The Gospel and Why We Preach by Ed Soto - Pt. 2


II. Why Do We Evangelize

A. Jesus commands us to.
1. Matthew 28:18-20 - And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
2. Mark 16:15 - And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He said Go, not wait for them to come to you.
3.Jesus said in Acts 1:8 - But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
If Jesus was only telling the early Disciples and Christians to evangelize, how would that be consistent with the lost that live today that need to be evangelized also? Does not God care about them? Hebrews 13:8, Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. … and how shall they hear without a preacher?
B. Jesus expressed the importance of Evangelism
1. Luke 10:2 - Then He said to them, "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.
2. Matthew 4:19 - And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. If you follow Christ you're going to allow him to make a fisher of men out of you.
3. Luke 19:10, For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. If you are going to follow in the steps of Jesus, you will seek and save the lost as well.
4. John 4:35-36, Don't say, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
C. The early church fished for men
1. Acts 5:42 - And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
2. Acts 2:41& 47 - Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
3. Acts 8:26-33 - And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, Was returning, and sitting in his chariot reading Esaias the prophet. Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. Philip heard the voice of God and went to the person he needed to talk to. He went out of his way to share with a stranger. Do you go out of your way to share the Gospel with strangers? Phillipians 4:13, I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
D. The Apostle Paul encourages us to.
1. Romans 10:14-15 - How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
2. I Corinthians 9:16 - For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!
3. Ephesians 6:14-15 - Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
E. It is the right thing to do. It is the kind thing to do. It is the loving thing to do and we will be judged not only for our actions but for our in-action as well.
1. Proverbs 24:11-12, Deliver those who are drawn toward death, And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, "Surely we did not know this," Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds.
a. example - If you noticed your neighbor's house on fire in the middle of the night, would you do all you can to wake him or her up and warn them of the impending doom? Of course you would. If you really cared, you would break the door down to warn them. If you discovered that the bridge was out at the end of the road you were driving on and you didn't warn the drivers behind you, how kind and compassionate of a person would you really be?
1) If you knew of a good thing that would help others and didn't share it, how good of a thing is it really to you? Romans 1:16 (New King James Version) For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
2. James 4:17, Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
3. 2 Corinthians. 5:10-11, For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord,(and that God will require of us) we persuade men;(to do what's right) but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.

Bible Verse of the Day

Hebrews 3:12-13

New International Version See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.