A Crash Course on Evangelism and Discipleship

Everybody Greg Laurie here. You're listening to the Greg Laurie Podcast and my objective is to deliver hopefully compelling practical insights and faith culture and current events. From a biblical perspective to find out more about our ministry. Just go to our website harvest.org so thanks for joining me for this podcast.

Everybody welcome back the Harvest at Home were doing a brand-new series that were calling faith 101 in the title of my message for this service is a crash course on evangelism and discipleship. Okay, let's go back in time a little bit. I was a young man, 17 years old, a brand-new Christian and I heard my pastor say I should go out and share my faith while I had a thimbleful of biblical knowledge, but I knew that I should tell others about what Christ did done for me. So I went out on the beach of Newport armed with a copy of the four spiritual laws printed by Campus Crusade. I was looking for someone to talk to and I found a middle-aged lady that looked like she went on to be too hard of a time and night. I walked up to her and I did hear beckons will try to use your imagination answered a blonde surfer. Her like this. Or here's a picture of what I used to look like so you can get a better visual so I my voice was shaking because I was nervous and I said hi there, could I talk to a little bit about God and she looks up at me and says sure. So I sit down and I was so new to all of this. I have even memorized the contents of this booklet, so I just started reading it to her.

Of the four spiritual laws. Copyright 1968 Campus Crusade for Christ. While one God loves you and is a wonderful plan for your life by just reading through it and as I'm reading through and I couldn't wait to be done because I knew this was a failure. I knew I shouldn't have done it. I knew it wasn't gonna work and I just was kind of rushing through it.

I looked up at her periodically. She was looking at me and I got to the end of the little booklet and a question was asked is there any good reason why you should not accept Jesus Christ right now. I looked up better. Oh, what the question is are they good reason why you should not accept Jesus Christ right now. She said no. I look like and wait no no means yes. In other words, are you saying you want to accept Jesus Christ right now. She said yes I said oh great.

Well, hey, let's pray in and she closed her eyes and I'm frantically searching this booklet for what you do now. I plan for failure not success. I found a little prayer. I let her in that prayer, she paraded after me approve asking Jesus to come into their life and she opened her eyes and she said something just happened to me. You know what something happened to me to. I realize that God could use someone who knew very little to share the gospel, will I really started to enjoy talking to others about Jesus one on one. I was never a public speaker kind of a person. I was more of a behind-the-scenes guy. I only said this secret fear that one day God was going to make me preach about is going to be a really random place like the supermarket when I'm checking out and the Lord will think my heart is a preach the gospel and only go full out of myself and I never aspired to be a preacher. Trust me when I tell you that well as it turns out he did call me to preach, not far from Debbie Troy led the First Lady to the Lord. I went down for a baptism being held by Calvary Chapel down in the days of the Jesus movement. You know those big giant baptisms that would be attended by thousands of people and as it turns out I got the schedule wrong and I missed it. And so I found a group of Christians sitting there in the sand singing some songs. Remember another pastor I'm just a believer going to church and I sat down with these other believers in there was no real leader and when the song was done I read some of the Bible.

I thought maybe I should share this. It didn't want to share something with you and I shared my little thought from Scripture and anti-as it was talking a couple of girls joined us in one of the girls said pastor.

Can you baptize us a subtle know another pastor know, but could you baptize then I just thought will why not.

I mean I'm a believer there believer they miss a baptisms oriented sure, come on now, I'm walking down the beach with about 30 people behind me and I'm thinking out of this happen. I this is way above my pay grade, which was zero.

Actually and so I took these girls down to the beach. There add to what is called Pirates Cove Beach and I baptize them and I was so thankful the laureate open the screen door up for me and as I was done baptizing them. I walked up on the beach there and I saw some people are gathered up on the rocks and clear as a bell.

The Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and he said preach the gospel and guess what, I was not afraid and I proclaim the gospel to these people, and as I was doing it.

It's almost like I stepped outside of myself and I'm looking at my something Greg are you crazy you're not Billy Graham. What are you doing I just kept going before I knew it I was saying to these people up on the rock. And if you would like to asked Jesus to come into your life come down here now and I baptize you and people came and I baptized a couple more people. What a day that was like. Bring all of this up because we talk about sharing our faith or preaching a lot of his get very up side there's one thing the believers and nonbelievers have in common there both uptight about evangelism. Nonbelievers are uptight about being a badge allies believers are uptight about evangelizing them. Okay so were in the new series recalling the faith 101 and the title of this message is a crash course on evangelism and discipleship. Let's remember a point from our message last time it was simply this. If you want to be a successful Christian you must read, study and love the word of God because failure or success in the Christian life depends on how much of the word of God you get into your life on a regular basis and whole Beatty and you are to it now. Point number two to be a growing Christian you must go into all the world and preach the gospel we call it the great commission. There's two variations of it. One is in the gospel of Mark. The other is in the gospel of Matthew Mark's gospel simply states it this way. Mark 1615 Jesus says going to wall the world and preach the gospel to everyone.

Matthew's version states it this way and Matthew 28 and that's our text for this message. By the way we read in Matthew 28 verse 16 then the 11 disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and spoke to them saying all authority has been given to me in heaven and on her. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the father son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you, hello, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

Amen.

That's a great commission to go to all the world and preach the gospel and make disciples of all nations preach the gospel and make disciples.

Where is Jesus calling us into the world who was supposed to do this. All of us. What are we supposed to do were supposed to preach the gospel. So here's point number one we are commanded by Jesus to share our faith.

Let me say that again we are commanded by Jesus to share our faith that we call this the great commission.

But honestly, for some, it's become the great oh mission, the commission of the church is not to wait for the world to show up. The commission of the church is to go to the world. Jesus did not say the whole world should go to church. He did say that shirt should go to the whole world. Point number two. These words are directed to every follower of Jesus Christ listen to me Christian.

I'm talking to you right now I'm talking to men and women I'm talking the boys and girls I'm talking to students and businessmen and homemakers and construction workers and surfers and guitarists and skateboarders and nerds that hang around playing with computers all the time. I'm talking to everyone, put down your junkfood nerd and listen to me. God want you to preach the gospel a put down that thing that distract you and take up this word that God is giving you and proclaim it to other people actually in Matthew's version when he says were to go.

The implication is everyone is supposed to do it not just the so-called professionals. The pastors the evangelists the missionaries. Everybody is supposed to do it. We are all called to go to all people everywhere we see that again we are all called to go to all people everywhere. So here's my question for you. Are you doing your part to fulfill the great commission understand that these words of our Lord were given before his ascension. What is that mean Christ died on the cross he rose again from the dead, get a period of ministry following his resurrection, and then he ascended, he went into heaven. These are, in effect, this final word last words matter when someone gives you their final words on their deathbed, so to speak.

You should listen.

These are the final words of our Lord to all of us. So it's a big deal to him and they should be a big deal to us. Point number three.

This one might surprise you to not share the gospel can be a sin, you might say Greg, you've gone too far, will understand that sin has many definitions. There's a sin of commission and sin of omission. The sin of commission is when you break a commandment when you cross a line when you do a wrong thing.

A sin of omission is when you don't to the right thing. The Bible says the him the nose to do good and does not do it to him it is sin. So how could failing to share my faith possibly ever be a sin. Let me illustrate, let's say that you are in a house that caught fire and you rushed out to save your own life, but you knew there were other people in their innocent people who could not get out and you didn't lift a finger to help them. You didn't even call the fire department you just walked off and acted as though it didn't happen as I wrong. Yes it is that's even a criminal act or let's say you're a doctor and you run a series of tests on a person and you realize that they have a condition that should be treated with the course of antibiotics or perhaps a simple surgery will fix it. But you're uncomfortable telling people bad news. It's kind of awkward for you, so you don't tell them anything anything you're good to go. Go on your two month vacation. Enjoy yourself here in a responsible doctor okay so those are illustrations that say how much worse is it for me to know the way to heaven the way for a person to be forgiven of their sin and finding meaning.

The purpose of their life and not tell them you see that's how not sharing the gospel could potentially be a sin.

Let's remove the word preach. Let's remove the word of evangelism for a moment let's put a different word on the table instead of me saying you need to evangelize.

Let me say to you, you need to make a recommendation that we do this all the time.

Like maybe you're in a town you've never been to before and you see a restaurant you wonder it's it's a good restaurant so you go to yelp and you read what a bunch of strangers have to say about that restaurant and what you should even order. There might even post photos all will.

It's going here. There's a lot of great recommendations. So obviously the recommendation of a person carries weight. I am opinionated about everything.

I mean I all have an opinion about what you should order this restaurant.

If you're in this place where you should go. For instance, I give your out late at night you want to get something that's maybe around nine or 10 o'clock if you live in California you need to go to in and out burger cam. Sorry for the rest of you that don't have an out burger, but it's the best take up burger on earth but top I found this with In-N-Out Burger, is I only like it late at night. Inserted like a guilty pleasure.

I went there for lunch the other day and I didn't enjoyed nearly as much same burger, but there's something about oh, it's 10 o'clock and I should be eating the let's go to In-N-Out Burger, and let's get it animal style and a one to explain what that means that that's a way to order it animal style.

There are no animals involved except Patty for the cow but but they do a different thing is can the spicy and then I get chopped peppers so that's what I'll order or I might go to talk about ICO. Make sure you order this a talk about every going to Disneyland and USB Greg words a good place to eat it. Disneyland two word answer you're ready for it.

Corndog.

That's right, corndog. Forget all the restaurants there all the money you'll spend. Disneyland is one of the best corndogs anywhere you can get 1 Main St. in over a California adventure.

But this is not a commercial for food, but the point is we perk up we hear things like that 01 and the go tried weight.

I just gave you recommendations now take that idea and apply it to sharing the gospel.

How about if I say that somebody like this. Here is the best thing that you can do for life and eternity believe in Jesus Christ weight willing to talk about hamburgers over not willing to talk about Jesus you go in and say it you tell people all watch this on Netflix all go check this movie. We recommend all day long.

You won't recommend for Jesus so going to all the world and make a recommendation, call it what you like me to tell other people.

Now notice that in Mark's version of the great commission.

The words of our Lord are going to all the world and preach the gospel.

He did not say going all the world and be a good example.

I'm not suggesting we should be a bad example because the fact is by being a good example. It earns me the right to share my faith and nothing works more against us than being the bad example but to the point he did not say going all the world would be a nice person. He said going to all the world and preach the gospel.

Why is this important point number four that's three.

Let's add one more point number four. The primary way people come to Jesus is through sharing the gospel. The primary way people come to Jesus is through hearing the gospel. First Corinthians 121 says, since in the wisdom of God the world through wisdom, did not know God it please God.

Listen to the foolishness of the message preached to save those that believe understand the word preaching doesn't mean you have to project. We think of preaching in a negative way is someone saying something to someone else. They don't like the fake Aman don't preach at me like that's a bad thing to.

The Bible says it's a good thing. But you don't necessarily have to do it loudly.

You can do it quietly, you can whisper the gospel you can share the gospel conversationally.

You can Tweet the gospel. You can do it so many ways. The idea here is just communicated. Just do it. Romans 1014 says, how can they call him Kim to save them unless they have believed in him, how can they believe in him if they've never heard about them and how can they hear about him unless someone tells them going to all of your world and preach the gospel going to your family, go into your workplace, go into your neighborhood going to all of your world. I think of it this way. I call it friends Alyssa. You might be saying Greg you miss pronounce that that's evangelism no. I'm calling it friends Alyssa FRA in these of the people we are to preach to Fran your Tony only show the gospel with people name Fran no it's an acronym for friends are for relatives A4 Associates, Inc. and Fort Neighbors who I preach the gospel to my friends, my relatives, my associates, my neighbors, in other words, everyone even take the gospel to your enemies. Jonah was called to bring the gospel to a city called Nineveh filled with the enemies of the nation of Israel, and he did not go in first. As you know, he was reluctant, but when he did go a great spiritual awakening broke out. You have a neighbor that really irritate you go to them with the gospel and tell them how much Jesus loves them.

Pres. Abraham Lincoln once said, quote the best way to destroy an enemy is to make him a friend." I love that. So, go to your enemies go to Europe for enemies go to your friends, go to your neighbors. Go to your parents go to your children.

Go to your weird cousins that you only see occasionally at family reunions go to everyone you can and share the gospel and we have a tool to put in your hands that we talked about ready.

It's called a rush of hope.

It's a cinematic crusade and the key, she joined us a little bit late were on Labor Day weekend going to put out this hour-long movie that is beautifully done with fantastic music from for King and country Mercy me Jeremy Camp them special surprises in a message and I will share telling people how to come to Jesus. Your mission, should you decide to accepted is to get people to watch to call him up to tax them to email them to post about it on your social media. If you look at the screen right now, you'll see our address harvest.or if you go there you can get downloadable social media graphics to post on your site as well.

I would encourage some of you to have a watch party. What is that mean means invite people over to your home maybe provide a meal for them and then watch a rush of hope on the big screen or whatever screen you have.

I don't know where you live right now, but you might be in a city or a state that's more open than another one is and maybe you can have a theater you could rent for you could rent a drive-in theater or you can do a lot of things, be imaginative, but the ideas get as many people as you can together to watch a rush of hope and this is the idea you want to follow up on that you want to ask them did you understand what was being said would you like to know how to have a relationship with God.

In my last message I reference the parable of the sower were a sword goes on and throws see and in those days they didn't plan neat little crops, and of all the equipment we have today.

They just threw the seeds of the wind and the seed went wherever it went. By the way, did you know that the word broadcast means to associate so were broadcasting the gospel were sowing the seed of the gospel, but I need you to make sure that nonbelievers see it in your there to follow up on it now. What is the gospel we throw that word around a lot as Christians.

What is it actually me when I'm in a defined in the moment but we want to get this one right to the we don't have the gospel right.

Everything else is wrong. Point number five for not only to preach the gospel. We are to make disciples. Imagine for a moment if a doctor delivered a baby and there's this little newborn to give him a little tiny box of pampers little candles that here you go son to rough world out there, but somehow you'll make it know you a baby is to be nurtured and cared for and love will the same is true of a brand-new believer. You've got to help them and you've got to insured disciple them there in Matthew's account of the great commission. It is to teach them to observe all things I have commanded you. The idea of discipling is modeling for someone what it means to be a Christian and taking them through the basics of the Christian faith getting them up on their feet spiritually and encouraging them to do the same for someone else. Paul sums it up this way in Colossians 128. We proclaim Christ we warn everyone we meet and we teach everyone we can all that we know about them so we might bring every man to his full maturity in Christ. So we want to help people grow up spiritually and be mature until your great resource.

I can offer to you is the new believers Bible you hear me mention this at the end of pretty much every message I give it to me tell you what this is. This is published by Tyndale House. This is the new living translation, which is a very understandable translation of Scripture worked on by scholars, and it has hundreds of notes in it that I wrote with a new believer in mind or a young believer in mine. I'm going for the things that every Christian needs to know in a way that they can understand.

It's almost as though work sitting down over a cup of coffee and I'm just going to the basics of the Christian life with you. I would encourage you get a bunch of these and have them on hand and then hopefully get a new believer or a young believer in your life and do what you can for them. But somewhere along the line we've separated evangelism and discipleship and we should not do it because it's all part of the great commission.

Think of Saul of Tarsus.

He came to faith in Christ Saul of Tarsus was a notorious Christian killer. He was hunting down followers of Jesus torturing them, putting them in prison and Saul of Tarsus was responsible for the death of the first martyr of the Christian church Stephen but while he was on his way to arrest more Christian soon as he meet on the Damascus Road he needs Jesus who says why are you fighting with me, Saul, and Saul believes in Jesus. So when it comes out that Saul is now a Christian. No one believes it would be like announcing O. Howard Stern just became a Christian in these going to a Bible study now are all Bill Marr is a strong follower of Jesus Christ.

So he Lady Gaga's leading worship over here at this church service is a what you talking about unexpected people and don't think that God cannot reach any of those people he could reach them and anybody else but people were believing that so the Lord directs a man named Ananias to go to the newly converted solids recorded in acts nine and God says to Ananias go visit Saul.

He's a brother and he's in prayer. So Ananias went and help Saul and introduce them to people later on.

A guy named Barnabas came along and encouraged Saul, later to become Paul as well that we don't know much about Ananias and Barnabas, but we know a lot about the apostle Paul. So here's my point.

God wants to use you to be in Ananias to a Saul.

He wants to use you to be a Barnabas to a Paul he wants to use you to be in Andrew to a Peter. He wants to use you may be behind the scenes to help someone that needs to grow in their faith. Don't be overwhelmed by this discipling someone just means to show them what a Christian looks like maybe this is one of the reasons we don't want a new believer in our life because we don't want them to examine us O this is our Christian drives. All this is what a Christian watches on TV. All this is what a Christian does in their freedom.

I don't want them judging me. You need to be an example for them.

Limitation after I accepted Christ at the age of 17 on my high school campus. I was really oblivious to what I had done the school bell rang.

Lunch was over, I did not realize what it just happened to me nobody was there to know Greg here's a new believers Bible.

Why don't you read this. No one is there to say Greg, when did you come to church on Sunday with us. No one was there to do anything. I just walked away not really sure what I done but thank God there was a guy named Mark who came up to me a day or so later said hi concerning Greg and said yeah said my name is Mark okay.

He said hey I saw that you went forward and prayed to ask Christ in your life the other day in our lunchtime Bible study. I was sort of defensive and they said you know what all that because I think it's great okay what I want you to come to church with me. Mark said I said I want to do that know Greg I want you to come to church and I don't want to go to church with you Mark.

I really don't because you were you live moment to come pick you up.

No, I don't want you to come to my house and pick me up. I want to go to church with you. Mark wouldn't take no for an answer. Next thing I know he's at my house to compete up and he takes me the church. Mark introduced me to the church. He introduced me to his Christian family. He took the time to explain the basics to meet. In short, he began to disciple me that I could've fallen through the cracks and there's a lot of people that do fall through the cracks.

Will you be a mark to one of those people were you fulfill the great commission and disciple someone listen.

There's another reason we should seek to fulfill the great commission do it for your own good. Seek God's given us these blessings that we experience as Christians to share not to be hoarded. You are blessed to be a blessing you receive those shows on TV are people who hoard stuff and they have like floor-to-ceiling newspapers from these gone by, and they usually have a lot of cats. I don't know why the cats in the newspapers go together with the of to do but this is crazy now I'm sort of a micro quarter. I don't have my home filled with all those things but I do save a lot of stuff.

We can be this way with our faith are just want to hear another Bible study and has want to grow more and learn more.

That's good, do that, but it's not designed for you to keep to yourself. The gospel is designed for you to share and one of the great things about sharing as it helps in your own spiritual growth don't get it will what would it be like if you only ate and you never exercise you literally sat in a giant chair and you never moved. I've a friend who has this weird thing is like a pot and it's sort of like a massage chair meets a pod and you laying it closes up in your arms and on your legs and all these rollers are going back and forth year on me is great. I have to admit I was in it for one week. No, not really, but you know we want to just give the door little Christian pod bring me a meal.

Now not eat my meal. You need to get out of your pod and you need to get to work and he needed teakwood God is giving you to other people and if you don't listen to me you will stagnate spiritually, you have a choice. You can evangelize or you can fall so lots and if you only take in and you never share your faith, it's detrimental to use spiritually the snow this new believer needs an older believer in their life to stabilize them in older believer needs a younger believer in their life to energize them to cartoons. As an example, I like to watch cartoons with my grandkids. Generally when they're not around. I don't watch cartoons, but when they come over. They say Poppa can we watch a cartoon all enter into their world and allow for the cartoons and enjoy them but I'm enjoying them because they're enjoying them I'm seeing them to the eyes of a child and what happens when you open new believer in your life as you begin to rediscovered shoes. You forgotten about. Is there discovering them for the first time you're saying wow that is amazing this and that I I don't know if I mess up appreciative, the God is much as I should be for what he has done for me. So you need it as much as the need it because we often forget things that really matter.

I keep saying preach the gospel. What is the gospel we way over complicate this people the gospel literally define is good news gospel teaches overall separated from God by our sin. The gospel teaches that there is nothing we can do to satisfy the righteous demands of God on our own. The gospel teaches. Not that I'm good with that I'm bad and I'm separated from God.

But the gospel also teaches that 2000 years ago God sent his son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins. And he rose again from the dead and if I will turn from my sin and ask Christ to come in my life.

He will forgive me. You'll feel that hole in my heart to give me the purpose and direction. The life I've been seeking the best of all, if you give me the absolute assurance of heaven for the afterlife. That's the gospel we need to share that with people.

Point number six. We need to seek to lead others to Christ. We need to seek to lead others to Christ. Now, the Bible does teach that this is the work of the Holy Spirit. No man comes to the father unless the spirit draws them.

That's true. But God reaches people through people and I think one of the reasons we never led another person to Christ as we have not asked them the questions we can call it popping the question what's applied to marriage. I've heard of a lot of imaginative proposals that have taken place, one that I'm reminded of his of a friend of mine who went out snorkeling with his Fiat will not his fiancée just his girlfriend at the point they were underwater. We had one of those little underwater tablets in the road out will you marry me so that's very imaginative. Now my wife says I never properly proposed. She says it were sitting in a restaurant and I looked at her and I said well I guess were going to get married, is a really nice and that she said yes. While the lease I said something I didn't do a very good job of, but thankfully she said yes and we been married 46 years now so hey, maybe there's something to that.

I don't know, but my point is simply this, you've got to ask the question that's awkward for you to ask but do it anyway and here's a question ready for. Would you like to accept Jesus Christ right now. I was in a restaurant a while ago with some friends and we had a waitress come and take our order and she said you you guys are all pastors, aren't you, yes you, we are and so she said I'm what your church services as a welder at this time and this time she okay okay and so she's taken order and I don't normally do this, trust me, but I felt prompted by the Holy Spirit. I said you know I'm glad you want to know when our church services are, and I'm glad you want to come to our church, but you don't have to wait till Sunday to get right with God.

Would you like to accept Jesus Christ right now and she said yes. I would cheat sheet standing there in a liquid or little order book and and the good news is the owner of the restaurant is a Christian who attends our church. I knew she wouldn't get in trouble. So why do we pray right now she's to pray here. Let's print you want to pray and ask Christ to come into your life. She said yeah.

So we pray, and right there the Lord came into her life and this is my point.

You never know when the Lord will prompt you to ask that question and I trust that a lot of us are going to be asking this question next weekend is a rush of hope as shown after it's done, you turn to your neighbor, you turned your family member you you turn to the person that you invited a watch and you say that you understand what he said would you like to accept Jesus Christ right now and I'm telling you if they say yes. Get ready for one of the greatest blessings you've ever experienced in life there is great joy in sharing your faith. Jesus said there is joy in heaven over one sinner that comes to repentance. Let me close now with a question for some of you I've been talking to Christians about sharing the gospel. Let me talk to someone that's watching that is hearing the salt for the first time, let me ask you this.

Would you like to accept Jesus Christ right now say whoa yeah I would await need to do. You need to admit you're a sinner and acknowledge the fact that tell your separated from God and then you need to believe that Jesus died in the cross for your sin and rose again from the dead, and you need to ask him into your life. You see, only you can do that I can't do that for you but I can lead you in a prayer when you ask him into your life to be your Savior and Lord, and in a moment I'm in the pray, and ask you the one Christ to come in your life to pray this prayer with me so again if you want your sin forgiven, if you want to know that when you die you will go to heaven if you want a big hole in your heart filled. If you want your guild taken away if you want this relationship with God, I've been talking about.

I want you to pray a simple prayer with me right here right now as I pray this prayer you can print out loud if you like you can pray it in your heart quietly but you pray this prayer. The Bible says whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. The Bible says for God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.

That's what you're doing right now you're believing in Jesus, just pray this prayer with me right now. Back pray this prayer after me. Pray these words.

If you would.

God, I know that I'm a sinner but I believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sin and rose again from the dead.

I turn from my sin. Now and I choose to follow you, Jesus. From this moment forward be my Savior and my Lord be my God and my friend. Thank you for sharing this prayer. Thank you for answering this prayer in Jesus name I pray, amen. Everybody Greg Laurie here. Thanks for listening to our podcast and to learn more about harvest ministries. Please subscribe and consider supporting this show. Just go to harvest.org and by the way, if you want to find out how to come into a personal relationship with God. Go to know God.org that's key NOW GLD.org