1 00:00:01,047 --> 00:00:05,487 So, I do want us this morning 2 00:00:05,487 --> 00:00:09,418 to give our attention to the topic 3 00:00:09,418 --> 00:00:12,562 of evangelism. 4 00:00:12,562 --> 00:00:14,370 If we think about our Christian life 5 00:00:14,370 --> 00:00:17,264 and making more progress. 6 00:00:17,264 --> 00:00:19,652 Let's think about reaching the lost 7 00:00:19,652 --> 00:00:22,522 for these next few minutes. 8 00:00:22,522 --> 00:00:27,124 Let's pray. 9 00:00:27,124 --> 00:00:35,684 Father, 10 00:00:35,684 --> 00:00:43,456 I can remember, think about 11 00:00:43,456 --> 00:00:46,432 my own heart being stirred 12 00:00:46,432 --> 00:00:51,251 reading the biography of George Whitefield, 13 00:00:51,251 --> 00:00:57,259 imagining him preaching up and down this East Coast 14 00:00:57,259 --> 00:01:05,482 to great crowds and people converted. 15 00:01:05,482 --> 00:01:10,864 Men and women filling the churches in those days. 16 00:01:10,864 --> 00:01:12,649 We look at New England 17 00:01:12,649 --> 00:01:21,237 and it seems to be a barren place. 18 00:01:21,237 --> 00:01:26,057 But Lord, if You but speak the word, 19 00:01:26,057 --> 00:01:28,701 just as it is in the desert when the rains come, 20 00:01:28,701 --> 00:01:32,779 You send those rains and flowers break forth. 21 00:01:32,779 --> 00:01:35,302 You can cause life. 22 00:01:35,302 --> 00:01:38,819 And we ask You, Lord, please, life. 23 00:01:38,819 --> 00:01:40,430 Spiritual life. 24 00:01:40,430 --> 00:01:47,153 Conversions. 25 00:01:47,153 --> 00:01:50,632 Lord, we pray that this land may live again; 26 00:01:50,632 --> 00:01:54,279 that the churches may be filled again; 27 00:01:54,279 --> 00:01:57,115 that they may be praising the glories 28 00:01:57,115 --> 00:02:06,352 of our Lord Jesus Christ again. 29 00:02:06,352 --> 00:02:10,254 We ask You to have mercy upon our land. 30 00:02:10,254 --> 00:02:14,942 But I pray, Father, that You'd have mercy upon Your people. 31 00:02:14,942 --> 00:02:17,897 May we once again have the fire, 32 00:02:17,897 --> 00:02:21,491 the zeal 33 00:02:21,491 --> 00:02:24,602 to take the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 34 00:02:24,602 --> 00:02:30,217 to the dying and to the perishing. 35 00:02:30,217 --> 00:02:32,057 Lord, I pray that in some way 36 00:02:32,057 --> 00:02:33,551 You would use the words 37 00:02:33,551 --> 00:02:36,512 that are about to be said 38 00:02:36,512 --> 00:02:41,623 to kindle a fire in my own heart, 39 00:02:41,623 --> 00:02:43,709 my brothers and sisters in this place, 40 00:02:43,709 --> 00:02:47,012 I ask it in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 41 00:02:47,012 --> 00:02:49,662 Amen. 42 00:02:49,662 --> 00:02:53,592 Well, if you have your Bible, 43 00:02:53,592 --> 00:02:57,531 I think one of the classic texts 44 00:02:57,531 --> 00:02:59,983 on evangelism that we find in our Bibles 45 00:02:59,983 --> 00:03:04,857 is in 1 Corinthians 9. 46 00:03:04,857 --> 00:03:06,753 If you have your Bible, turn there. 47 00:03:06,753 --> 00:03:24,519 1 Corinthians 9. 48 00:03:24,519 --> 00:03:30,367 1 Corinthians 9:19. 49 00:03:30,367 --> 00:03:32,239 The Apostle Paul says this, 50 00:03:32,239 --> 00:03:35,064 "For though I am free from all, 51 00:03:35,064 --> 00:03:41,942 I have made myself a servant to all 52 00:03:41,942 --> 00:03:48,684 that I might win more of them." 53 00:03:48,684 --> 00:03:53,516 He that winneth souls is wise. 54 00:03:53,516 --> 00:03:58,333 This is not carnal language to talk this way. 55 00:03:58,333 --> 00:04:02,012 This is not Arminian language to talk this way. 56 00:04:02,012 --> 00:04:04,525 Winning souls. 57 00:04:04,525 --> 00:04:06,595 Don't ever let your understanding 58 00:04:06,595 --> 00:04:08,184 of the sovereignty of God 59 00:04:08,184 --> 00:04:11,742 remove that kind of verbiage from your language. 60 00:04:11,742 --> 00:04:14,979 We can win souls. 61 00:04:14,979 --> 00:04:18,200 Being soul-winners. 62 00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:22,880 Paul - he made himself a servant to all 63 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:27,221 that he might win. 64 00:04:27,221 --> 00:04:28,760 Winning - we think, 65 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:31,375 isn't that a strange word to apply 66 00:04:31,375 --> 00:04:33,136 to going after souls? 67 00:04:33,136 --> 00:04:35,531 It can become such common language, 68 00:04:35,531 --> 00:04:37,548 maybe you don't even think about it. 69 00:04:37,548 --> 00:04:40,158 We talk about winning - like a race. 70 00:04:40,158 --> 00:04:43,168 Winning in sports. 71 00:04:43,168 --> 00:04:45,298 To win a soul. 72 00:04:45,298 --> 00:04:49,867 Over against what? What's the opposite of winning? 73 00:04:49,867 --> 00:04:51,988 If you don't win, you...? 74 00:04:51,988 --> 00:04:54,581 Lose. 75 00:04:54,581 --> 00:05:01,261 We lose people. 76 00:05:01,261 --> 00:05:05,251 "To the Jews, I became as a Jew 77 00:05:05,251 --> 00:05:08,747 in order to win Jews. 78 00:05:08,747 --> 00:05:09,901 To those under the law, 79 00:05:09,901 --> 00:05:12,100 I became as one under the law, 80 00:05:12,100 --> 00:05:16,078 though not being myself under the law, 81 00:05:16,078 --> 00:05:18,242 that I might win those under the law. 82 00:05:18,242 --> 00:05:21,091 To those outside the law, I became as one outside the law, 83 00:05:21,091 --> 00:05:24,698 not being outside the law of God, but under the law of Christ 84 00:05:24,698 --> 00:05:27,301 that I might win those outside the law. 85 00:05:27,301 --> 00:05:28,700 To the weak, I became weak, 86 00:05:28,700 --> 00:05:31,235 that I might win the weak. 87 00:05:31,235 --> 00:05:35,431 I have become all things to all people 88 00:05:35,431 --> 00:05:42,561 that by all means I might save some, 89 00:05:42,561 --> 00:05:50,389 and I do it all for the sake of the Gospel." 90 00:05:50,389 --> 00:05:53,446 Last night, Brother Mack 91 00:05:53,446 --> 00:05:58,728 brought up C.T. Studd. 92 00:05:58,728 --> 00:06:00,530 I remember several years ago, 93 00:06:00,530 --> 00:06:05,003 Andy Hamilton speaking about C.T. Studd. 94 00:06:05,003 --> 00:06:07,484 He said - and I saw this, 95 00:06:07,484 --> 00:06:11,638 I think Dan Sem loaned me C.T. Studd's biography 96 00:06:11,638 --> 00:06:14,698 back when Dan was still in the states. 97 00:06:14,698 --> 00:06:17,376 And Andy was referring to this, 98 00:06:17,376 --> 00:06:19,041 that in the front part of the book, 99 00:06:19,041 --> 00:06:21,176 you can find a picture of C.T. Studd 100 00:06:21,176 --> 00:06:24,552 with all of his athletic friends and his rich friends. 101 00:06:24,552 --> 00:06:26,246 And you go to the end of the book, 102 00:06:26,246 --> 00:06:30,635 and you find C.T. Studd sitting around his hut in Africa 103 00:06:30,635 --> 00:06:36,247 with all these converted - were they pygmy's? 104 00:06:36,247 --> 00:06:39,503 I don't remember. 105 00:06:39,503 --> 00:06:42,552 C.T. Studd. 106 00:06:42,552 --> 00:06:45,207 He had a way with words. 107 00:06:45,207 --> 00:06:47,581 I want to give you a quote. 108 00:06:47,581 --> 00:06:50,107 He was strong - sometimes caustic. 109 00:06:50,107 --> 00:06:53,286 Sometimes undoubtedly offensive. 110 00:06:53,286 --> 00:06:59,578 I think I chose some words that are strong. 111 00:06:59,578 --> 00:07:01,235 C.T. Studd said this, 112 00:07:01,235 --> 00:07:06,065 "Christ's call is to feed the hungry, 113 00:07:06,065 --> 00:07:08,054 not the full; 114 00:07:08,054 --> 00:07:11,643 to save the lost, not the stiff-necked; 115 00:07:11,643 --> 00:07:14,350 not to call the scoffers, 116 00:07:14,350 --> 00:07:17,691 but sinners to repentance; 117 00:07:17,691 --> 00:07:20,695 not to build and furnish comfortable chapels, 118 00:07:20,695 --> 00:07:24,051 churches, cathedrals at home, 119 00:07:24,051 --> 00:07:27,630 in which to rock Christian professors to sleep 120 00:07:27,630 --> 00:07:30,537 by means of clever essays, 121 00:07:30,537 --> 00:07:33,522 stereotyped prayers, 122 00:07:33,522 --> 00:07:37,087 and artistic musical performances, 123 00:07:37,087 --> 00:07:39,820 but to raise living churches of souls 124 00:07:39,820 --> 00:07:42,329 among the destitute; 125 00:07:42,329 --> 00:07:45,852 to capture men from the devil's clutches 126 00:07:45,852 --> 00:07:49,773 and snatch them from the very jaws of hell. 127 00:07:49,773 --> 00:07:53,946 To enlist and train men and women for Jesus 128 00:07:53,946 --> 00:07:56,894 and make them into an almighty army of God, 129 00:07:56,894 --> 00:07:58,730 but this can only be accomplished 130 00:07:58,730 --> 00:08:01,644 by a red hot, unconventional, 131 00:08:01,644 --> 00:08:04,805 unfettered Holy Ghost religion 132 00:08:04,805 --> 00:08:06,902 where neither church nor state, 133 00:08:06,902 --> 00:08:09,191 neither man nor traditions 134 00:08:09,191 --> 00:08:11,350 are worshiped or preached, 135 00:08:11,350 --> 00:08:18,997 but only Christ and Him crucified." 136 00:08:18,997 --> 00:08:24,082 He says this, "Nail the colors to the mast. 137 00:08:24,082 --> 00:08:25,756 That is the right thing to do. 138 00:08:25,756 --> 00:08:27,891 And therefore, that is what we must do, 139 00:08:27,891 --> 00:08:30,282 and do it now. What colors? 140 00:08:30,282 --> 00:08:31,963 The colors of Christ. 141 00:08:31,963 --> 00:08:33,954 The work He has given us to do. 142 00:08:33,954 --> 00:08:37,574 The evangelization of the unevangelized. 143 00:08:37,574 --> 00:08:41,147 Christ wants not nibblers of the possible, 144 00:08:41,147 --> 00:08:43,633 but grabbers of the impossible, 145 00:08:43,633 --> 00:08:45,899 by faith in the omnipotence, 146 00:08:45,899 --> 00:08:48,806 fidelity, and wisdom of the almighty Savior 147 00:08:48,806 --> 00:08:50,862 who gave the command. 148 00:08:50,862 --> 00:08:53,081 Is there a wall in our path? 149 00:08:53,081 --> 00:08:55,188 By our God, we'll leap over it. 150 00:08:55,188 --> 00:08:57,623 Are there lions and scorpions in our way? 151 00:08:57,623 --> 00:08:59,609 We will trample them under our feet. 152 00:08:59,609 --> 00:09:02,225 Does a mountain bar our progress? 153 00:09:02,225 --> 00:09:05,495 Saying 'be thou removed and cast into the sea' 154 00:09:05,495 --> 00:09:06,920 we will march on. 155 00:09:06,920 --> 00:09:11,269 Soldiers of Jesus never surrender. 156 00:09:11,269 --> 00:09:18,152 Nail the colors to the mast." 157 00:09:18,152 --> 00:09:21,324 Our churches should be armies 158 00:09:21,324 --> 00:09:26,743 of evangelists, soul winners. 159 00:09:26,743 --> 00:09:31,369 But why does it tend not to be? 160 00:09:31,369 --> 00:09:33,038 I want to talk right here 161 00:09:33,038 --> 00:09:35,930 by way of introduction to this message. 162 00:09:35,930 --> 00:09:38,114 What are some of the reasons 163 00:09:38,114 --> 00:09:43,738 that evangelism is not a priority 164 00:09:43,738 --> 00:09:45,752 in many churches today? 165 00:09:45,752 --> 00:09:51,681 And I'm talking especially reformed churches. 166 00:09:51,681 --> 00:09:55,499 Especially churches that lift up books 167 00:09:55,499 --> 00:09:58,285 by Martyn Lloyd-Jones; 168 00:09:58,285 --> 00:10:02,701 that lift up books by John G. Paton 169 00:10:02,701 --> 00:10:05,287 or about him. 170 00:10:05,287 --> 00:10:07,778 Why are some of the reasons? 171 00:10:07,778 --> 00:10:10,603 And I'm not saying that everybody here is unevangelistic. 172 00:10:10,603 --> 00:10:13,030 And I'm not saying that all of our churches 173 00:10:13,030 --> 00:10:14,795 are unevangelistic. 174 00:10:14,795 --> 00:10:15,981 But I'm just saying 175 00:10:15,981 --> 00:10:18,094 that throughout those churches 176 00:10:18,094 --> 00:10:21,276 that would say they hold to this reformed faith 177 00:10:21,276 --> 00:10:23,976 or identify with Calvinistic doctrine, 178 00:10:23,976 --> 00:10:30,353 the truth is that many of the churches 179 00:10:30,353 --> 00:10:33,350 in the reformed movement 180 00:10:33,350 --> 00:10:35,481 are not very evangelistic 181 00:10:35,481 --> 00:10:42,222 and I just want us to consider some of the reasons why. 182 00:10:42,222 --> 00:10:45,204 Number one. 183 00:10:45,204 --> 00:10:47,056 Evangelism - think about it. 184 00:10:47,056 --> 00:10:49,850 If I said, okay. We're breaking up the service right now. 185 00:10:49,850 --> 00:10:51,651 We're all heading out this door 186 00:10:51,651 --> 00:10:53,155 and we're going to evangelize. 187 00:10:53,155 --> 00:10:54,479 How are we going to do it? 188 00:10:54,479 --> 00:10:56,388 We're going to stop people on the street out here 189 00:10:56,388 --> 00:10:58,578 and we're going to talk to them about the Lord. 190 00:10:58,578 --> 00:11:02,074 Immediately, some of you would feel traumatized 191 00:11:02,074 --> 00:11:05,146 by that reality. 192 00:11:05,146 --> 00:11:11,251 There is a confrontational sense to evangelism. 193 00:11:11,251 --> 00:11:15,662 You have to break into people's private space. 194 00:11:15,662 --> 00:11:21,204 You have to confront people by a truth 195 00:11:21,204 --> 00:11:24,098 that quite honestly, a lot of people don't want to hear, 196 00:11:24,098 --> 00:11:25,571 they find offensive. 197 00:11:25,571 --> 00:11:27,571 There tends to be persecution. 198 00:11:27,571 --> 00:11:29,700 People look at you. People laugh at you. 199 00:11:29,700 --> 00:11:31,276 People will walk away from you. 200 00:11:31,276 --> 00:11:32,768 People will argue with you. 201 00:11:32,768 --> 00:11:36,861 There is a confrontational nature to evangelism. 202 00:11:36,861 --> 00:11:38,937 This man here who said 203 00:11:38,937 --> 00:11:41,404 that he uses all these means 204 00:11:41,404 --> 00:11:42,939 that he might save some, 205 00:11:42,939 --> 00:11:46,441 if you follow his path through the book of Acts, 206 00:11:46,441 --> 00:11:50,404 you'll find that they bounce stones off of his head. 207 00:11:50,404 --> 00:11:53,623 Why? Because he went places proclaiming Christ. 208 00:11:53,623 --> 00:11:56,335 If you proclaim Christ, Jesus said this: 209 00:11:56,335 --> 00:11:58,784 They are going to hate you. 210 00:11:58,784 --> 00:12:00,521 If you're not of the world, 211 00:12:00,521 --> 00:12:02,066 if you're not one of their own, 212 00:12:02,066 --> 00:12:03,310 they're going to hate you. 213 00:12:03,310 --> 00:12:04,892 And He said they hated Me, 214 00:12:04,892 --> 00:12:07,648 and they're going to hate you too. 215 00:12:07,648 --> 00:12:11,106 And that makes evangelism right from the start 216 00:12:11,106 --> 00:12:17,650 somewhat intimidating to know... 217 00:12:17,650 --> 00:12:20,927 if you are a sheep, if you are a lamb, 218 00:12:20,927 --> 00:12:23,697 and you go out into the midst of wolves, 219 00:12:23,697 --> 00:12:26,706 you just take a lamb and you throw it in the midst of wolves, 220 00:12:26,706 --> 00:12:29,170 you know what happens. 221 00:12:29,170 --> 00:12:30,860 There is something 222 00:12:30,860 --> 00:12:33,086 that to our carnal self 223 00:12:33,086 --> 00:12:35,406 and to our fleshly self, 224 00:12:35,406 --> 00:12:38,604 we recoil from that. 225 00:12:38,604 --> 00:12:39,508 Right? 226 00:12:39,508 --> 00:12:42,021 I mean, who likes to be like a lamb 227 00:12:42,021 --> 00:12:44,401 and just jump in the midst of wolves? 228 00:12:44,401 --> 00:12:45,935 You don't like that. 229 00:12:45,935 --> 00:12:48,673 That is not natural to like that. 230 00:12:48,673 --> 00:12:52,927 And so there is that reality. 231 00:12:52,927 --> 00:12:57,822 We don't like to make others feel uncomfortable. 232 00:12:57,822 --> 00:13:00,064 But here's the problem: 233 00:13:00,064 --> 00:13:03,435 If you get a feeling for C.T. Studd, 234 00:13:03,435 --> 00:13:05,925 it's: there is something to be accomplished. 235 00:13:05,925 --> 00:13:08,146 There is something the Lord wants us to do. 236 00:13:08,146 --> 00:13:09,585 God is on our side. 237 00:13:09,585 --> 00:13:12,179 We can go do this. 238 00:13:12,179 --> 00:13:15,316 And in the face of these things, 239 00:13:15,316 --> 00:13:18,123 we need boldness. 240 00:13:18,123 --> 00:13:19,595 You know what courage is. 241 00:13:19,595 --> 00:13:22,059 Courage doesn't mean that you're never afraid, 242 00:13:22,059 --> 00:13:23,625 but it means that you press on 243 00:13:23,625 --> 00:13:25,961 in the face of that fear. 244 00:13:25,961 --> 00:13:27,350 We need courage. 245 00:13:27,350 --> 00:13:29,413 Because God is on our side. 246 00:13:29,413 --> 00:13:31,773 And Jesus said this. 247 00:13:31,773 --> 00:13:33,427 We know this. 248 00:13:33,427 --> 00:13:35,775 Jesus said that whoever is ashamed 249 00:13:35,775 --> 00:13:39,108 "of Me and My words, 250 00:13:39,108 --> 00:13:41,936 of him will the Son of Man be ashamed 251 00:13:41,936 --> 00:13:44,460 when He comes in His glory 252 00:13:44,460 --> 00:13:51,261 and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels." 253 00:13:51,261 --> 00:13:54,666 One of the things about living 254 00:13:54,666 --> 00:13:58,258 in 21st century America 255 00:13:58,258 --> 00:14:02,021 is that we have to admit it. 256 00:14:02,021 --> 00:14:05,851 We tend to be affluent 257 00:14:05,851 --> 00:14:11,283 and that affluency makes us soft. 258 00:14:11,283 --> 00:14:16,121 And soft people don't endure hardship well 259 00:14:16,121 --> 00:14:19,600 and the truth is there are certain hardships. 260 00:14:19,600 --> 00:14:22,727 Yes, there are times you can sit down with people. 261 00:14:22,727 --> 00:14:24,696 There are times I have sat down 262 00:14:24,696 --> 00:14:27,844 with my lost friends, my lost family members, 263 00:14:27,844 --> 00:14:29,505 my lost co-workers, 264 00:14:29,505 --> 00:14:33,509 or even people in door-to-door ministry 265 00:14:33,509 --> 00:14:35,874 or stopping somebody on the street. 266 00:14:35,874 --> 00:14:37,776 And they are not antagonistic. 267 00:14:37,776 --> 00:14:39,136 They don't want to argue. 268 00:14:39,136 --> 00:14:41,718 They're very open, receptive, 269 00:14:41,718 --> 00:14:43,973 and even grateful and thankful. 270 00:14:43,973 --> 00:14:45,473 That happens sometimes. 271 00:14:45,473 --> 00:14:48,157 But there are other times, it does not happen. 272 00:14:48,157 --> 00:14:50,891 There are times the door will be slammed in your face. 273 00:14:50,891 --> 00:14:53,158 There are times there will be persecution. 274 00:14:53,158 --> 00:14:55,231 There are times - no, not in this country, 275 00:14:55,231 --> 00:14:57,032 they're not going to put us to death, 276 00:14:57,032 --> 00:15:01,802 but that softness in our life 277 00:15:01,802 --> 00:15:04,573 can make it difficult to put ourselves 278 00:15:04,573 --> 00:15:06,510 in difficult positions. 279 00:15:06,510 --> 00:15:09,524 So that's one thing to think about. 280 00:15:09,524 --> 00:15:12,536 We don't like this confrontational nature of evangelism. 281 00:15:12,536 --> 00:15:15,398 A second thing. 282 00:15:15,398 --> 00:15:20,267 We feel inadequate. 283 00:15:20,267 --> 00:15:27,026 That maybe is not a bad thing to feel. 284 00:15:27,026 --> 00:15:30,859 But it's not a reason not to go. 285 00:15:30,859 --> 00:15:34,982 It's not a reason to stay silent. 286 00:15:34,982 --> 00:15:36,718 Inadequacy. 287 00:15:36,718 --> 00:15:41,484 You know, if ever there was a guy that was inadequate 288 00:15:41,484 --> 00:15:43,694 to speak the Gospel to people, 289 00:15:43,694 --> 00:15:45,626 I would say a guy that yesterday 290 00:15:45,626 --> 00:15:47,066 didn't have any clothes on, 291 00:15:47,066 --> 00:15:48,565 running around naked, 292 00:15:48,565 --> 00:15:52,660 out in the midst of the tombs. 293 00:15:52,660 --> 00:15:55,076 If we brought a guy in here 294 00:15:55,076 --> 00:15:57,475 who yesterday was running around 295 00:15:57,475 --> 00:15:59,194 in the cemetery down the street 296 00:15:59,194 --> 00:16:00,983 with no clothes on, 297 00:16:00,983 --> 00:16:02,947 and he was able to break out of jail 298 00:16:02,947 --> 00:16:05,487 and bust handcuffs all the time, 299 00:16:05,487 --> 00:16:07,447 and he came in here today 300 00:16:07,447 --> 00:16:09,070 and he was wonderfully converted 301 00:16:09,070 --> 00:16:11,282 and sitting in here clothed and in his right mind, 302 00:16:11,282 --> 00:16:12,647 you might say, well, you know, 303 00:16:12,647 --> 00:16:14,347 if ever there's anybody a novice 304 00:16:14,347 --> 00:16:16,598 who probably shouldn't be out there talking to people, 305 00:16:16,598 --> 00:16:17,680 it would be this guy. 306 00:16:17,680 --> 00:16:20,083 And yet, it's exactly that kind of guy 307 00:16:20,083 --> 00:16:23,319 that Jesus said, "No, you can't get in the boat with Me. 308 00:16:23,319 --> 00:16:24,841 You know what I want you to do? 309 00:16:24,841 --> 00:16:27,654 I want you to go back home 310 00:16:27,654 --> 00:16:29,267 and you tell those people 311 00:16:29,267 --> 00:16:34,428 what great things the Lord has done for you." 312 00:16:34,428 --> 00:16:37,291 (incomplete thought) 313 00:16:37,291 --> 00:16:40,262 We ought not to feel that our inadequacy 314 00:16:40,262 --> 00:16:42,395 should keep us from doing it. 315 00:16:42,395 --> 00:16:44,133 Yes, there is an inadequacy. 316 00:16:44,133 --> 00:16:46,063 Paul himself said - the one who said 317 00:16:46,063 --> 00:16:48,835 that he used all these means to win some - 318 00:16:48,835 --> 00:16:50,464 he himself said: 319 00:16:50,464 --> 00:16:52,501 who is sufficient for these things? 320 00:16:52,501 --> 00:16:54,533 This is a weighty thing. 321 00:16:54,533 --> 00:16:56,466 We're a fragrance of life to some; 322 00:16:56,466 --> 00:16:59,515 a fragrance of death to the others. 323 00:16:59,515 --> 00:17:02,669 But listen, yes, we feel inadequate. 324 00:17:02,669 --> 00:17:05,640 But inadequacy didn't keep Jesus 325 00:17:05,640 --> 00:17:08,512 from telling the converted demoniac 326 00:17:08,512 --> 00:17:13,146 to go back to his hometown and tell all the people. 327 00:17:13,146 --> 00:17:15,138 Certainly if the demoniac was charged 328 00:17:15,138 --> 00:17:16,588 by the Lord to do that, 329 00:17:16,588 --> 00:17:18,995 then everyone of us should be in the same place 330 00:17:18,995 --> 00:17:22,952 to do the same. 331 00:17:22,952 --> 00:17:24,296 How about a third reason 332 00:17:24,296 --> 00:17:26,326 we're not more involved, more committed 333 00:17:26,326 --> 00:17:31,538 to this evangelistic endeavor? 334 00:17:31,538 --> 00:17:35,876 We can get discouraged by an apparent lack of results. 335 00:17:35,876 --> 00:17:38,757 I was just talking to a couple brothers last night. 336 00:17:38,757 --> 00:17:45,343 We're going to go down to New York later today. 337 00:17:45,343 --> 00:17:47,744 And I know there's a group of brethren down there. 338 00:17:47,744 --> 00:17:49,088 They've been going at it. 339 00:17:49,088 --> 00:17:51,799 Trying to plant a church for four years. 340 00:17:51,799 --> 00:17:54,569 Perhaps, there isn't much seen of fruit. 341 00:17:54,569 --> 00:17:55,913 Let me tell you something. 342 00:17:55,913 --> 00:17:57,327 When our church started, 343 00:17:57,327 --> 00:17:59,289 we went 16 months - 344 00:17:59,289 --> 00:18:00,961 no additions to the church. 345 00:18:00,961 --> 00:18:03,446 In fact, we had subtractions from the church. 346 00:18:03,446 --> 00:18:05,510 You know what happened when William Carey 347 00:18:05,510 --> 00:18:07,332 went over to India? 348 00:18:07,332 --> 00:18:09,710 He preached and he preached. 349 00:18:09,710 --> 00:18:11,805 And he set forth the truth. 350 00:18:11,805 --> 00:18:13,987 And he began to acquire languages. 351 00:18:13,987 --> 00:18:19,945 And he set up some indigo (is that the right word?) - 352 00:18:19,945 --> 00:18:23,827 he was trying to produce income 353 00:18:23,827 --> 00:18:26,691 so that the churches back in England 354 00:18:26,691 --> 00:18:28,171 didn't have to support him. 355 00:18:28,171 --> 00:18:30,947 And he sought to be self-supporting. 356 00:18:30,947 --> 00:18:32,890 And he was getting the Gospel out. 357 00:18:32,890 --> 00:18:36,722 And you know it was seven years 358 00:18:36,722 --> 00:18:39,083 before he had one convert. 359 00:18:39,083 --> 00:18:40,872 If you've ever read the biography, 360 00:18:40,872 --> 00:18:42,758 one man. 361 00:18:42,758 --> 00:18:44,097 I've been at that location 362 00:18:44,097 --> 00:18:50,503 there (incomplete thought) in Calcutta. 363 00:18:50,503 --> 00:18:52,514 I've been there at the place on the river 364 00:18:52,514 --> 00:18:56,556 where he baptized that guy. 365 00:18:56,556 --> 00:18:58,742 Seven years. 366 00:18:58,742 --> 00:19:02,175 Seven years. 367 00:19:02,175 --> 00:19:04,245 (incomplete thought) 368 00:19:04,245 --> 00:19:08,377 I preached right in front of that baptismal 369 00:19:08,377 --> 00:19:11,956 where Adoniram Judson was baptized. 370 00:19:11,956 --> 00:19:17,662 I think William Marshman baptized him there. 371 00:19:17,662 --> 00:19:20,649 Adoniram Judson. 372 00:19:20,649 --> 00:19:26,172 Six to seven years of laboring in Burma. 373 00:19:26,172 --> 00:19:28,151 He left Calcutta. 374 00:19:28,151 --> 00:19:31,221 He went over to Burma. 375 00:19:31,221 --> 00:19:36,814 Providential events - he landed there. 376 00:19:36,814 --> 00:19:39,132 Years. 377 00:19:39,132 --> 00:19:40,731 You're in New England. 378 00:19:40,731 --> 00:19:44,298 It can feel like it's burnt over here. 379 00:19:44,298 --> 00:19:46,041 The Gospel was preached. 380 00:19:46,041 --> 00:19:47,990 But you remember this, 381 00:19:47,990 --> 00:19:51,232 there wasn't just a first Great Awakening. 382 00:19:51,232 --> 00:19:54,606 There was a second Great Awakening. 383 00:19:54,606 --> 00:19:57,665 There were revivals in the 1850's. 384 00:19:57,665 --> 00:19:59,296 What am I saying here? 385 00:19:59,296 --> 00:20:01,174 There's a cycle. 386 00:20:01,174 --> 00:20:04,444 Just because the Gospel flourished here once 387 00:20:04,444 --> 00:20:05,998 and now it may not be, 388 00:20:05,998 --> 00:20:09,342 does not mean that it may not again. 389 00:20:09,342 --> 00:20:11,544 And even if it doesn't again, 390 00:20:11,544 --> 00:20:13,126 you can look around the world 391 00:20:13,126 --> 00:20:16,178 and you can find local places where God moves. 392 00:20:16,178 --> 00:20:18,061 And you remember this, 393 00:20:18,061 --> 00:20:20,740 that when they walked in there to Samaria, 394 00:20:20,740 --> 00:20:23,425 and all those Samaritans were coming out, 395 00:20:23,425 --> 00:20:25,145 Jesus turned to His disciples 396 00:20:25,145 --> 00:20:29,178 and said, "Look, you're reaping a harvest 397 00:20:29,178 --> 00:20:31,437 right here where others labored." 398 00:20:31,437 --> 00:20:33,611 It may be that in our day, we labor. 399 00:20:33,611 --> 00:20:37,073 It may be in our day, we lay out the Gospel seed. 400 00:20:37,073 --> 00:20:39,279 And it may be that in our lifetime, 401 00:20:39,279 --> 00:20:41,926 we don't see it bring forth a harvest. 402 00:20:41,926 --> 00:20:44,381 But it may in the next generation. 403 00:20:44,381 --> 00:20:46,091 We may take part. 404 00:20:46,091 --> 00:20:47,503 There are those that sow. 405 00:20:47,503 --> 00:20:48,860 There are those that reap. 406 00:20:48,860 --> 00:20:50,244 Look, it's a big picture. 407 00:20:50,244 --> 00:20:53,476 It's a big package. 408 00:20:53,476 --> 00:20:55,333 But I can tell you this, 409 00:20:55,333 --> 00:20:58,878 that after 16 months, 410 00:20:58,878 --> 00:21:01,054 we began to see people added. 411 00:21:01,054 --> 00:21:03,314 And we began to see people converted. 412 00:21:03,314 --> 00:21:05,249 In fact, when Charles Leiter came down, 413 00:21:05,249 --> 00:21:07,299 I remember him saying 414 00:21:07,299 --> 00:21:09,220 speaking to people in our church, 415 00:21:09,220 --> 00:21:11,282 he said most of the people had been saved 416 00:21:11,282 --> 00:21:13,755 in the last three years. 417 00:21:13,755 --> 00:21:15,557 The Lord began bringing us a bunch. 418 00:21:15,557 --> 00:21:17,401 I'm not saying it was all necessarily 419 00:21:17,401 --> 00:21:19,948 an outworking of our evangelism. 420 00:21:19,948 --> 00:21:21,588 It was just that God was saving. 421 00:21:21,588 --> 00:21:24,286 I'll tell you quite honestly, 422 00:21:24,286 --> 00:21:26,249 Paul Washer's shocking youth message 423 00:21:26,249 --> 00:21:27,838 seemed to save so many people 424 00:21:27,838 --> 00:21:30,850 across this United States of ours 425 00:21:30,850 --> 00:21:32,164 and around the world, 426 00:21:32,164 --> 00:21:36,065 that churches were springing up in different places 427 00:21:36,065 --> 00:21:41,667 and continue to through the Internet ministry. 428 00:21:41,667 --> 00:21:43,740 And you can say, "I'm not a Paul Washer." 429 00:21:43,740 --> 00:21:46,758 Well, no, neither am I, but that's okay. 430 00:21:46,758 --> 00:21:49,787 Neither was the demoniac. 431 00:21:49,787 --> 00:21:52,676 Well, I don't know. Maybe he was. 432 00:21:52,676 --> 00:22:01,476 But brethren, I know this. 433 00:22:01,476 --> 00:22:06,959 Jesus said I've got these sheep here, 434 00:22:06,959 --> 00:22:09,829 but I've got other sheep. 435 00:22:09,829 --> 00:22:12,735 And I need to bring them too. 436 00:22:12,735 --> 00:22:14,123 And you can be sure of this, 437 00:22:14,123 --> 00:22:16,496 God has an elect people. They're going to get saved. 438 00:22:16,496 --> 00:22:17,913 And I'll tell you how they get saved. 439 00:22:17,913 --> 00:22:22,256 They get saved through the preaching of the Gospel. 440 00:22:22,256 --> 00:22:24,602 Jesus said He's bringing them in. 441 00:22:24,602 --> 00:22:28,070 He's going to gather them. 442 00:22:28,070 --> 00:22:33,031 You know, Isaiah came along. 443 00:22:33,031 --> 00:22:36,269 He said who has believed our report? 444 00:22:36,269 --> 00:22:38,413 It's true, there are times we wonder 445 00:22:38,413 --> 00:22:40,400 Lord, is anybody saved? 446 00:22:40,400 --> 00:22:42,421 Is anybody getting saved? 447 00:22:42,421 --> 00:22:44,960 There can be dry periods. 448 00:22:44,960 --> 00:22:47,125 But you know, when Jesus wanted to give 449 00:22:47,125 --> 00:22:48,851 a lesson on evangelism, 450 00:22:48,851 --> 00:22:50,986 you know what He did? 451 00:22:50,986 --> 00:22:53,254 He said hey guys, throw that net 452 00:22:53,254 --> 00:22:54,820 over the side of the boat. 453 00:22:54,820 --> 00:22:56,995 Peter's like Lord, we fished all night. 454 00:22:56,995 --> 00:23:00,286 There was no catch. 455 00:23:00,286 --> 00:23:03,328 Lord, we're fisherman. We fished last night. 456 00:23:03,328 --> 00:23:05,385 That's when you fish. 457 00:23:05,385 --> 00:23:07,341 You're telling us to throw it out here. 458 00:23:07,341 --> 00:23:08,395 You're a carpenter. 459 00:23:08,395 --> 00:23:11,427 Anyway, they knew He was the Lord. They did it. 460 00:23:11,427 --> 00:23:13,794 And they pulled in such a catch. 461 00:23:13,794 --> 00:23:16,115 And Jesus was not doing that 462 00:23:16,115 --> 00:23:19,078 simply to give them some extra cash in their pocket. 463 00:23:19,078 --> 00:23:21,679 He was doing that as a lesson. 464 00:23:21,679 --> 00:23:25,235 "I am going to make you fishers of men." 465 00:23:25,235 --> 00:23:28,375 And the truth is that in the very place 466 00:23:28,375 --> 00:23:30,254 on the very Sea of Galilee 467 00:23:30,254 --> 00:23:33,602 where there was apparently little success, 468 00:23:33,602 --> 00:23:36,052 no success the night before, 469 00:23:36,052 --> 00:23:38,380 that day there was lots of success. 470 00:23:38,380 --> 00:23:40,054 You know what we don't know? 471 00:23:40,054 --> 00:23:43,029 We don't know from one day to the next 472 00:23:43,029 --> 00:23:46,177 when God is going to break forth. 473 00:23:46,177 --> 00:23:47,573 We know this, 474 00:23:47,573 --> 00:23:50,456 that the way He breaks forth is through 475 00:23:50,456 --> 00:23:52,287 the proclaimation of the truth. 476 00:23:52,287 --> 00:23:54,194 You go back to the day of Pentecost. 477 00:23:54,194 --> 00:23:55,768 3,000 people are saved. 478 00:23:55,768 --> 00:23:56,822 But you know what? 479 00:23:56,822 --> 00:23:59,199 If those disciples would have sat 480 00:23:59,199 --> 00:24:01,638 in the Upper Room, it wouldn't have happened. 481 00:24:01,638 --> 00:24:03,933 Why? Because God is a God of means. 482 00:24:03,933 --> 00:24:06,532 The men, the women, had to come down. 483 00:24:06,532 --> 00:24:09,384 120 needed to come down from the Upper Room 484 00:24:09,384 --> 00:24:12,375 and do what? Proclaim Christ. 485 00:24:12,375 --> 00:24:16,062 Proclaim His death and His resurrection. 486 00:24:16,062 --> 00:24:19,525 And through that, God brought in a great harvest. 487 00:24:19,525 --> 00:24:22,617 Or how about another reason? 488 00:24:22,617 --> 00:24:24,594 I'm afraid that this is a big one. 489 00:24:24,594 --> 00:24:26,732 We incorrectly assume 490 00:24:26,732 --> 00:24:30,993 that because we hold to the doctrines of grace, 491 00:24:30,993 --> 00:24:35,019 and because we can almost - 492 00:24:35,019 --> 00:24:36,505 maybe not almost - 493 00:24:36,505 --> 00:24:39,565 maybe over the top; 494 00:24:39,565 --> 00:24:43,874 we can pride ourselves: 495 00:24:43,874 --> 00:24:49,565 Well, we hold to the doctrine of Spurgeon. 496 00:24:49,565 --> 00:24:52,100 Calvin. Luther. 497 00:24:52,100 --> 00:24:54,089 And sometimes we can think 498 00:24:54,089 --> 00:24:58,935 that because we have the right doctrine, 499 00:24:58,935 --> 00:25:02,866 that automatically guarantees success. 500 00:25:02,866 --> 00:25:05,327 Look, we need to have the right doctrine. 501 00:25:05,327 --> 00:25:07,503 Undoubtedly, we need to have it right. 502 00:25:07,503 --> 00:25:09,035 You know what Scripture says. 503 00:25:09,035 --> 00:25:10,520 We're to contend for the faith 504 00:25:10,520 --> 00:25:12,539 that was once for all delivered to the saints. 505 00:25:12,539 --> 00:25:14,077 We certainly don't want to depart. 506 00:25:14,077 --> 00:25:15,583 We don't want to go off into error. 507 00:25:15,583 --> 00:25:17,329 We don't want to minimize the importance 508 00:25:17,329 --> 00:25:19,173 of having the truth. 509 00:25:19,173 --> 00:25:22,539 But this Gospel that we are perfecting; 510 00:25:22,539 --> 00:25:24,650 these doctrines of justification 511 00:25:24,650 --> 00:25:26,481 that we want to work out to perfection 512 00:25:26,481 --> 00:25:28,446 and sanctification and propitiation 513 00:25:28,446 --> 00:25:29,639 and regeneration - 514 00:25:29,639 --> 00:25:31,383 and we want to be able to articulate 515 00:25:31,383 --> 00:25:32,895 all the doctrines right. 516 00:25:32,895 --> 00:25:34,986 Listen, if we just pride ourselves 517 00:25:34,986 --> 00:25:37,240 and carry around our big stack of books 518 00:25:37,240 --> 00:25:42,683 all the time and we don't go out the door, 519 00:25:42,683 --> 00:25:44,813 I'll guarantee you, we will not see success. 520 00:25:44,813 --> 00:25:47,962 Our churches will end up dying. 521 00:25:47,962 --> 00:25:49,841 Now, I know today, we can reach people 522 00:25:49,841 --> 00:25:53,352 other ways than by going on our feet out the door. 523 00:25:53,352 --> 00:25:55,132 And of course, we can write books 524 00:25:55,132 --> 00:25:56,601 and books can reach people. 525 00:25:56,601 --> 00:25:58,549 But you know what the reality is? 526 00:25:58,549 --> 00:26:00,904 The people that are over across the street 527 00:26:00,904 --> 00:26:02,244 in that bar right now, 528 00:26:02,244 --> 00:26:04,782 they are not going to grab C.T. Studd, 529 00:26:04,782 --> 00:26:07,962 Paton, or Martyn Lloyd-Jones. 530 00:26:07,962 --> 00:26:09,803 They're not going to come over here 531 00:26:09,803 --> 00:26:13,375 and buy the books off that table. 532 00:26:13,375 --> 00:26:14,755 Maybe on the Internet - 533 00:26:14,755 --> 00:26:17,058 the Internet is an incredibly useful tool. 534 00:26:17,058 --> 00:26:19,400 They search. They come across things. 535 00:26:19,400 --> 00:26:21,216 A lot of people were looking for 536 00:26:21,216 --> 00:26:23,362 what they didn't expect to find 537 00:26:23,362 --> 00:26:26,035 when they came across that "Shocking Youth Message" 538 00:26:26,035 --> 00:26:27,180 on the Internet. 539 00:26:27,180 --> 00:26:28,792 Or they're looking for other things 540 00:26:28,792 --> 00:26:31,552 or they're feeling an emptiness in their soul. 541 00:26:31,552 --> 00:26:33,509 There's enough stuff on the Internet 542 00:26:33,509 --> 00:26:37,231 about sexual immorality and the sin of it 543 00:26:37,231 --> 00:26:42,223 and people stumble across that. 544 00:26:42,223 --> 00:26:44,012 But we don't want to assume. 545 00:26:44,012 --> 00:26:49,020 Brethren, we don't want to assume. 546 00:26:49,020 --> 00:26:51,368 You know, we can get to the place 547 00:26:51,368 --> 00:26:53,705 where we're kind of like John and James. 548 00:26:53,705 --> 00:26:55,607 Lord, we saw somebody out there 549 00:26:55,607 --> 00:26:59,068 and they weren't one of us. 550 00:26:59,068 --> 00:27:00,524 They were casting out demons 551 00:27:00,524 --> 00:27:02,604 and we tried to forbid them. 552 00:27:02,604 --> 00:27:05,013 We don't want them doing that. They're not one of us. 553 00:27:05,013 --> 00:27:07,302 They're not in our inner circles. 554 00:27:07,302 --> 00:27:09,201 We don't want to think like that. 555 00:27:09,201 --> 00:27:13,407 You remember, it's not having the right books on your shelf 556 00:27:13,407 --> 00:27:14,823 that's the real issue. 557 00:27:14,823 --> 00:27:16,801 Our Lord Jesus Christ said 558 00:27:16,801 --> 00:27:21,049 to the spiritual elites in His day, 559 00:27:21,049 --> 00:27:27,093 "I desire mercy and not sacrifice." 560 00:27:27,093 --> 00:27:28,890 Just remember that. 561 00:27:28,890 --> 00:27:30,383 We need the right doctrine, 562 00:27:30,383 --> 00:27:31,650 but if that right doctrine 563 00:27:31,650 --> 00:27:35,303 is separated from showing mercy - 564 00:27:35,303 --> 00:27:40,790 it's a mercy to take the Gospel out that door. 565 00:27:40,790 --> 00:27:43,481 And He desires mercy. 566 00:27:43,481 --> 00:27:45,423 He went out that door. 567 00:27:45,423 --> 00:27:47,764 And you remember when He spoke that, 568 00:27:47,764 --> 00:27:50,949 He was eating with the tax collectors 569 00:27:50,949 --> 00:27:53,184 and the sinners. 570 00:27:53,184 --> 00:27:57,057 He desires mercy. 571 00:27:57,057 --> 00:27:58,891 How about another reason 572 00:27:58,891 --> 00:28:02,921 that we're sometimes slow to take up 573 00:28:02,921 --> 00:28:05,496 the evangelistic endeavor? 574 00:28:05,496 --> 00:28:07,612 Hyper-Calvinism. 575 00:28:07,612 --> 00:28:11,008 That's one of the dangers embracing the truths. 576 00:28:11,008 --> 00:28:20,015 You know, we can distort the truths of Scripture 577 00:28:20,015 --> 00:28:22,195 to where we come up with conclusions 578 00:28:22,195 --> 00:28:24,670 that we should never come up with. 579 00:28:24,670 --> 00:28:27,407 We can grab hold of the doctrine of election 580 00:28:27,407 --> 00:28:32,698 and end up where God never intended us to end up. 581 00:28:32,698 --> 00:28:35,033 Listen, Romans 9. 582 00:28:35,033 --> 00:28:36,386 We often go to Romans 9. 583 00:28:36,386 --> 00:28:38,300 We say, see? 584 00:28:38,300 --> 00:28:39,853 God loves who He's going to love 585 00:28:39,853 --> 00:28:41,565 and He hates who He's going to hate. 586 00:28:41,565 --> 00:28:44,810 He has compassion upon whom He's going to have compassion, 587 00:28:44,810 --> 00:28:46,400 and He hardened Pharaoh. 588 00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:49,490 He showed mercy to Moses. 589 00:28:49,490 --> 00:28:51,537 Isn't that what Scripture teaches? 590 00:28:51,537 --> 00:28:53,769 I trust, do we not believe that God 591 00:28:53,769 --> 00:28:57,278 is altogether in control and sovereign? 592 00:28:57,278 --> 00:29:01,236 Do we not believe that? 593 00:29:01,236 --> 00:29:03,523 I hope you believe that. 594 00:29:03,523 --> 00:29:09,184 But do you know in one of the most 595 00:29:09,184 --> 00:29:12,301 sovereignty-emphasized, 596 00:29:12,301 --> 00:29:17,638 sovereignty-rich portions of Scripture, 597 00:29:17,638 --> 00:29:20,522 have you ever really listened 598 00:29:20,522 --> 00:29:26,426 to the heart of Paul there? 599 00:29:26,426 --> 00:29:28,498 He said when it comes to my brethren 600 00:29:28,498 --> 00:29:31,414 according to the flesh, 601 00:29:31,414 --> 00:29:35,174 he said I could wish myself accursed 602 00:29:35,174 --> 00:29:37,097 and cut off from Christ 603 00:29:37,097 --> 00:29:39,085 for the sake of my brethren 604 00:29:39,085 --> 00:29:40,296 according to the flesh. 605 00:29:40,296 --> 00:29:44,631 When you get over to the beginning of chapter 10, 606 00:29:44,631 --> 00:29:48,398 he says my prayer for them is they be saved. 607 00:29:48,398 --> 00:29:51,237 Did he look at the sovereignty of God and say: 608 00:29:51,237 --> 00:29:53,612 Well, God's going to do what God's going to do 609 00:29:53,612 --> 00:29:55,495 and if these guys aren't elect, 610 00:29:55,495 --> 00:29:58,681 well, God's just going to damn them and so be it. 611 00:29:58,681 --> 00:30:01,852 Just cold and calloused and hyper-Calvinistic. 612 00:30:01,852 --> 00:30:03,659 That's not what you find. 613 00:30:03,659 --> 00:30:05,993 You find his heart gushed for these. 614 00:30:05,993 --> 00:30:08,240 Did he recognize God was sovereign? 615 00:30:08,240 --> 00:30:09,935 He did. 616 00:30:09,935 --> 00:30:14,870 But his desire was, oh, that they might be saved. 617 00:30:14,870 --> 00:30:16,827 I pray that they might be saved. 618 00:30:16,827 --> 00:30:19,974 If I could be cut off from Christ for them, 619 00:30:19,974 --> 00:30:25,243 I would do that. 620 00:30:25,243 --> 00:30:28,006 Before we preach the doctrines that Paul preached, 621 00:30:28,006 --> 00:30:33,866 it's important that we have the heart that Paul had. 622 00:30:33,866 --> 00:30:35,807 Another reason. 623 00:30:35,807 --> 00:30:39,835 Doesn't God say "come out from among them"? 624 00:30:39,835 --> 00:30:42,872 He does. 625 00:30:42,872 --> 00:30:44,457 He does, and the problem is 626 00:30:44,457 --> 00:30:45,807 that what can happen 627 00:30:45,807 --> 00:30:49,772 is we step back from the world. 628 00:30:49,772 --> 00:30:51,717 We homeschool our kids. 629 00:30:51,717 --> 00:30:57,290 Everything's protected. 630 00:30:57,290 --> 00:31:00,612 We do our things in this sterilized 631 00:31:00,612 --> 00:31:02,641 Christian culture. 632 00:31:02,641 --> 00:31:05,535 We step back from the world. 633 00:31:05,535 --> 00:31:07,418 It says be separate from them. 634 00:31:07,418 --> 00:31:09,337 But you remember this. 635 00:31:09,337 --> 00:31:11,807 Brothers and sisters, 636 00:31:11,807 --> 00:31:15,707 what did they accuse Jesus of being? 637 00:31:15,707 --> 00:31:19,152 A friend of who? 638 00:31:19,152 --> 00:31:22,896 Tax collectors and sinners. 639 00:31:22,896 --> 00:31:28,106 Do you know Luke 15? 640 00:31:28,106 --> 00:31:31,675 Charles Spurgeon preached a sermon 641 00:31:31,675 --> 00:31:35,092 called "The Approachableness of Christ" 642 00:31:35,092 --> 00:31:37,182 from Luke 15:1. 643 00:31:37,182 --> 00:31:39,778 You know what it says there? 644 00:31:39,778 --> 00:31:42,511 It says that these tax collectors 645 00:31:42,511 --> 00:31:48,924 and these sinners were coming to Christ. 646 00:31:48,924 --> 00:31:53,095 They found Christ approachable. 647 00:31:53,095 --> 00:31:56,984 And He was glad to be with them. 648 00:31:56,984 --> 00:31:58,643 What would that be like 649 00:31:58,643 --> 00:32:01,604 to go to a party at Matthew's house? 650 00:32:01,604 --> 00:32:02,776 With a bunch of sinners? 651 00:32:02,776 --> 00:32:05,415 Real, red-blooded sinners. 652 00:32:05,415 --> 00:32:08,171 You think they might have slipped some of them? 653 00:32:08,171 --> 00:32:11,006 And spoken profanity? 654 00:32:11,006 --> 00:32:12,577 Probably. 655 00:32:12,577 --> 00:32:15,027 But I also think that being in the presence 656 00:32:15,027 --> 00:32:18,429 of the Lord Jesus Christ - 657 00:32:18,429 --> 00:32:21,508 that had a profound impact on people. 658 00:32:21,508 --> 00:32:24,615 But He was there. He was there. 659 00:32:24,615 --> 00:32:26,087 Did He enter into their sin? 660 00:32:26,087 --> 00:32:29,718 No, but He entered into where sinners were. 661 00:32:29,718 --> 00:32:31,228 He rubbed shoulders with them. 662 00:32:31,228 --> 00:32:33,686 He was a friend of sinners. 663 00:32:33,686 --> 00:32:35,546 He didn't become sinful 664 00:32:35,546 --> 00:32:37,886 by their sinful practices, 665 00:32:37,886 --> 00:32:41,270 but He definitely was in their midst. 666 00:32:41,270 --> 00:32:43,035 How about this one? 667 00:32:43,035 --> 00:32:44,454 My brothers and sisters, 668 00:32:44,454 --> 00:32:56,999 we can forget about the absolute seriousness. 669 00:32:56,999 --> 00:33:02,398 We can forget about the severity 670 00:33:02,398 --> 00:33:07,667 of God's wrath, of God's judgment. 671 00:33:07,667 --> 00:33:10,040 Very well known quote from Spurgeon. 672 00:33:10,040 --> 00:33:11,798 You probably all have heard this. 673 00:33:11,798 --> 00:33:14,472 "If sinners will be damned, 674 00:33:14,472 --> 00:33:17,367 at least let them leap to hell 675 00:33:17,367 --> 00:33:19,637 over our bodies. 676 00:33:19,637 --> 00:33:21,815 If they will perish, let them perish 677 00:33:21,815 --> 00:33:23,436 with our arms about their knees 678 00:33:23,436 --> 00:33:26,707 imploring them to stay." 679 00:33:26,707 --> 00:33:28,579 Have you ever read, "He will tread 680 00:33:28,579 --> 00:33:32,582 the winepress of the fury 681 00:33:32,582 --> 00:33:34,605 of the wrath of God the Almighty"? 682 00:33:34,605 --> 00:33:36,437 Have you ever read things like that? 683 00:33:36,437 --> 00:33:37,443 This is true. 684 00:33:37,443 --> 00:33:38,962 Jesus telling sinners, 685 00:33:38,962 --> 00:33:40,880 "Depart from Me 686 00:33:40,880 --> 00:33:44,223 you workers of iniquity." 687 00:33:44,223 --> 00:33:47,322 That's reality. 688 00:33:47,322 --> 00:33:50,262 We have to think like that. 689 00:33:50,262 --> 00:33:52,673 When you see people, 690 00:33:52,673 --> 00:33:56,959 they're not just part of the scenery. 691 00:33:56,959 --> 00:33:59,009 Well, here we are in Portland, Maine. 692 00:33:59,009 --> 00:34:00,170 People are vacationing. 693 00:34:00,170 --> 00:34:01,689 Well, it's part of the picture. 694 00:34:01,689 --> 00:34:03,266 People are walking by in shorts. 695 00:34:03,266 --> 00:34:05,732 People are walking by in their vacation 696 00:34:05,732 --> 00:34:07,452 casual attire. 697 00:34:07,452 --> 00:34:09,028 They've got their sandals on 698 00:34:09,028 --> 00:34:10,792 and their Hawaiian shirt. 699 00:34:10,792 --> 00:34:13,100 You know, it's part of the picture. 700 00:34:13,100 --> 00:34:14,877 There they are at the lighthouse. 701 00:34:14,877 --> 00:34:16,768 It's just part of the picture. 702 00:34:16,768 --> 00:34:19,503 These are souls 703 00:34:19,503 --> 00:34:23,134 who in very short years from now, 704 00:34:23,134 --> 00:34:26,278 they're going to be in flames. 705 00:34:26,278 --> 00:34:28,402 They know not the Lord Jesus Christ. 706 00:34:28,402 --> 00:34:31,843 They have not sought salvation in Him. 707 00:34:31,843 --> 00:34:33,141 They are going to perish. 708 00:34:33,141 --> 00:34:34,857 And you know what the vast majority 709 00:34:34,857 --> 00:34:36,677 do not know the Gospel that you know. 710 00:34:36,677 --> 00:34:38,337 The vast majority of those people 711 00:34:38,337 --> 00:34:40,997 have not heard what you've heard and rejected it. 712 00:34:40,997 --> 00:34:43,073 Some have but the most haven't. 713 00:34:43,073 --> 00:34:47,338 The most haven't heard. 714 00:34:47,338 --> 00:34:49,724 They don't know. 715 00:34:49,724 --> 00:34:51,466 Nobody's told them. 716 00:34:51,466 --> 00:34:53,521 They don't have anybody in their family 717 00:34:53,521 --> 00:34:55,256 who's a Christian. 718 00:34:55,256 --> 00:34:58,295 They don't know. 719 00:34:58,295 --> 00:35:00,795 And hell is real. 720 00:35:00,795 --> 00:35:03,375 We forget the severity of God's wrath. 721 00:35:03,375 --> 00:35:09,502 It's eternal. 722 00:35:09,502 --> 00:35:11,565 How about this? 723 00:35:11,565 --> 00:35:19,191 Jesus said that the love of many 724 00:35:19,191 --> 00:35:21,003 will grow cold. 725 00:35:21,003 --> 00:35:22,771 Sometimes that's the issue. 726 00:35:22,771 --> 00:35:24,592 Our love is cold. 727 00:35:24,592 --> 00:35:27,282 Do you know when you're reading 728 00:35:27,282 --> 00:35:28,929 the Sermon on the Mount, 729 00:35:28,929 --> 00:35:30,806 our Lord said this: 730 00:35:30,806 --> 00:35:32,334 "If you love those who love you, 731 00:35:32,334 --> 00:35:34,035 what reward do you have?" 732 00:35:34,035 --> 00:35:37,374 He said, "Do not even the tax collectors do the same?" 733 00:35:37,374 --> 00:35:38,977 Think about that. 734 00:35:38,977 --> 00:35:41,713 We do love our children. We do love our parents. 735 00:35:41,713 --> 00:35:43,225 We do love our close friends. 736 00:35:43,225 --> 00:35:45,711 We love our husbands, our wives. 737 00:35:45,711 --> 00:35:48,083 That's normal. 738 00:35:48,083 --> 00:35:49,609 The lost do that. 739 00:35:49,609 --> 00:35:52,410 The tax collectors do that. 740 00:35:52,410 --> 00:35:55,304 Our love as Christians - 741 00:35:55,304 --> 00:35:57,660 we're to love our enemies. 742 00:35:57,660 --> 00:36:00,855 We're to love the souls 743 00:36:00,855 --> 00:36:02,694 of the people around us. 744 00:36:02,694 --> 00:36:05,220 If anybody is to be a lover of mankind, 745 00:36:05,220 --> 00:36:07,424 it's the disciples of Jesus Christ. 746 00:36:07,424 --> 00:36:09,219 He has saved us to love. 747 00:36:09,219 --> 00:36:12,665 The first aspect, the first characteristic 748 00:36:12,665 --> 00:36:17,462 of the fruit of the Spirit of God is love. 749 00:36:17,462 --> 00:36:19,229 It is a loving thing 750 00:36:19,229 --> 00:36:21,248 to take the Gospel to people; 751 00:36:21,248 --> 00:36:22,884 to give them that one message, 752 00:36:22,884 --> 00:36:25,101 that one remedy that would deliver 753 00:36:25,101 --> 00:36:28,560 their souls from the wrath of Almighty God. 754 00:36:28,560 --> 00:36:32,818 Don't let your love grow cold. 755 00:36:32,818 --> 00:36:35,519 One of the best ways to keep that love hot 756 00:36:35,519 --> 00:36:37,329 and keep that love fervant 757 00:36:37,329 --> 00:36:41,187 is to stay close to the Lord Jesus Christ. 758 00:36:41,187 --> 00:36:44,373 Why? Because as we behold Him, we become like Him. 759 00:36:44,373 --> 00:36:46,223 From one degree of glory to the next. 760 00:36:46,223 --> 00:36:48,556 That glory. He had a love for sinners. 761 00:36:48,556 --> 00:36:50,529 He came to seek and save the lost. 762 00:36:50,529 --> 00:36:52,179 When you're around Jesus, 763 00:36:52,179 --> 00:36:54,390 you're around Him who is love. 764 00:36:54,390 --> 00:36:57,154 You're around Him who loved sinners 765 00:36:57,154 --> 00:36:59,131 and gave Himself for sinners. 766 00:36:59,131 --> 00:37:02,858 And you spend lots of time beholding Him 767 00:37:02,858 --> 00:37:04,107 and in His presence, 768 00:37:04,107 --> 00:37:08,326 and that will begin to affect you 769 00:37:08,326 --> 00:37:11,012 and permeate your own person. 770 00:37:11,012 --> 00:37:13,176 How about a low esteem for the glory of God? 771 00:37:13,176 --> 00:37:15,971 I read somewhere like in Romans 15 772 00:37:15,971 --> 00:37:19,478 that Jesus became a servant. 773 00:37:19,478 --> 00:37:21,930 Why? To gather in the Gentiles 774 00:37:21,930 --> 00:37:23,298 for the glory of God. 775 00:37:23,298 --> 00:37:28,096 You remember the Moravian cry? 776 00:37:28,096 --> 00:37:30,258 May the Lamb who was slain 777 00:37:30,258 --> 00:37:32,883 receive the reward of His suffering. 778 00:37:32,883 --> 00:37:35,210 Do you know Jesus Christ went to the cross 779 00:37:35,210 --> 00:37:38,477 to pay His life's blood for a people? 780 00:37:38,477 --> 00:37:40,446 Those people are out here. 781 00:37:40,446 --> 00:37:42,030 Those elect people are out here. 782 00:37:42,030 --> 00:37:43,727 And we don't know where they are. 783 00:37:43,727 --> 00:37:45,547 There's no brand on their forehead. 784 00:37:45,547 --> 00:37:47,556 It could be any of them. 785 00:37:47,556 --> 00:37:48,859 But I'll tell you this, 786 00:37:48,859 --> 00:37:50,529 as elect as they may be 787 00:37:50,529 --> 00:37:53,554 and as much as Christ may have spilled His blood for them, 788 00:37:53,554 --> 00:37:56,937 they will not be brought until they hear 789 00:37:56,937 --> 00:38:00,420 of a proclaimed Christ. 790 00:38:00,420 --> 00:38:01,916 That's just a reality. 791 00:38:01,916 --> 00:38:03,656 And if you don't do it, 792 00:38:03,656 --> 00:38:09,655 then He'll use somebody else to do it. 793 00:38:09,655 --> 00:38:11,517 And that brings me to my next point. 794 00:38:11,517 --> 00:38:16,671 We forget about God's method of salvation. 795 00:38:16,671 --> 00:38:19,382 Yes, we preach in the church. 796 00:38:19,382 --> 00:38:21,093 But have you ever read? 797 00:38:21,093 --> 00:38:23,541 The primary reason that we preach in the church 798 00:38:23,541 --> 00:38:26,348 is for what? 799 00:38:26,348 --> 00:38:28,094 Ephesians 4. 800 00:38:28,094 --> 00:38:31,616 Why were pastors/teachers given to the church? 801 00:38:31,616 --> 00:38:38,871 To equip the saints 802 00:38:38,871 --> 00:38:43,078 for the work of the ministry. 803 00:38:43,078 --> 00:38:45,302 You know what? 804 00:38:45,302 --> 00:38:47,812 People do come into churches 805 00:38:47,812 --> 00:38:50,900 and they do get saved. 806 00:38:50,900 --> 00:38:54,505 People do get saved within the walls of churches. 807 00:38:54,505 --> 00:38:58,097 But, that is not what Jesus Christ 808 00:38:58,097 --> 00:38:59,778 told us in the Great Commission. 809 00:38:59,778 --> 00:39:01,427 He didn't say: 810 00:39:01,427 --> 00:39:04,114 Stay within the confines 811 00:39:04,114 --> 00:39:06,270 of your church building walls, 812 00:39:06,270 --> 00:39:09,008 your meeting place, the chapel, 813 00:39:09,008 --> 00:39:10,974 and preach the Gospel forever and always 814 00:39:10,974 --> 00:39:12,432 right there in that context. 815 00:39:12,432 --> 00:39:13,942 He did not say that. 816 00:39:13,942 --> 00:39:16,917 He said, "Go!" 817 00:39:16,917 --> 00:39:18,621 Is that not what the parable says? 818 00:39:18,621 --> 00:39:21,461 Go into the highways 819 00:39:21,461 --> 00:39:23,381 and the hedges 820 00:39:23,381 --> 00:39:26,846 and compel them to come in. 821 00:39:26,846 --> 00:39:28,702 It's not: Wait for them to come in. 822 00:39:28,702 --> 00:39:31,990 Because listen, the reality is - 823 00:39:31,990 --> 00:39:34,199 we were just up at that lighthouse yesterday. 824 00:39:34,199 --> 00:39:35,452 I have that imagery in my mind. 825 00:39:35,452 --> 00:39:37,530 There was a race. There was all sorts of people. 826 00:39:37,530 --> 00:39:39,188 They're moving all around there. 827 00:39:39,188 --> 00:39:40,208 All sorts of people. 828 00:39:40,208 --> 00:39:42,330 By and large, the majority of which 829 00:39:42,330 --> 00:39:46,087 do not know the Lord. 830 00:39:46,087 --> 00:39:48,402 Are they going to come in here? 831 00:39:48,402 --> 00:39:50,593 You know the reality. 832 00:39:50,593 --> 00:39:55,160 90% of the people in Portland, Maine 833 00:39:55,160 --> 00:39:58,597 will not come into a church. 834 00:39:58,597 --> 00:40:01,882 And 99.9% would never come 835 00:40:01,882 --> 00:40:06,188 into a church like this. 836 00:40:06,188 --> 00:40:11,488 We are supposed to go to the nations 837 00:40:11,488 --> 00:40:13,146 and make disciples. 838 00:40:13,146 --> 00:40:15,574 That's our calling. 839 00:40:15,574 --> 00:40:18,180 Remember, go. 840 00:40:18,180 --> 00:40:20,215 Go to them. 841 00:40:20,215 --> 00:40:22,518 Go find them out. 842 00:40:22,518 --> 00:40:25,318 Don't simply wait for them to come to you. 843 00:40:25,318 --> 00:40:27,182 That's great when people do come to us 844 00:40:27,182 --> 00:40:29,544 and you should pray that people will come to us. 845 00:40:29,544 --> 00:40:31,220 You should pray for opportunities. 846 00:40:31,220 --> 00:40:32,825 You should pray that people 847 00:40:32,825 --> 00:40:37,124 will come and sit next to you on the airplane 848 00:40:37,124 --> 00:40:38,777 or sit next to you on the bus 849 00:40:38,777 --> 00:40:40,450 or be next to you in the line 850 00:40:40,450 --> 00:40:42,141 in the supermarket. 851 00:40:42,141 --> 00:40:44,409 You can pray for opportunities like that. 852 00:40:44,409 --> 00:40:49,794 But the reality is we are to go. 853 00:40:49,794 --> 00:40:52,441 It just occurs to me as I think about it. 854 00:40:52,441 --> 00:40:56,248 Listen, we are told to visit the widow. 855 00:40:56,248 --> 00:40:58,842 But do you know what? If you don't visit the widow, 856 00:40:58,842 --> 00:41:01,765 there's maybe some social program here in Portland 857 00:41:01,765 --> 00:41:04,540 that would send some assistance to them. 858 00:41:04,540 --> 00:41:07,581 You may not visit the orphan, 859 00:41:07,581 --> 00:41:10,218 but the state's got a system set up 860 00:41:10,218 --> 00:41:12,051 that deals with orphans. 861 00:41:12,051 --> 00:41:14,298 That's a reality. 862 00:41:14,298 --> 00:41:17,009 If you don't feed the poor, 863 00:41:17,009 --> 00:41:18,446 well, some soup kitchen - 864 00:41:18,446 --> 00:41:19,979 it might be secular - 865 00:41:19,979 --> 00:41:21,793 down the street may do that. 866 00:41:21,793 --> 00:41:23,108 But I'll tell you this, 867 00:41:23,108 --> 00:41:25,548 if you don't preach the Gospel, 868 00:41:25,548 --> 00:41:26,785 let me ask you this, 869 00:41:26,785 --> 00:41:28,708 who is going to? 870 00:41:28,708 --> 00:41:34,425 Who is going to preach the Gospel? 871 00:41:34,425 --> 00:41:36,282 What? Are you going to wait for the Arminians? 872 00:41:36,282 --> 00:41:38,550 You say, well, we don't believe they have all the truth. 873 00:41:38,550 --> 00:41:40,270 We don't believe they have the right truth. 874 00:41:40,270 --> 00:41:41,578 You think the Catholics? 875 00:41:41,578 --> 00:41:43,475 We don't believe they have the truth? 876 00:41:43,475 --> 00:41:45,431 Are you going to let the JW's do it? 877 00:41:45,431 --> 00:41:47,378 That's anathema. 878 00:41:47,378 --> 00:41:49,456 We don't want them coming to our door. 879 00:41:49,456 --> 00:41:51,492 See, the Mormons will run the streets. 880 00:41:51,492 --> 00:41:53,098 The JW's will run the streets. 881 00:41:53,098 --> 00:41:54,804 And we sit in here and we say 882 00:41:54,804 --> 00:41:56,698 we've got the right stack of books. 883 00:41:56,698 --> 00:41:59,160 We've got the right theology on our shelf, 884 00:41:59,160 --> 00:42:00,158 and then what? 885 00:42:00,158 --> 00:42:01,561 Are we going to sit tight? 886 00:42:01,561 --> 00:42:04,675 We're going to let the Mormons do it, the JW's do it. 887 00:42:04,675 --> 00:42:08,996 We're going to let them run up and down the streets. 888 00:42:08,996 --> 00:42:09,924 But then what? 889 00:42:09,924 --> 00:42:12,148 We're going to sit here, curse the darkness, 890 00:42:12,148 --> 00:42:14,527 but we'll stay put. 891 00:42:14,527 --> 00:42:16,710 And if some lost person ventures 892 00:42:16,710 --> 00:42:19,546 into our church, we all get excited. 893 00:42:19,546 --> 00:42:21,449 We all key in on them. 894 00:42:21,449 --> 00:42:23,677 That is good if somebody comes in like that. 895 00:42:23,677 --> 00:42:25,047 You key in on them. 896 00:42:25,047 --> 00:42:26,337 But you know what? 897 00:42:26,337 --> 00:42:28,387 We are to preach here 898 00:42:28,387 --> 00:42:31,978 to equip the saints for the work 899 00:42:31,978 --> 00:42:33,753 of the ministry. 900 00:42:33,753 --> 00:42:34,945 Whatever ministry. 901 00:42:34,945 --> 00:42:37,365 Now look, I'm not saying that everybody's ministry 902 00:42:37,365 --> 00:42:39,169 is necessarily and particularly 903 00:42:39,169 --> 00:42:40,781 and specifically to go out 904 00:42:40,781 --> 00:42:42,358 and to go up and down the streets 905 00:42:42,358 --> 00:42:43,964 and to do door-to-door ministry. 906 00:42:43,964 --> 00:42:45,753 There's many ways to evangelize. 907 00:42:45,753 --> 00:42:47,482 There's many ways to reach people. 908 00:42:47,482 --> 00:42:49,251 You may feel very comfortable 909 00:42:49,251 --> 00:42:50,570 in a prison. 910 00:42:50,570 --> 00:42:52,214 Some will not feel comfortable. 911 00:42:52,214 --> 00:42:54,625 You may feel more comfortable in the nursing home. 912 00:42:54,625 --> 00:42:58,011 Some people - that's not where they want to go. 913 00:42:58,011 --> 00:42:59,907 Maybe as a teacher. 914 00:42:59,907 --> 00:43:02,474 Mothers, you can pour yourself into your neighbors, 915 00:43:02,474 --> 00:43:03,863 into your own children, 916 00:43:03,863 --> 00:43:05,143 into your family members. 917 00:43:05,143 --> 00:43:06,600 There's all manner of ways. 918 00:43:06,600 --> 00:43:09,295 We've got a world all around us. 919 00:43:09,295 --> 00:43:11,809 How about this? We fail to realize 920 00:43:11,809 --> 00:43:14,086 our neighbor's blood 921 00:43:14,086 --> 00:43:18,925 is seriously our own concern. 922 00:43:18,925 --> 00:43:22,539 Now listen, Paul said this 923 00:43:22,539 --> 00:43:25,115 twice in the book of Acts. 924 00:43:25,115 --> 00:43:27,605 He said, "When they opposed 925 00:43:27,605 --> 00:43:30,259 and reviled him, he shook out his garments 926 00:43:30,259 --> 00:43:31,960 and said to them, 927 00:43:31,960 --> 00:43:36,277 'Your blood be on your own heads.'" 928 00:43:36,277 --> 00:43:37,922 Listen to what he said. 929 00:43:37,922 --> 00:43:41,987 "I am innocent. 930 00:43:41,987 --> 00:43:44,002 From now on, I'll go to the Gentiles." 931 00:43:44,002 --> 00:43:47,895 You need to stop and hear those words. 932 00:43:47,895 --> 00:43:50,816 "I am innocent." 933 00:43:50,816 --> 00:43:53,793 What is he saying? 934 00:43:53,793 --> 00:43:56,211 I'll tell you what he's saying. 935 00:43:56,211 --> 00:44:00,179 That if I would not have proclaimed the Gospel to them, 936 00:44:00,179 --> 00:44:03,457 I would not be innocent. 937 00:44:03,457 --> 00:44:06,711 Their blood is on their heads 938 00:44:06,711 --> 00:44:10,094 because I preached the Gospel to them. 939 00:44:10,094 --> 00:44:11,019 I'm innocent. 940 00:44:11,019 --> 00:44:13,096 Their blood's on their own head. 941 00:44:13,096 --> 00:44:14,740 You know what he's saying? 942 00:44:14,740 --> 00:44:16,878 If I wouldn't have preached the Gospel to them, 943 00:44:16,878 --> 00:44:18,155 I would not be innocent, 944 00:44:18,155 --> 00:44:22,946 and their blood would be on me. 945 00:44:22,946 --> 00:44:24,897 Listen to this. 946 00:44:24,897 --> 00:44:27,205 "Therefore, I testify to you this day, 947 00:44:27,205 --> 00:44:29,960 I am innocent of the blood of all of you. 948 00:44:29,960 --> 00:44:32,124 For I did not shrink from declaring to you 949 00:44:32,124 --> 00:44:33,466 the whole counsel of God." 950 00:44:33,466 --> 00:44:36,906 That he said to the Ephesian elders. 951 00:44:36,906 --> 00:44:38,507 What Paul is saying - 952 00:44:38,507 --> 00:44:41,807 Paul walked around with this sense 953 00:44:41,807 --> 00:44:45,010 that if I don't proclaim the whole counsel of God to people, 954 00:44:45,010 --> 00:44:48,044 their blood is on me. 955 00:44:48,044 --> 00:44:50,389 Can you imagine? 956 00:44:50,389 --> 00:44:51,979 You have the truth. 957 00:44:51,979 --> 00:44:53,478 You live in a neighborhood 958 00:44:53,478 --> 00:44:56,982 or you live in a city, 959 00:44:56,982 --> 00:45:00,549 your neighbors don't even know you're a Christian. 960 00:45:00,549 --> 00:45:02,591 If you take verses like this seriously, 961 00:45:02,591 --> 00:45:05,250 you have to start to believe 962 00:45:05,250 --> 00:45:06,936 that if you live your life 963 00:45:06,936 --> 00:45:11,267 and you don't touch those around you with the truth, 964 00:45:11,267 --> 00:45:13,877 you're not innocent. 965 00:45:13,877 --> 00:45:21,524 Let us be innocent in this. 966 00:45:21,524 --> 00:45:23,157 We've been talking about prayer. 967 00:45:23,157 --> 00:45:25,650 Isaiah said this, "When you spread out your hands, 968 00:45:25,650 --> 00:45:27,141 I will hide my eyes from you. 969 00:45:27,141 --> 00:45:28,778 Even though you make many prayers, 970 00:45:28,778 --> 00:45:32,238 I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood." 971 00:45:32,238 --> 00:45:34,582 Did you know our churches' hands 972 00:45:34,582 --> 00:45:39,152 can be full of blood? 973 00:45:39,152 --> 00:45:41,294 Because we're not innocent. 974 00:45:41,294 --> 00:45:44,832 Because there's people all around us, 975 00:45:44,832 --> 00:45:46,957 and we've been silent. 976 00:45:46,957 --> 00:45:51,989 Our silence can cause other people's blood 977 00:45:51,989 --> 00:45:54,684 to be on our heads. 978 00:45:54,684 --> 00:45:57,090 You know, I'm really convinced of this, 979 00:45:57,090 --> 00:46:02,106 that when churches are very prayerfully pursuing souls 980 00:46:02,106 --> 00:46:05,725 they are going to find that the church's prayers - 981 00:46:05,725 --> 00:46:08,076 you notice the connection. 982 00:46:08,076 --> 00:46:09,177 You pray many prayers, 983 00:46:09,177 --> 00:46:11,186 but I'm not answering those prayers 984 00:46:11,186 --> 00:46:13,318 because your hands are full of blood. 985 00:46:13,318 --> 00:46:16,992 Well, that may be abortion. 986 00:46:16,992 --> 00:46:20,232 It may be actual bloodshed, 987 00:46:20,232 --> 00:46:23,842 but people's blood can be upon us 988 00:46:23,842 --> 00:46:28,561 by other ways than just murder. 989 00:46:28,561 --> 00:46:30,639 People's blood can be on your head 990 00:46:30,639 --> 00:46:35,412 if you withhold the cure. 991 00:46:35,412 --> 00:46:38,246 How about this? 992 00:46:38,246 --> 00:46:40,731 We become overly involved in our church. 993 00:46:40,731 --> 00:46:44,101 On the inside, we get problems. 994 00:46:44,101 --> 00:46:48,337 In fact, my first pastor in Texas 995 00:46:48,337 --> 00:46:51,561 before we went out and started Grace - 996 00:46:51,561 --> 00:46:53,086 Pat Horner - 997 00:46:53,086 --> 00:46:54,256 I asked him one time, 998 00:46:54,256 --> 00:46:56,314 brother, what's the most difficult thing 999 00:46:56,314 --> 00:46:59,016 in your estimation about being in the ministry? 1000 00:46:59,016 --> 00:47:02,187 And he said trying to cope 1001 00:47:02,187 --> 00:47:04,464 with the issues inside the church 1002 00:47:04,464 --> 00:47:10,000 and still stay outwardly focused. 1003 00:47:10,000 --> 00:47:12,392 There are problems in the church. 1004 00:47:12,392 --> 00:47:14,986 Jesse was saying it in his messages to us 1005 00:47:14,986 --> 00:47:16,297 that oftentimes, you know, 1006 00:47:16,297 --> 00:47:17,847 you can come into the pastorate 1007 00:47:17,847 --> 00:47:19,701 and you can think, yes, we're going to guard the church 1008 00:47:19,701 --> 00:47:22,628 from all these heresies that come at us from the outside, 1009 00:47:22,628 --> 00:47:25,641 and you end up recognizing 1010 00:47:25,641 --> 00:47:29,198 that like only one-tenth of one percent 1011 00:47:29,198 --> 00:47:31,557 of the problems that arise in the church 1012 00:47:31,557 --> 00:47:33,494 come from the outside. 1013 00:47:33,494 --> 00:47:36,912 Most all the problems come from within. 1014 00:47:36,912 --> 00:47:39,241 And as we're dealing with the problems within, 1015 00:47:39,241 --> 00:47:41,077 you've got disciplinary situations. 1016 00:47:41,077 --> 00:47:43,233 You've got possible schisms 1017 00:47:43,233 --> 00:47:45,580 and uprisings, 1018 00:47:45,580 --> 00:47:50,946 or possible church splitting situations. 1019 00:47:50,946 --> 00:47:52,721 Different things come up. 1020 00:47:52,721 --> 00:47:54,741 Heresies arise within the church. 1021 00:47:54,741 --> 00:47:57,284 Problematic people arise within the church. 1022 00:47:57,284 --> 00:48:00,618 People who are false brethren are there. 1023 00:48:00,618 --> 00:48:02,815 Wolves arise even in the leadership. 1024 00:48:02,815 --> 00:48:04,391 You've got to remove somebody 1025 00:48:04,391 --> 00:48:06,748 from the diaconate or from the eldership. 1026 00:48:06,748 --> 00:48:08,895 You've got difficulties. 1027 00:48:08,895 --> 00:48:10,981 Scandals arise. 1028 00:48:10,981 --> 00:48:13,299 Things you just didn't imagine 1029 00:48:13,299 --> 00:48:14,764 just come at you. 1030 00:48:14,764 --> 00:48:16,196 Problems arise. 1031 00:48:16,196 --> 00:48:18,398 And they can be very distracting. 1032 00:48:18,398 --> 00:48:20,648 And as a pastor, you can spend a lot of time 1033 00:48:20,648 --> 00:48:26,166 losing sleep over protecting the unity of the church, 1034 00:48:26,166 --> 00:48:27,829 protecting the church. 1035 00:48:27,829 --> 00:48:30,316 And suddenly, you're not thinking about 1036 00:48:30,316 --> 00:48:33,146 the people perishing all around you. 1037 00:48:33,146 --> 00:48:35,770 You're just trying to survive. 1038 00:48:35,770 --> 00:48:39,487 And you're trying to help the church survive. 1039 00:48:39,487 --> 00:48:42,127 Or there's this: 1040 00:48:42,127 --> 00:48:43,397 We have a misconception 1041 00:48:43,397 --> 00:48:45,790 about who should be involved. 1042 00:48:45,790 --> 00:48:47,867 Now I talked about inadequacy before, 1043 00:48:47,867 --> 00:48:50,234 but sometimes we think: Well, I'm not an evangelist. 1044 00:48:50,234 --> 00:48:51,643 I'm not a pastor. 1045 00:48:51,643 --> 00:48:53,781 And in some circles - 1046 00:48:53,781 --> 00:48:56,008 maybe even in many of the reformed circles, 1047 00:48:56,008 --> 00:48:59,183 the mindset is: the pastor should be doing that. 1048 00:48:59,183 --> 00:49:02,696 The pastor does that. 1049 00:49:02,696 --> 00:49:05,746 Look, the church is not a one man ministry. 1050 00:49:05,746 --> 00:49:08,484 The pastor's primary responsibility 1051 00:49:08,484 --> 00:49:10,064 is to equip the saints 1052 00:49:10,064 --> 00:49:11,476 for the work of the ministry. 1053 00:49:11,476 --> 00:49:13,485 All of you have a responsibility 1054 00:49:13,485 --> 00:49:14,888 to be doing the ministries 1055 00:49:14,888 --> 00:49:16,447 that God has given to you. 1056 00:49:16,447 --> 00:49:19,253 God has given certain spiritual gifts to each one of you. 1057 00:49:19,253 --> 00:49:20,758 Some are more evangelistic. 1058 00:49:20,758 --> 00:49:22,387 And you know what? 1059 00:49:22,387 --> 00:49:26,120 Even if you feel like Moses - 1060 00:49:26,120 --> 00:49:27,611 you know, you're tongue-tied 1061 00:49:27,611 --> 00:49:30,206 and you feel like you need your Aaron, 1062 00:49:30,206 --> 00:49:31,679 you can pray. 1063 00:49:31,679 --> 00:49:33,525 You can pray for souls. 1064 00:49:33,525 --> 00:49:35,489 You can attend the prayer meeting. 1065 00:49:35,489 --> 00:49:37,203 Prayer meetings should be rich 1066 00:49:37,203 --> 00:49:39,711 in praying for souls. 1067 00:49:39,711 --> 00:49:42,357 Listen, if in your prayer meetings, 1068 00:49:42,357 --> 00:49:44,653 you're praying more for health issues 1069 00:49:44,653 --> 00:49:46,693 than you are for souls and for salvation, 1070 00:49:46,693 --> 00:49:48,959 it's wrong. Get that thing right. 1071 00:49:48,959 --> 00:49:50,743 Look, all of us are going to die. 1072 00:49:50,743 --> 00:49:52,488 All of us are going to get a disease 1073 00:49:52,488 --> 00:49:54,246 or have some kind of accident 1074 00:49:54,246 --> 00:49:56,036 or some situation from which 1075 00:49:56,036 --> 00:49:58,437 we will not escape death. 1076 00:49:58,437 --> 00:50:00,721 We're all headed towards that. 1077 00:50:00,721 --> 00:50:03,555 I'm not saying you can't pray - 1078 00:50:03,555 --> 00:50:05,670 I didn't find Paul praying for Timothy 1079 00:50:05,670 --> 00:50:07,473 when he had some stomach ailment. 1080 00:50:07,473 --> 00:50:09,717 He just said drink some wine. 1081 00:50:09,717 --> 00:50:11,347 Here's some Advil. 1082 00:50:11,347 --> 00:50:14,985 But now, forget the sore toe. 1083 00:50:14,985 --> 00:50:17,340 Let's pray. Our children are perishing! 1084 00:50:17,340 --> 00:50:19,399 Our parents are perishing! 1085 00:50:19,399 --> 00:50:24,287 Time is ticking. 1086 00:50:24,287 --> 00:50:26,040 God forbid... 1087 00:50:26,040 --> 00:50:28,075 let the hospitals be filled, 1088 00:50:28,075 --> 00:50:30,489 but if we're in a time of revival, 1089 00:50:30,489 --> 00:50:33,163 then praise the Lord! 1090 00:50:33,163 --> 00:50:35,469 If people are saved and they're on a sickbed, 1091 00:50:35,469 --> 00:50:37,796 that's a good place to be. 1092 00:50:37,796 --> 00:50:39,989 Saved! No matter what your situation, 1093 00:50:39,989 --> 00:50:42,316 if you're saved, you're safe! 1094 00:50:42,316 --> 00:50:43,596 You're secure. 1095 00:50:43,596 --> 00:50:47,069 You're rescued. You're redeemed. 1096 00:50:47,069 --> 00:50:50,138 How about an undue emphasis on academics? 1097 00:50:50,138 --> 00:50:53,248 And listen to me, undue emphasis. 1098 00:50:53,248 --> 00:50:55,926 Should we study? Yes. 1099 00:50:55,926 --> 00:50:58,038 Should we study to show ourselves approved? 1100 00:50:58,038 --> 00:50:59,163 Absolutely. 1101 00:50:59,163 --> 00:51:02,137 Is there a knowledge that needs to be increased? 1102 00:51:02,137 --> 00:51:03,667 Absolutely. 1103 00:51:03,667 --> 00:51:06,122 There is a knowledge of God 1104 00:51:06,122 --> 00:51:09,049 that Paul prays that we would have. 1105 00:51:09,049 --> 00:51:11,601 There is a knowledge that puffs up. 1106 00:51:11,601 --> 00:51:14,091 How can you tell when we have reached 1107 00:51:14,091 --> 00:51:16,171 a level of undue academics? 1108 00:51:16,171 --> 00:51:17,091 I would say this, 1109 00:51:17,091 --> 00:51:18,785 when we're learning all the time, 1110 00:51:18,785 --> 00:51:20,219 but nothing ever gets done. 1111 00:51:20,219 --> 00:51:22,876 We're learning, learning, learning, learning, 1112 00:51:22,876 --> 00:51:25,194 but we're not turning the world upside down. 1113 00:51:25,194 --> 00:51:28,079 Remember how they talked about those early Christians? 1114 00:51:28,079 --> 00:51:30,933 These men have turned the world upside down! 1115 00:51:30,933 --> 00:51:33,226 Listen, let's learn. 1116 00:51:33,226 --> 00:51:36,100 Let's learn. Let's study. 1117 00:51:36,100 --> 00:51:39,001 But so as to turn the world upside down 1118 00:51:39,001 --> 00:51:42,017 for the Lord Jesus Christ. 1119 00:51:42,017 --> 00:51:44,065 When we just study, study, study, 1120 00:51:44,065 --> 00:51:46,417 read our books, read our books, 1121 00:51:46,417 --> 00:51:48,475 so that we can argue on the Internet, 1122 00:51:48,475 --> 00:51:49,978 get on Facebook and argue 1123 00:51:49,978 --> 00:51:52,315 and try to win the doctrinal battle, 1124 00:51:52,315 --> 00:51:58,081 we've got it all wrong. 1125 00:51:58,081 --> 00:51:59,299 How about this one? 1126 00:51:59,299 --> 00:52:01,408 Bad leadership. 1127 00:52:01,408 --> 00:52:03,338 Hebrews 13: "Remember your leaders, 1128 00:52:03,338 --> 00:52:04,710 imitate their faith." 1129 00:52:04,710 --> 00:52:06,538 Some leaders don't have any faith 1130 00:52:06,538 --> 00:52:08,937 that God's going to save anybody. 1131 00:52:08,937 --> 00:52:11,283 And you can see it by the way they lead the church 1132 00:52:11,283 --> 00:52:13,158 and by the actions. 1133 00:52:13,158 --> 00:52:14,662 They don't give much concern. 1134 00:52:14,662 --> 00:52:19,190 They don't talk about souls being rescued. 1135 00:52:19,190 --> 00:52:20,716 Or there's this: 1136 00:52:20,716 --> 00:52:22,897 We're lost. 1137 00:52:22,897 --> 00:52:25,225 And therefore, without Christian faith, 1138 00:52:25,225 --> 00:52:27,498 without Christian compassion and love. 1139 00:52:27,498 --> 00:52:28,666 Spurgeon said this: 1140 00:52:28,666 --> 00:52:31,054 "Have you no wish for others to be saved? 1141 00:52:31,054 --> 00:52:34,358 Then you are not saved. Be sure of that." 1142 00:52:34,358 --> 00:52:38,291 Boy, he was dogmatic there. 1143 00:52:38,291 --> 00:52:41,568 How about another quote from C.T. Studd? 1144 00:52:41,568 --> 00:52:43,176 "Too long have we been waiting 1145 00:52:43,176 --> 00:52:44,946 for one another to begin. 1146 00:52:44,946 --> 00:52:46,592 The time for waiting is past. 1147 00:52:46,592 --> 00:52:47,877 The hour of God has struck. 1148 00:52:47,877 --> 00:52:48,951 War is declared. 1149 00:52:48,951 --> 00:52:52,788 In God's holy name, let us arise and build. 1150 00:52:52,788 --> 00:52:54,251 The God of heaven - 1151 00:52:54,251 --> 00:52:58,054 He will fight for us as we for Him. 1152 00:52:58,054 --> 00:52:59,576 We will not build on the sand, 1153 00:52:59,576 --> 00:53:02,166 but on the bedrock of the sayings of Christ 1154 00:53:02,166 --> 00:53:05,024 and the gates and minions of hell 1155 00:53:05,024 --> 00:53:07,058 shall not prevail against us. 1156 00:53:07,058 --> 00:53:09,450 Should such men as we fear? 1157 00:53:09,450 --> 00:53:10,919 Before the whole world, I, 1158 00:53:10,919 --> 00:53:13,038 before the sleepy, lukewarm, 1159 00:53:13,038 --> 00:53:16,789 faithless, namby-pamby Christian world - 1160 00:53:16,789 --> 00:53:20,077 we will dare to trust our God. 1161 00:53:20,077 --> 00:53:22,541 We will venture our all for Him. 1162 00:53:22,541 --> 00:53:27,117 We will live and we will die for Him. 1163 00:53:27,117 --> 00:53:29,633 And we will do it with His joy unspeakable, 1164 00:53:29,633 --> 00:53:31,239 singing aloud in our hearts. 1165 00:53:31,239 --> 00:53:33,337 We will a thousand times sooner 1166 00:53:33,337 --> 00:53:35,341 die trusting only in our God 1167 00:53:35,341 --> 00:53:37,000 than live trusting in man. 1168 00:53:37,000 --> 00:53:38,704 And when we come to this position, 1169 00:53:38,704 --> 00:53:40,338 the battle is already won. 1170 00:53:40,338 --> 00:53:43,541 And the end of the glorious campaign in sight. 1171 00:53:43,541 --> 00:53:45,838 We will have the real holiness of God, 1172 00:53:45,838 --> 00:53:48,723 not the sickly stuff of talk and dainty words 1173 00:53:48,723 --> 00:53:50,584 and pretty thoughts. 1174 00:53:50,584 --> 00:53:53,278 We will have a masculine holiness. 1175 00:53:53,278 --> 00:53:57,897 One of daring faith and works for Jesus Christ." 1176 00:53:57,897 --> 00:54:02,016 Now, that was the introduction. 1177 00:54:02,016 --> 00:54:06,277 Here - and this will be fast - 1178 00:54:06,277 --> 00:54:09,360 Paul said that he used all means. 1179 00:54:09,360 --> 00:54:11,137 Let's just think about that. 1180 00:54:11,137 --> 00:54:15,975 He used all means that he might save some. 1181 00:54:15,975 --> 00:54:18,969 Now, let's not be cowards. 1182 00:54:18,969 --> 00:54:22,224 Can you talk like Paul talked? 1183 00:54:22,224 --> 00:54:24,383 "That I might save some." 1184 00:54:24,383 --> 00:54:25,806 Can you talk that way? 1185 00:54:25,806 --> 00:54:28,368 We don't talk that way. We don't like to talk that way. 1186 00:54:28,368 --> 00:54:29,985 Paul talked that way. 1187 00:54:29,985 --> 00:54:34,920 "That I might save some." 1188 00:54:34,920 --> 00:54:36,423 That he might save some. 1189 00:54:36,423 --> 00:54:38,752 What I want to emphasize is the means there. 1190 00:54:38,752 --> 00:54:42,327 Obviously, Paul knew that salvation 1191 00:54:42,327 --> 00:54:44,324 rested with God. 1192 00:54:44,324 --> 00:54:46,847 If anybody knew it, he knew it. 1193 00:54:46,847 --> 00:54:49,933 But when he said that he's using all the means 1194 00:54:49,933 --> 00:54:52,168 that he might save some, 1195 00:54:52,168 --> 00:54:53,284 recognize that. 1196 00:54:53,284 --> 00:54:55,159 There is a place for means. 1197 00:54:55,159 --> 00:54:57,548 We need to use the means. 1198 00:54:57,548 --> 00:54:59,445 I was talking to a brother yesterday. 1199 00:54:59,445 --> 00:55:01,137 He's a fisherman. 1200 00:55:01,137 --> 00:55:03,898 He told me he fishes for trout, 1201 00:55:03,898 --> 00:55:07,948 for perch, for landlocked salmon - 1202 00:55:07,948 --> 00:55:10,371 I think were the three fish. 1203 00:55:10,371 --> 00:55:14,304 You know, since I've lived in Texas, 1204 00:55:14,304 --> 00:55:17,185 I haven't fished once. 1205 00:55:17,185 --> 00:55:19,849 But when I grew up in Michigan, I fished a lot. 1206 00:55:19,849 --> 00:55:22,068 A lot of lakes. 1207 00:55:22,068 --> 00:55:23,737 I knew this. 1208 00:55:23,737 --> 00:55:25,912 That when I went fishing - my friends and I - 1209 00:55:25,912 --> 00:55:27,157 we were all into lures. 1210 00:55:27,157 --> 00:55:28,648 What kind of lure have you got? 1211 00:55:28,648 --> 00:55:30,324 We wanted the good lure. 1212 00:55:30,324 --> 00:55:32,675 And you know, you use those lures. 1213 00:55:32,675 --> 00:55:34,265 They may look real good. 1214 00:55:34,265 --> 00:55:37,591 Some of the worst, shabby looking things 1215 00:55:37,591 --> 00:55:39,535 were amazing to catch all sorts of fish. 1216 00:55:39,535 --> 00:55:41,430 You didn't care what they looked like, 1217 00:55:41,430 --> 00:55:42,490 how much they cost. 1218 00:55:42,490 --> 00:55:45,123 You cared if they caught fish. 1219 00:55:45,123 --> 00:55:48,371 Maybe you used live bait. You wanted to use what worked. 1220 00:55:48,371 --> 00:55:50,034 None of us ever said: 1221 00:55:50,034 --> 00:55:51,862 Well, God is sovereign, 1222 00:55:51,862 --> 00:55:55,738 and so if that fish was foreordained 1223 00:55:55,738 --> 00:55:57,678 to come over and sink its lips 1224 00:55:57,678 --> 00:55:59,973 around my hook, 1225 00:55:59,973 --> 00:56:01,592 it's going to happen. 1226 00:56:01,592 --> 00:56:03,809 And so whether I put a night crawler on there 1227 00:56:03,809 --> 00:56:08,290 or I squish a ball of dough around that treble hook... 1228 00:56:08,290 --> 00:56:11,965 nobody talks like that. 1229 00:56:11,965 --> 00:56:14,315 If you're a fly fisherman for trout, 1230 00:56:14,315 --> 00:56:16,901 you want the perfect fly. 1231 00:56:16,901 --> 00:56:19,096 It's no different. God uses means. 1232 00:56:19,096 --> 00:56:21,783 And those who fish with the best bait 1233 00:56:21,783 --> 00:56:23,236 and the best lures, 1234 00:56:23,236 --> 00:56:26,564 catch the most fish. 1235 00:56:26,564 --> 00:56:28,700 That's the reality. 1236 00:56:28,700 --> 00:56:32,641 That's the way it is with evangelism as well. 1237 00:56:32,641 --> 00:56:34,419 Paul didn't say: God's sovereign, 1238 00:56:34,419 --> 00:56:38,485 so good, let's sit back, relax, watch God save. 1239 00:56:38,485 --> 00:56:39,947 This should impact us. 1240 00:56:39,947 --> 00:56:41,813 We need to use means. 1241 00:56:41,813 --> 00:56:45,955 Now, let me talk about means. 1242 00:56:45,955 --> 00:56:48,258 Paul could plant. 1243 00:56:48,258 --> 00:56:49,737 Apollos could water. 1244 00:56:49,737 --> 00:56:52,096 But I'll tell you in the end, 1245 00:56:52,096 --> 00:56:55,986 we don't want to make light of God's sovereignty in this. 1246 00:56:55,986 --> 00:56:58,957 Brethren, I encourage you, 1247 00:56:58,957 --> 00:57:02,510 pray, pray, pray. 1248 00:57:02,510 --> 00:57:05,528 Evangelize and pray. 1249 00:57:05,528 --> 00:57:08,147 Evangelize and pray. 1250 00:57:08,147 --> 00:57:11,402 Speak of the cross to your lost neighbors, 1251 00:57:11,402 --> 00:57:12,869 your lost family members, 1252 00:57:12,869 --> 00:57:16,337 and pray and pray and fast. 1253 00:57:16,337 --> 00:57:18,195 Call your churches to times 1254 00:57:18,195 --> 00:57:20,852 of dedicated prayer and fasting. 1255 00:57:20,852 --> 00:57:23,454 And plead for souls. 1256 00:57:23,454 --> 00:57:24,678 Plead for souls. 1257 00:57:24,678 --> 00:57:25,970 As I said it before, 1258 00:57:25,970 --> 00:57:28,336 if your prayer meetings begin to diverge 1259 00:57:28,336 --> 00:57:32,053 into praying for all sorts of unnecessary things - 1260 00:57:32,053 --> 00:57:35,508 they're praying for Aunt Tilda's dog. 1261 00:57:35,508 --> 00:57:37,574 Somebody stand up and say: 1262 00:57:37,574 --> 00:57:40,005 Enough! Stop! 1263 00:57:40,005 --> 00:57:43,054 Stop. 1264 00:57:43,054 --> 00:57:47,948 The world is perishing. 1265 00:57:47,948 --> 00:57:50,167 And we can call upon the Lord God 1266 00:57:50,167 --> 00:57:53,302 and He said: if you ask, you shall receive. 1267 00:57:53,302 --> 00:57:56,302 Put salvation right in there. 1268 00:57:56,302 --> 00:57:59,325 If we ask God to save - 1269 00:57:59,325 --> 00:58:02,680 if you ask, you will receive. 1270 00:58:02,680 --> 00:58:05,230 Jesus said you ask whatsoever you will 1271 00:58:05,230 --> 00:58:07,923 in My name, He said, "I will do it." 1272 00:58:07,923 --> 00:58:12,069 Did Jesus Christ come to save sinners? 1273 00:58:12,069 --> 00:58:13,766 Did He spill His blood? 1274 00:58:13,766 --> 00:58:16,341 He did. 1275 00:58:16,341 --> 00:58:17,546 Call upon Him. 1276 00:58:17,546 --> 00:58:20,458 Lord - go back to the order and argument. 1277 00:58:20,458 --> 00:58:22,545 Lay your arguments out there. 1278 00:58:22,545 --> 00:58:24,800 Lay your arguments why He should save. 1279 00:58:24,800 --> 00:58:28,082 Make the case. 1280 00:58:28,082 --> 00:58:31,571 Do you not have a case for why He should save your children? 1281 00:58:31,571 --> 00:58:33,881 Have you not worked on thinking through 1282 00:58:33,881 --> 00:58:34,906 like Mueller did - 1283 00:58:34,906 --> 00:58:37,374 he would search the Scriptures for days 1284 00:58:37,374 --> 00:58:38,768 to come up with a promise. 1285 00:58:38,768 --> 00:58:40,846 Have you never searched for those promises 1286 00:58:40,846 --> 00:58:42,339 for your lost family members? 1287 00:58:42,339 --> 00:58:44,440 Your lost co-workers? Your lost neighbors? 1288 00:58:44,440 --> 00:58:49,761 The lost citizens of wherever you live? 1289 00:58:49,761 --> 00:58:51,238 Have you not thought that way? 1290 00:58:51,238 --> 00:58:52,716 We need to be thinking that way. 1291 00:58:52,716 --> 00:58:54,233 We need to come up with our case 1292 00:58:54,233 --> 00:58:55,748 and lay it before the Lord. 1293 00:58:55,748 --> 00:58:57,869 Lord, save sinners! 1294 00:58:57,869 --> 00:59:00,380 Save them! 1295 00:59:00,380 --> 00:59:01,431 We need to pray. 1296 00:59:01,431 --> 00:59:02,934 You talk about the means. 1297 00:59:02,934 --> 00:59:06,228 Lay hold on the Lord in prayer. 1298 00:59:06,228 --> 00:59:07,795 Fast. 1299 00:59:07,795 --> 00:59:10,902 Call the churches to fasting. 1300 00:59:10,902 --> 00:59:13,014 Why? For souls. 1301 00:59:13,014 --> 00:59:15,933 Listen, if the church isn't growing, 1302 00:59:15,933 --> 00:59:19,207 call the church to prayer and fasting. 1303 00:59:19,207 --> 00:59:20,527 You say, we've done that. 1304 00:59:20,527 --> 00:59:22,719 Continue. 1305 00:59:22,719 --> 00:59:25,839 Lay, cling, hold on to Him like Jacob 1306 00:59:25,839 --> 00:59:27,451 until you get the blessing. 1307 00:59:27,451 --> 00:59:28,740 Hold on to Him. 1308 00:59:28,740 --> 00:59:31,164 It may be 7 years like it was with William Carey. 1309 00:59:31,164 --> 00:59:33,752 I guarantee you he was on his knees a lot. 1310 00:59:33,752 --> 00:59:35,717 Adoniram Judson - these men. 1311 00:59:35,717 --> 00:59:37,438 These men were prayer warriors. 1312 00:59:37,438 --> 00:59:39,813 And during these seasons of drought and famine, 1313 00:59:39,813 --> 00:59:41,279 where would you find them? 1314 00:59:41,279 --> 00:59:43,590 Undoubtedly you'd find them on their knees 1315 00:59:43,590 --> 00:59:46,843 pleading: Lord, save this dark land. 1316 00:59:46,843 --> 00:59:50,443 Save these people. 1317 00:59:50,443 --> 00:59:51,976 (incomplete thought) 1318 00:59:51,976 --> 00:59:53,665 You want an argument? 1319 00:59:53,665 --> 00:59:55,787 Just look to the cross! 1320 00:59:55,787 --> 00:59:57,827 What an argument to plead! 1321 00:59:57,827 --> 01:00:01,255 Lord, You sent Your Son to suffer. 1322 01:00:01,255 --> 01:00:05,570 To suffer and to die. 1323 01:00:05,570 --> 01:00:07,547 Prayer. 1324 01:00:07,547 --> 01:00:09,128 Ask yourself this: 1325 01:00:09,128 --> 01:00:18,496 What message is most likely to bait, capture? 1326 01:00:18,496 --> 01:00:20,871 You know what jumps out at me? 1327 01:00:20,871 --> 01:00:25,335 When you get to the end of John's Gospel, 1328 01:00:25,335 --> 01:00:30,405 John says the Lord Jesus Christ, 1329 01:00:30,405 --> 01:00:32,747 He did lots of miracles, 1330 01:00:32,747 --> 01:00:36,390 lots of signs. 1331 01:00:36,390 --> 01:00:37,989 We couldn't write enough books 1332 01:00:37,989 --> 01:00:39,798 to contain all that He did. 1333 01:00:39,798 --> 01:00:42,452 John said this: 1334 01:00:42,452 --> 01:00:46,018 I have given you a couple handfuls 1335 01:00:46,018 --> 01:00:48,722 of His miracles. 1336 01:00:48,722 --> 01:00:51,627 Why? 1337 01:00:51,627 --> 01:00:54,429 So that you might believe He's the Christ, 1338 01:00:54,429 --> 01:00:56,127 the Son of God, and in believing, 1339 01:00:56,127 --> 01:00:58,865 you might have life. 1340 01:00:58,865 --> 01:01:00,264 And you know what? 1341 01:01:00,264 --> 01:01:01,979 On that same note, 1342 01:01:01,979 --> 01:01:06,883 Jesus - He looked at those cities 1343 01:01:06,883 --> 01:01:12,471 in Galilee, 1344 01:01:12,471 --> 01:01:14,264 and He found fault with them 1345 01:01:14,264 --> 01:01:16,330 because they did not repent 1346 01:01:16,330 --> 01:01:18,858 when they saw the miracles, the works, 1347 01:01:18,858 --> 01:01:20,762 the signs that He did. 1348 01:01:20,762 --> 01:01:24,160 He expected them to repent. 1349 01:01:24,160 --> 01:01:26,695 You know what you want to do? 1350 01:01:26,695 --> 01:01:30,830 Show them the miraculous Christ. 1351 01:01:30,830 --> 01:01:33,351 Show them His miracles. 1352 01:01:33,351 --> 01:01:35,477 Show them what He did. 1353 01:01:35,477 --> 01:01:37,678 Tell them how He healed. 1354 01:01:37,678 --> 01:01:39,452 Tell them what He did for the blind. 1355 01:01:39,452 --> 01:01:41,258 Tell them what He did for the leper. 1356 01:01:41,258 --> 01:01:43,221 Tell them that He raised the dead. 1357 01:01:43,221 --> 01:01:46,213 Tell them that He Himself came forth from the dead. 1358 01:01:46,213 --> 01:01:48,419 Show Him. Tell Him. 1359 01:01:48,419 --> 01:01:52,701 Do you know what His first miracle was? 1360 01:01:52,701 --> 01:01:54,080 Tell the world that. 1361 01:01:54,080 --> 01:01:56,752 He turned water into wine. 1362 01:01:56,752 --> 01:01:58,008 Tell people. 1363 01:01:58,008 --> 01:01:59,966 I mean, you can go to somebody's door 1364 01:01:59,966 --> 01:02:01,424 here in Portland. 1365 01:02:01,424 --> 01:02:03,088 Do you know the first thing 1366 01:02:03,088 --> 01:02:06,907 that Jesus Christ did when He did miracles? 1367 01:02:06,907 --> 01:02:11,794 He turned water into wine. 1368 01:02:11,794 --> 01:02:15,339 You have any idea what that speaks? 1369 01:02:15,339 --> 01:02:19,834 What kind of Savior we have! 1370 01:02:19,834 --> 01:02:22,125 You tell them. 1371 01:02:22,125 --> 01:02:25,814 That is calculated to be good bait. 1372 01:02:25,814 --> 01:02:28,963 You show them the supernatural Christ. 1373 01:02:28,963 --> 01:02:34,698 You tell them about Him. 1374 01:02:34,698 --> 01:02:37,906 You tell them repent. 1375 01:02:37,906 --> 01:02:40,805 Change their mind. 1376 01:02:40,805 --> 01:02:42,393 You believe in this one. 1377 01:02:42,393 --> 01:02:45,110 You know, recently, just dealing 1378 01:02:45,110 --> 01:02:47,625 with that word "repentance." 1379 01:02:47,625 --> 01:02:49,887 I was down in Nicaragua 1380 01:02:49,887 --> 01:02:52,513 and we were having a module there 1381 01:02:52,513 --> 01:02:55,992 and we were talking about evangelizing people 1382 01:02:55,992 --> 01:03:00,273 and telling people to repent. 1383 01:03:00,273 --> 01:03:03,398 You know, that idea is a change of mind. 1384 01:03:03,398 --> 01:03:06,578 Or actually the English word: to rethink. 1385 01:03:06,578 --> 01:03:07,644 Rethink and believe. 1386 01:03:07,644 --> 01:03:09,875 So often, we talk about turning from sin, 1387 01:03:09,875 --> 01:03:11,256 but the real issue is 1388 01:03:11,256 --> 01:03:16,643 it's the change of mind behind why we turn from sin. 1389 01:03:16,643 --> 01:03:18,890 And this guy said, you know, it's offensive 1390 01:03:18,890 --> 01:03:20,430 to tell people that. 1391 01:03:20,430 --> 01:03:22,260 And that's right. It is offensive. 1392 01:03:22,260 --> 01:03:24,019 When we say to the sinner: 1393 01:03:24,019 --> 01:03:25,796 you think all is well. 1394 01:03:25,796 --> 01:03:27,040 You need to rethink that. 1395 01:03:27,040 --> 01:03:28,234 It's not well. 1396 01:03:28,234 --> 01:03:29,894 You may be vacationing up here 1397 01:03:29,894 --> 01:03:31,362 from New York or New Hampshire 1398 01:03:31,362 --> 01:03:32,967 or wherever. 1399 01:03:32,967 --> 01:03:34,383 You may think it's great. 1400 01:03:34,383 --> 01:03:36,335 You can go out to the oceanside 1401 01:03:36,335 --> 01:03:37,936 and look at lighthouses 1402 01:03:37,936 --> 01:03:40,245 and enjoy the summer. 1403 01:03:40,245 --> 01:03:41,492 But it's not well. 1404 01:03:41,492 --> 01:03:43,005 You may be driving a nice car 1405 01:03:43,005 --> 01:03:45,785 and God may have heaped many of His kindnesses on you, 1406 01:03:45,785 --> 01:03:47,645 but it is not well. 1407 01:03:47,645 --> 01:03:49,414 He has shown His kindnesses to you 1408 01:03:49,414 --> 01:03:50,874 and those kindnesses are meant 1409 01:03:50,874 --> 01:03:52,093 to lead you to repentance. 1410 01:03:52,093 --> 01:03:53,941 They're not to make you think that it's okay. 1411 01:03:53,941 --> 01:03:56,333 You need to rethink that. It is not okay. 1412 01:03:56,333 --> 01:03:58,504 Do not think that going out in your rebellion 1413 01:03:58,504 --> 01:04:01,206 like you are and trusting in your own good works 1414 01:04:01,206 --> 01:04:03,228 that it's all going to work out in the end; 1415 01:04:03,228 --> 01:04:05,940 don't go on thinking that God is smiling at you 1416 01:04:05,940 --> 01:04:07,230 no matter how you live 1417 01:04:07,230 --> 01:04:09,541 because that is not right. 1418 01:04:09,541 --> 01:04:10,750 And that is wrong. 1419 01:04:10,750 --> 01:04:12,078 And stop thinking little thoughts 1420 01:04:12,078 --> 01:04:13,957 about this miraculous working Christ 1421 01:04:13,957 --> 01:04:15,974 as though you don't need Him in your life. 1422 01:04:15,974 --> 01:04:17,681 Rethink that because you do. 1423 01:04:17,681 --> 01:04:20,143 You need a substitutionary atonement. 1424 01:04:20,143 --> 01:04:22,332 You need somebody to pay for your sin. 1425 01:04:22,332 --> 01:04:24,299 Is that offensive? Yes, that's offensive, 1426 01:04:24,299 --> 01:04:28,808 because it attacks man right at his self-righteousness. 1427 01:04:28,808 --> 01:04:32,134 And you're touching the very heart of the sinner there. 1428 01:04:32,134 --> 01:04:33,613 That's offensive to sinners. 1429 01:04:33,613 --> 01:04:35,308 Remember this: 1430 01:04:35,308 --> 01:04:38,404 Not one size fits all. 1431 01:04:38,404 --> 01:04:40,877 Look, I like watching Ray Comfort. 1432 01:04:40,877 --> 01:04:42,836 I appreciate his interaction. 1433 01:04:42,836 --> 01:04:45,822 He's sharp on his feet. 1434 01:04:45,822 --> 01:04:50,190 But did you hear Paul? 1435 01:04:50,190 --> 01:04:52,457 To these people over here, I became like that. 1436 01:04:52,457 --> 01:04:54,709 To these people over here, I became like that. 1437 01:04:54,709 --> 01:04:58,027 To these people over here, I became like them. 1438 01:04:58,027 --> 01:04:59,151 Have you ever noticed 1439 01:04:59,151 --> 01:05:02,967 Jesus didn't have one simple system? 1440 01:05:02,967 --> 01:05:06,286 You can't find where He said: 1441 01:05:06,286 --> 01:05:07,642 "have you ever lied?" 1442 01:05:07,642 --> 01:05:09,152 Yes, I've lied. 1443 01:05:09,152 --> 01:05:11,410 "Have you ever committed adultery?" 1444 01:05:11,410 --> 01:05:12,916 Well, no, I've never done that. 1445 01:05:12,916 --> 01:05:14,870 "Have you ever looked at a woman with lust?" 1446 01:05:14,870 --> 01:05:16,088 Well, yeah, I've done that. 1447 01:05:16,088 --> 01:05:20,349 You know, you kind of go through the little system there. 1448 01:05:20,349 --> 01:05:23,820 The Bible doesn't have a system. 1449 01:05:23,820 --> 01:05:26,722 And so be careful there. 1450 01:05:26,722 --> 01:05:28,835 "To the Jews, I became as a Jew." 1451 01:05:28,835 --> 01:05:31,747 To those under the law, he became as one under the law. 1452 01:05:31,747 --> 01:05:33,845 (incomplete thought) 1453 01:05:33,845 --> 01:05:36,766 Jesus used many different approaches. 1454 01:05:36,766 --> 01:05:37,914 Not just one system. 1455 01:05:37,914 --> 01:05:39,533 You know what's really important 1456 01:05:39,533 --> 01:05:41,525 is that we know our Bibles. 1457 01:05:41,525 --> 01:05:43,006 That's what's important - 1458 01:05:43,006 --> 01:05:45,377 that you know truth. You have a good grasp. 1459 01:05:45,377 --> 01:05:47,536 Really look at how Jesus spoke to people. 1460 01:05:47,536 --> 01:05:51,799 Look at how the early preachers spoke to people. 1461 01:05:51,799 --> 01:05:54,600 I would say this: throw seed everywhere. 1462 01:05:54,600 --> 01:05:57,942 Brethren, everywhere. 1463 01:05:57,942 --> 01:06:01,140 Have tracts. Have DVD's. 1464 01:06:01,140 --> 01:06:03,120 Spread it everywhere. 1465 01:06:03,120 --> 01:06:04,536 Get on the Internet. 1466 01:06:04,536 --> 01:06:06,022 Have an Internet presence. 1467 01:06:06,022 --> 01:06:10,034 People use the Internet. Use it. 1468 01:06:10,034 --> 01:06:11,119 Use the airwaves. 1469 01:06:11,119 --> 01:06:12,875 Use the radio. 1470 01:06:12,875 --> 01:06:14,115 Go everywhere. 1471 01:06:14,115 --> 01:06:16,994 You remember how the guy sowing the seed 1472 01:06:16,994 --> 01:06:20,706 in the parable of the soils - 1473 01:06:20,706 --> 01:06:22,255 he just threw it everywhere. 1474 01:06:22,255 --> 01:06:24,065 He threw it on the hard-packed path. 1475 01:06:24,065 --> 01:06:26,583 He threw it everywhere! 1476 01:06:26,583 --> 01:06:27,748 On the rocky soil. 1477 01:06:27,748 --> 01:06:30,420 Over here where the weeds were likely to grow. 1478 01:06:30,420 --> 01:06:32,840 He's just liberal. Throw it everywhere. 1479 01:06:32,840 --> 01:06:35,593 Throw it everywhere. 1480 01:06:35,593 --> 01:06:37,796 And then come back into the prayer meetings 1481 01:06:37,796 --> 01:06:39,438 and pray over that seed. 1482 01:06:39,438 --> 01:06:41,072 Water it with your prayers. 1483 01:06:41,072 --> 01:06:42,880 Just spread it everywhere. 1484 01:06:42,880 --> 01:06:47,432 Everywhere. Everywhere. 1485 01:06:47,432 --> 01:06:49,108 I'll say this again, new Christians 1486 01:06:49,108 --> 01:06:50,907 can make some of the best evangelists. 1487 01:06:50,907 --> 01:06:54,527 And we could go back to the demoniac. 1488 01:06:54,527 --> 01:06:55,810 Let me say this. 1489 01:06:55,810 --> 01:06:58,344 Willing to become dirty. 1490 01:06:58,344 --> 01:06:59,782 Jesse was telling us last night, 1491 01:06:59,782 --> 01:07:04,112 he was proclaiming the truth 1492 01:07:04,112 --> 01:07:08,475 and some guy out of a gang got converted. 1493 01:07:08,475 --> 01:07:10,153 And he said it was Christmas Eve 1494 01:07:10,153 --> 01:07:11,731 and he gets a call from this guy 1495 01:07:11,731 --> 01:07:14,330 and this guy's coming over with his thug friends. 1496 01:07:14,330 --> 01:07:15,699 And it's like: we're coming. 1497 01:07:15,699 --> 01:07:18,131 And Jesse wasn't expecting them. You're coming? 1498 01:07:18,131 --> 01:07:19,947 (incomplete thought) 1499 01:07:19,947 --> 01:07:21,974 I can imagine. You have a Christmas tree. 1500 01:07:21,974 --> 01:07:24,743 So you've got the picture in your mind. 1501 01:07:24,743 --> 01:07:26,692 Jesse's family - all happy. 1502 01:07:26,692 --> 01:07:28,875 Middle class American family 1503 01:07:28,875 --> 01:07:30,908 sitting around and a Christmas tree 1504 01:07:30,908 --> 01:07:32,068 and it's Christmas Eve. 1505 01:07:32,068 --> 01:07:34,556 And then the gansters call. 1506 01:07:34,556 --> 01:07:37,093 We're coming! 1507 01:07:37,093 --> 01:07:39,679 If you want to reach sinners, 1508 01:07:39,679 --> 01:07:41,909 you're going to get dirty. 1509 01:07:41,909 --> 01:07:46,483 Listen, just a snapshot. 1510 01:07:46,483 --> 01:07:48,485 Luke 7. 1511 01:07:48,485 --> 01:07:50,780 Geoffrey Thomas was at our conference recently. 1512 01:07:50,780 --> 01:07:52,691 He recommended a book on evangelism. 1513 01:07:52,691 --> 01:07:53,503 I read it. 1514 01:07:53,503 --> 01:07:57,204 The author of that book targets Luke 7. 1515 01:07:57,204 --> 01:08:00,085 It's fantastic. Why? What do you have there? 1516 01:08:00,085 --> 01:08:03,040 You have a Roman centurion 1517 01:08:03,040 --> 01:08:04,679 and Jesus is dealing with him. 1518 01:08:04,679 --> 01:08:06,168 Now you have to recognize this. 1519 01:08:06,168 --> 01:08:10,322 As a Jew, Gentiles were unclean. 1520 01:08:10,322 --> 01:08:11,887 They were defiling. 1521 01:08:11,887 --> 01:08:14,079 So Jesus, He gives Himself 1522 01:08:14,079 --> 01:08:16,452 to the Roman centurion. 1523 01:08:16,452 --> 01:08:18,728 And then, there's the widow of Nain 1524 01:08:18,728 --> 01:08:20,235 right there in Luke 7. 1525 01:08:20,235 --> 01:08:21,757 She's got a dead son. 1526 01:08:21,757 --> 01:08:25,173 Jesus touches - that's unclean. 1527 01:08:25,173 --> 01:08:27,141 And then you think: John the Baptist. 1528 01:08:27,141 --> 01:08:30,595 He sent two of his disciples to go and say 1529 01:08:30,595 --> 01:08:31,918 "Jesus, are you the one? 1530 01:08:31,918 --> 01:08:33,618 Or should we be looking for another?" 1531 01:08:33,618 --> 01:08:34,976 And He said, "You go tell him..." 1532 01:08:34,976 --> 01:08:36,189 And one of the things He said 1533 01:08:36,189 --> 01:08:38,490 is lepers - you remember the leper? 1534 01:08:38,490 --> 01:08:41,625 Lepers are cleansed. 1535 01:08:41,625 --> 01:08:45,933 He touched the lepers. 1536 01:08:45,933 --> 01:08:48,133 A woman of the city - a sinner - 1537 01:08:48,133 --> 01:08:49,710 there in Luke 7:37. 1538 01:08:49,710 --> 01:08:51,551 The defilement of a prostitute. 1539 01:08:51,551 --> 01:08:55,792 Jesus gave Himself to the defiled. 1540 01:08:55,792 --> 01:08:57,894 I know it, brethren, there's something in us 1541 01:08:57,894 --> 01:08:59,951 that we want to stay clean. 1542 01:08:59,951 --> 01:09:02,145 We have a sister in our church - 1543 01:09:02,145 --> 01:09:04,822 she's married now, but back when she was single, 1544 01:09:04,822 --> 01:09:06,356 we have a women's Grace House 1545 01:09:06,356 --> 01:09:08,835 in the East side of our city. 1546 01:09:08,835 --> 01:09:10,717 We take care of these ladies. 1547 01:09:10,717 --> 01:09:12,495 She was living over there 1548 01:09:12,495 --> 01:09:15,178 or helping over there - I forget which, 1549 01:09:15,178 --> 01:09:18,169 but she really would reach out to these children. 1550 01:09:18,169 --> 01:09:21,069 This is a bad part of town. 1551 01:09:21,069 --> 01:09:28,219 And these kids were often dirty 1552 01:09:28,219 --> 01:09:31,171 and smelled horrible. 1553 01:09:31,171 --> 01:09:35,276 And she'd pull up and they'd be so excited 1554 01:09:35,276 --> 01:09:37,870 because she poured out love to these kids. 1555 01:09:37,870 --> 01:09:39,779 And they would come running 1556 01:09:39,779 --> 01:09:41,742 and they would jump in her car 1557 01:09:41,742 --> 01:09:42,916 when she opened the door 1558 01:09:42,916 --> 01:09:44,248 and jump in her lap. 1559 01:09:44,248 --> 01:09:45,968 And they're like wearing clothes 1560 01:09:45,968 --> 01:09:47,506 that haven't been washed in - 1561 01:09:47,506 --> 01:09:49,073 who knows? Forever. 1562 01:09:49,073 --> 01:09:51,422 Covered with all sorts of grime 1563 01:09:51,422 --> 01:09:53,011 and nastiness. 1564 01:09:53,011 --> 01:10:01,103 And she just is all over them. 1565 01:10:01,103 --> 01:10:05,995 What a picture of Christlikeness! 1566 01:10:05,995 --> 01:10:08,889 (incomplete thought) 1567 01:10:08,889 --> 01:10:11,073 Don't be weird. 1568 01:10:11,073 --> 01:10:12,857 I mean, when it comes to evangelism, 1569 01:10:12,857 --> 01:10:14,450 yes, Christians are different, 1570 01:10:14,450 --> 01:10:20,171 but don't be weird. 1571 01:10:20,171 --> 01:10:23,490 We need to get out into the world. 1572 01:10:23,490 --> 01:10:26,467 And just remember this. 1573 01:10:26,467 --> 01:10:28,408 Sometimes when we get a person, 1574 01:10:28,408 --> 01:10:30,228 we feel like we've got to take them 1575 01:10:30,228 --> 01:10:32,299 from A to Z. 1576 01:10:32,299 --> 01:10:35,306 Preach Genesis to Revelation. 1577 01:10:35,306 --> 01:10:38,581 You don't have to do that. 1578 01:10:38,581 --> 01:10:40,061 I remember Richard Bennett - 1579 01:10:40,061 --> 01:10:41,300 converted Catholic priest. 1580 01:10:41,300 --> 01:10:43,049 He's written a book 1581 01:10:43,049 --> 01:10:46,234 on converted priests and converted nuns. 1582 01:10:46,234 --> 01:10:49,552 None of them were ever saved 1583 01:10:49,552 --> 01:10:52,004 hearing one message 1584 01:10:52,004 --> 01:10:55,149 or one Gospel presentation. 1585 01:10:55,149 --> 01:10:56,579 In fact, I've heard the same 1586 01:10:56,579 --> 01:10:58,654 with regards to Muslims. 1587 01:10:58,654 --> 01:11:01,188 Muslims are not converted in one message 1588 01:11:01,188 --> 01:11:02,998 or one encounter. 1589 01:11:02,998 --> 01:11:06,337 Typically, on average, it's months 1590 01:11:06,337 --> 01:11:09,082 or years of being exposed to the truth. 1591 01:11:09,082 --> 01:11:10,212 We recognize this: 1592 01:11:10,212 --> 01:11:16,207 we are one piece in the machinery of God. 1593 01:11:16,207 --> 01:11:18,886 You don't have to say everything. 1594 01:11:18,886 --> 01:11:19,982 And I would say this: 1595 01:11:19,982 --> 01:11:22,373 Never say more than what people want to hear. 1596 01:11:22,373 --> 01:11:23,245 You remember? 1597 01:11:23,245 --> 01:11:25,397 Shake the dust off your feet. 1598 01:11:25,397 --> 01:11:27,597 You remember texts like that? 1599 01:11:27,597 --> 01:11:31,136 Or don't throw your pearls before swine. 1600 01:11:31,136 --> 01:11:33,927 Listen, if people want to hear, 1601 01:11:33,927 --> 01:11:38,657 you recognize Paul said, 1602 01:11:38,657 --> 01:11:41,187 you don't count yourself worthy of this. 1603 01:11:41,187 --> 01:11:46,848 You remember? I think that's Acts 14? 1604 01:11:46,848 --> 01:11:47,982 Not worthy. 1605 01:11:47,982 --> 01:11:49,734 You know if people want to argue, 1606 01:11:49,734 --> 01:11:50,810 people want to scoff. 1607 01:11:50,810 --> 01:11:52,820 There's a place to shake the dust off. 1608 01:11:52,820 --> 01:11:54,698 You know if you're talking to somebody 1609 01:11:54,698 --> 01:11:58,104 and it's obvious that they're not interested, 1610 01:11:58,104 --> 01:11:59,624 you can just say, 1611 01:11:59,624 --> 01:12:01,777 apparently you have some things 1612 01:12:01,777 --> 01:12:05,072 that are more important right now 1613 01:12:05,072 --> 01:12:07,673 and you can go. 1614 01:12:07,673 --> 01:12:09,572 I mean, look, what we're bringing 1615 01:12:09,572 --> 01:12:11,170 is the treasure of all treasures, 1616 01:12:11,170 --> 01:12:12,697 and if people aren't interested, 1617 01:12:12,697 --> 01:12:17,117 you don't need to keep going. 1618 01:12:17,117 --> 01:12:18,613 You don't need to go on and on. 1619 01:12:18,613 --> 01:12:20,075 Sometimes we have this idea 1620 01:12:20,075 --> 01:12:21,671 that when people are rejecting, 1621 01:12:21,671 --> 01:12:23,251 well, if we could just say more, 1622 01:12:23,251 --> 01:12:25,788 at some point they're going to be receptive. 1623 01:12:25,788 --> 01:12:27,696 You know what you typically find? 1624 01:12:27,696 --> 01:12:29,439 Is the people that are receptive, 1625 01:12:29,439 --> 01:12:32,135 they're people that God has been working on already. 1626 01:12:32,135 --> 01:12:35,319 Now, they may be antagonistic. 1627 01:12:35,319 --> 01:12:39,036 It may be something that's touching them 1628 01:12:39,036 --> 01:12:42,004 at very sensitive points. 1629 01:12:42,004 --> 01:12:43,521 You need to be discerning, 1630 01:12:43,521 --> 01:12:45,251 but if people just aren't interested, 1631 01:12:45,251 --> 01:12:50,892 you don't need to keep going on and on and on. 1632 01:12:50,892 --> 01:12:52,111 I would say this: 1633 01:12:52,111 --> 01:12:54,496 Scrap the friendship evangelism approach. 1634 01:12:54,496 --> 01:12:56,891 Some people are all about that. 1635 01:12:56,891 --> 01:12:59,086 Look, it's great to evangelize your friends, 1636 01:12:59,086 --> 01:13:00,880 but that is not the only approach. 1637 01:13:00,880 --> 01:13:02,612 When Jesus found the woman at the well, 1638 01:13:02,612 --> 01:13:03,841 that wasn't an old friend. 1639 01:13:03,841 --> 01:13:05,843 He didn't say, well, I better camp out here 1640 01:13:05,843 --> 01:13:07,440 for months on end to befriend this lady 1641 01:13:07,440 --> 01:13:10,221 before I bring the Gospel to her. 1642 01:13:10,221 --> 01:13:11,909 That's not necessary. 1643 01:13:11,909 --> 01:13:16,284 And just one last thought here. 1644 01:13:16,284 --> 01:13:18,342 Disciple the lost. 1645 01:13:18,342 --> 01:13:20,076 That's what the Great Commission is. 1646 01:13:20,076 --> 01:13:21,982 We are to make disciples. 1647 01:13:21,982 --> 01:13:23,856 I would say this: disciple the lost. 1648 01:13:23,856 --> 01:13:26,467 We've got to get away from that one, 1649 01:13:26,467 --> 01:13:31,520 radical decision mindset of evangelism. 1650 01:13:31,520 --> 01:13:33,206 That's not what Jesus said. 1651 01:13:33,206 --> 01:13:34,605 He didn't say go out 1652 01:13:34,605 --> 01:13:37,200 and speak the Gospel and hope to get 1653 01:13:37,200 --> 01:13:38,599 these immediate decisions 1654 01:13:38,599 --> 01:13:40,573 where somebody falls down on their knees 1655 01:13:40,573 --> 01:13:42,037 and says the sinner's prayer. 1656 01:13:42,037 --> 01:13:43,552 He said make disciples. 1657 01:13:43,552 --> 01:13:45,358 If you're going to disciple the lost, 1658 01:13:45,358 --> 01:13:47,263 that means that what you're doing 1659 01:13:47,263 --> 01:13:49,794 is you're teaching. 1660 01:13:49,794 --> 01:13:52,134 You're seeking to persuade them - 1661 01:13:52,134 --> 01:13:54,070 just like Paul, just like Jesus did 1662 01:13:54,070 --> 01:13:55,433 to the rich, young ruler. 1663 01:13:55,433 --> 01:13:56,779 What did He do? Did He say, 1664 01:13:56,779 --> 01:13:59,167 fall down on your knees and say this little prayer? 1665 01:13:59,167 --> 01:14:00,575 He didn't. 1666 01:14:00,575 --> 01:14:02,835 He's looking at his life. 1667 01:14:02,835 --> 01:14:05,109 He's talking to him about the law 1668 01:14:05,109 --> 01:14:06,626 and what's good. 1669 01:14:06,626 --> 01:14:10,094 And He says, "Follow Me." 1670 01:14:10,094 --> 01:14:12,455 That's what being a disciple is. Follow Me. 1671 01:14:12,455 --> 01:14:13,904 And if you want to follow Me, 1672 01:14:13,904 --> 01:14:15,615 here's the path to that. 1673 01:14:15,615 --> 01:14:17,753 You go sell all that you have. 1674 01:14:17,753 --> 01:14:21,198 You pour into these people. 1675 01:14:21,198 --> 01:14:24,764 You're pointing them to following Christ. 1676 01:14:24,764 --> 01:14:26,212 That's always the issue. 1677 01:14:26,212 --> 01:14:28,462 Follow Christ. Trust Him. 1678 01:14:28,462 --> 01:14:30,714 Call upon Him. 1679 01:14:30,714 --> 01:14:35,263 Call upon Him. 1680 01:14:35,263 --> 01:14:37,846 Ask Him to forgive you of your sins. 1681 01:14:37,846 --> 01:14:39,878 Find what He says in the Word 1682 01:14:39,878 --> 01:14:43,142 and ask Him to give you the strength to do it. 1683 01:14:43,142 --> 01:14:45,326 Look to Him and trust Him 1684 01:14:45,326 --> 01:14:46,428 and follow Him. 1685 01:14:46,428 --> 01:14:47,538 This is what He says. 1686 01:14:47,538 --> 01:14:49,456 You've got sin? Yes, you've got sin. 1687 01:14:49,456 --> 01:14:51,047 You confess it to Him. 1688 01:14:51,047 --> 01:14:52,535 Take it to Him. 1689 01:14:52,535 --> 01:14:53,950 Take all your weakness. 1690 01:14:53,950 --> 01:14:55,329 Take all your doubts. 1691 01:14:55,329 --> 01:14:56,798 Take your fears. 1692 01:14:56,798 --> 01:14:58,944 Take your hatred. You hate Him? 1693 01:14:58,944 --> 01:15:00,555 Some people like Martin Luther, 1694 01:15:00,555 --> 01:15:02,249 he said he hated God. 1695 01:15:02,249 --> 01:15:05,061 You take all that to Him. You confess it to Him. 1696 01:15:05,061 --> 01:15:07,433 You send them to the Lord. Send them to the Lord. 1697 01:15:07,433 --> 01:15:08,978 Send them to the Lord. 1698 01:15:08,978 --> 01:15:10,235 If they've got questions, 1699 01:15:10,235 --> 01:15:11,507 you send them to the Lord. 1700 01:15:11,507 --> 01:15:14,685 If they've got doubts, you send them to the Lord. 1701 01:15:14,685 --> 01:15:15,943 Ask the Lord. 1702 01:15:15,943 --> 01:15:18,035 Ask the Lord to show you the truth. 1703 01:15:18,035 --> 01:15:20,100 Go into the book of John and read. 1704 01:15:20,100 --> 01:15:21,445 But discipling them - 1705 01:15:21,445 --> 01:15:22,835 you're wanting to pour in. 1706 01:15:22,835 --> 01:15:26,213 It's not just: here's Jesus. He died on the cross for you. 1707 01:15:26,213 --> 01:15:27,460 Is this wonderful news? 1708 01:15:27,460 --> 01:15:29,164 Would you like to say this prayer? 1709 01:15:29,164 --> 01:15:31,972 We've got to get away from this one-time decisional thing. 1710 01:15:31,972 --> 01:15:34,288 And even though we've got examples in our church 1711 01:15:34,288 --> 01:15:36,263 of these really radical one-time "bang! 1712 01:15:36,263 --> 01:15:39,360 people are saved" kind of experiences, 1713 01:15:39,360 --> 01:15:41,798 with a lot of people, that's not the way it is. 1714 01:15:41,798 --> 01:15:43,223 A lot of people will say 1715 01:15:43,223 --> 01:15:45,777 it's not like the light switch just got turned on. 1716 01:15:45,777 --> 01:15:48,771 It's more like the dawning of the day. 1717 01:15:48,771 --> 01:15:52,929 Just kind of: the sun came up on them. 1718 01:15:52,929 --> 01:15:55,208 So recognize, most people you deal with 1719 01:15:55,208 --> 01:15:57,425 are going to be like that. 1720 01:15:57,425 --> 01:15:59,331 We want to be lights in the world. 1721 01:15:59,331 --> 01:16:00,898 That's what Jesus said we are. 1722 01:16:00,898 --> 01:16:02,844 And you're not being a light if you take 1723 01:16:02,844 --> 01:16:05,124 that bushel basket and you cover yourself up. 1724 01:16:05,124 --> 01:16:07,082 The greatest light you have - 1725 01:16:07,082 --> 01:16:08,995 it's not like beams from you, 1726 01:16:08,995 --> 01:16:10,029 like that lighthouse. 1727 01:16:10,029 --> 01:16:11,899 The light that beams from you 1728 01:16:11,899 --> 01:16:13,964 is the light that comes out of this book 1729 01:16:13,964 --> 01:16:15,391 into your mind 1730 01:16:15,391 --> 01:16:18,465 and out through your life and your mouth. 1731 01:16:18,465 --> 01:16:21,477 That is how the light is projected by you. 1732 01:16:21,477 --> 01:16:23,302 You've got to be speaking. 1733 01:16:23,302 --> 01:16:25,298 You've got to be demonstrating. 1734 01:16:25,298 --> 01:16:27,633 You've got to be acting. 1735 01:16:27,633 --> 01:16:29,209 Well, amen.