July 24, 2022
Sunday Sermon
SPREADING THE GOSPEL TO THE WORLD
Acts 1:8
Part 1
Introduction: A story is told about a time just after Christ returned from earth to heaven. The angel Gabriel rushed up to Christ and asked if Christ had suffered terribly. “Yes,” answered Christ – “I did.” “So now everyone on earth knows how much you love them and what you did for them?” asked Gabriel. “Oh, no. Only a handful.” “But Lord, how will the rest of the world find out – why didn’t you tell them?” “It’s OK, I asked Peter, James, John, and the others. And when they know, they will tell others. Soon the whole world will know.”
“But what if they don’t tell the others? What if they get too busy? What will you do then? Have you made any other plans?”
“I made no other plans,” answered Christ. “I’m counting on them”.
Jesus is counting on us to spread the Gospel!
Let’s say that you are out at the lake one day and you spot a drowning person. What would you do? Would you ignore their desperate condition and turn the other way? Or would you throw them a life preserver? If you are a decent person, I imagine that you are, I am confident that you would try to do something to save that poor soul.
In a similar situation, each day you probably come in contact with dozens of people who are drowning without Christ in their life. For them, it’s only a matter of time before they will go down for the last time, unless someone like you, who has a life-preserver, can throw it their way, and save their life. Spreading the Gospel to a lost world is a life-preserver! We have three facts that will help us in Spreading The Gospel To The World!
I. WE MUST HAVE THE RIGHT MESSAGE
1. “Ye shall be witnesses”
2. This is the responsibility of any witness
a. A witness in court must tell what he or she knows
b. A witness to an accident or a crime must tell what he or she has seen
3. If you know God loves you, tell how you know
4. If you know Jesus has saved you, tell how you know
5. Peter told those gathered for Pentecost what he knew about Jesus (Acts 2)
6. Philip told the Ethiopian eunuch what he knew about Jesus (Acts 8:26-37)
7. Paul told king Agrippa what he knew about Jesus (Acts 26)
II. WE MUST HAVE THE RIGHT METHODS
1. “Ye shall be witnesses unto me”
2. Christ is the subject of our witnessing
a. We are to tell lost people about the One who came to save
b. We are to tell of His miraculous birth, His life, his death on the cross
c. We are to tell of His resurrection and His return
3. Our purpose in witnessing is to share the gospel (1 Cor. 15:3-4)
4. Our goal is not to impress others with our knowledge of theology
a. Many know the theories of theologians but don’t know Jesus
b. Many know about the glory of heaven but are headed for hell
5. Our goal is to introduce people to Jesus, the only way to heaven (John 14:6)
III. WE MUST HAVE THE RIGHT MINDSET
1. “In Jerusalem and …unto the uttermost part of the earth
2. The world is my parish (John Wesley)
a. The same can be said of every Christian
b. We are to be witnesses everywhere we go as long as we live
3. We are to be witnesses who are always on call and on the job
a. We are to be witnesses in our homes and places of work
b. We are to be witnesses in all our daily contacts
In Luke 14:21-23, Jesus wants us to focus on (the poor, lame,
brokenhearted, captive, blind, and oppressed). Then He tells us to go
(Streets, lanes or hedges), this was Gentile territory! Jesus knew the
Jews were not too happy going into this type of territory. Jesus wants
us to go into unfamiliar territory.
How long has it been since you told another of Jesus?
Responsive Reading: Acts 1:1-8
