Free Evangelism Seminar Audio

Last Friday and Saturday Grace Church put on an evangelism seminar called "On a Stand: The Heart, Mind and Practice of Evangelism." Our Pastor for Discipleship, Dave VanAcker, did a great job putting this together as well as teaching the seminar. The sessions were powerful and foundational. If you were not there, you need to listen to them. Here are the session's audio and manuscripts (right click the "listen" link to download the session).

Session 1 -- The Evangelical Mind Listen
Session 2 -- The Evangelical Heart Listen
Session 3 -- The Evangelical Life - Part 1 Listen
Session 4 -- The Evangelical Life - Part 2 Listen
Session 5 -- The Evangelical Church Listen

Fear and Evangelism

Last Sunday I preached on evangelism and fear.
Here is the audio of my sermon -- "Fear and Discipleship".

I really like what Pastor Dave said at the end of the evangelism seminar on fear and evangelism:

It can be very easy to submit to (and even seek to justify) the fear that we all experience to some degree; especially in light of the institutionalization of our fear. However, despite the ease of doing so, we must fight against it by clinging to the promises of God and choosing, by the power of the Spirit that lives in us, to obey rather than to disobey. We must recognize the need to pray for ourselves and each other. We must avoid any guilt-based methods of spurring one another on toward obedience in evangelism; but we must create a culture of evangelistic expectation at Grace by our words and actions.

Here is the outline of my sermon. You can read the sermon manuscript at www.gracewyomingmedia.com

1. DISCIPLES FOLLOW JESUS

2. FOLLOWING JESUS INCLUDES EVANGELISM

3. EVANGELISM MEANS SHARING OR PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL WITH OTHERS.

4. THE GOSPEL IS A SPECIFIC TRUTH THAT IS HELPFULLY EXPLAINED WITH SIX POINTS

God - There is a God who is infinitely glorious.

Obligation - We were created by God for His glory.

Sin – We have all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.

Penalty – The cost of our sin—of failing to live for the glory of God—is death.

Exoneration – In order to show His love, uphold His justice, forgive sinners, and display His glory,

Life Change – The forgiveness of sins and the everlasting life bought by Jesus death belongs to all who repent, believe, and love Jesus.


5. THE GOSPEL PROCLAIMED IS GOD’S APPOINTED MEANS TO BRING THE POWER OF SALVATION. – Or – The Gospel is Powerful

6. TWO NEGATIVE (SINFUL) EMOTIONS ATTACK DISCIPLES IN EVANGELISM

Apathy
Fear

7. WE MUST LET THE GOSPEL SHAPE OUR EMOTIONS –
SIX POTENTIAL FEARS FACING YOU REGARDING EVANGELISM

1. They might harm me…

2. They might ridicule and dislike me…

3. They might expose my ignorance…

4. They might be turned off to Christ by my method or manner…

5. They might expose my sin…

6. They might disown me…

Drink So Much Your Lips Are Loose

No, not brandy or a micro-brew -- but the God who is infinitely glorious. The God who is the Gospel.

Now that I caught your attention with the title, please take the time to listen to this three and a half minute audio clip by Piper on the necessity of having truly tasted of Jesus and the result it will have on opening our mouths in proclaiming him to the lost (evangelism).


Here is the Link DRUNK ON THE GOSPEL


You can now play the clip below.

Everyone's Call to Gospel Ministry

I like what Spurgeon says in the opening paragraph of his chapter "The Call to the Ministry" in Lectures to My Students.

ANY Christian has a right to disseminate the gospel who has the ability to do so; and more, he not only has the right, but it is his duty so to do as long as he lives. (Revelation 22:17.) The propagation of the gospel is left, not to a few, but to all the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ: according to the measure of grace entrusted to him by the Holy Spirit, each man is bound to minister in his day and generation, both to the church and among unbelievers. Indeed, this question goes beyond men, and even includes the whole of the other sex; whether believers are male or female, they are all bound, when enabled by divine grace, to exert themselves to the utmost to extend the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Reminds me of Ephesians 4.

Ephesians 4:1, 7, 11-12
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called...But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift... And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ...

Serious Preparation for Evangelism

In four weeks Grace Church will be engaging in evangelistic efforts in ways and to degrees in which it has never done in the past. As we come nearer to these days; I myself, and perhaps many of you, have been feeling a great heaviness or weight come upon you in ways that you may not have in the past. Some of you may be feeling a strong pull to run away from this new, perhaps strange and scary territory. Others may even be feeling a great eagerness to bring the gospel in words and love to Wyoming, Forest Lake, the surrounding communities and people you know in your own neighborhoods and jobs.

No matter what the case, I would like to suggest that over the next four weeks, as we come closer to the start date of our evangelistic focus at Grace, that we all be praying daily for Grace Church as a whole and for those whom we will be coming in contact with during the summer. I would also like to suggest that some of us even consider fasting between now and then as an offering of dependence to God and as a reminder to ourselves that it is God who will bring the fruit from our efforts not our own wisdom or strength.

Prayer Suggestions:

1) Pray that God gives wisdom, strength and courage to the leadership at Grace as they lead us into this "new territory" of evangelism.
2) Pray for a deep love for the lost that overcomes selfish desires to run away from bringing them the good news of Jesus Christ.
3) Pray against demonic forces at work trying to thwart our efforts and discourage us from bring glory to God and salvation to the lost.
4) Pray for good weather on the days that we are scheduled to be doing evangelism outdoors.
5) Pray that God gives us all courage and peace in knowing that He will be with us and will give us the right words to say.

Fasting Suggestions:

1) Please consider fasting from certain forms of entertainment (i.e. TV, internet usage, etc.) and consider, instead, preparing your hearts for evangelism by:

• Increasing your Bible reading and memorization
• Prayer and meditation
  
• Discussing God-centered topics with your family
• Reading good books on evangelism or the gospel

2) Please consider an actual food fast as a worshipful gesture to God that states that we are dependent on God for satisfaction and strength and not the world's table. (Please see Pastor Daniel's post on fasting).

I am going to work with Pastor Dave and Pastor Daniel to try to find a day and an hour that we could possibly devote to a corporate prayer time each week to pray for this up coming summer and the work we will be doing.

Weeping for Souls - Meet Paul Washer

If you haven't heard or heard of Paul Washer--it's about time. Jeffy Jensen pointed me his direction a few months ago and it has been very helpful and challenging to listen to several of his sermons. Like anyone who is faithful to the Word, he has his enemies. He makes a lot of people angry in the church because he preaches the complete Gospel that often offends religious people. His reliance and emphasis on the monergistic side of regeneration flies offensively in the face of the evangelistic ways of most conservative evangelicals who focus on decisions and "the sinner's prayer." He preaches a true, biblical Lordship Salvation.

Here are two clips that I recommend you watching to get a taste of what I mean. Below are a few sermons I recommend you downloading and listening. Instead of watching "The Office" and "30 Rock" listen to "The Heart of the Gospel" tonight.



Download Washer's "The Heart of the Gospel."

Ten Indictments Against the Modern Church

Weeping for A Harvest of Souls

Last Sunday I preached on the necessity of crying out to God for the true conversion of lost people. Here is the audio to download or play.

In Matthew 9:35-39, Jesus saw the multitudes and was moved with compassion when he saw them distressed and turned about and as sheep without a shepherd. I believe he wept for them like He did when he was at the grave of Lazarus with Mary and Martha.

My main point was this:

PARTNER WITH US IN THE GOSPEL THROUGH SOWING AND REAPING AS WE WEEP FOR A HARVEST OF SOULS.

Here were my four main points:

1. Believe the promise of the harvest of souls. (Psalm 126:5-6)
2. Cultivate a heart that weeps for souls (Psalm 126:5-6; Matt 9:36; 2 Cor 5:11)
3. Obediently sow the Gospel and read with the work of the Holy Spirit. (Matt 9:37; 1 Cor 1:22-24; Psalm 126:6; Matt 9:37)
4. Partner with the church in the harvesting.
   

This partnering is a part 2 challenge to the church that I began on January 18th when I called the body to partner with us in the Gospel through sacrificial giving (read or listen/download).

How Much Do You Have To Hate Somebody to Not Evangelize

Yesterday I preached on Matt 9:36 and John 4:34-36 giving a challenge to:

PARTNER WITH US IN THE GOSPEL THROUGH SOWING AND REAPING AS YOU WEEP FOR A HARVEST OF SOULS.

If God, the Gospel, Jesus, Heaven and Hell are real - it ought to make a radical difference in our hearts and lives in regards to our concern for those who do not have the saving power of Jesus in their life. We must share with them the Gospel and warn them of coming judgment.

After church a good friend told me about this video clip that you need to watch. It is from the Penn and Teller show - a show that I have never watched and don't know if I recommend or not. That is not the point.

Apparently, Penn does video clips called "Penn Says" in which he talks about life. In this clip he talks about a man who gave him a Bible and offered him the Gospel. Penn is an atheist but he greatly respected this man because he acted on what he believed. If a truck is headed straight for your neighbor but he does not see or believe it, the loving thing for you to do is to tackle him so he gets out of the way. He poses the question: "how much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize. How much do you have to hate somebody to believe that everlasting life is possible and not tell them that."

Here you go:

Contemplate...a Church Full of Soul-winners

I have been reading Charles Spurgeon's Lectures to My Students in which he has a powerful chapter called - "On Conversion as Our Aim." He concludes this lecture by pointing to the importance of the whole church coming together to pray and earnestly seek the salvation of souls for the glory of God. Here is a quote in which he invites us to imagine the power of a whole church coming together for the salvation of souls. [color emphasis mine]

With all that you can do your desires will not be fulfilled, for soul-winning is a pursuit which grows upon a man; the more he is rewarded with Conversions the more eager he becomes to see greater numbers born unto God. Hence you will soon discover that you need help if many are to be brought in. The net soon becomes too heavy for one pair of hands to drag to shore when it is filled with fishes; and your fellow-helpers must be beckoned to your assistance. Great things are done by the Holy Spirit when a whole church is aroused to sacred energy: then there are hundreds of testimonies instead of one, and these strengthen each other; then advocates for Christ succeed each other and work into each other’s hands, while supplication ascends to heaven with the force of united importunity; thus sinners are encompassed with a cordon of earnest entreaties, and heaven itself is called into the field.

It would seem hard in some congregations for a sinner to be saved, for whatever good he may receive from the pulpit its frozen out of him by the arctic atmosphere with which he is surrounded: and on the other hand some churches make it hard for men to remain unconverted, for with holy zeal they persecute the careless into anxiety. It should be our ambition, in the power of the Holy Ghost, to work the entire church into a fine missionary condition, to make it like a Leyden jar charged ‘to the full with divine electricity, so that whatever comes into contact with it shall feel its power. What can one man do alone? What can he not do with an army of enthusiasts around him? Contemplate at the outset the possibility of having a church of soulwinners. Do not succumb to the usual idea that we can only gather a few useful workers, and that the rest of the community must inevitably be a dead weight: it may possibly so happen, but do not set out with that notion or it will be verified. The usual need not be the universal; better things are possible than anything yet attained; set your aim high and spare no effort to reach it. Labor to gather a church alive for Jesus, every member energetic to the full, and the whole in incessant activity for the salvation of men.

To this end there must be the best of preaching to feed the host into strength, continual prayer to bring down the power from on high, and the most heroic example on your own part to fire their zeal: then under the divine blessing a common-sense management of the entire force cannot fail to produce the most desirable issues. Who among you can grasp this idea and embody it in actual fact?
(Spurgeon, Lectures to My Students, 391-392, “On Conversion As Our Aim”)

New Book by Pastor Dave - Debtors of Grace

Pastor Dave has published a new booklet for several of the Discipleship Groups called "Debtors of Grace - A Biblical and Practical Look at Evangelism."

If you would like a copy of the book email (or talk) Dave (his email is davidjvanacker@hotmail.com).

Here is a pdf version of the book for you to download and read on your computer or print.

Dave's intro gives an overview of what he covers in the booklet:

When it comes to evangelism (sharing the Gospel
with non-Christians or making grace payments),
there are four very important—indeed, necessary—
elements: communicating the Gospel to
non-Christians 1) is part of following Jesus, 2) is
usually most efficacious, and always most pleasing
to God, when it springs from deep, personal
satisfaction in God, 3) requires a clear, Biblical
understanding of the Gospel, and 4) involves intentionality,
purpose, and practice. While we will
briefly address the first three elements, the primary
purpose of this booklet is to look at element
4 (the intentionality, purpose, and practice of
evangelism). However, please do not think that
because, in the context of this booklet, we are not
spending a great deal of time on elements 1-3
they are not important. As I said above, they are
absolutely essential. No biblical evangelism can
take place without them. Again, please do not
gloss over them. Do not minimize or marginalize
them. We must begin there. It is only after we
have them in place that we have any hope of engaging
in Biblical evangelism.

Out of the Mouths of Forgiven Sinners

In reading the rough draft to Dave's newest booklet for the Discipleship Groups I read this statement that I love:

For our good and His glory, God determined that the Gospel of forgiveness would get to the hands, heart, and mind of sinners through the hands, heart, mind, and mouth of forgiven sinners. In order to engage in evangelism, then, we must commit ourselves to cultivating relationships with non-Christians.

Consider these 2 quotes (HT: Dave VanAcker) regarding this subject:

“In our [churches] we are often so busy saying, ‘Come, come, come. Come to our…program. Come to our beautiful facility. Come to our activity.’ We even have it turned around so that we find ourselves getting mad, disgusted and discouraged with…people because they don’t come. And yet Jesus modeled going. How can we expect others to come before we have gone to them” (Sonlife Foundations p.66)?

“Contacting, or reaching [people] on their turf, involves getting to know [them] outside the church setting! As [Christ-followers] we cannot sit in the office [or church] and expect…people to come to us. Jesus modeled the ultimate form of contacting—he became a human just so he could be with us and die for us. Howard Hendricks describes the importance of contacting this way: ‘You can impress people at a distance; you can only impact them up close. The general principle is this: the closer the personal relationship, the greater the potential for impact’ (Leadership, Summer 1980). Ninety percent of discipling [ministry] is relationships – so the question is not whether contacting should be a part of discipleship, but how we can effectively build relationships…” (Sonlife Foundations p.69).

Are We Doing Right With the Gospel? - Sermon

Last Sunday (June 29th) I preached from 2 Kings 6-7. The question I asked was -- "Are we doing right with the Gospel?" Do we hear the statement of the lepers who had discovered the victory over the Syrian army and started stashing away the goods in neglect of the those starving in the sieged city of Samaria? Do we do this with the Gospel?

Here is the sermon manuscript and sermon audio (I think the beginning of the sermon was cut off).

From the Pulpit of Charles Spurgeon - Selfish Christianity

Here is a quote from Charles Spurgeon's sermon on 2 Kings 7:9 called "A Public Testimony - A Debt to God and Man."

I am going to talk to some at this time (I do not know how many of the sort may be here) who think that they have found the Savior, who believe that they are saved, who write themselves down as having truly enjoyed religion, and who imagine that now their sole business is to enjoy themselves. They delight to feed on the word, and to this I do not object at all; but then, if it is all feeding and nothing comes of it, I ask to what end are they fed? If the only result of our religion is the comfort of our poor little souls, if the beginning and the end of piety is contained within one’s self, why, it is a strange thing to be in connection with the unselfish Jesus, and to be the fruit of his gracious Spirit. Surely, Jesus did not come to save us that we might live unto ourselves. He came to save us from selfishness. (862)

Scripture for Tomorrow's Sermon

Here is the Scripture for tomorrow's sermon at Grace Church called "Are We Doing Right With the Gospel?"

2 Kings 6:24-7:20

Afterward Ben-hadad king of Syria mustered his entire army and went up and besieged Samaria. (25) And there was a great famine in Samaria, as they besieged it, until a donkey's head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and the fourth part of a kab of dove's dung for five shekels of silver. (26) Now as the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, saying, "Help, my lord, O king!" (27) And he said, "If the LORD will not help you, how shall I help you? From the threshing floor, or from the winepress?" (28) And the king asked her, "What is your trouble?" She answered, "This woman said to me, 'Give your son, that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.' (29) So we boiled my son and ate him. And on the next day I said to her, 'Give your son, that we may eat him.' But she has hidden her son." (30) When the king heard the words of the woman, he tore his clothes--now he was passing by on the wall--and the people looked, and behold, he had sackcloth beneath on his body-- (31) and he said, "May God do so to me and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders today."

(32) Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. Now the king had dispatched a man from his presence, but before the messenger arrived Elisha said to the elders, "Do you see how this murderer has sent to take off my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door and hold the door fast against him. Is not the sound of his master's feet behind him?" (33) And while he was still speaking with them, the messenger came down to him and said, "This trouble is from the LORD! Why should I wait for the LORD any longer?"

7:1 But Elisha said, "Hear the word of the LORD: thus says the LORD, Tomorrow about this time a seah of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria." (2) Then the captain on whose hand the king leaned said to the man of God, "If the LORD himself should make windows in heaven, could this thing be?" But he said, "You shall see it with your own eyes, but you shall not eat of it."

(3) Now there were four men who were lepers at the entrance to the gate. And they said to one another, "Why are we sitting here until we die? (4) If we say, 'Let us enter the city,' the famine is in the city, and we shall die there. And if we sit here, we die also. So now come, let us go over to the camp of the Syrians. If they spare our lives we shall live, and if they kill us we shall but die." (5) So they arose at twilight to go to the camp of the Syrians. But when they came to the edge of the camp of the Syrians, behold, there was no one there. (6) For the Lord had made the army of the Syrians hear the sound of chariots and of horses, the sound of a great army, so that they said to one another, "Behold, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Egypt to come against us." (7) So they fled away in the twilight and abandoned their tents, their horses, and their donkeys, leaving the camp as it was, and fled for their lives. (8) And when these lepers came to the edge of the camp, they went into a tent and ate and drank, and they carried off silver and gold and clothing and went and hid them. Then they came back and entered another tent and carried off things from it and went and hid them.

(9) Then they said to one another, "We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news. If we are silent and wait until the morning light, punishment will overtake us. Now therefore come; let us go and tell the king's household." (10) So they came and called to the gatekeepers of the city and told them, "We came to the camp of the Syrians, and behold, there was no one to be seen or heard there, nothing but the horses tied and the donkeys tied and the tents as they were." (11) Then the gatekeepers called out, and it was told within the king's household. (12) And the king rose in the night and said to his servants, "I will tell you what the Syrians have done to us. They know that we are hungry. Therefore they have gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the open country, thinking, 'When they come out of the city, we shall take them alive and get into the city.'" (13) And one of his servants said, "Let some men take five of the remaining horses, seeing that those who are left here will fare like the whole multitude of Israel who have already perished. Let us send and see." (14) So they took two horsemen, and the king sent them after the army of the Syrians, saying, "Go and see." (15) So they went after them as far as the Jordan, and behold, all the way was littered with garments and equipment that the Syrians had thrown away in their haste. And the messengers returned and told the king.

(16) Then the people went out and plundered the camp of the Syrians. So a seah of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD. (17) Now the king had appointed the captain on whose hand he leaned to have charge of the gate. And the people trampled him in the gate, so that he died, as the man of God had said when the king came down to him. (18) For when the man of God had said to the king, "Two seahs of barley shall be sold for a shekel, and a seah of fine flour for a shekel, about this time tomorrow in the gate of Samaria," (19) the captain had answered the man of God, "If the LORD himself should make windows in heaven, could such a thing be?" And he had said, "You shall see it with your own eyes, but you shall not eat of it." (20) And so it happened to him, for the people trampled him in the gate and he died.

A Proper GASP!

Here is an audio clip of Pastor Dave's introduction of his sermon on June 15th. He calls us to have a proper gasp of the Gospel.

You can go to this link and download it here or listen to it in the player below.

Drunk with the Gospel of Jesus

Now that I caught your attention with the title, please take the time to listen to this three and a half minute audio clip by Piper on the necessity of having truly tasted of Jesus and the result it will have on opening our mouths in proclaiming him to the lost (evangelism).


Here is the Link DRUNK ON THE GOSPEL


You can now play the clip below.

Are We Practical Apatheists?

Jonathan Rauch is a gay-activist who writes for the National Journal and The Atlantic Monthly, and when asked whether he was religious or not, he was about to say “atheist” when he was struck with the reality that he was an “apatheist.” (Apathy about a God)

“Apatheism—a disinclination to care all that much about one's own religion, and an even stronger disinclination to care about other people's—may or may not be something new in the world, but its modern flowering, particularly in ostensibly pious America, is worth getting excited about.”

In an article called “Let It Be” (in the Atlantic Monthly several years ago), Rauch shares his excitement about the modern/post-modern American that has been strongly affected by apatheism. Less people who say they are Christians attend religious worship on a regular basis. They “believe” but there belief does not really make a difference in their lives, and it surely doesn’t make a difference what others believe.

Atheism is a passionate belief in no God, which is much different than apathesim. Apatheists can believe in God or disbelieve in God, but it really doesn’t matter, they are apathetic about it.

“’A world of pragmatic atheists,’ the philosopher Richard Rorty wrote, ‘would be a better, happier world than our present one.’ Perhaps. But best of all would be a world generously leavened with apatheists: people who feel at ease with religion even if they are irreligious; people who may themselves be members of religious communities, but who are neither controlled by godly passions nor concerned about the (nonviolent, noncoercive) religious beliefs of others.” (“Let It Be”)

Rauch and others with his point of view must be thrilled by the lasted survey on "Religious Tolerance" in America. In many ways it is a survey of religious indifferentism. You can read a New York Times article on it here. Christians are to show tolerance towards people of other faiths. This means we should love mormans, atheists and Muslims and not desire to put them in prison or kill them for their beliefs. Tolerance, however, does not mean that we think their beliefs are OK. Salvation is in Jesus Christ alone by faith alone through the power of the Gospel alone. Are we apatheists when we fail to actively pursue relationships with unbelievers and believers of other religions with the purpose of bringing them the TRUE GOSPEL by life and word? I wouldn't confess to be apatheist, but my lack of evangelistic fervor often says otherwise.

Reaching the Lost - Sermon and Testimony

I was so encouraged last Sunday morning when Tim Harris shared his testimony about his conversion. I loved his honesty--"I almost didn't come this morning because I was so nervous." Tim was rescued from a life of drug addiction and sin on Easter 2007 in a jail. He has received forgiveness for his sins through Jesus Christ and has been born again. I think of these verses as I think about Tim:

Ephesians 4:22-24 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, (23) and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, (24) and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

This truly has been happening in Tim since his conversion by God's grace.

It was then great to hear from Saul Selby who shared his testimony of coming to faith in Jesus from an atheistic, drug-addicted past.

Saul challenged us with the significance that God uses people to TELL others the truth of the Gospel which saves. God uses PEOPLE to bring the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ to others.

Romans 10:13-15 For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (14) How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? (15) And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!"

You can download Tim's testimony and Saul's sermon here or go to the sermons page at www.gracewyoming.com.

Sharing the Gospel Next Door - Testimony

Please take the time to read this testimony by Matt Howard about the opportunity he had to share the gospel with his neighbors last Monday.

Grace Church,

After a recent discipleship group God once again showed Himself to be powerful and amazing.

For years now I have listened to drunkenness, cursing, yelling and all manner of dysfunction come from one of the houses in my neighborhood. Also over the years I have developed a friendship/relationship with the family. We've talked around campfires and exchanged different lawn and garden services as needed.

Sunday He had laid it on my heart to share the Gospel with family. The desire came with such urgency that I couldn't ignore it. It was time.

On Monday, as we studied the chapter about being debtors, I felt like I was going to burst out of my skin because I absolutely had to share the Gospel with them. Steve ran and got me a couple of Gideon New Testaments, Brian prayed for the witnessing encounter to come and the spiritual groundwork had been laid.

We got home from DG group and I immediately changed clothes, grabbed my garden hoe and weeded in the garden waiting for them to come home. They did come home. They were all there. They weren't drunk and they had just been fishing and had a full stringer. They were so excited to show us the stringer of fish, they invited Annie and I in to their house to see them. I couldn't believe it!
So there we all were: four adult men from their family, one woman and two young girls and me and Annie.

After we finished admiring the fish and having small talk, I said, "So I've known you guys for quite a few years now and I have something very important to tell you."
They all said, "oh no we're in trouble!"
I assured them it wasn't bad, but very very good.
I told them that I had some things to ask them about spiritual things.

I said, "I have twenty dollars sitting at my house for anybody here that passed the good person test. Anybody want to try and win twenty bucks?"
They all ended up wanting to win the money, so I went through the good person test with each of them right in row.

"John, have you ever killed anyone?"
nope
"Have you ever told a lie?"
yes
"What does that make you?"
a liar I suppose

"Ah $%#! John, you failed the good person test," said Jack who was standing over by the door.

We went through everyone in the room seeing if they could pass the test by going through a couple of the ten commandments. Not one person passed and it quickly became obvious that none was going to win the twenty dollars.

I then shifted the conversation.

"It says in scripture that it is appointed for a man once to die and then face judgment. If you were to die today and stand before God to be judged do you think you'd go to heaven or hell?"

Almost in unison they all said, "Heaven...we hope."

"Why would God let you in?" I asked. "What qualifies you to get into heaven?"

The father and his brother said, "If you do more good things than bad, you can make up for them."
Then John said, "The Bible says God is a forgiving God. And furthermore if you obey your father and mother and do good by them you're following one of the commandments."

So I said, "How much trouble would you get in if you vandalized my house?"
They said, "Lots, I suppose. Probably get a ticket and have to go to court."
Then I said, "How much trouble would you be in if you vandalized the governor's mansion?"
"More," they said.
"And what if you vandalized the White House? How much trouble would you be in?"
"We'd be locked up for a long time then!" they said.
Then I asked, "What if you vandalized the house of the infinitely big and holy God of the universe? How much trouble would you be in?"

And one of the first grade age girls exclaimed, "An infinite amount of trouble!!"

Jack exploded with surprise, as only Jack can, "That's exactly right! She's exactly right!"

"So would you say that the debt that we would owe God would be infinite and unable to be paid back?" I asked.

"Yes, it seems that way" they all agreed.

"You see," I said, "the punishment for our sin depends more on the nature of the one sinned against than the nature of the crime. The bigger the person we do a bad thing against, the bigger the consequences and punishment."

"So what does that mean for us then?" I asked. "There we are standing before the infinitely holy and perfect God of the universe on our judgment day and we've all told a lie and broken His law. He brings down the gavel and pronounces us what?......."

"Guilty." They all said.

"I guess we're all going to hell," exclaimed the father. "We've known that our whole lives Matt. Is that all you came to tell us? Is there any more to this?"

"Absolutely!" I said, practically jumping out of my seat. "There's is some VERY good news."

"2000 years ago God sent His son Jesus to earth. Jesus said He was God and He proved it by doing miracles and having wisdom and power that couldn't be explained away. He lived a perfect life, He never sinned, and then He was killed on a cross."

The little girls gasped, "Oh no! no!"

"Yes," I said. He was killed for us. In the Bible it tells us that Jesus who knew no sin became sin for us. He took all of our sin into Himself. In Isaiah chapter 51 it says that it pleased the Lord to crush His Son. God the Father looked upon Jesus all full of our sin and He punished Him with an infinitely big punishment. The punishment that was due to us, Jesus took. He died and raised from the dead three days later to break the power that sin and death have over us. Scripture tells us that if we place our faith in Jesus we will be saved from the wrath of God. If we repent, turn from our sin and turn to God we will be saved. Believe on the Lord Jesus and be saved."

"Wow, I've never heard it like that before." Jack said. "I've never heard it with those words before."

I then handed them the Knowing God tract that I printed off on two pages of paper. I handed them the two Gideon New Testaments and pointed them to the back of them where the Gospel was clearly written. They thanked me for sharing with them and I told them that if they ever had any questions or if they wanted to talk about anything spiritual they could feel free.

There were no tears, sinners prayers or visible signs that anything was accomplished, but in my spirit I knew that the Lord was powerfully moving in order to get the words of life to them and sink them deep into their hearts.

We chatted about things, they invited us to go fishing with them and Annie and I went home worshipping and praising God together that He had orchestrated such an amazing encounter.

Please pray for this family. Pray that God would save them and bring them to repentance and give them saving faith through His word working in their hearts. Pray for Annie and I that we would continue to have an effective witness to them both in words and in deeds.

Praise Him!
Matt

Evidences of Grace in Tim Harris

Three highlights for me in 2007 relate to a guy named Tim Harris. Harris is member of Grace Church and a personal friend and fellow member of my discipleship group.

• The first of these three was when his friend (now wife), Michelle, asked me to pray for him--that he would be rescued from his horrible Meth addiction and receive salvation in Jesus Christ--and hearing months later the report of his salvation (in jail) and freedom in Christ over the bondage of drugs.
  
• The second, is when I got to baptize Tim (as you see in the picture) during the summer -- as he testified publicly of his faith in Jesus, his commitment to follow Him, and of the radical new birth that had come into his life by the sovereign grace of God.
  
• The third highlight was when I was given the privilege to marry Tim and Michelle in September [by the way -- Michelle's story of salvation is equally as dramatic and contrasting of the old and new life] at Grace Church on a Sunday afternoon. Two lives who had collided with each other for so many years in so many sinful and damaging ways, were now being harmoniously united in Christ for His glory and the joy of these two souls.

Both Tim and Michelle Harris have plunged themselves into the body of Christ at Grace Church and desire to grow as followers of Jesus and serve God and the body in whatever way they can.

This Sunday, Tim is going to share his testimony of conversion before the morning sermon preached by Saul Selby. Saul, who will be preaching, is a former-addict and is now running an evangelism ministry to the local jails in the surrounding counties. Tim was saved in jail.

Please pray for Tim and Saul as they share this Sunday.
Pray that God would enlarge our heart to delight in the Gospel and deliver it to others.