Eagles Nest Church
Evangelism - Week 11

      • 2 Timothy 3:16–17ESV

  • Today we are again looking at how to share the gospel.
    And in Mark Dever’s book, he points out 3 things we need to have:
    3 Ingredients for Evangelism.
    Honesty
    Urgency
    Joy
    First, we tell people with honesty that if they repent and believe, they will be saved.
    But they will need to repent, and it will be costly.
    We must be accurate in what we say,
    not holding any important parts back that seem to us awkward or offensive.
    But sadly, many today are uncomfortable with anything that sounds negative.
    Sin, guilt, repentance, judgment, sacrifice.
    Those are treated as obstacles to avoid rather than essentials to sharing the gospel.
    The thinking is that focusing on human sinfulness is not only outdated but harmful.
    The famous preacher Robert Schuller once said:
    “I don’t think that anything has been done in the name of Christ and under the banner of Christianity that has proven more destructive to human personality, and hence counterproductive to the evangelistic enterprise, than the unchristian, uncouth strategy of attempting to make people aware of their lost and sinful condition.”
    Robert Schuller
    Joel Osteen says the same.
    Instead of hurting people’s feeling with the gospel’s message of sin, death, and judgment,
    the idea is that we should focus on freedom rather than repentance.
    But not only is that not being honest about the gospel,
    it’s presenting a false gospel.
    The Bible is clear that freedom is a beautiful part of the gospel, but it is not the starting point.
    Sin and guilt sit at the very center of the message.
    Which means, you cannot share the good news without first dealing honestly with the bad news.
    Making people aware of their lost condition is not cruel or outdated, it is as essential as a doctor telling his patient the bad diagnosis.
    And we see this all throughout the Bible.
    When you read Peter’s sermons in Acts,
    He speaks directly about sin, responsibility, and guilt,
    without softening the blow or trying to flatter his hearers.
    That approach did not come out of nowhere.
    Peter learned it from Jesus Himself,
    who made it clear that following Him meant repentance, self denial, and even the cost of a cross.
    The truth is, we are not dealing with neutral truth seekers.
    The fall left people hostile toward God,
    not merely uninformed.
    Scripture says people are estranged from God, and evangelism must be honest about that.
    What is repentance?
    Repentance is turning from the sins you love to the holy God you are called to love.
    It is admitting that you are not God.
    It is choosing Jesus over immediate pleasure
    and leaving behind what Scripture calls sin in order to follow Him.
    That is why we must be honest when we share the gospel.
    Holding back hard truths is not kindness, it is manipulation.
    We are not selling a product or presenting God as a tool to help people reach their own goals.
    Faithful evangelism does not hide difficulties or polish away the cost.
    It tells the truth,
    even when that truth is uncomfortable.
    And the truth is:
    Matthew 7:13–14 ESV
    “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
    India
    2% Christian
    Not because they haven’t heard, but because the cost of discipleship is high
    Caste system, ec.
    3 Ingredients for Evangelism.
    Honesty
    Urgency
    Joy
    Biblical evangelism must carry real urgency.
    Because “The time is short.”
    The call of the gospel is to repent and believe now.
    Scripture is clear that Christ is the only way to be reconciled to God (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 10).
    There is no alternative plan coming later.
    And we are not promised tomorrow (James 4:13).
    1 Corinthians 7:29 ESV
    This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none,
    Emphasizing urgency is not manipulation; it is honesty.
    As Christians, we know history is not cyclical
    History is moving somewhere.
    God created the world,
    He governs it,
    and He will bring it to a close in judgment.
    That is why Scripture presses the weight of “today” on the human heart:
    Psalm 95:7–8 ESV
    For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,
    Our time is limited and uncertain, which is why Paul tells us to:
    Ephesians 5:16 ESV
    making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.
    Knowing that “the time is short” and that “this world in its present form is passing away” (1 Cor. 7:29, 31),
    Christ’s love compels us to speak (2 Cor. 5:10–15).
    This is why faithful evangelism is honest about the cost of repentance,
    and also about the expiration date of the offer.
    3 Ingredients for Evangelism.
    Honesty
    Urgency
    Joy
    Now, as serious as all of this is,
    we must remember that we do have “Good News” to share!
    Because the gospel is, ultimately, a message of Good News.
    And so if we do not share the gospel with all of it’s joy,
    we are subtracting from the gospel’s message.
    The gospel tells us that we were made to love God and be loved by Him forever.
    And in Christ, we have the full expression of that love.
    Glorious things of thee are spoken,
    Zion, city of our God;
    He whose word cannot be broken
    Formed thee for His own abode.
    On the Rock of Ages founded,
    What can shake thy sure repose?
    With salvation’s walls surrounded,
    Thou may’st smile at all thy foes.
    Question: How often to you spend time just thinking about the glories of the gospel?
    Thinking about the amazing truth that you, a sinner, have been saved by grace,
    while so many others are lost and on their way to hell?
    Because this should fill us with joy,
    but also with a burden to share the gospel with the lost.
    So we must not lose sight of the full gospel.
    The bad and good news together.
    And the cost of discipleship is, ultimately, no cost at all!
    As the missionary and martyr Jim Elliot once famously said:
    “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
    Jim Elliot
    This is the balance we are aiming for: honesty, urgency, and joy.
    Honesty and urgency without joy produce a grim, heavy determination that forgets delight in Christ.
    Honesty and joy without urgency produce a careless attitude toward time and eternity.
    And urgency and joy without honesty - distort the gospel into promises of wordly benefit without repentance or cost.
    Faithful evangelism holds all three together.
    Practical tools for evangelism:
    Pray
    Salvation is God’s work, so evangelism must be soaked in prayer.
    “Salvation belongs to the LORD” (Jonah 2:9).
    Jesus prayed for those who would believe through the disciples’ witness (John 17),
    and He made it clear that no one comes to Him unless the Father draws them (John 6:44).
    Paul prayed the same way for the people he was witnessing to:
    “My heart’s desire and prayer to God… is that they may be saved” (Rom. 10:1).
    We can speak and persuade, but only God can save.
    So we must pray, and we must pray often.
    Practical tools for evangelism:
    Pray
    Use the Bible.
    The Bible is not only for preaching and personal devotion.
    It is a powerful tool in evangelism.
    In Acts 8, Philip meets the Ethiopian official who is reading Isaiah 53,
    and Acts 8:35 tells us that Philip “began with that Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.”
    We must not forget that God uses His Word to reveal His Son.
    The gospel does not rest on our explanations alone,
    but on Scripture inspired by the Spirit of God.
    So show that to the lost.
    Inviting non-Christians to read the Bible, especially the Gospels, exposes them directly to Jesus as He truly is.
    They encounter the living Christ through His words, His works, His authority, and His grace firsthand.
    This also makes clear that we are not offering personal opinions or private spirituality,
    but presenting Christ as He is revealed in Scripture.
    God’s Spirit uses God’s Word to bring conviction, understanding, and new life.
    This is why faithful evangelism puts the Bible in front of people and lets God speak for Himself.
    Practical tools for evangelism:
    Pray
    Use the Bible.
    Be Clear
    When you share the gospel, be careful and clear with your words.
    Do not assume people mean what you mean by words like God, sin, judgment, prayer, heaven, or salvation.
    Especially since we have no idea what others have told them these words mean.
    and false teachers may have distorted the meaning of those words.
    John MacArthur quote slide:
    So slow down,
    define terms,
    and aim to be understood.
    Clarity does not mean making the message likable.
    It means making the message plain.
    Paul adapted his starting point depending on his audience.
    With Jews he reasoned from Scripture,
    and with Greeks he began with their worldview and then brought them to the true God (Acts 17).
    1 Cor 9:20-21
    1 Corinthians 9:20–21 ESV
    To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law.
    At the same time, clarity also requires a willingness to offend.
    A gospel that never confronts the sinner has been watered down.
    Peter at Pentecost was direct:
    Acts 2:36 ESV
    Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
    So be clear about the basics:
    Be clear about sin and separation from God (Rom. 3:22–23; 6:23).
    Be clear about what the cross accomplished (1 Pet. 3:18; Gal. 3:10–13).
    Be clear about the response God requires: repent and believe (Mark 1:15; Acts 20:21; John 1:12).
    Practical tools for evangelism:
    Pray
    Use the Bible
    Be Clear
    Provoke self-reflection
    People today are often defensive,
    and that defensiveness pushes them to want to discover things for themselves rather than simply be told what to believe.
    That is why conversations matter.
    But this is not a modern reality.
    It has always been the case that people resist being confronted directly,
    especially when it exposes them as wrong.
    The fallen human heart does not welcome correction easily.
    So instead of only making statements, ask good questions.
    Ask how they understand right and wrong, suffering, purpose, death, or God.
    Ask what they struggle with and where they think hope comes from.
    And then do something that’s hard for a lot of us…
    LISTEN!
    Listen carefully to their answers.
    Often people have never fully articulated what they believe,
    and thoughtful questions can bring their hidden assumptions the surface.
    This does not mean avoiding clarity or conviction.
    It means engaging in honest conversation while still presenting the truth plainly.
    And as you do this, let the difference of your life as a Christian show.
    Let your words and life create a contrast that raises questions.
    Be clear about the gospel,
    patient in conversation,
    and prayerful that God would use honest dialogue to unsettle false confidence and awaken a hunger for truth.
    Sometimes, questions with one clear statement can do more work than we think.
    Coffee shop: “I encourage you read the gospels and take Christ at His own word.”
    Practical tools for evangelism:
    Pray
    Use the Bible
    Be Clear
    Provoke self-reflection
    Rely on the church
    Using the church in evangelism means more than inviting someone to a service, though that matters.
    It means recognizing that the shared life of the Christian community is itself a witness.
    Our lives together give credibility to our words.
    Not because we are perfect,
    but because a changed life, lived openly among other believers, points unbelievers to the power of the gospel.
    Matthew 5:16 ESV
    In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
    1 Peter 2:12 ESV
    Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
    Jesus also taught that love within the church is a public testimony:
    John 13:34–35 ESV
    A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
    Words alone are not enough.
    We must speak the gospel clearly, but our lives together confirm the power of the gospel.
    Evangelism includes both proclamation and the visible reality of a redeemed community.
    In the New Testament, God’s dwelling place is no longer a temple but a people.
    The church is now the temple of the Holy Spirit.
    That means hope is displayed not through impressive structures,
    but through a distinct and attractive way of life.
    Christians shine by being different, not by blending in.
    Philippians 2:14–16 ESV
    Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life…
    This is why we must think about evangelism in communal terms.
    Invite people not only to gatherings, but into relationships.
    Let them see the gospel lived out in ordinary faithfulness, shared love, and transformed lives.
    And remember, God often uses the visible life of the church to awaken questions, stir conviction, and point people toward Christ.

      • Matthew 7:13–14NIV2011

      • 1 Corinthians 7:29NIV2011

      • Psalm 95:7–8NIV2011

      • Ephesians 5:16NIV2011

      • 1 Corinthians 9:20–21NIV2011

      • Acts 2:36NIV2011

      • Matthew 5:16NIV2011

      • 1 Peter 2:12NIV2011

      • John 13:34–35NIV2011

      • Philippians 2:14–16NIV2011

Eagles Nest Church
pastorzach@eaglesnestmn.org
(218) 562-5252
http://www.eaglesnestmn.org
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