The Refreshing Power of Sharing Your Faith: Fishers of Men

You are listening to a new beginning with Greg Laurie, a podcast made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere. No guide this at our website and learn more about harvest partners@harvest.org goal: to all who were unable to reach the short answer we are we hearing a message that shaves lot today.

Pastor Greg Mori points out is the most important group which we have primary way of reaching people is through people not just preachers, not just missionaries were all called all the world and preach the gospel, how it was you came to Christ, most likely, there was a least one being involved in the project.

Aren't you thankful for the person what we each have the opportunity to be that person for someone else is God's plan for disseminating good news today on the new beginning part of a series called refresh Greg Laurie points out how refreshing it is evangelism privilege.

Okay, well, are fishermen. I'm not much of a fisherman myself. Years ago I was in Alaska and I went a little fishing trip for king salmon. I was very seasoned fishermen who knew what they were doing.

I didn't even know how to beat my hook. Well anyway, what world just waiting for a boy and one from the my gift thing I've got a hit. I just got a hit and got a get. I asked the guy who was with us or God. How will you know when you get a real bike.

He says you'll know it's like almost right out of the will Michael move. Then I start really the way in and I got up.

King salmon all my life I was so excited night work at this went on for a while for you know maybe 20 minutes. I'm really awake. Finally, we get that this right of the side of the boat and the guy gets is never there and he misses it and the fish breaks away and then of course when you tell someone that story. No one believes you, because we all talk about the one that got away.

But in my case it really happened, but I'll tell you a story about a fisherman who got a piece of a fish is called a Moscow lunch fish ever heard of those of this guy is testing an outboard propeller on his little boat on the lake in Ohio knows is cruising along, he sees this massive Moscow lunch fish right near the surface a week cast his line in the direction of the fish a couple times the fish disappearance of the guy goes back to testing this motor half hour later the fish appears again.

It's right near the surface, so this guy grabs a leather glove gets right behind the musky grabs up behind the gills.

It is wrestling it onto the boat.

The fish was so big.

Another fishermen nearby came and helped him get this beast of a fish on his boat and when it was all said and done, it weighed more than 53 pounds.

Had he caught it properly. If you will with a rod and reel it would've said the records of this is what makes me laugh. This fishermen was interviewed afterwords in how did you pull this off catching this fish with a glove by hand in his responses. Well I was at the right place at the right time but I guess I was just full enough to grab for Greg what are you talking is this a message on fishing. Yes, it is. It's a message on fishing for men. Jesus said, follow me, and you will be out for sure, of men, a literal translation of that is catch men alive.

I suppose we need to be at the right place at the right time and be full enough to grab it.

I want to talk to you in this message about how to lead a person to Christ no. As you know were in a series recalling refresh last time we talked about the refreshing power of sharing your faith in this is a part to that message and you remember I pointed out to you that when you reach out to others. When you put your focus on others it's spiritually refreshes you remember Jesus said, give and it shall be given to you press down, shaken together, running over with the same measure you give it shall be given back to you Jesus that it's more blessed, or literally happy making to give bended is to receive there's a happiness and giving the gospel out to others and of course (Proverbs 1125 it says he that refreshes others will be refresh him self. So I want to help you share your faith out last time I mentioned, if you know John 316 are armed and dangerous. John 316 for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, have ever lasting life that is the gospel in a nutshell, you know that God will cause some trouble in a good way.

So let's in this message. Talk about the who the where the Y in the when of telling others about Jesus. Let's start with the who, who is called to go into all the world and preach the gospel short answer we are. I you are. Jesus said in Matthew 28. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I've commanded you. Hello, I am with you, even to the end of the age.

By the way, in the original language that is addressed to everyone, not just preachers, not just pastors, not just missionaries.

It's addressed to student its address to athletes it's addressed to men it's addressed to women. It's addressed to older people. It's addressed to younger people. It's addressed to older people who think that younger people. The point is, it's for everyone. No one gets off the hook if you will, were all called to go to all the world and preach the gospel now where are we to preach the gospel again everywhere and to all of the world.

A let's localize it going to all of your world and preach the gospel going to your sphere of influence with the message of Jesus Christ. Number three. Why are we to do this is as important why we to do this because God's primary way of reaching people is through people and the primary way we do that is to the verbal articulation of the gospel you say while just be a good example in a be a model of what it means to be a Christian and that will be my form of evangelism, by all means be a model by all means be a good example of that. To be honest, if you're not going to be a good example. I would rather you did not preach the gospel but so be that godly example, but then in effect earns you the right to articulate your faith, the Primary Way, God brings people into the kingdom is when they have had the gospel verbally articulated to them.

First Corinthians 121 Paul writes in the wisdom of God the world the wisdom did not know God it please God through the foolishness of the message preached to save the hose that believe there is power in this message being communicated to a person number four when are we to share the gospel answer all the time all the time that you know the Bible says be instant in season and out of season or a modern translation puts it this way be on duty at all times. I've been illustration for this of one God call upon me at a very unusual moment saws in a department store. This is some years ago and I had to go to the restaurant just preachers have to go to the restroom to so I took my seat in the stall trying to visualize this and then there there's someone in the stall next to clears his throat to someone next whatever Ellen and then I hear a voice say to me hi it's Ella Cutter know about you but I don't talk to people in restaurants any. My objective is to get in and out as quickly as possible.

He says hi. I didn't really know what to do. I sent hi then a moment goes by and I hear this voice say at what is supposed to meet me here like what were you supposed to meet me here. No, no, I wasn't supposed to meet you here than it was his first independent irritated and then suddenly it occurred to me. One of the Lord wants me to share the gospel with this guy but wait in the bathroom. Could God use you in the bathroom and then he says what do you have something for me and thinking what is this kind was going on and I said what is it you're looking for. He says some draw. I so the guy was want to make a drug by he thought his drug dealer was going to meet him in the bathroom and I said well I got something better for you than drugs. He said what is very interested. I set a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ again and thinking I can't do this in a bathroom did this. This realm I was doing and then this is what the guy says I already tried that Yorty tried accepting Christ. Yes, the man says. I said will did you go to church.

Yes, he said I supported you go to church Senate with the harvest Christian Fellowship.

I said really did you I said you know who I am. He said no. I said I'm Greg Laurie, the pastor of harvest Christian Fellowship and then he said my God I had the last I said them, but he God must really love you. He said your pastor into the bathroom where you were trying to make a drug by I want to talk to you afterwards. So I waited for him it was in the sock section. As I recall, so he comes out of the restroom. He was easy to identify. He was a guilty looking guy and I just said Lord loves you, stop running from Yemen I prayed with them and he recommitted his life to the Lord so you never know what God will call upon you when we to present the gospel whenever an opportunity arises for Greg Laurie will have the second half of his message in just a moment, everybody Greg Laurie here.

You know my uncle Fred Jordan at one of the first Christian TV programs out there. It was called church in the home. I remember watching it as a little boy when I was living with my grandparents we have church in the home for you every weekend is called harvest@homeinvitedharvest.org we have worship in a message of God's word. So join us this weekend for Harvest at Home harvest.today pastor Greg is offering us the fundamentals of sharing the gospel the who what when where and why.

Let's continue. Point number five. How are we to share the gospel that this is where the rubber meets the road. And frankly, this is word falls apart for many people. They just don't know how to get started and even more once they got started. They don't know how to finish. They don't know how to make that invitation for a person to come to Christ, so little look in John chapter 4 together a very familiar story of Jesus and the woman at the well and here we see Jesus as the master communicator. Yes he was God walking among us. Yes, he was the Savior of the world. He was the Messiah, but he also was the greatest evangelist of all time. Any models for us how to engage people with his message of the Bible says that Jesus the common people heard him gladly. That simply means Jesus never spoke over anyone said when he communicated people under stood him was Albert Einstein once said, quote you should speak in such a way that your grandmother would understand."

I like to let me expand it. We should speak in such a way that a child could under stand. I want children to understand what I'm saying sometimes I get letters from kids, you know, eight, nine years old that will watch Harvest at Home and I'm so glad when I get a letter like that because I want the kids to understand. Maybe they don't understand everything I'm saying but maybe they'll hear a joke or an illustration will connect with them but I want to connect to those people and as we sharing the gospel, we want to connect with people and bring it to them in a way they can under stand that means we have to avoid what I call Chris Ginny, Dino and Chris.

Ginny's is that sort of verbiage we use that doesn't make sense to a nonbeliever. You walk up to someone who is a Christian and you say you he then have you been washed in the blood sanctified and are you part of the body of Christ.

You know how weird that sounds you just as a person of the washed and blood of the part of somebody all they know they don't want to continue to have a conversation with you. You got to communicate in a language that people understand and Jesus certainly did that. You know sometimes people take that which is so incredible and so beautiful and they make it unnecessarily complex.

Even worse, they make it boring. I can't stand boring preaching.

Can you, so we need to make it understandable.

We need to connect with the person that we are talking to.

The objective is not to win the debate. The objective is to win the soul. The objective is to not burn the bridge. The objective is to build the bridge and Jesus did that so perfectly. Listen, everything doesn't have to be a sermon you might be surprised to hear that from a preacher, but sometimes you just need to be a friend and make that initial connection and try not to be a weird person try to be half normal, if possible.

As you talk to people about Jesus is the status interesting 79% of uninsured people agree with the following statement I don't mind talking to a friend about their faith if it really value.

I mentioned this last, I know mine says almost 80% of the public talking to a friend about their faith if they really value it so you can see there is an audience for what we have to say if we go about it in the right way. So when you're communicating with the nonbeliever T the time to listen to that. Take the time to hear what they're saying. Try not to cut them off you need to discover something that is called Tact. Tact is the intuitive knowledge of saying the right thing at the right time. The apostle Paul used tact so perfectly when he presented the gospel to the people in Athens at a place called Mars Hill this is Robbie intellectuals would gather to debate and discuss the latest philosophy that was coming along. So Paul stands up with this place called the Areopagus. In fact, I've started this very site where Paul stood and delivered a message and so it's very exciting. Be in this place were such a historical moment happened, but here are all these people with all these different philosophies and Paul and spent some time in Athens look around the city. There was lots of items in Athens lots of false gods and lots of altars directed to false gods. So Paul is looking at all of these altars are directed to these false deities and becomes the one that's directed toward the unknown God. I guess the people of Athens figure will case we missed one will put this one up to the unknown God. So Paul stands up before the people about things and all these philosophers and says men of Athens. I can see you're very religious. I was walking around your city and I saw this altar directed to the unknown God. That's the one want to talk to you about the goodness that men of Athens. You are a bunch of idle worshipers, your pagans and your all going to hell with that of been true. Yes, it would've been. But Paul wanted to build a bridge instead of burn, one that was a good beginning. Some years ago I was in wine I was in a The cabdrivers name was Tom so were cruise along them there on the road with what they call a ghost by a ghost bike is a bike that's been painted white. Sometimes there's flowers in front of them to commemorate the fact that someone riding a bike was killed there, and unfortunately there were a few ghost bikes out on that particular day. It was a very well used road there on the island. The big island of Hawaii and I saw the ghost bike I went ghost bike that that's sad and Tom the cabdrivers is yes I have a friend that was riding on this highway was killed not long ago, so I said will Tom what you think happens after we die. It's a ton the cabdriver told me his philosophy, he believe that you would come back is another life form and talk about it for a while I didn't interrupt him.

I didn't contradict him.

I didn't roll my eyes. I just listen to what Tom the cabdriver had to say. So he finished his talk about what he thought happens after a person dies then Tom says to me what you think happens after a person dies, she that's a give-and-take and then I told him what the Bible says that several I believe that if you're a believer in Jesus Christ. You go straight to heaven like expanded on that a bit and after I was done.

Tom said I like your version of the afterlife better than mine. A civil Tom, it's not my version is God's version, but my point in bringing this up is I was establishing a conversation. But dialogue with a person to Greg Ward pointing out how we need to be ready to share the hope of Christ with Tom. The cabdriver married. The cashier were Wilson. The next-door neighbor good insight today on a new beginning.

There's more to come from this message is a study called the refreshing power of sharing your faith. Part two. What were making a new book available. That's just fascinating called the Jesus music.

It talks about the rise of contemporary Christian music and how it wasn't always smooth sailing.

Some of the church opposed it, but I found it fascinating pastor Greg get it one point Billy Graham wanted to make the music in his Crusades more contemporary and Invited Michael W Smith and DC talk to be his music guests at a youth event and Billy was in his 70s at the time.

Fascinating story yet Billy was always a person who was willing to take risks for the kingdom of God. So going back a few years when Jesus music was just exploding. There was an event in Texas called X blows 72. It was described as a religious Woodstock so 80 200,000 young people really people of all ages gathered there in Texas and an artist like love song and Larry Norman and Johnny Cash are performed before thousands of people and Billy Graham spokes. It was sort of like the seal of approval from the leader of evangelical is, and at that time, Billy Graham Aquino. Fast forward many years Billy has been doing his Crusades and he wants to reach younger people, so the idea came of let's put Christian music that's contemporary on the states.

I can tell you. Not everyone supported the idea. I know because I was there. It became a little bit of a debate among the members of the Billy Graham evangelistic Association Board of Directors because I been on that board for 25 years. Some opposed it.

I stuck up for said this is a great idea this to reach more young people, and indeed it did. But I have to tell you, Dave. I was at one of those concerts and Michael W Smith played in DC talk played and the young people loved it, but when Billy Graham walked out he got the greatest ovation of the night, and that this was just his willingness to do whatever he could to bridge the gap and reaching culture with the gospel. So this music is played a significant role in the church for the last 50 years, but I bet a lot of you do not know the origin story you don't know how it got started.

You don't know who were the sort of pioneers of this music and now turning in the music you love today on the many Christian stations around the United States and indeed the world, so there's this brand-new book out called the Jesus music written by my friend Marshall Terrell, I've written three other books with Marshall is an excellent writer. A great researcher and you don't learn a lot and I think this book is going to be a blessing to you and frankly you would pay a lot for this hardcover book with glossy pages and photographs and stories of these artists through the years working to give it to you for your gift of any size. So whatever you send to us.

We will send you this book the Jesus music and return, but I'm encouraged you to be generous because whatever you send us will be used.

To get the gospel out and teach the word of God. So thanks in advance for whatever you can do.

Let us send you a copy of this new book the Jesus music you know we would merely bring you the studies each day without the support of listeners like you, we have no other way to cover the cost of broadcasting other than the generosity of those who listen. So thank you so much for your investment and with your generous donation today. Be sure to ask for the Jesus music will send it right out and will only be able to mention this resource. A short time longer.

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Jesus style next time.

Join us here on a new beginning. Pastor and Bible teacher Greg for an everybody thinks or listening to this podcast to learn more about harvest ministries follow the show and consider supporting it. Just go to harvest.org and find out how to know God personally go to harvest.org and click on know God