BiblicalMastery Buddy's bible blog

Lesson 2

Membership Matters

Blessed Are the Feet

Acts 9:15, Isaiah 52:7, Romans 10:13-15

August 9, 2015

 

I enjoy hearing those stories about people who get in a taxi, on an airplane or are sitting in some public place pretty much minding their own business when someone strikes up a conversation which at seems to be meaningless but in the end winds up with the person coming to know the Lord. I do not happen to be that person with whom people start such conversations. I can be in a place with my Bible open or be reading a overt Christian book and I might as well be on another planet. It is obvious that some of us have the gift of evangelism. I was bypassed when that gift was passed out.

 

One of he exciting things that I experienced on my trips to Russia was the deep commitment of the young people to Christ. There in a predominate Muslim country those young adults had no fear of going an witnessing even on the street corners of there city. They knew that sharing the Word of God could result dire consequences for them. They are definitely and example for each of us.

 

Having shared that fact does not let me off the hook. I still have the responsibility to tell others about Jesus. All the training in the world cannot make it easier to do so. But I say again, I still have a responsibility. As David Jeremiah has said we have the one piece of news that no other group in the world has. It is the message of salvation. My head and heart knows this but it seems that my mouth has gotten the message.

 

Over the years churches have offered all kinds of strategies to help its members learn how to evangelize. The most popular of these has been Evangelism Explosion which was begun by Dr. D. James Kennedy, Pastor at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Ft. Lauderdale, Fl. It is very extensive when many forks in the road to lead a person to Christ. Somewhat simpler in its presentation is FAITH. It however takes about twelve weeks to master the material. The sad thing about both of these and others only a small percentage of members actually participate in any of these strategies. It now takes about 100 people a whole year to bring one person to Christ. If the church is to grow then that statistic needs to be reversed. All aspects of membership must be brought together for this to happen.

 

Isaiah 52:7

Salvation is the all-important event in each person’s life. The one who has a part in bringing a person is one who is truly blessed. He is the one who is willing to step out into this world into all the places he is called knowing that he has the approval of God. It is truly a lovely thing in the eyes of God for one to bring good news to those who are lost. There are three things that those who are willing to go bring to the world. They are:

• Good news
• An announcement of genuine peace
• Good news of happiness.

 

 

1. It may be obvious but what is the most important decision a person ever makes?
2. How does God view that person?
3. What are the three things that those willing to go bring to the world?
4. What is the good news that would happen long after Isaiah was gone?

John 20:21

Before He gave his great commission in Matthew 28:18 He told His disciples that in the same way He had been sent into the world so that they would come to know God they were to be send into to different people to proclaim the good news of salvation. They had spent three years with Him being trained to carry on His work. It would now be up to them to continue what He had begun.

 

1. What did Jesus mean by His words to His disciples?
2. How is this related to the Great Commission?
3. In what way had they been prepared to carry on the work of Christ?
4. What was still missing at that point? (The empowering of the Holy Spirit.)
5. To were the disciples to be sent?

 

Acts 9:15

The words to Ananias beginning in Acts 9:10-15 were going to change the world. In verse 15 God used the same word that Jesus spoke in Matthew 28. He was told to “go” to the very person who was to bring the good news to the Gentiles. Paul a Jewish rabbi was being sent to the despised people of the world. Not only was Paul to witness to the Gentiles but also to his fellowmen.   If Ananias had refused to go the world may have missed out on hearing the good news from the greatest apostle the ever known.

1. What was the most important command God gave to Ananias? (Go)
2. What would have been the consequence of his refusal? (Paul may have never gone to the Gentiles to preach the message of salvation.)
3. Why do we not respond to the command to go spoken here and in Matthew 28:18?
4. What are the consequences of our refusal to go? (In the going people are led to Christ. That is the first step to discipleship.)

 

Romans 10:13

For the third time the words, “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved,” were used in Scripture. The first two refer to the terrible Day of the Lord. On that Day of Judgment all His glory will be on display. It will be when God will call His people to return to Him. The other two references are found in Joel 2:32 and in Acts 2:21. For Paul it was a call for all people to respond by calling on the name of the Lord. By doing so they each would be saved. Paul went on to share just how salvation would occur.

 

1. What do you think about when you hear the words of this verse?
2. To whom is the salvation Paul spoke about available?
3. Why did Paul use this verse differently that Peter or Joel? (They both spoke of what would occur at the end of the age.)
4. In what way could Paul picture any day as the day of the Lord? (For every man any day could be his last day on earth?

 

Romans 10:14-15a

If the beginning of a person’s spiritual life is salvation, Paul drew attention to some important questions that would lead to eternal life. The things he asked were rhetorical in nature. He wanted to drive home the point that salvation would not come unless other Christians were not actively involved in sharing the gospel. He asked:

• How could they seek salvation if the belief in the God who provided it?
• How could they believe if they never heard about Him?
• How could they hear without having a preacher come to them?
• How could they preach unless they were sent?

 

1. Why did Paul speak of salvation as the beginning one’s spiritual life? (It is the first step to the life of discipleship?
2. In what ways were the questions asked meant to be rhetorical? (He and they should have known the answers.)
3. Where do you picture yourself in the questions Paul asked?
4. Why is the process so important?
5. Why cannot salvation come without our part in the process?
6. What does it mean to be a preacher?

 

Romans 10:15b

Paul indicated that the man who carried the responsibility to which he was called to would be blessed.

 

1. In what ways is a person blessed by sharing the gospel?
2. What do you see as your responsibility in sharing the gospel?
3. Where are you willing to go to bring people to Christ?
4. What do you need to know to share Jesus with someone else?

 

• One word that should be a part of your life is, “Go.”
• Understand that coming to salvation is a process that only comes as you share what you know with others.
• Find your place in the process leaving the results to God.
• Overcome any fear you have in sharing Christ.
• Remember the statistic that it takes 100 people a year to lead one person to Christ and do your part to reverse it.

 

No church nor the kingdom of God will growth without the commitment of its members to share the gospel with those they meet. The best way to have an opportunity to do so is to build relationships with non-believers. Hopefully they will see by your lifestyle that you are truly a follower of Jesus Christ. That will open the door for you to share in a non-threatening way what Christ has done for you. This means that you have to consciously have to get out your comfort zone and meet those you would not ordinarily get to know. That was exactly what Jesus meant when He said, “Go” to His disciples. In the vision to Ananias he was told to “Go” to Paul. The command that he was given to share with Paul contained the mandate that he, “Go” to both the Gentiles and the Jews with the good news. That same command has been given to each and every follower of Christ. To refuse to “Go” is to disobey Him. Let us not take lightly the importance of being obedient, remembering that we hold the key to a person’s eternity.