Theme: Evangelism (April 8, 2018)

Devotion: Colossians 1:13-14

Title: Fulfilling the need of our time

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 solemn 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 spiritual 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. 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.

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. There is a great need of the gospel

(all the more in our time today) Matt. 24:3-14; 2Tim.3:12-13
A. The world is deteriorating – 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.13:18-23
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. The church has been entrusted by God – 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. We
should not rest easy just because there are many church attendees. More people attending
don’t always mean that people are already saved. We should not rest easy because people are
more accepting of us, more often, they are more accepting of many things as well. We should
not rest easy just because we are already saved. There are still many out there that are lost. We
should not grow to be complacent. The world as a whole will not get better with age:
Matt.24:3-14 and we as a church have many challenges to face. 2Tim.3:12-13

II. Watch out for the hindrances

The challenges of reaching people and sharing the gospel are certainly not new to us
Christians. These hurdles have already been in place since the first century and the early
church. While they may serve as hindrances, in reality the biggest ones we should overcome are
those found in ourselves: in our thinking, and way of life.

A. A lack of concern
The first thing why the need for the gospel is not being met is that many
Christians have a lack of concern. Christians who have become so comfortable with
where they are that they stop reaching out to other people and without even realizing it
start becoming selfish. Most of the time, these are the same Christians who do not grow
into maturity. From the time they became new believers, they never stopped taking
milk as their food. That is why many years later, they are the ones who still liked to be
followed up. A lack of concern can be readily translated to a lack of love. We can never
forget that 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. We should let God use us to lead others to him as well. It
wouldn’t be surprising to learn that Paul, in the vastness of His ministry, was propelled
by his own concern for the wellbeing of the people. Acts 17:16-17

B. A lack of faith
The second thing why the need of sharing the gospel is not being met is because
of the lack of faith from the people of God. Sure we ourselves believe the word of God
to be true, but when it comes to putting it into action, many of us fall short. We lack the
faith that: God will give us the strength and courage to fulfill His commands. Matthew
28:20 We lack the faith that God will give us the wisdom and knowledge if we lack it.
James 1:5 Sometimes, we lack faith that God will also give us the courage to obey His
will in our lives. 2 Tim. 1:7-9 most of the times, we lack faith because of fear. And 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, we must remember that people are not rejecting us, they are
rejecting Christ. It is not our message that we bring, but the message of God. if we are
mocked and reviled by people for our faith, Jesus calls us blessed: Matt. 5:11-12 Just as
Paul says in Gal. 1:10.

C. A lack of focus
Another thing that hinders the Christian is a lack of focus in our duty. Many
Christians are out of focus because of the fact that they are distracted. Distracted by
what, you might ask? As I said earlier, we get distracted by the world. We must be
careful because many things serve to draw us farther away from God. Luke 21:34 but
we must remember that the tricky thing to this is that not all the things that take our
focus away from God are morally evil. Getting a job, taking care of your family, etc. are
not bad things. They only become bad when we give them more priority over God.
another thing that makes a christian lose focus is serving two masters. I mean the word
itself is defined as looking at a single point. You cannot try to focus on two things. Many
Christians think that they can serve two masters, such as loving the father, and loving
the world. 1 Jn. 2:15 already states this plainly. Christians who live in compromise have
no moral authority to bring the good news. Even if they tried, it would have no power. I
suspect this is the major reason many do not engage in sharing the good news today.

D. A lack of testimony
One of the most important things that can either serve to advance the kingdom
of God or be a big hindrance to it is our own living testimony. 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. 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,
so for many it is as easy as turning on a switch once you arrive in the premises. 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: a great help, or a great hindrance. What would
you prefer?

Application:
What hinders you? Is it 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 lacking in anything? By now you should know that
you can ask God to help you and fill up everything that we are lacking in. 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.

III. Proclaiming the good news 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 not be discouraged. 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.