Before you read the below, ask yourself:
-What are or have been your motives for evangelism?
-What would you like them to be?
-What do you think were the motives of the early church for
evangelism?
Now lets look at the early church.
1. The Plain Command of Christ (Luke
24:44-49; Acts 1:8). We looked at this in the second post in the series.
Jesus commanded us to disciple the nations. That alone should make this a
high priority in our lives.
2. The Loving Sacrifice of the Lord
for His Elect People (Acts 20:28). Our God's blood was spilled for
sinners. Why should we remain silent or motionless in view of such great love?
3. A Sensitivity of the Desperate Need of Men and Women (Acts 3:1-8). Our hearts tend to feel a tug when we see
the lame, or poor, or otherwise physically disabled, or materially destitute.
Are we as sensitive for the condition and destiny of souls?
4. A Strong Sense That it is the Right Thing to Do (Acts 4:19-20). They saw, heard, and believed. That was
enough to trump all opposing reasons or arguments for the apostles. We
alive today have not seen and heard. But we have believed, and we have the
Spirit and the entire Bible available to us. With all this how strong is
our conviction of the rightness of proclaiming the triune God and the
substitutionary death of Jesus?
5. Joy ( Acts 13:48-52, Acts 16:25,
Acts 5:40-42)). For the apostles, evangelism was a far cry from duty. To
know God and be in his will, to share Him with others was delight, leading them
to even break into song…in jail!
6. Vision (Acts 10; Acts 15:19-20).
This immediately brings to mind the book by Collin Hansen and John
Woodbridge: A God-Sized Vision: Revival Stories that Stretch and Stir
.
God desires to save a people from every
tribe, nation and tongue. A gigantic and inestimable vision to be sure.
May we, like William Carey, “Expect Great things from God;
Attempt great things for God.”
7. Outward
Thrust of the Holy Spirit (Acts 20:22). Without the Holy Spirit all of our
efforts may as well be for nothing. He will ultimately guide and lead us.
Newer Post
