The Jesus Revolution & Evangelism: Gospel Communication

The following message from Pastor Greg Laurie is made possible by some special friends of this ministry pastor Greg wanted to see a special word of thanks to the harvest partners who make this ministry possible next time your online check out Pastor Greg's personal blog go to harvest data work ever there was a generation that needs to be engaged with the gospel. It is this generation. Our culture has lost its way. Today Pastor Greg Laurie shows the good news of God's forgiveness is never been more needed and available so don't tell me the day of event journalism is over because the gospel still works.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever. People need Jesus will always need Jesus in his on the other side of the practically dispute of life through social media videos can circumnavigate the globe as the event happens, exciting time for communication. There's nothing more important than the hope of Christ. I just when the world has so much capability. It also has so much today on a new beginning. Pastor Greg Laurie says we all do our part.

Get that message out.

Evangelism is never going to be passé.

It's always good to be something God wants us to do that we might find new and creative ways to do it but ultimately we never want to deviate from this calling. God is given to all of us. But you know, America was a much different place. 30 years ago, George H. W. Bush was the president home alone and pretty woman where the top movies in the theaters at top TV shows were Seinfeld the fresh Prince of Bel Air and the Cosby show my how things have changed.

The top songs on radio were ice ice baby by vanilla eyes you can't touch this by MC Hammer and flow by Madonna and the Internet was just coming into its own social media did not exist yet and does so this new technology was coming.

Email was just beginning. Texting was still in the future, and so we were able to go around the nation and around the world and share the gospel. So some things of change, but some things have not changed at all, course the need of humanity hasn't changed the solution to that need. Which is the gospel never changes in every generation is looking for answers, and I look at this young generation today and I think to myself if ever there was a generation that needs to be engaged with the gospel. It is this generation and working to do everything we can to engage them consider this.

These US suicide rate has increased 30% since the year 2000 and its triple for young girls.

Opioid deaths have increased three times in teens on the last 20 years as well.

From January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2013. This is a staggering statistic.

There were 3,567,000 suicide attempts in the emergency department visits from people 10 and older, 3 million people tried to take their lives and it just seven years. That's 3.5 million attempted suicide. So don't tell me the date of evangelism is over because the gospel still works.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever. People need Jesus and though always need Jesus. So we want to keep that in mind always know the church we get excited about a lot of things.

Some people get excited about the latest conference. All this coverage is so amazing. Did you go to this conference. Others might get excited about a new building program. We got our new building up others might get excited of their candidate got elected. You want to know what God gets excited about. If I can use that verbiage of God. God gets excited. Heaven gets excited when people believe in Jesus. The Bible says there is joy in heaven over one sinner that comes to repent and think about that for a moment. Every time a person turn from their sin and put their faith in Jesus Christ. There's a shout of praise in heaven. There must be a lot of praising in heaven because they think of all the people that come to the Lord each and every day I mention the great commission. Let's go to our text on Matthew 28.

Let's read and this is a very important statement that frankly we all should commit to memory. Jesus says Matthew 28 verse 18, all authority has been given to be in heaven on earth.

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations. Notice the word therefore is a told you before whenever you see the word therefore find it when it's therefore he's drawing upon what is been said what was just said all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth, so go therefore he has this authority were his representatives so we go therefore and what we do make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father of the son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. And low I am with you, even to the end of the age.

There's one more version of the great commission if you will. That's in Mark 16 815 were Jesus simply says going to wall the world and preach the gospel to every person. So the pull of altogether. The great commission is to go into all the world and preach the gospel, led by the Holy Spirit to bring people to Christ, then to disciple them. This is were a lot of people miss a key element. It's not just to proclaim the gospel. It's a lead people to Christ and disciple them, get them up on their feet spiritually teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you below I'm with you to the end of the age. I believe if we would just obey the great commission, we would experience personal revival. Why do I say that because when you get your eyes off of yourself for a moment and think about somebody else that's lost and separated from God and leave your comfort zone and seek to share your faith next to being a Christian. This is one of the most joyful fulfilling things we can do. This is why the devil doesn't want us to do it there's one thing Christians and non-Christians have in common.

It says were both uptight about the gospel. Satan's uptight without sharing the gospel were outside which sharing the gospel so nonbelievers didn't want to hear. Don't talk to me because like were seen earlier they think you can shove it down their throat. They think you're going to be judgmental and mean we should never be that way. Listen if you want to win some winsome be nice about it. Share the gospel with a smile on your face care about the person you're talking to and build that bridge so many times Christians burn bridges instead to build bridges and the objective is not to win the argument. It's to win the soul because I've seen some persons were very knowledgeable and they come in with both gospel guns loaded in the unload them on the nonbeliever and tear down their arguments and humiliate them in the nonbelievers says what a jerk. And I want to talk to a Christian again.

He could've done a lot more for just what it showed a little compassion and love and let them share for a while and see what they think and how you can respond appropriately with the message of the gospel, but this is the great commission. But sadly, for many, the great commission is the great omission master Greg Laurie will have the second half of this message in just a moment.

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If these daily studies in God's word is encouraged to one drop of the common email him at great@harvest.org again, that's great@harvest.org Pastor Greg is pointing out today how the great commission has been given to all believers. We are all to pass on the good news and were getting some practical insight today on doing just that.

Now let me say something that might surprise some that I believe it's true. I believe do not share the gospel can actually be a set they might civil Greg you're going too far away: what is the sin there's different definitions of sin because of different kinds of sin. One definition of sin is to cross a line so if I'm told, don't step on the black carpet that I step on the black carpet. I just crossed the line. That's called a trespass. So when I break a commandment. I do what God told me not to do. I just crossed the line.

That's a sin that's a sin of commission. But then there's a sin of omission.

The sin of omission is not doing what I should do. The Bible says the him that knows to do good and does not do it to him it is sin, so I will get on the street and there's a house on fire. There's a crowd of people standing outside and someone says there's a child on the second floor of that house and I just walked by me to dig a stretch you go off posted on Instagram. What a jerk I am, I mean yeah hopefully I'll call 911. Maybe I'll be a hero try to run in and save the child but to walk by with complete indifference. That's almost criminal in the same way if I really believe the Bible and I really believe in the Bible says about the afterlife that there really is a heaven and a really is a hell never really believe the gospel, which effectively says Jesus Christ is the only way to the father and I really believe of a person rejects Christ. They will spend eternity separated from him and I don't even try to engage a person in a conversation that could be the sin of omission is he so we don't want that to happen and I think also we miss out on a great blessing. Here's how it spiritually revives you when you get a new believer in your life it can reinvigorate your faith, listen to this, a new Christian needs. An older believer in their life to stabilize them in older Christian needs are younger believer in their life to energize them. You know so you know if you know the Lord for a long time and you just hang around with other people that have known the Lord for a long time you go to church. You got afterwords review argue theological minutia, but when you have a brand-new believer that year and this all for the first five minutes can a change. You first of all you're going to have to mind your P's and Q's because if you have a brand-new Christian then you're driving to get lunch after church. You might drive the speed limit for the first time in years. You I think about what you're going to talk about over lunch, not the normal conversation that you have will you complain about things are or argue about things for you might actually talk about things that would interest the new believer in the don't ask you questions and you may not have the answers. Then again, you may have a lot more answers than you think. See, God does not give us this truth to horde and to keep to ourselves. He gives this is truth to share Jesus said given, it shall be given unto you press down, shaken together, running over with the same measure you give it will be given to you when you read generous believer in every way that includes with your finances that includes your evangelism that includes everything we hear a giving person, God will replenish your supply and I think when you are running a new believer there asking you questions well it remind you of things you forgotten how would you ever shared something with someone and if you're sharing it you get really excited about it again. You're telling them what Jesus did and what it was like when you first came to Christ, and now your life is change as your sharing your story to get all fired up about it. That's why you need to do it. It's not just for the lots people post it for us it's for us to is sort of like going to Disneyland with kids or adults you know when you go to Disneyland with adults. It's not always so much fun as mercy of their older adults because first of all, they're going to complain about the admission price, which is somewhat justifiable.

What is it like $1000 now and then you know you walk in and now they got these little things of your standing here in the line will be in on the ride and two days. It's like you know I don't even want to know that that makes it miserable for me and and you know so you're you're tired and you don't you know it's a whole different experience a lot of critiquing things all you know this is so fake and all that go with the kid just go with the kid and see Disneyland through the eyes of a child that will be a whole new experience for you there excited, they want to go on the crazy rides. They want to have fun.

It's a magical place for them and I think the same way when we only hang around older believers and we never engage new believers, we can actually begin to find ourselves in a place of complacency in a place of dullness and actually what we need is a new Christian in our life that will revive us again and I think this is part of discipling him say something I could've broke all the rules the way I came to Christ and by that I mean normally you share the gospel with someone you either leave them to the Lord you bring them to church and they come to Christ, then you will follow up and you help them grow in their faith. None of that happened for me.

No one invited me to anything I would even have people give up evangelistic booklets to be out of the streets they would give them to people around me and skip me was that all about.

Actually, one of them to. I think it was sort of this look on my face.

I don't know what it was must've intimidated people.

Can you imagine anyway so you know my story, I saw the Christians meeting on the front lawn of my high school campus. I said close enough or he can eavesdrop on their conversation.

No one invited me to the meeting but I heard the gospel and I heard enough to understand. I needed Jesus and I went forward and prayed and asked him in my life that I could've gone the wrong direction. I could've fallen through the cracks, but thank God someone followed up on me and his name was Mark.

He came up to me, maybe a few days later and said five is your name Greg said yeah.

So as I saw that you accepted Jesus Christ the other day I was like, just so good.

I didn't really know what it happened to me when I got so yeah you did, what about it would have all you need to start going to church, not subject know you need to come to church with me. No churches to yell whatever you live. I want to come pick you up. No, I don't want to go to church with you.

I said no you need to come to church on come on and he was so persistent just to make him stop as it appears my address he shows up at my house. I did not want to go to church now, so all I'd known of Christianity literally was a Bible study of like 25 young people I'd not been in the church pretty much my whole life.

Maybe when I was a little boy with my grandparents but I don't remember a lot about that. So I go to this church at Calvary Chapel. It's in the middle of the Jesus movement. There's people everywhere coming out of the windows practically worshiping God and and I literally walked in, in a kind of freaked me out.

There was too much love in one place, not to understand the way I was raised.

My mom never hugged me.

I'm not saying this to elicit sympathy, but if you feel bad for me go yet but she never hugged me she never said I love you so literally. I was in at all. Where there was no affection, no I love youse and I want to but a complete stranger comes up some growth.

God bless you brother. I love you and she hugs me I'm like you. It's like I didn't want to be hot. I didn't want to be in this place and it was so packed out. There was no seats and I was glad and I started to walk away and someone in the front row recognize because they went to my high school is a great come sit with thoughts and like walk-in in their singing happy happy happy happy. Where does it stop revealing come from Jesus. Unlike widely pointing up what's up there what's happening and I sat in the front row and I thought man you known and I was very uncomfortable and then a guy walks out these old is bald and all really. His name was Chuck Smith. I don't want to listen to some adults. I don't like adults because all the adults I've been exposed to were not very good examples to me and this guy comes. Oddly brings his Bible and the brothers can be so boring and he opens up the Bible and it just comes alive, like drinking it in and you couldn't get me out of the place after that I went every night of the week to every Bible study. They had this guy Mark. He said I want to become Allman meet my parents. I've never been around a Christian family. My mom was very did were seven times we consider on a table and eat a meal and have a prayer followed up by a Bible study you kidney should be passed out on the floor. That was my life. So I'm sitting in this house we ever little meal we have prayer. They say grace I'd never done that before and afterwards let's have a Bible study and their talking about things in the Bible and I'm drinking it then I'm like a sponge hi Mike SpongeBob SquarePants, no, not like that. But I'm just taking it in. I'd never heard this before my life was changed, why this one guy just said I'm in a go.

Hope that guy Greg and he took me under his wing and because he did that for me here I sit today and you know here's the thing we all know the great you know rockstar preachers if you will. Billy Graham's of the world. Thank God for them, but you know, a lot of times it's the unsung heroes that play a key role someone is… Even the life of the Billy Graham or someone that follows up on someone that stands in the gap for someone you don't have to be a theologian to do this by the way, you know more than you think you know I already said that. But you really do is you sit in church all the time and you hear all these Bible studies it's going in your heart and it's going in your mind. And when you try to help someone it'll start coming to your memory, because the Holy Spirit will bring it to your memory so I'm telling you, you can be used by God to share the gospel.

Greg Laurie important insights today on the need for all of us to share the good news with those around us is just too important not to and hear a new beginning. We want to help you find a host of resources at our website. One in particular is our free online course on evangelism called tell someone. Many believers feel underequipped to share their faith effectively lacking changed with the help of this free online course. Find out more@harvest.org again harvest.org will press Greg. Many of us I think it been on the insert of a news diet and watching the news can just cause so much stress and disappointment of the world. This is a mess. Yes it sure seems like God may be up to something you think. Yes I I sure pray and hope so because I'll tell you what our nation needs a healing. I cannot remember a time when we been more divided.

The only parallel would be late 60s with all the riots and racial division and issues at that time I would see.

It's as bad today.

I would say it's maybe even a little bit worse today because you know it did back in the late 60s.

We didn't have social media. We didn't have twitter I we then have all these platforms were Jill could be thrown onto pre-existing flames and I think everybody just needs to step back and I'm talking up primarily to Christians and we need to live and behave as followers of Jesus Christ. Because really, we should seek to be bridge builders not bridge burners. We need to be peacemakers, not troublemakers. And I think we need to really pray that God would heal our land. Now I know I've quoted this verse many times, but man, it is so clear and really gives us the prescription for the healing of a nation, and end of course is second Chronicles 714 where the Lord says if my people notice. He pointed his finger and his people. When a nation is in trouble. God doesn't quit his finger at the government. He points his finger at his people. He says if my people, which are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then God promises I'll hear from heaven, forgive their sin and heal their land. We need to healing and it's happened before and it can happen again. The last great spiritual awakening in American history was known as the Jesus movement or the Jesus revolution. Some historians believe not only was it the last great revival. Some even believe it was the greatest of all the revivals I here's what I do know I came to Christ in 1970. I walked into the epicenter of the Jesus movement I and I saw amazing things in my life was impacted and a whole generation was impacted. The nation was impacted and I wrote a book about it in the title of the book is Jesus, revolution, and I might also add that I cowrote it with a lady name Ellen von Ellen von was also the co-author of my autobiography called lost boy of fairy gifted writer in her own right and she help me put this book together. She did extensive research so you can understand the backdrop of the Jesus revolution and I think as you read this book, you're going to say well. This reminds me of right now and so here's a word say Lord do it again as Scripture says, will you not revive us again that your people may praise you, so we need another spiritual awakening, I don't think we can organize it, but I think we can agonize for it in prayer and I don't think we can make it happen. But I think we can prepare the ground for the work of the spirit and I think reading this book will inspire you because you know it's been said, the fame of revival spreads the flame of revival.

So learn about the theme of revival learn about what God did in the last great spiritual awakening in America. And let's pray that it will happen again.

I want to send you this book Jesus revolution at no cost. All I ask of you is that you would send a gift to help us continue to preach the gospel and teach the word of God. So for your gift of any size will rush you a copy of my book Jesus revolution. Yeah that's right it's an inspiring look at what happened during the 60s and 70s and how it can happen again. In fact, the subtitle of the book is how God transformed an unlikely generation, and how he can do it again today and along with the book will even include the brand-new study guide that helps you dive even deeper into the insights.

Pastor Greg presents so to thank you for your generous donation right now.

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Pastor Greg brings us more insight on how personal evangelism plays an important part in bringing a spiritual awakening to our culture join us here on a new beginning. Pastor Greg Laurie and possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor grades free daily email, devotions@harvest.org