Title Who should evangelize? (Acts 8:25~40)
Contents
Who should evangelize? (Acts 8:25~40)
It's already the second week of November. Have you been at peace all this time?
Last week, I led a revival meeting in Uzbekistan and gave a lecture to seminarians on the topic of "21C Church and the future direction."
I received the news that you all prayed fervently and fervently there. Thanks to your prayers, this Uzbekistan Crusade was able to become a gathering filled with the Holy Spirit.
We hope that we will continue to be faithful to our missionary mission in the future.
Then, I believe that God will give you the power to run all the way, fight the good fight, keep your faith, and receive the crown of righteousness.
Then who should evangelize?
Is it the Apostle Peter who converted 3,000 people in one day?
Or is it the Apostle Paul who turned the whole of Europe upside down with the Gospel?
no.
The man in Acts 8 is Philip.
Philip was not one of the twelve apostles.
He was just one of the 7 deacons of the Jerusalem church.
In other words, he was one of the lay members of the church.
Everyone! In fact, is it very difficult to evangelize?
But why do we need to evangelize?
Because it leads people of this world to the kingdom of God.
physical life! How precious is it to simply heal 70 or 80 physical lives at best?
But how precious is evangelism that leads to eternal life where there will be no more tears, crying, mourning, or death!
Jesus also said, "What profit is it if a man gains the whole world and loses his own soul? One's life is more precious than the world."
Then, how could a layperson become an evangelist more precious than the world?
Acts 6 introduces Philip as “a man who was full of the Holy Spirit and had strong faith, and was praised by others.”
Dear all!
Like Philip, we pray that even lay people will bear the fruit of evangelism and receive the authority to rule over all nations before God on that day.
So, how can you become a rewarded evangelist?
Look at verse 26! start
"The angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Get up and go south, and go as far as the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza."
In short, Philip was a man filled with the Holy Spirit.
Some people think that being filled with the Holy Spirit is just headbanging, jumping, or foaming like rock singers, but that's not the only way to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
To be filled with the Holy Spirit is to be filled with the Word of God.
Jesus Christ said in Acts 1:8, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
But look at Philip.
Isn't he already in Samaria?
And go even though the way he must go is the wilderness! The truth is that you just moved on. Because it was the word of Jesus Christ.
A person of the Holy Spirit is a person who always obeys the Word.
look!
The Apostle Paul is said to be a man of the Holy Spirit
The Apostle Paul, a man of the Holy Spirit, always said, "Yes! And there is nothing but Amen" before God's Word.
Spirit man! Look at Peter!
Although they threaten to put them in prison again if they testify of Jesus Christ, he says in Acts 4:19, "Is it right in the sight of God to listen to people or to listen to God? I can't help it," he risked his life and delivered the word.
Look at Jesus Christ, who was always one with God!
He said, "God the Father works, and I work." Even before his death on the cross, he said, "Father, do not do my will, but do your will."
What does father mean? When Jesus Christ was incarnated into the world, He said, “This is the one who will save his people from their sins.”
Since "the wages of sin is death," it was God's will that Jesus Christ died on the cross to save all mankind, and Jesus said Amen according to this very will of God.
Philip said Amen even though it was a road in the wilderness. When it comes to God's word, always saying Amen is what it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
I hope that you will hear the word of God being proclaimed today in your ears.
And I hope you say Amen to the word of God. We believe that the Holy Spirit will fill that person.
In order for the gospel to bear fruit of eternal life, the Holy Spirit must always lead and guide us.
Who is filled with the Holy Spirit? Remember. Say yes! And the one who says Amen.
Second, we testified of Jesus Christ recorded in the Bible, the word of God.
Look at verse 30!
“When Philip ran and heard the writings of the prophet Isaiah, do you understand what he was saying?”
Evangelism literally means delivering the Way.
"The Way" means the way, which means our Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ also said in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life."
In other words, evangelism is preaching Jesus Christ, but these days, instead of Jesus Christ, I keep saying, "What do you like about our church? Our church has ---" Come just once!
Of course, then, we will try to preach Jesus Christ, but evangelism is only to testify of Jesus Christ, who is the way, and problems arise when we keep trying to preach other things.
When a certain blind man came to heaven, Jesus jumped up and took his hand and embraced him.
This time, a certain deacon came to heaven, so Jesus got up from his seat again, took his hand, and hugged him.
This time, a famous person from Jinja has come to Heaven.
Ah! But strangely, this time Jesus didn't get up from his seat, but just sat down and shook hands.
Huh! I know you're famous! So I can't get up because I'm afraid he'll sit in my seat if I get up! you would do
Everyone!
If you go to heaven, will the Lord get up and welcome you? Or will you sit down and hold my hand?
What this means is that we are also challenging Jesus Christ because we keep teaching things other than Jesus Christ, both inside and outside the church.
Remember!
Evangelism is spreading the Way.
It means our Savior, Jesus Christ, who is the way.
Preach only Jesus Christ.
What. Who said that was out of date!
Whether you say that you testify of Jesus or not, look at Philip!
Only the Bible, the Word of God, was preached.
Verse 35.
“Philip opened his mouth, and, beginning with this writing, he taught Jesus and preached the gospel.”
Even though he only preached Jesus Christ, he was able to save even the eunuchs who had great authority who served the queen of Egypt at that time.
Don't be afraid of evangelism! Because they do not preach Jesus Christ, they have nothing to say and are afraid.
If you simply teach the contents of the Bible and teach and preach Jesus Christ, the Lord of the Bible, the fruits of evangelism will come naturally.
I want you to teach the Bible. If you believe that the word of God is alive and has power, Amen!
“The word of God is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.”
Please testify of Jesus Christ recorded in the Bible.
Then I believe that the Holy Spirit is at work.
As the Holy Spirit works, the beautiful work of life and salvation will take place in your eyes.
Then when should evangelism be done?
J.B. Phillips said, "Evangelism is urgent," and said, "Never have time to do wells or wells. We must never lose the urgency of evangelism."
"Never loose your sense of urgency"
Richard Boxter, a famous English preacher, said, "Whatever you do, let others see your sincerity. You can't break people's hearts with jokes or funny stories or fluent words.
A man can never abandon the pleasure he loves.
So, if we wake up ourselves, do the Lord's work, and open our mouths to testify of Jesus, we can push them out of the fire. If you are late, it will all burn out."
Proverbs 27:1 "Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what will happen in a day." Never procrastinate.
In Mark 2, there is a record of Jesus going to Capernaum.
As soon as we heard this news, the four of us brought our poor, paralyzed friend on a stretcher, but so many people gathered that we could not enter the place where Jesus was.
But they were not discouraged.
I never gave up.
How did you do it?
Yes! Yes. He took a stretcher and went up to the roof, tore off the roof, hung it with ropes, and sent it down to Jesus.
Even in the midst of falling dust and dust, Jesus saw their faith that never gave up and healed them, saying, "Son, your sins are forgiven."
If they were disappointed and gave up, they would have been crippled to death.
Everyone! How many demigods are there with us right now?
If you have studied a lot but your soul has not been saved, you are half paralyzed.
If he has a lot of money and his soul is not saved, he is also half-paralyzed.
If the body is healthy but the soul is not saved, then that person is also half paralyzed.
How poor are these people?
But if only four people work together to bring them to Jesus Christ, I believe that our Lord will forgive their sins. He will make your heart into heaven. Then, I believe that they will also receive new strength and become the people of God's kingdom.
In Acts 21, it is said that Deacon Philip had four daughters. However, all four of those daughters were witnesses of Jesus Christ.
If you look at this, you can see that Philip evangelized not only to others, but also to his own family.
It is said that evangelism to the family is the most difficult. Because to that extent my life must appear as a living lesson to my family.
We have set November 23 to be celebrated as One-Soul Birth Day.
Who can evangelize?
Are you only making disciples of Jesus?
Can only great revivalists do it?
It's not just a good pastor.
We must pray like Philip and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
We must teach the Bible, the word of God, and testify of Jesus Christ.
You must evangelize to your family.
I believe that if we preach Jesus Christ with the urgency that we can take our souls tonight, the beautiful fruits of soul salvation will surely come. I pray that God's great blessings be with you on this holy work you are doing.