Habits of Effective Disciples: Witnessing

DISCIPLES DECLARE THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST

A disciple is a follower of Jesus who learns from Him, lives like Him, and leads others to do the same.

SHARING GOOD NEWS

Romans 10:8-15

Paul's ambition in life was simple: he wanted to win people to Christ. His ministry was most successful among the Gentiles. Still, Paul yearned for his own people (Jews) to become Christians.

Unfortunately, many in Israel were seeking to establish their own righteousness and they missed the true righteousness which comes through faith in Christ.

Even more unfortunately, most Americans are exactly like the unbelieving Jews. They lean to and cling to the thought that they themselves can live a life acceptable to the Lord without Jesus in their hearts and without the Holy Spirit dwelling within them.

Since we are simply beggars who have found bread (the bread of life), let us show others where to find it. Pastor Charles Spurgeon probably explained this matter as perfectly as anyone has ever explained it:

"Every Christian is either a missionary or an imposter."

Paul gave us clear understanding on this message. We do not have to go up into heaven to bring Jesus down because in the incarnation He already came down. We do not have to travel down to death & hell to get Him, because he arose from the dead already.

Paul actually anchors his teaching on this matter in Deut 30:12-14: … who shall go up for us to heaven? ... the word is very nigh unto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it."

WITH OUR HEARTS WE BELIEVE AND ARE JUSTIFIED

Paul's teaching in 10:10 takes us back to the beginning of God working in man, all the way back to Genesis 15:6 where we learn that Abraham (the first human father of the Jews) believed and God counted that faith to him as righteousness.

"And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness."

This teaching by Moses in the OT and by Paul in the NT lead us to a far deeper understanding of our relationship with our Lord.

The Lord chose Abraham first and told him to leave his home and to travel to a place he had never known. He was first chosen and then he believed. This is strongly important to every Christian. This same lesson is given us with the examples of Paul and of each disciple, all chosen before believing the truth of the Gospel.

We are not chosen because we believe. We believe because we are chosen.

WITH OUR MOUTHS WE CONFESS AND WE ARE SAVED

What do we confess? We confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Paul presented the Gospel by teaching that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ, foretold in the OT, and had fulfilled the promise of the OT as well. He equated Jesus with Yahweh and this was the profound foundation of the Gospel. This was a stumbling block for the Jews in the first century and remains a stumbling block for them and others) still today.

GOD SEND US TO SPEAK THE GOOD NEWS

Romans 10:14-15

Our call upon the name of the Lord and the Savior He sent saves us by His grace through the gift of faith. John related this message also in His Gospel in 20:21: "As the Father has sent me, so I send you."

Paul's point was direct and simple. Jesus sends preachers, they preach and people hear, those who are chosen believe, believers witness to others about the good news, and others come to seek the Lord as well.

THE WITNESS OF THE GOSPEL IS NOT AN EASY TASK

1 Cor 15:1-8

In the church founded at Corinth, some believers wondered if there was any point to witness if it seemed few are accepting. They wondered if their work and witness was in vain. Paul is strong in telling them that if they do not hold fast to the Gospel and their witness of it, their faith is indeed vain (empty). Later he teaches that if Christ was not raised, both his preaching and their faith is indeed vain (useless). But he also then says that thanks be to God, Jesus was raised so the labor in this world is never in vain, and they are to live with strength for the Lord.

This is our first and finest reason to rejoice in our faith and our witness for we have wonderful news to share.

Paul told them that the good news had become their salvation and he even went a step further by teaching in the present tense in verse 2 : ". ... you ARE saved..."

So the core teaching of four factors becomes the basis of our witness: (Jesus' crucifixion, burial, resurrection, and appearances after he arose)

Our witness command is clear and true. We all live in the house of the dying, and because of the resurrection we have the chance to show people how to live, both here and eternally. All of Christian history hinges on the resurrection. Because of that fact we who are chosen and believe can be effective disciples in witness to those who have not yet surrendered their lives to the Lord.

OUR BLESSED ASSURANCE CONCERNING OUR WITNESS

If we believe God ordains all things (either by His command through His will for things to occur or by His permission to allow some things to occur) we can rest in this belief through scripture given us in Hebrews 1:3:

"Who (Jesus) being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person, and upholding ALL things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high."

If we accept this clear scripture teaching that our Lord upholds (sustains) all things, then we must also accept that He upholds and wills the means by which all things are done. The means of witness to His Gospel and salvation is US!

His most often taught command in all scripture (over 300 times) is FEAR NOT

So we are to witness His Gospel to others without fear.

LET'S BE FEARLESS IN OUR WITNESSING