Evangelize

There is a very narrow view on what evangelism means and what it looks like in the Bible.  Take a look at these descriptions.

 The Lord’s followers who had been scattered went from place to place, telling the good news. – Acts 8:4

Then he sent them to tell about God’s kingdom and to heal the sick. – Luke 9:2

Soon after this, Jesus was going through towns and villages, telling the good news about God’s kingdom. His twelve apostles were with him – Luke 8:1

It is either telling the good news, or telling about God’s Kingdom or both. Even though we only see the announcement part in these verses we know that these lead to an invitation to enter that Kingdom by faith and repentance.

In fact, it is such a narrow view that it plays only a fraction in the life of the Church.  Paul in fact had to refuse certain roles just so He could focus on evangelism.

Christ did not send me to baptize. He sent me to tell the good news without using big words that would make the cross of Christ lose its power. – 1 Corinthians 1:17

It also indicates that apologetics did not play a big part in evangelism either even though Paul did try to encourage people to respond.

What happened to those wise people? What happened to those experts in the Scriptures? What happened to the ones who think they have all the answers? Didn’t God show that the wisdom of this world is foolish?  We know what it means to respect the Lord, and we encourage everyone to turn to him. God himself knows what we are like, and I hope you also know what kind of people we are. – 1 Corinthians 5:20; 2 Corinthians 5:11

Christian service or action or protests against injustices do not play a part in evangelism either.

 A lot of people were now becoming followers of the Lord. But some of the ones who spoke Greek started complaining about the ones who spoke Aramaic. They complained that the Greek-speaking widows were not given their share when the food supplies were handed out each day. The twelve apostles called the whole group of followers together and said, “We should not give up preaching God’s message in order to serve at tables. – Acts 6:1-2

Jesus and the poor

Jesus embodies the message of Isaiah –

I’ll tell you
what it really means
    to worship the Lord.
Remove the chains of prisoners
    who are chained unjustly.
Free those who are abused!
 Share your food with everyone
    who is hungry;
share your home
    with the poor and homeless.
Give clothes to those in need;
don’t turn away your relatives. – Isaiah 58:6-7

The entrance

We see the gradual but irresistible power of God re-conquering and redeeming His fallen creation through the giving of His own Son at the very centre of the 4000-year period beginning in 2000 BC.  This is tersely summed up —

The one who practices sin [separating himself from God, and offending Him by acts of disobedience, indifference, or rebellion] is of the devil [and takes his inner character and moral values from him, not God]; for the devil has sinned and violated God’s law from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.                1 John 3:8

There is a single ten-epoch 4,000 year unfolding story, the theme that links all ten epochs is the grace of God intervening ….

We know [for a fact] that we are of God, and the whole world [around us] lies in the power of the evil one [opposing God and His precepts].         1 John 5:19

… contesting an enemy who temporarily is …

among them the god of this world [Satan] has blinded the minds of the unbelieving to prevent them from seeing the illuminating light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. – 2 Corinthians 4:4

… so that the nations will praise God’s name.

 

 

 

Your Kingdom Come

The Kingdom of God and the Mission of God

 

 

Latter days

We cannot forget the possibility and the promise of revival, the refreshing of the latter days of the outpouring of the Spirit promised.  That will happen right up to the advent of the Lord Jesus Christ. – Billy Graham, Lausanne Congress, 1974

 

 

 

 

The Latter Days

 

Massive turning to Christ

The massive turning to Christ by people from the four corners of the earth will prepare the way for the coming of the King.  Our Lord’s return may be waiting now on this spiritual revolution —

So wait patiently, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits [expectantly] for the precious harvest from the land, being patient about it, until it receives the early and late rains.  You too, be patient; strengthen your hearts [keep them energized and firmly committed to God], because the coming of the Lord is near. – James 5:7-8

The fact that our Lord has not already returned to establish His kingdom is evidence of His desire to see the Church perfected and the gospel presented to every person for whom He died. But we dare not presume upon His patience, though none of us can be so sure of our understanding of prophecy as to preclude His return at any moment.

As we anticipate the coming world revival, prayer is our greatest resource. Surely it is time.  There is no other way to bring life to the Church and hope to the barren fields of the world.

As the first Great Awakening was sweeping America in 1748, Jonathan Edwards, responding to a proposal from church leaders in Scotland, published, A Humble Attempt to Promote Explicit Agreement and Visible Union of God’s People in Extraordinary Prayer, for the Revival of Religion and the Advancement of Christ’s Kingdom on Earth, Pursuant to Scripture Promises and Prophecies Concerning the Last Time. It was an appeal for the Church to unite in earnest intercession for world revival —

We may observe who they are that shall be united in thus seeking the Lord of hosts: the inhabitants of many cities, and of many countries, yea, many people, and strong nations, great multitudes in different parts of the world shall conspire in this business. From the representation made in the prophecy, it appears rational to suppose, that it will be fulfilled something after this manner: There shall be given much of a spirit of prayer to God’s people, in many places, disposing them to come into an express agreement, unitedly to pray to God in an extraordinary manner, that he would appear for the help of his church, and in mercy to mankind, and pour out his Spirit, revive his work, and advance his spiritual kingdom in the world, as he promised. This disposition to prayer, and union in it, will gradually spread more and more, and increase to greater degrees; with which at length will gradually be introduced a revival of religion, and a disposition to greater engagedness in the worship and service of God, amongst his professing people. This being observed, will be the means of awakening others, making them sensible of the wants of their souls, and exciting in them a great concern for their spiritual and everlasting good, and putting them upon earnestly crying to God for spiritual mercies, and disposing them to join in that extraordinary seeking and serving of God.

In this manner religion shall be propagated, till the awakening reaches those that are in the highest stations, and till whole nations be awakened, and there be at length an accession of many of the chief nations of the world to the church of God. Thus after the inhabitants of many cities of Israel, or of God’s professing people, have taken up and pursued a joint resolution, to go and pray before the Lord, and seek the Lord of hosts, others shall be drawn to worship and serve him with them; till at length many people and strong nations shall join themselves to them; and there shall, in process of time, be a vast accession to the church, so that it shall be ten times as large as it was before; yea, at length, all nations shall be converted unto God. Thus (Zechariah 8:23.) “ten men shall take hold, out of all languages of the nations, of the skirt of him that is a Jew,” (in the sense of the apostle,

Romans 2:28, 29.) “saying, We will go with you; for we have heard, that God is with you.” And thus shall be fulfilled, “O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.” (Psalm 65:2)

 

 

 

 

 

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