Jesus is the Man of Sorrows because of how much suffering he had to endure, especially suffering the wrath of God as the sin-bearer. At the same time, Jesus is filled with joy even though he knows what he has to suffer in the near future. What was the source of Jesus’ joy while carrying the title of Man of Sorrows?

Jesus rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit by praising the Father, Lord of heaven and earth (v 21). As the Christian’s joy is knowing their names are recorded in heaven (v 20), Jesus also rejoices in this truth that the Christian is secured by God in their salvation. At the same time, Jesus’ joy is found in the Holy Spirit praising God the Father. The Father is the one who 

Jesus’ joy is found in the truth that God the Father has hidden the mystery of Jesus Christ from the wise and intelligent and has revealed them to infants (v 21). In this context, the disciples were sent out by Jesus to perform miracles in healing the sick and casting out demons. Being sent out by Jesus implies that they belong to Jesus and that the disciples are followers of Jesus Christ. And apart from Jesus, the disciples can do nothing. To the wise and intelligent, Jesus is hidden, unknown, and tasteless because God the Father is the only one who opens eyes to see and know that Jesus is the Savior (i.e., the gospel of Jesus Christ). 

Even when the gospel of Jesus Christ is heard by many, they cannot understand without the Holy Spirit. Specifically in today’s text, Jesus rejoices that the Father has hidden the gospel of Christ from the wise and intelligent. The wise and intelligent are worldly people who are learned, proud, and spiritually blind. But those whom God has chosen before the foundation of the world are given eyes to see what is hidden. In other words, God makes his truth digestible, attractable, and believable to spiritual infants. The spiritual infants have total dependence on God. They are humble, hunger for the truth, and have repentant hearts. By faith, they become spiritual infants.

Moreover, the spiritual infant is poor in spirit (Matt. 5:3). The profound truths of God and salvation are the contrast between being able and unable to hear, understand, and believe (John MacArthur). The spiritually poor who have been crucified with Christ (Gal. 2:20) are the ones who personally know the love of Jesus Christ by God’s revelation to them in the Holy Spirit. 

Lastly, Jesus gives glory to God the Father for his doing in hiding the truth of the gospel to the wise and intelligent and only revealing it to the spiritual infant (v 21). Everything God wills is perfect and brings pleasure to him, and in that, Jesus rejoiced greatly.

One of the many characteristics a Christian demonstrates is joy because Jesus Christ is the greatest source of joy. But even for some Christians, their joy can be circumstantial instead of being rooted in Christ himself. Circumstantial or worldly joy is unstable and has its ups and downs depending on what surrounds the person. However, the joy of the Lord is steady and always present in any circumstance. In today’s text, Jesus was with the seventy-two disciples to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ and their joy is expressed when they are given the power and authority to subdue the evil spirits.

The joy of the disciples is genuine. When even the demons are subject to Jesus’ name, they do not pride themselves in the ability to do so but give glory to Christ because it was only done by using his name. Throughout Scripture, God’s name is lifted on high and praised highly. When the disciples used Jesus’ name and depended on it to exorcise demons, they were elated to be given the task of casting out demons while sharing the gospel.

God’s permanent protection from Satan’s schemes gives joy to the disciples. God empowered and allowed the disciples to use Christ’s name over all the power of the enemy (v 19). In other words, it is important to understand the power of Jesus’ name. Not only did Jesus give them authority over all the power of the enemy, but he also guaranteed that nothing would injure them. They were able to walk on snakes and scorpions but without harm. What this implies is that Christians are protected by God in the midst of Satan’s schemes that will lead them to the pits of hell. Outside of the seventy-two being sent, Christians in general are protected from eternal punishment. Moreover, God eternally protects Christians as they are ultimately able to rest in heaven forever.

Christians have inner joy as they have their names recorded in heaven. Without this, Christians easily build on something that will crumble and their sanctification cannot even be achieved. Jesus himself is the author of the Book of Life that is in heaven.

To be written in the Book of Life means that every Christian is precious to God. Without the sovereignty of God, there is no life. God gives kingdom citizenship to those who are in the Book of Life as well. Heaven’s citizens are merely passing through this life to be used by God for his purpose and heading home for eternity. Lastly, those whose names are in the Book of Life have been elected by God before the foundation of the world. 

How can Christians be assured that their names are written in the Book of Life? When Christians have genuinely repented and believe in their hearts that Jesus Christ is Lord and that God raised him from the dead (Ro. 10:9). In addition, having a desire to be more like Christ is not something sinners are able to do on their own, but by God. There is no justification without ongoing sanctification. In other words, is sanctification a top priority and concern in one’s life? Moreover, true Christians demonstrate their true faith through their obedience and prayer as it is the expression of love for God.

The greatest joy is understanding the wonder of salvation. Without this understanding, all other joys are temporal and circumstantial. But as Christians know the Lord Jesus personally and knowing where they’re headed is the greatest joy anyone can possess. God sent his one and only Son to die for sinners who would repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ to be used by him for his glory.

God warns everyone of His holy judgement out of His compassion. For example, God used Noah to warn the people about the coming flood for over 100 years so that they might turn from their sins and be saved. Jerusalem was also warned about the upcoming desolation (Luke 21:21-22). Those who didn’t pay heed suffered the most horrible siege where people resorted to eating trash and attacking each other to avoid starvation. In Luke 10 Jesus is warning about the upcoming judgement for sinners. In light of the prior examples, we should take this warning with extreme seriousness.

One thing to notice, God will judge differently those who have heard versus those who haven’t heard. This shows that God’s judgement is not general but specific, exact and fair. The disciples were sent into the cities to heal the sick and preach the kingdom of God. To those who did not receive them, the disciples were to wipe the dust off (Luke 10:11). The wiping of the dust is the damning verdict where Jesus wants nothing to do with them. Not only does Jesus cut them off, but they will be punished more severely than the city of Sodom. Sodom was one of the most immoral cities in the history of mankind, yet it will be worse for those who have heard and rejected it. This should terrify everyone.

In today’s world, there are many countries that have free access to the gospel such as the United States where we live, Europe, Latin America and even Asia. But there are some countries that have never heard of Jesus, countries in remote parts of Africa and Asia. Not only has the gospel spread almost everywhere, but we also have smartphones which means the gospel and numerous Biblical resources are easily available. No era has had such astounding access to the Bible and the truth of the gospel. Yet this world doesn’t want to hear it, which means today’s generation is in much more danger because of the privilege it has (Luke 12:48). Woe to us because we are worse than Chorazin and Bethsaida.

The word “woe” is a scary word which means great calamity (Isaiah 6:5). Jesus declares woe as a divine judgement on those cities. Jesus had raised the dead, healed lepers and performed countless miracles day after day (John 21:25). Yet their reaction to such amazing demonstrations of God’s grace was poor. The same could be said of us who live in the United States. We don’t face persecution and live comfortably, not because we deserve it but because of God’s grace. Yet we react poorly with no repentance or obedience. The godless and pagan cities of Tyre and Sidon would have repented like Nineveh (Jonah 3:5). Where is our repentance?

Repentance is the proper response to the gospel (Mark 1:15). Everything flows from the gospel through repentance. By repentance, we gain entry to the kingdom of God. Without repentance, we are still slaves to sin and Satan. Repentance is realizing you are a guilty sinner before the holy God. You have a new desire to renounce sin, leave the world, take up the cross and follow Christ despite what it may cost. It is turning from your old sinful self and turning to God. What we must acknowledge is that repentance is a gift of God through the enlightening work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit helps us realize our sins and empowers us to seek after Jesus. Repentance is more than an external change but an internal dying of self and renewing in Jesus Christ (Galatians 2:20).

It doesn’t matter how bad your sin is or how many sins you have done, Jesus can forgive them if you repent. Jesus bore your sin fully on the cross and by repentance the power of the cross can be applied to you. There is nothing more powerful than the cross of Jesus Christ. No religion or tradition can save you from your sin. It is your dangerous pride that prevents you from truly repenting. Pride thinks we can be happy without God. Pride blinds you by claiming that you are a good person and you don’t need God. That is why humility is absolutely necessary for true repentance.

Capernaum was a popular city that was a cultural, financial and religious center of that region. Their residents were proud of the greatness of their city. Again, this sounds similar to Americans today who think the United States is great and faithful. America’s greatness must be attributed to God because it all comes from Him. But now America has focused on the gifts instead of the God who gave them. The consequence is a Christ-less and powerless gospel that is flooding our churches. Without the warning of the evangelists, society has also declined into a ridiculous garbage intellectualism (Colossians 2:8). The modern western world is full of cultural Christians who have never heeded the warning. Therefore, like the city of Capernaum, our society “will be brought down to Hades”. This is the severe outcome of the cultural Christians who walk through the wide gate (Luke 13:23-24). Jesus condemns the pretenders and rejectors to hell. There is no relief in hell but eternal pain and agony. It is the most horrific and terrifying judgement. By God’s grace, you are warned.

So listen to the gospel message and its preacher because it’s Jesus’ compassion to send someone to warn you and rescue you. Those of us who are Christians were saved by someone sharing the gospel with us. Before it’s too late, listen to the gospel of Jesus Christ, repent and believe. Do not wait for a sign or miracle, but hear the message. God calls you to repentance. Otherwise be warned, if you reject the gospel message, then it’s over for you. Cast aside your pride, repent and receive the mercy and love of God through Jesus Christ which is the greatest joy.

Jesus is the good news. Jesus had sent out 72 disciples to preach the Kingdom of God, the gospel message. Up until this point since the fall of man through Adam, everyone had known only one way to be saved, through works and religion. But now, the good news is that Jesus the Son of God has come to save us from our sins, to give life to us who are dead, through His death and resurrection. This is the good news! Tragically there are many who reject the gospel, thanks but no thanks. So Jesus warns them.

Warnings are good and necessary to protect us from future harm. The Bible is full of warnings. From the beginning, God warns Adam and Eve not to eat of the tree or they will surely die (Genesis 2:16-17). Near the end of WWII, the US military distributed the Lemay leaflets and warned the Japanese of the terrifying power of the newly developed atomic bomb and pleaded with them to evacuate their cities. Those leaflets were largely ignored. Along the same lines, Jesus’ warning should not be taken lightly because the consequences are even more devastating.

Why do people reject the good news? They are not holy and fail to understand sin and the need for forgiveness. Forgiveness is the foundation of the gospel but without understanding God is holy and I am a sinner there is no desire for forgiveness. God demands perfection but we cannot accomplish it, so God sent Jesus to accomplish it on our behalf (James 2:10, 1 Cor 5:21).

They don’t realize that rejection brings judgment and punishment. Luke 10:12 How many of us warn those who reject the gospel? Jesus commands His disciples that after they are rejected, they are to go out into public and loudly declare the warning (Luke 10:10). Warnings are not to be whispered but shouted so that as many people as possible can hear them.

After they warn the people, they are to wipe the dust off (Luke 10:11, Luke 9:5). Jesus wants nothing to do with them because they rejected His message. Those who refuse to receive the gospel have no part with Jesus. This is more than just a goodbye, but a warning of their impending judgment (Psalm 49:12, Hebrews 9:27). Jesus is the only hope for us. The gospel is the message that draws us into the arms of God. When we share the gospel we share the good news of eternal life but we also must warn them of the judgment to come.

Luke 10:11 continues saying, “Yet know this, that the kingdom of God is at hand.” “At hand” means it’s near which means there is still time. Jesus shows compassion through His warning by saying it’s not too late. It’s not over until it’s over. Even though you rejected the gospel, there is still hope and this is your warning. Jesus is full of compassion and gives you another chance, even though you don’t deserve it. (Jonah 4:11, Luke 19:41-42). For example, Jerusalem killed the prophets, yes Jesus says he continually wanted to gather them under His wings (Matthew 23:27). His compassion is not a fleeting emotion but always there, ready to save you. Therefore, Jesus’ warning is not revenge but compassion. He gives you another chance through a warning.

Why is the warning important? Because the kingdom of God is real. The kingdom of God begins with Jesus and He established it (Matthew 3:17,4:23). Jesus is our King and He is here. He is a great and mighty King who raises the dead to life. It is a real kingdom that every believer experiences. Jesus is the only hope because He is the Savior King who actually saves us. There are many pretend kings that falsely offer salvation. It could be money, a thing, a religion, or a relationship but they all fail. Nothing can satisfy our needs or take away our guilt. Only Jesus can take away every sin, failure, and lacking as He enters our hearts. To receive the Gospel is to be in Christ and to be in Christ is to be infused with the divine life. This means the gospel brings us into the Kingdom where Jesus is our Lord and our life is of God and for God.

The warning is a terrifying truth and must be taken seriously. “It will be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city” Luke 10:12 In Genesis 19, God destroyed the city of Sodom as judgment for their horrible immorality and depravity. God gives the verdict for everyone and executes His judgment. “In that day” points to the day of the Great White Throne where Jesus will open the books and everyone will be judged according to their deeds. (Revelation 20:11-15) Only those whose names are in the Book of Life will be spared from being thrown into the lake of fire.

Sodom is real and historical (Luke 17:29, Genesis 19:24). The fire and sulfur described are more powerful and hotter than what we can imagine, like hellfire. Everyone is a sinner already condemned to hell and the only way to escape such punishment is through Jesus the Son of God (John 3:18). “More tolerable” means there are different levels of punishment in hell. God is fair and all sinners deserve hell, however, he will not punish them the exact same (Matthew 23:14). The terrifying aspect of Jesus’ warning is that those who reject the gospel and His warning then they will be treated differently (Luke 12:48). Sodom didn’t get to hear the gospel but they were punished severely. The Pharisees will be judged more harshly because they received the Law first.

What about us who have received the full gospel and the fullness of the Scripture? We should tremble because we have rejected the complete and clarified revelation of the gospel and hear it spoken constantly every week. The church is not exempt but in fact, will be where judgment will begin and with a greater severity (1 Peter 4:17). So this warning is also to the church. Do you wholeheartedly love Jesus? Do you seek and desire for His presence? Do you submit to Him as King and obey Him? Repent and fully embrace the gospel.

Today’s message concludes the four-part series on what biblical evangelism is according to Jesus. So far the text has covered that soul winning involves divine nature, everyday Christians (not exclusive for leaders), preparation for Christ’s second coming, the act of harvesting, the act of few good faithful men, the act of prayer, the act of complete obedience (love for God), the act of total dependence on God (formidable enemy Christians face), and an act of urgency (many die each day).

Soul winning is an act of mediation (v 5-6). As the Lord Jesus instructed his disciples to greet whatever house they entered to say, ‘Peace be to this house’, every Christian possesses the peace of God to bring the hope of having peace with God. Between man and God, Jesus Christ was the Mediator who reconciled the sinner and God through his death and resurrection. For Christians, they bring peace with God to sinners through the gospel of Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:1). If there is no peace with God, there is only guilt and death (Jas. 2:10).

Christians have the peace of God because they have peace with God. Christians remain in God’s blessing and rest even though they might fail in their walk with God at times and when they get rejected in their evangelistic efforts. 

Soul winning is an act of hard work (v 7). Jesus commanded his disciples to “stay in that house, eating and drinking what they provide; for the laborer is deserving of his wages”. The world will call Christians hostile, dividers, and all kinds of names, but they cannot be silent because they are part of the greatest work of soul-winning. The Lord himself experienced hate from the world as the Savior who preached the kingdom of God, and it is he who blesses the work of evangelism. 

Soul winning has discrimination (v 8). Soul winning is cross-cultural. The Jews at the time of Jesus were still faithful to their kosher diet. However, Jesus commanded them to eat what they provided because nothing should hinder the sharing of the gospel message. In other words, love for the lost sinner has no bounds.

Soul winning always involves the preaching of the gospel message (v 9). As Christ’s healing and miracles revealed his authority and authenticated who he was, the Son of God, he also commanded his disciples to heal so that the gospel message was affirmed. And sinners are only able to believe in the gospel by hearing from Christians the miracles of miracles; that is, the Lord and Savior Jesus came down from heaven to die and be raised up (Rom. 10:14; 10:9).

The Christians improve gospel sharing by preaching the gospel to themselves daily because Christians face temptation and sin every day. By not believing in the gospel, they will commit perjury and hypocrisy. In addition, daily preaching of the gospel helps to articulate the message and helps the Christian when sharing it with others. Most importantly, unceasing prayer and dependence on the Holy Spirit will be the engine that drives the sharing of the gospel that brings about salvation.

Today we are continuing on the topic of evangelism. In this series, the main point is that Christians are soul winners. To recap, evangelism is an act of God, is carried out by all Christians, is preparing for Jesus’ return, is a harvesting, is the act of the few but faithful (the Christian), is an act of prayer, and is an act of complete obedience. 

Furthermore, soul-winning is an act of total dependence on God. If we depend on ourselves, then we depend on our knowledge, our experience, and eventually our authority. This type of evangelism can only end in disaster because it cannot win the spiritual battle over one’s soul. Jesus says, “I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves”. This almost sounds like a joke. It’s absurd and suicidal to send lambs out against wolves. That’s not a fight, that’s a feeding. The wolves represent the world that is full of danger and enemies (John 16:2-3). Jesus is saying the lambs must trust and depend on Him.  

Wolves are carnivores and they eat lambs. Why does Jesus use this unfair and lopsided comparison? First Corinthians 1:27 says God uses the foolish to shame the wise and the weak to shame the strong. This is the declaration of God’s power and confidence. Jesus says “I send you”. It doesn’t matter who we are, we’re just lambs, but what matters is who sends us. Jesus sends us. Jesus is the I AM, the eternal self-existent God who rules over all things (John 8:58, Isaiah 45:5) and He is the one who sends to win souls. When Jesus sends us it means He is with us. His sending is not farewell and good luck, but assuring us that He is behind us and with us. Whenever you speak, Jesus speaks. If they reject you, then they reject Jesus (Luke 10:16). 

To further clarify the need for trust and dependence on Him, Jesus tells them to not carry any money belt, bag or shoes. Simplicity and minimalism is a universal principle in evangelism. Evangelism is not strong or effective because of money or things. What we need is Jesus. We must be faithful to Jesus. Our evangelism fails because we forget that we are just mouthpieces for Christ. Many have misapplied 1 Peter 3:15 by preparing in an earthly way and relying on that preparation. The way we must prepare for evangelism is to sanctify Jesus as Lord in our hearts. By clarifying Jesus as Lord in our hearts we will depend on Him. This Lordship of Jesus rooted in our hearts results in powerful hope that is more effective than any program or strategy.

Evangelism requires urgency. “Greet no one on the way.” This restriction seems unfriendly or rude. However, Jesus is warning against being distracted by trivial things. The verb tense commands us urgently to not delay the act of evangelism. Like a fire truck on the way to the fire with its light flashing and siren blaring, we should go quickly to those who need the gospel because their situation is urgent. The life of an unbeliever is uncertain, unpredictable, and short (James 4:12-14). We never know when someone will die and face judgment. We must go quickly unless we regret our delays (John 3:18, Hebrews 9:27). 

The reality of hell also puts urgency in our evangelism. Hell is more horrible than we can imagine. Jesus clearly described the horrors of hell. There will be no end to weeping and gnashing of teeth. People in hell will beg for one drop of water but be denied any relief for all eternity. Multitudes upon multitudes of people will end up there without the gospel. They must be warned and pleaded with to repent and believe in Jesus Christ so they might be saved.

Jesus sends us to evangelize and true disciples follow Jesus before all things (Luke 9:59-60). There should be no delay. Respond to the call. Love is the first sign of true conversion. We used to love the world but now we love Jesus. So we respond to His calling by loving the lost as He loved us.

To recap the prior week’s part 1 of the series on evangelism or soul winning, Luke writes how the Lord Jesus Christ appointed seventy-two disciples to evangelize in every city and place where he was going (v 1). Evangelism requires the act of God, the act of every Christian, the act of preparing for Jesus’ second coming, and the act of harvesting (God has already planted before the foundation of the world). In today’s part 2 of the series on evangelism, Luke writes how soul-winning is the work of a few good faithful men of God. There is always a need for more laborers to be part of Jesus’ harvest and ministry. 

Soul saving is an act of the few. Throughout Scripture, the Lord prefers those that will totally surrender to him. God has chosen few to be his elect to change the world (Matt. 22:14). And these few have entered through the narrow gate. Genuine faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is what differentiates the few from those that have entered through the broad gate. Scripture also reveals that Satan and the demons believe in God, but what sets apart Christians from them is their heart transformation by turning from sin to God. Through regeneration of the Spirit and true conversion, Christians possess a sincere love and passion for the Lord. Christians are the few laborers this text describes whom God uses in evangelism.

Soul saving is an act of prayer. Those that are passionate about evangelism know the importance of prayer. Without prayer, evangelism does not work. There are three things to consider regarding prayer in this text. First, Jesus is the Lord of harvest. Salvation is solely up to the Lord Jesus Christ. So, prayer is a means of supernatural communication to the mighty God who saves. Second, prayer is commanded by Jesus if you’re in the business of saving souls. Christians heed the Lord’s command to pray because it is the work of the Spirit to save. Jesus exemplified the importance of prayer as he unceasingly prayed himself. Jesus could have used many different means to save sinners, but prayer was at the forefront of his evangelism.

When Christians fail to pray, they will inevitably fail at evangelism. Prayerlessness manifests an attitude of arrogance that they can save sinners without God. Conversely, prayer without ceasing shows a man who depends on God to complete his work through them. “What compels [the Christian] to pray when it comes to evangelism is the belief that only God can save the sinner. If [Chrisitans] are convinced that the gospel really is the power of God for the salvation of all who believe, [Christians] should be asking the Lord to take the message and use it in the hearts of people” (Tim Bertolet). Moreover, Christians should pray for themselves in that God provides boldness and opportunities to reap good results.

Soul saving is an act of complete obedience. Soul saving must be every believer’s ultimate goal as it comes from the Lord; therefore, all Christians are to obey. In today’s text, the Lord Jesus commands the disciples to “go” (v 3). There are three implications to the word “go”.

Going implies that the disciples’ obedience is demonstrated in going with Jesus Christ as an act of love, worship, and honor to him. Loving, worshipping, and honoring God leads to a life of pleasing him and “will prove to be a holy life when followed on from day to day” (Anthony Norris Groves). Habitually going on in life with the Lord Jesus Christ leads to a life of being above reproach. 

Going implies walking or obeying through the Holy Spirit. Without the Spirit, Christians are unable to obey. How often have people experienced emotional highs attending church retreats, revival nights, and others that seemingly stir up a desire to live for the Lord, but how quickly that desire falls as the emotions dissipate when they come back to their respective homes. In contrast, true born-again Christians are led by the Spirit to live in obedience despite circumstances. God is the one that puts his Spirit and power in the believer to keep his laws (Ez. 36:27; Acts 1:8). Walking by the Spirit will also help the believer not to gratify the flesh because the power of the flesh deters them to do God’s work (Gal. 5:16).

The few laborers armed with prayer and the Spirit are able to accomplish God’s soul-saving work no matter the circumstances. Those that say otherwise are speaking lies. Everyone is living on God’s borrowed time. Christian, passionately ask God to work through you to prayerfully share the gospel of Jesus Christ!

What is the purpose of the church? In China, one of the words used for church actually comes from the word ‘teaching’ which is very appropriate because it also represents what Jesus did in His ministry (Acts 1:1-2). The purpose of the church is evangelism (Acts 1:8). Charles Spurgeon says “A church is a soul-saving company or it is nothing”. Luke 10 begins similarly to chapter 9 with Jesus sending out the disciples to preach the gospel. Jesus is constantly focused on evangelism, the spreading of the Gospel.

Soul winning (evangelism) is an act of God. It is the work of God working through men. Evangelism itself is a divine work based on God’s divine nature. If we understand this then we will also realize that evangelism is not a church program. “The Lord appointed seventy others”. Luke calls Jesus “Lord” (Philippians 2:10-11). Jesus is the omnipotent Lord who appoints you to proclaim the gospel. We cannot disobey Jesus who is our Lord. There should be no other authority above Jesus, no excuse that is more valid than Jesus (Romans 10:9-10; Luke 9:23).

Jesus appoints and sends the seventy in pairs to every city. We are also sent into the world every day. We are sent to where we go to work, go to school, go to shop, eat, go to play. Where we are is according to God’s sovereign wisdom. You might think you are not worthy or ready, but God knows who you are and sends you. You are sent to share the gospel you already know, the gospel by which you were saved. You can trust God because He is the Alpha and Omega. St. Patrick was captured by Irish pirates and enslaved, but during his captivity was when he was saved. After escaping Ireland, he went back to those who kidnapped and enslaved him to share the gospel. St. Patrick understood God’s wisdom and sovereignty over the events in his life. Joseph also acknowledged God’s sovereign plan in sending him to Egypt as a slave. We are all sovereignly placed by the wise choice of God to be here in the city of LA where there are over three million people who need to hear the gospel. If you are not sharing then you are disobeying God’s will for you.

Evangelism is also the act of the average Christian. It is not reserved for a few who seem to have the desire and skills for evangelism or ministry leaders. In Acts 11, the city of Antioch was reached through the lay Christians scattered. We don’t know the names of the seventy appointed but we know that they decided to follow Jesus wholeheartedly, unlike the three who were rejected at the end of Luke 9. They were normal Christians who submitted to the Lordship of Jesus and wanted to follow Jesus. There are only a few Christian names we remember through the centuries of the church, yet there are countless Christians saved by their fellow unknown Christians. God mostly uses the average Christian to share the gospel. His promise is to be with us as we obey the great commission (Matthew 28:20). His promise is not to the group or the organization but to the believer. He is with you as you witness to your friends, to your family, to your cowards, and your neighbor.

Soul winning is the act of preparing for Jesus’ return. The only way to face Jesus when He returns as King will be through the gospel. The seventy were sent ahead of Jesus to prepare them for the Messiah, to get them ready to receive Jesus. John the Baptist fulfilled a similar role for Jesus first coming (Luke 3:4) by preaching repentance and baptizing with water. We prepare the sinners for Jesus’ second coming through the same message of repentance and faith. If you know the love of God and if you truly love God then you will desire to save souls just as you were saved. There must be an urgency because Jesus is coming and when He returns it be to judge (John 3:17, Revelation 1:7). Evangelism is the way we prepare everyone for His return. Peter calls us to be fervent in prayer and sober-minded because the end is near (1 Peter 4:7-8). Jesus warns those who are lazy, that they will be punished (Matthew 25:26). Are you preparing for Jesus’ return? We don’t know when the day of judgment is coming so we must be ready. (1 Thessalonians 5:2)

Evangelism is an act of God’s providence. God provides through His wisdom, love, and power continually. This is because evangelism is a harvest of what God already planted since the foundation of the world. “The harvest is plentiful.” We did not plant the seeds, tend the field, or cause the growth. We are called to harvest. God has already chosen the elect from the beginning of time and they will respond with saving faith to the gospel. We don’t know who the elect are, which is why we share with everyone whenever we can. Plentiful refers to the fact that there are elect everywhere in every place and not a single one will be lost or forgotten. Zaccheus was a tax collector, an outcast with no chance to get close to Jesus (Luke 19:4-6), yet God provided the tree for Zaccheus to climb so that Jesus at the right moment, Jesus looked up and saw him. God saves His chosen through providential grace. This is why one thing God despises is a lazy Christian. He’s already provided everything, we are called to harvest. Thomas Brooks said a holy disposition and an idle life are a contradiction. The believer must not be lazy because the work is too important. God sends you to be fishers of men.

Signs of a church that neglects evangelism

– Ingrown and only focusing on the problems within

– Tunnel vision instead of seeing God’s greater purpose

– Sound doctrine arrogance which leads to a lack of grace

– Not ready to take up the cross because of pride

– Pursue to be nice instead of holy, or culturally sensitive

– Full of gossip and slander

– Thinking evangelism is the leader’s job

– Would rather keep the status quo than grow

We must repent genuinely of our disobedience to the evangelism commission. So far we have had a fake repentance. A fake repentance results in shallow and temporary praise of Jesus. Genuine repentance brings change, a change of judgment and a change of will, and a change of life. The truly repentant knows God and loves the lost as God does.

Understanding the meaning of discipleship according to Jesus is crucial. A disciple generally means a student or learner under a teacher. Context is important. Christian and disciple are interchangeable terms (Acts 11:26). The disciples of Christ were ultimately Christ-like people. In other words, if you’re Jesus’ disciple, you share the lifestyle of Jesus.

Biblically, true discipleship begins immediately after following Jesus as Lord and Savior (Matt. 4:22). Jesus’ discipleship is full of suffering but many do not understand because they merely think of discipleship as a title or that it might bring prosperity and success. The Son of Man and Creator was treated worse than even the animals. Jesus’ life was full of rejection and humiliation (Jn. 1:10-11; Matt. 2:13; Lk. 9:22). What kind of life, then, should disciples of Christ expect?

Jesus implies that the true cost of discipleship warns the prospective Christian to be ready for suffering for his sake. Why did Jesus suffer when he was sinless? Sinners hated him and were hostile against him because he preached the truth by confronting their sin and unbelief (Jn. 15:22-23). Unless sinners understand the holiness of God, they will never understand their own sinfulness. Those that love their sin hate God and Christ (Jn. 15:18). If sinners fail to understand the aforementioned truths of what it means to be Jesus’ disciple, unbelievers cannot become his disciple.

Discipleship is suffering as Jesus did. But what explanation can be given to those that think following Christ will result in a better life? The teaching and life of Jesus must be known and understood so that a true disciple of Christ is properly prepared. Jesus is essentially saying if anyone desires to follow him, they must count the cost.

Jesus helps to realize what the top priority must be when they become his disciple. Knowing and understanding what his disciples must do is to know their primary function. Abraham was a great example. God told him that his purpose was to become the father of all future believers. The man who wants to bury his father (v 57) has a seemingly legitimate reason to justify delaying to follow Christ. After all, he wants to honor his parents, which is one of the Ten Commandments. God gives warning to this kind of thinking (Prov. 14:12).

Christ Jesus is relentless when he responds by saying, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead”. Jesus makes it clear what the priority must be for anyone that wishes to follow him. It sounds harsh and uncaring or even perhaps too narrow, but what is the Lord trying to say? He wants to show that the things of God are far greater than worldly matters. Burying the dead is the unbeliever’s business and not the Christians.

Many first-world country Christians confuse and compromise the calling of Christ with other “equal” or “justifiable” things in their life. Examples of universal justifications to deny the Lord’s command to follow him are health, career, relationships after kids have grown up, etc. But Christians must understand that he calls all believers to respond to his calling to proclaim the kingdom of God (i.e., the gospel of Jesus Christ). The primary job of a believer is to win souls. 

The heart of a disciple has a true love for Jesus Christ. Only those that have totally surrendered to Jesus as Lord are able to love him. Without total surrender, true salvation never takes place by the Holy Spirit. Who can deceive omniscient God? Total surrender requires the Christian to forsake all for the Lord Jesus Christ no matter what the circumstance may be (Lk. 14:26). And the Christian understands that suffering experienced in this life reap rewards in eternity for the glory of God.

Today we are looking at the city of Antioch which is very distant from Jerusalem. At this point in Acts, there was no church in Antioch but it was a large and famous city. The city was a center for liberal studies and gathered many intellectuals while also being very corrupt and immoral. One day, Greek-speaking Jews, who most likely came to believe after hearing Apostle Peter preach in Jerusalem, were scattered throughout the land because of the persecution that started with the murder of Stephen. Even though the church had just started, it was a fearful time to be a Christian with many Jews, like Saul of Tarsus, wanting to eliminate all who professed Jesus as Christ.

At first, the gospel was only being shared with the Jews, even though Jesus had revealed to Peter that all nations would be included (Acts 10:14,34-35). By the leading and power of the Holy Spirit, the gospel was being shared and bearing fruit with the Greeks as well, so much so, that the Jerusalem church sent Barnabas, who declares this growth is the grace of God. Evangelism and the salvation of sinners truly is the grace of God. With that in mind, we will learn who God calls to evangelism, how to evangelize, and why.

Who?

Evangelism is not just for pastors or leaders. It’s not reserved for those who have free time. It’s not only for veteran and educated believers. Evangelism never happens because it’s a title or position. Evangelism is voluntary work for every Christian. It does not depend on your theological knowledge but on your personal experience of the gospel. Every Christian should realize they are sent because they have been bought by the blood of Jesus. Not just their duty but their joyful service which will also be rewarded. In Acts 11:19 it says “those who were scattered”. There’s no qualifier here except that they were scattered. It wasn’t a specific person or a particular title of Christian, but the average no-named believer (Acts 8:1). They all shared the gospel wherever they went.

Also, the Great Commission which is given in the four gospel accounts is for all Christians. Jesus commands all of us to make disciples. This is Jesus’ last and perfect will that summarizes the goal of His saving work. Therefore, evangelism is our faithful obedience to Jesus our Lord. To share the gospel is the work of faith regardless of whether the hearer will listen or not. The Great Commission is our job description and failure to evangelize is failure to do our work. This is why God calls us (Luke 4:43). Our purpose is not to gain earthly fame, riches, or comforts. Our glory awaits us in the next life. This life is reserved for the work of evangelism. 

We have the same message as Jesus and the Apostles. The gospel hasn’t changed in either content or power. What we do with the gospel has also stayed the same. Just as the Apostles and the early church proclaimed the gospel, we proclaim. The church in Thessalonians became an example by following the example of evangelism demonstrated by Jesus and the Apostles (1 Thess 1:7-8). The Thessalonians were not famous people and we don’t know their names. We know very little about them but they are remembered for being faithful and fervent to evangelize. God recognizes those who are faithful to evangelize.

How to be effective in evangelism?

Effective evangelism is not determined by numbers. Instead, it is a result of consistent faithfulness. In Antioch, evangelism was effective because of the hand of God (Acts 11:21). In Scripture, the hand of God means the power of God. God does not have a physical hand, but His hand is His power (Exodus 9:3). When we evangelize, we need God’s power because our goal is not moral or intellectual enlightenment, but to rescue sinners from the power of sin and death. Sinners will be happy to enjoy the company of Christians until they mention Christ and their need for Him because they are dead and in bondage (Eph 2:5). To rescue them, they need the power of God. The power of God is with those who are faithful.

• God’s blessing is attained with constant and fervent prayer for the lost. Salvation requires God’s presence and God’s personal delivery (Isaiah 53:1). This need is seen, when those people we would never think could be saved, those who have committed horrible sins, come to repentance and salvation. They are powerfully and personally saved by God. The arm of God has delivered even some of the most wicked, like Moses and Paul (who were murderers) or John Newton who was a slave trader. Our role is to pray for them while God is the one who saves them.
• As God’s messengers, we must have confidence in the gospel. The gospel is the truth that the world needs most desperately but denies so stubbornly. We must be like Apostle Paul who constantly and boldly proclaimed Jesus is alive before the courts. Not just confidence but passion. We must not be timid or ashamed because the gospel is the power to save (Romans 1:16).
• We must be changed. We have left our old life and been given a new life in Christ Jesus. The Christian is transformed within and continually sanctified. Our change is evidence of the authenticity of the gospel. Before we hated God and others, but now we evangelize to share the love of Christ.

Why do we evangelize?

The Christian desires to evangelize because they are converted. They are no longer dead but alive (Galatians 2:20). They realize that they are loved by God, therefore nothing will deter them from following Jesus. Their true conversion through the gospel compels them to obey Christ and love those who are still unconverted.

Conclusion

We are all evangelists and when we faithfully practice then people will be saved (Acts 11:21,23). When Barnabas arrived in Antioch he witnessed the grace of God and encouraged them. We must ask ourselves, why does our church not grow? Simply, we are not evangelizing. Maybe we evangelize once in a while but where is our consistent, diligent, passionate evangelism? We limit our evangelism to programs or holidays. Evangelism is not an event but the very purpose of our new life. We need faithful evangelism in our church by the grace of God. It is our serious sin that we fail to center our obedience around personal evangelism.

Evangelism is a loving work. It is good for the church to teach and grow in knowledge. The early church devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching (Acts 2:42). However if one fails to turn that teaching into action then it is a great danger and failure. Even with a little knowledge, the faithful can put the true gospel into action (1 Cor 15:3-4). Evangelism is also a work of prayer. We don’t have to pray hours or eloquently but we must pray. Pray in the morning, pray at your work, pray in your free time. We pray for God’s work and blessing in the hearts of the sinners (1 Kings 18:37). Evangelism is a work of love (Acts 2:47). Before we were saved we had no love. But ever since we knew God, we know love and we love the lost souls.

It is possible for the church to grow. It is possible for all of us to be evangelists. Jesus warns and encourages us in Revelation 3:4-6. We must follow Him faithfully and overcome. Therefore repent and obey. It is time to work and our church will grow by the grace of God.