known to all the
awesome love of God because we ourselves have experienced it. John 13:34-35

C. To experience joy in others coming to Christ

And lastly, if that still wasn’t motivation enough, we find that we experience true
joy when we see others who come to Christ and surrender their lives to Him. aside from
the rejoicing that will be in heaven, even just for one sinner who comes to God, Paul
himself said: 1 Thess. 2:19-20, Paul counted the believers in Thessalonians as his glory
 and joy! Paul always thanked God and was filled with joy when news came to him of
others putting their faith in Christ. Col.1:3-6 Just the fact that you can lead someone to
enjoy the movie you just watched, or to enjoy eating the food at the new place you
discovered gives you such satisfaction, right? How much more will you feel if you lead
another person, lost in sin, blinded by satan, has no hope apart from Jesus, and you lead
Him to find the savior and everlasting life! You did not lead him to something that is
temporary, you were the one used by God to make it possible. The joy you will have will
be greater because you know that what you did will last for eternity!

Application:
Now we see, brothers and sisters, the duty that God has given to us is not a heavy
burden to be shouldered alone, but it is a blessing to be shared among those who do not know
the savior. It is a privilege to be entrusted by God, and serve in His vineyard.

Conclusion:
For my conclusion, let us be encouraged. The work of God that started in the early
church stays the same for us today. He gave that commission more than 2000 years ago now,
and we heard the good news because the Christians that have come before us were faithful. Do
we not want the same thing to be said about us? That the people that would be going after us
will thank the Lord for faithful men and women, who obeyed God’s word and showed them
God’s love? As we go along our lives here in this world, we may touch other’s lives in more
ways than one, but let us not forget each person’s greatest need: to hear and believe in the
gospel, to know Jesus Christ, to receive forgiveness and redemption from the living son of God.
To God be the glory.