Sunday, December 15, 2013
pm
JESUS: OUR EXAMPLE IN
REACHING THE LOST
·
1 Cor. 11:1 finds Paul
saying that as he imitated Christ, so we are to imitate him.
·
1 Peter 2:21-23 – Christ
suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow His steps.
·
1 John 2:6, “He who
says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.”
Ephesians 5:1-2, “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And
walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an
offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.”
·
We are His disciples –
the very definition of a disciple is a learner.
But it includes following the teachings and example of the
teacher. Jesus is our
teacher and we are His disciples.
That is why we strive to imitate Him in all things.
We know that this applies to how we are to live, but it also
applies to our concern to reach others with the gospel.
With the New Year approaching, as we begin to once again take
spiritual inventory and resolve to make improvements in our lives, I
would like for us to consider and
remind ourselves of the
need to include reaching the lost in this.
So with that in mind, tonight we are going to examine what Jesus
did to reach the lost and make some personal application.
a.
His mission – to seek
and save the lost.
i.
Matt. 9:13, “But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not
sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to
repentance.”
ii.
Matthew 18:11 “For the Son of Man has come to
save that which was lost.”
iii.
John 12:47,
“And if anyone
hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not
come to judge the world but to save the world.” NOTE: Jesus was not
saying His message would not judge us (see vs. 48), but He came to save
a lost and dying world.
iv.
Luke 19:10, “for the
Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Some
say this verse is a summary of His purpose.
v.
NOTE: In all of these
passages, in addition to expressing His mission, let us not forget what
He did to make their salvation possible – He died on the cross.
He did what He could do and He did what we could NOT do.
b.
His example –
i.
He cared about others -
He went about doing good – Acts 10:38.
Matt. 20:28,
“just as the
Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life
a ransom for many.”
ii.
He realized His mission
– He told His disciples, “I must work the works of Him who sent Me
while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.” (John
9:4)
John 5:17, after healing on the Sabbath, “But Jesus answered them,
“My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.””
Luke 4:43, find Jesus
saying to His disciples, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the
other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent.”
iii.
He taught publicly – He
did so often, both in large and small settings.
Matthew 9:35 says, “Then Jesus went about all the cities and
villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the
kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.”
The sermon on the Mount was delivered to “the multitudes” (Matt. 5:1-2)
IN Nazareth, He taught in the synagogue, even when it would result in
His being rejected (Luke 4:20-22)
In fact, His preaching often attracted crowds – recall the feeding of
5000 and then 4000. Recall
the occasion where He healed the paralytic in a house so full they had
to lower the sick man through the roof (Luke 5:18-19), etc.
He also taught gatherings in homes where the number was limited.
iv.
He taught privately –
much of His teaching was done to individuals
1.
Nicodemus
– a leader among the Pharisees – John 3:1-5
2.
The Samaritan woman
– John 4:6-8. He was alone
there and took time to teach.
NOTE that she was one whom many would avoid.
He character was not the best.
She was a Samaritan and a woman.
Yet Jesus took time to talk with her and teach her.
3.
Zacchaeus
– Luke 19:1-10, tells of this tax collector (also despised) and how
Jesus singled him out, went to his home and taught him.
4.
Mary
– Luke 10:38-42, on a private social occasion (invited into a home to
eat), Jesus took time to teach her.
5.
The rich, young ruler
– Luke
18:18-23. Here we find an
example of one who was unwilling to obey Jesus, yet He taught him the
truth he needed anyways.
c.
He taught His apostles
how to reach the lost
i.
NOTE: When we consider
HOW Jesus chose His apostles, they were chosen from men whom Jesus had
individually invited to follow Him.
IN calling Peter,
Andrew, James and John, who were fishermen, He said their work would be
“to catch men.” (Luke 5:10).
Matthew 4:18-20 records that He said to them, “Follow
Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
ii.
He trained and taught them. Jesus knew that
His time here was limited but the work had to continue after He left.
So He took steps to ensure that it would continue.
He chose twelve men to lead this work.
For three years He trained and taught them.
AND he took steps to ensure that after He was gone they would be
able to continue to the work (promising the Helper – John 14:25, 26;
16:13).
He taught them about the
importance of reaching the lost.
1.
Matthew 9:35-38 – with
compassion He spoke to them about the harvest and that God would send
out laborers. “Then Jesus
went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues,
preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and
every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, He was
moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered,
like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The
harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the
Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.””
2.
Matthew 10:5-15 - He
sent them out building up their confidence.
Their message was to preach the coming of the kingdom. He was
training them for this great work.
3.
Open your eyes, the
fields are white. John 4:35,
“Do you not
say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I
say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are
already white for harvest!”
4.
John 15:16 – “You did
not choose Me, but I chose you
and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit
should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may
give you.”
5.
As He was about to
ascend to heaven, He gave them the great commission.
Mark 16:15, Matthew 28:18-20, Luke 24:46-49.
d.
He taught ABOUT teaching
others –
i.
He sent out the 70 (as
He did the 12) – Luke 10:1-23, Jesus sent them out 2 by 2.
Again, His purpose as with the 12 was to build up their
confidence to teach others.
Note esp. vs. 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.”
ii.
Matt. 5:13-16 – we are
salt and light. In
emphasizing our example, Jesus taught that it would lead to others
glorifying God, which would include some turning to Him.
iii.
Parable of the Sower –
Luke 8:4-13 – a parable about broadcasting the seed of the word of God.
Matt. 13:18 calls it the “parable of the sower” rather than the
parable of the soils. Why?
Could it be there is emphasis on the one broadcasting the seed?
iv.
Luke 15:1-7, the parable
of the lost sheep. Jesus
taught how if ONE wanders from the flock, the shepherd would leave the
99 to find him. A part of
personal evangelism is bringing back those who have wandered away (Jas.
5:19-20, Gal. 6:1).
v.
Luke 14:15-24, the
parable of the great supper.
In this parable many who were invited to the feast reject the invitation
so the master’s servant is commanded to go out into the highways and
hedges to compel souls to come to the feast.
While not directly dealing with reaching the lost, it IS built in
to that invitation. There is
room in the kingdom of God – we must compel them to come in.
vi.
Harvest is plentiful,
laborers are few – Matt.9:38 (again)
vii.
The great commission –
while give specifically to the apostles, its execution involved not just
the 12, but those whom they also taught.
So it can be said that the message of the great commission
applies to all of us.
a.
Our mission – is also to
seek and save the lost. Not
only should we desire heaven ourselves, but we should take steps to
bring others with us.
i.
Again I remind you of
the great commission of Jesus.
Will we do our part.
ii.
To persuade men- 2 Cor.
5:10-11
b.
How?
i.
By example – godly
living is where our influence will begin.
Just as Jesus taught so we must do (Phil. 2:15).
ii.
By caring – just as
Jesus cared, so should we!
iii.
Publicly – not all can
preach, but all can assemble and invite our friends.
WE can participate in public opportunities.
Whatever your ability, do it.
iv.
Privately – where most
good will take place. The
majority of conversions will come from each of us inviting our friends
and neighbors. Looking for
opportunities to share the word of God with others and doing it.
c.
Teach others to teach –
2 Tim. 2:2 - again, not all can do this (at least in the same degree),
but we can support such efforts.
We need to be concerned about the future of the Lord’s church.
As
in all spiritual matters, there is no greater example than our Lord
Jesus, when it comes to reaching the lost.
May we examine what we are doing now, and as we see need for
improvement, may we resolve to do so.