Title: Wisdom Evangelism
wise evangelism
Matthew 10:16
Our time today is like a train running towards the end. The final station is now approaching. When they reach the final station, everyone gets off the train and goes to the crew. Likewise, all of us get off at the final station and stand before God, and there we are assigned a place to go. There are only two in this assignment. It's just left or right. To the left is the direction to hell, and to the right is the direction to heaven. As the final stop approaches, we need to get ready to get off. You have to prepare your mind, your body, and your gifts. If the terminal station is approaching, what should we prepare? What should we prepare when we stand before God? Above all, we must confirm our faith, because what God requires of us is faith. What does the station attendant ask of those who arrive at the final station? I only ask for one thing, and that is a train ticket.
All the saints who are seated here today, are you firmly keeping your faith? As the end draws near, we will have to hold fast to this belief. In fact, the end is not far away. We must always be prepared to enter heaven. Even now, if I die, I must live with the conviction that I will go to heaven. Those who live with this kind of confidence and hope for heaven are the people the world cannot handle. No matter how difficult it is, no matter how hard it is, no matter how persecution comes, you can never overcome that person. Because those who have the hope of heaven are those who continuously receive the power of God.
However, if Jesus comes even tomorrow, there is no problem. The problem is that we have to live in this world for a long time. What should I do during this period? Can we just pray and wait? that it is not. Many people wait for the return of Jesus and wait for the end, but they do not just sit and play and wait. It's not like that waiting.
While we, the saints, wait for the end on this earth, we must be faithful in our present work. This means that God has given us the opportunity to be loyal now. When given a chance, shouldn't we be faithful and receive God's blessing? But this loyalty needs to be done wisely. If you say you're overly loyal, you can't just do it. What, then, is to be wisely loyal? Knowing God's heart well and doing the things that please God the most is wise and faithful.
Then, what is the thing that pleases God the most? It is to lead a life that is more precious than the world to salvation. In other words, “evangelizing” to save dying lives is what God is most pleased with. However, that evangelism must also be done wisely. Evangelism requires great attention because it is the work of leading life to salvation. Even one wrong word can cast your life into hell forever.
So, what should we do to evangelize wisely? This is really important. Looking at our members, there are those who say that they have a strong desire to evangelize, but they do not know how to do it. And one more important thing is to lead people wisely and lead them to salvation. So, what is evangelism that makes you wise?
Let's take a look at today's text. In Matthew 10:5 and below, Jesus sends his disciples to evangelize. And tell them in detail what to watch out for. Don't say anything else, shout "Heaven is at hand" and heal the sick without being paid for it. Don't bring a purse, two sets of clothes, shoes or a staff, and bless you first when you go to your place of residence. You taught me this lesson. Still, it is said that sending disciples to evangelize is “like sending out sheep among wolves.” And then say one more thing. “Be wise as serpents”. That is, evangelize, but like a snake. I have not heard that snakes are wise animals, but evangelism seems to mean that you should follow the same as snakes do. So, how does the snake make you do it?
1. Snakes approach their prey in a quiet, low position.
Snakes do not split their target into multiples when hunting. Set a goal one at a time, and work towards that goal. Be quiet when moving forward like this. It goes so low that you don't notice it.
2. Once a snake bites, there is no way to put it back.
When a snake bites its prey, it injects venom through its teeth. Then it will be quiet. No matter how much you struggle, the poison enters and you become quiet.
We, believers, must instill the medicine of love into unbelievers. Having tasted that love, the soul cannot escape from the web of love. No matter how hard we try to not believe in Jesus, when we receive God's love, we lose our strength and bow our heads. To Satan, God's love is poison. For sinners, God's love is the only cure. We should not meet unbelievers and put anything else into their hearts. Only the love of God, the forgiveness of sins through that love. And we have to put the grace of God that comes along with it. Then, the soul that eats and drinks the sin that is tainted by that sin can be renewed. So we need to inject this love of God into people's hearts. When is the injection day? November 16
Also, once a snake bites, it never lets go. This is because teeth are naturally shaped that way. We, the saints, must also take full responsibility for the heart we have once taken in this way. You must make an effort so that your heart can fully go to heaven. If you give up halfway through, you just can't do it.
3. Snake swallows whole and digests it slowly
Snakes, no matter how large their prey, cannot swallow, tear, or cut their prey whole. Then slowly digest it. There are also dirty ones. Some are hard and some are good. However, you swallow it all and digest it slowly. Our saints should embrace the whole newborn baby. Some are bitter and some are sweet. There are things that are difficult to evangelize, and there are things that I am very happy about. You have to keep all of these things in your heart. You have to clean the dirty things and digest the hard things slowly. Leading a life to salvation does not happen so quickly. Ladies and gentlemen, evangelism is not a one-time thing. It's something we have to do for the rest of our lives. Just as a snake digests it slowly rather than hastily, you should evangelize slowly, uninterruptedly, and continuously to lead one soul to salvation.
Folks, we are living in the age of the end times. In these last days, we must live with the hope of heaven. And you have to make sure you have faith, the ticket to heaven. Because it is only with that faith that we can receive the crown of righteousness. And what we have to do on this earth is to do what pleases God the most. That work will save lives. That work is evangelism. But this must also be done “wisely.” Jesus told us to be wise as serpents. How wise is that snake?
1) Snake approaches low and quiet. Our evangelism approach should also be low-key, quiet, and decisive at the decisive moment.
2) Snakes do not give up. We must inject love into the hearts of those who are being evangelized. Then everything goes smoothly.
3) Snakes digest slowly. You will have to slowly build up the right saints over a long period of time.
I pray that God's grace will be with the saints who preach wisely like snakes.
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