DOING WHAT I CAN DO…

in Evangelism

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   Evangelism ought to be the number one activity of every member of the Lord’s church.

1.    It obeys the commandment of the Lord to go into all the world and preach the gospel (Mark 16:15).

2.    It proves our love for the Lord because we obey His commands (John 14:15).

3.    It makes us like our Lord who came to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10).

4.    It manifests our love for our fellowmen who are lost.

5.    It saves the soul of a lost person who is willing to hear and obey our message (Rom. 1:16; Heb. 5:9).

6.    When a person becomes a Christian, it broadens our reach because this person has contacts that we do not have (I Thess. 1:8).

7.    It enables the church to grow in number (Mark 4:20).

8.    It causes the church to have a presence into the future.

9.    It will bring us joy in the Last Day when we see our converts being invited to enter into the wonders of Heaven (1 Thess. 2:19-20).

 

B.   Evangelism, however, is not our number one activity. 

1.    Attending the worship services is probably number 1.

2.    Attending Bible classes is number 2.

3.    Engaging in maybe one other work of the church might be number 3.

 

C.   Our theme for this year is:  “Doing What I Can Do.”

1.    This morning let’s apply our theme to evangelism.

2.    The title of our lesson is:  “Doing What I Can Do in Evangelism.”

3.    NOTE:  Some believe that they cannot do much, but the reality is that often they can do much more.

 

I.             CAN YOU CARE?

 

A.   Care:  to be concerned about, have thoughtful regard for, to be troubled or worried

 

B.   The state of sinners:

1.    Sinners are dead in their sins (Eph. 2:1).

 

And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.

 

2.    Sinners are without hope in the world (Eph. 2:12).

 

That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.

 

3.    Sinners will be condemned in the judgment (Matt. 7:23).

 

And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you:  depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

 

4.    Sinners will spend eternity in hell (Rev. 20:15).

 

And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

 

C.   These are things that should cause us to care deeply about all men.

1.    We should be concerned for them.

2.    We should be troubled for them.

3.    We should be worried about them.

D.   Question:  How can we be called Christians and not care?  Isn’t that the very least we can do?  Until we care, we will never become evangelistic.

 

II.           CAN YOU LEARN?

 

A.   Learn:  to acquire knowledge of or a skill in by study, instruction, or experience

 

B.   God believed that we can learn and understand His will (Eph. 4:17).

 

Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

 

C.   There are only two things that usually keep members of the church from learning.

1.    A mental defect (NOTE:  Very few suffer from mental defects).

2.    A lack of desire

 

D.   Many times we believe that learning involves tons of memorization. 

1.    Learning involves one’s knowledge of the verses that are used in conversion.

2.    Learning involves concepts.

3.    Learning involves the use of charts.

4.    Learning involves the use of tools.

5.    Learning involves how to find the things you need.

6.    NOTE:  Over the course of time, you will commit to memory some of the things that are needed in order to evangelize.

 

E.   Commit to learning how to use one of the methods of Bible study.

1.    The Jule Miller CDs

2.    The Open Bible Study Method

3.    The Fisher’s of Men Course

4.    One of the House-to-House Courses

 

F.    When you first start learning, you will not be the most proficient evangelist.

1.    Examples:

a.    When I learned to drive a stick shift, I was awful at first. 

b.    When we learned to use a keyboard on the computer, it took some time to become skilled on it.

2.    Get another member of the church to learn with you and practice on each other.

3.    I have thought it might be good for me to take a class or one of the sermon periods and show how I conduct a Bible study with someone.

 

III.         CAN YOU TALK, ESPECIALLY ASK QUESTIONS?

 

A.   There is not a person in this audience that I know who cannot talk.  If you don’t believe it just sit and listen between the 1^st Worship period and Bible class.  I would love to have a dollar for every word that is spoken in those 10-15 minutes.

 

B.   One of the most difficult parts of getting a Bible study is trying to find those who are willing to study.

1.    We think often think that the way to get a Bible study is to walk up to someone and say:  “Do you want to study the Bible with me?”

2.    Some studies are obtained that way, but most will not accept such an invitation.

 

C.   Now, we do have to be willing to talk.  But, we talk to others by asking questions.

1.    Can you invite someone to the church services?

2.    Can you ask one or two of these questions:

a.    Is there something you do not understand in the Bible (Ex., Acts 8:30).

 

And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?

 

b.    Do you believe in God?  Can you explain to me what you know about Him?

c.    What are three questions you would love to ask God if you had the opportunity?

d.    Can you tell me some things about your faith and the way it is practiced?

e.    Give the person a verse from the Bible, and say to them:  Do you mind studying this verse and coming back to me with your understanding of it?

 

D.   We are not to do this just to one or two people, but ask these questions of as many people as we possibly can. 

1.    Doing it to only one or two will generate Bible studies very slowly.

2.    Doing it to a lot of people will help us to find those who have an interest in spiritual things much quicker.

3.    2 Corinthians 9:6

 

But this I say, he which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

 

IV.         CAN YOU FIND THE TIME?

 

A.   When we find those who will study the Bible with us, we must find the time to conduct the studies. 

 

B.   Paul tells us:  “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Eph. 5:15-16).

 

C.   The old saying is:  “We have the time to do the things we really want to do.”

1.    When there is a death in the family, everything else is put on hold for 2 days to a week to take care of this matter.

2.    Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the kind of thinking and behavior happened when someone desired to study the Bible with us?

 

D.   What if every member of the Lord’s church had one or two Bible studies being conducted each week?  Would our conversions begin to increase greatly?  We might begin to see weekly and daily baptism just as the early church did.

 

V.           CAN YOU OVERCOME YOUR FEAR?

 

A.   Fear:  a feeling of trepidation due to a real or perceived threat.

 

B.   When we mention taking the gospel to the lost, most of the time we are paralyzed by fear.  The question we need to ask is:  “What is the threat that causes us to be afraid?”

1.    Rejection by the person?

2.    Harsh words by the individual?

3.    A loss of friendship?

4.    Being perceived of as a “Jesus-freak”?

5.    Getting those feelings that you look kind-of stupid?

6.    Not knowing how to respond to something that is said to you.

7.    NOTE:  None of the things that cause fear to rise up within us is really going to harm us in any way.  Persecution is not on the list yet.

 

C.   When the fear swells in our hearts, we have to go back to those introductory remarks we made about why evangelism should be our number one activity as a Christian.

1.    I am doing this to obey my Lord.

2.    I am doing this to prove my love for Jesus.

3.    I am doing this to be like Christ.

4.    I am doing this because I love my fellow man.

 

D.   Our faith enables us to overcome, that is, have victory over our fears.

1.    Paul entered the city of Corinth “in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling,” he said (1 Cor. 2:3).

2.    But, he was a faithful, determined servant of the Lord (1 Cor. 2:2).

 

For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

 

E.   REMINDER:  The more we do something that makes us uncomfortable, the more we become comfortable doing it. (Ex., driving the last leg to my grandparent’s house).

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   The OceanSide church of Christ has been called by God to be evangelistic.

 

B.   We have set out theme this year as:  “Doing What I Can Do.”  We must do what we can do in evangelism.

1.    Can you care about others?

2.    Can you learn?

3.    Can you talk, especially ask a few questions?

4.    Can you make some time?

5.    Can you overcome your fear?

 

C.   If we can do these things, we will find some honest and good hearts in our little worlds who will obey the gospel.  Will have a good year with several individuals baptized into Jesus Christ.

 

D.   Proverbs 11:30b

 

…and he that winneth souls is wise.