As a church we are called to make an impact beyond these four walls. God wants us to be a powerful influence for Jesus Christ in the everyday lives of people throughout this community. It isn’t so critical that people walking away thinking, "Lakeside this, or Lakeside that…" But it is critical that they see Christ as their Lord and Savior from sin.
In every way, Jesus Christ must become greater, and we must become less. But how do we make Christ’s name greater in our community? How do we make an impact? How can ordinary people like us be a positive influence for Christ to others?
Just recently, in these services and in our vision meetings we were challenged with a simple vision. Perhaps you remember. The vision of our church is that every believer should be growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our vision is that every believer is being filled with the power of God’s Holy Spirit. Our vision is that every believer is living out the one-another passages with God’s family. Our vision is that every believer is being an influence for Jesus Christ in the world. We’ve got a long way to grow in all of these areas.
For example, take "one-anothering." In our last sermon series over the last several months, we just barely scratched the surface of "one-anothering." We explored what it means to spur one another on, admonish one another, serve one another, forgive one another, accept one another, and confess sin to one another. We could spend a lifetime unpacking these ideas and living out their application. A number of small groups are forming this fall in order to live out the one-another commands in community with each other.
The four primary needs of every person.
Throughout this month we will place a renewed emphasis on being an influence for Christ. Let’s begin with the four primary needs of every person, and especially the unbeliever. First, the unbeliever needs to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. In John 17:3 (NIV) Jesus prays to his Father, "Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." 1 John 5:11-12 (NIV) says, "And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life." If an unbeliever does not come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior in this life, he will not inherit eternal life at the end of the age. The need for knowing Jesus Christ cannot be overstated. God spared no measure to communicate that fact.
Second, the unbeliever needs to be responsive to the stirring of God’s Holy Spirit. In John 16:7-11 (NIV) Jesus says, "But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned." The Holy Spirit brings the unbeliever under conviction in regard to Christ. It is a matter of eternity that unbelievers respond to stirring of the Holy Spirit. Not many do.
Third, the unbeliever needs to be connected into redemptive, Christ-filled relationships. In John 13:34-35 (NIV) Jesus says, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." There is perhaps no greater motivation for one-anothering than the profound impact it has on our unbelieving friends and community. Our love is a sign to the unbeliever. It is what attracts them into fellowship with the Father and Son. 1 John 3:14 (NIV) says, "We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death."
Last, the unbeliever needs to see the power of God at work in his world. In Acts 10:38 (NIV) Peter describes, "how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he (Jesus) went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him." The unbeliever needs to see the power of sin and death, the power of the devil, being broken. The unbeliever needs to see new life in Christ rising from the ashes, emerging from the grave, and being victorious. The unbeliever needs to see God working. For them, seeing is believing. Seeing causes them to bless God's holy name.
What is influencing?
Now on a practical note, what is influencing? Influencing is helping the unbeliever know Christ, respond to the Holy Spirit, connect into God’s family, and see the power of God at work. By this definition, every single one of us can be an extraordinary influence for Christ. All of us can help meet these four basic needs of the unbeliever. Over the next several weeks, I will be teaching you how to do it!
Praying is the very first thing we need to focus on while being an influence for Christ. In 1 Corinthians 3:5-7 (NIV) the apostle Paul asks, "What after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe— as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow."
Being an influence for Christ is less about us and less about technique, and infinitely more about Jesus Christ. God is the starting point for evangelism. Not you, not me, not the unbeliever, and not the church. From beginning to end, all spiritual growth is caused by God. God assigns his workers. God causes the growth. God sends forth his workers in his harvest fields. Everything that we think is important in reaching people for Christ takes a back seat in importance to who God is and what God is doing. Instead of doing our own thing and going our own direction, thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought, it is essential that we first partner with God. Being an influence for Christ is a whole lot more exciting with God than without him. How many times have you tried in your own power to tell someone about Christ? Tried to help her respond to God’s Spirit? Tried to get her connected into church? Or tried to help her see what she wasn't ready to see? Prayer, relying on God, is the starting point.
Necessity of Prayer in Evangelism
I personally do a lot of reading. I have read widely on this subject of evangelism. Very few books spend any time talking about the role of prayer in evangelism. But when you look at the Bible, it has tons to say about the role of prayer in evangelism. Do you realize that in the Bible, every expansion of the gospel to a new tribe or people group is first preceded by prayer?
During his earthly ministry Jesus was constantly in prayer. In Matthew 6:10 he taught his disciples to pray for God’s kingdom to come, and for his will to be done, on earth as it is in heaven. In Matthew 9:35-38 he taught them to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send forth workers into his harvest field. In John 17 Jesus prays for his own life to magnify God’s glory on earth, for his disciples to be protected as they proclaim his word to the ends of the earth, and for all of his followers to be united, lest our witness in the world be tarnished. Jesus' example of complete reliance on God sends a clear message to us. We will not be effective in building Christ’s kingdom apart from God, who causes all things to grow.
Would you like more evidence that a vital prayer life has an impact in evangelism? Right before Jesus ascended into heaven he charged his disciples with making disciples of all the nations. Listen carefully to his words. In Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV) he said to his disciples, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Lest his disciples misplace their confidence, Jesus first reminds them that all authority, that means all power and all influence, in heaven and on earth, has been given to him.
But notice also the last thing that Jesus reminds his disciples in these verses. He reminds them that he will be with them always, to the very end of the age. Sandwiched between this reminder of Christ’s authority and power and the reassurance of Christ’s presence is the charge to go and make disciples of all the nations. This isn’t by accident. God causes all things to grow. Christ’s authority and power is the starting point and the ending point for evangelism. We don’t begin without him and we don’t finish without him.
God's power is unleashed through prayer.
Over in Acts1 we find another conversation between Jesus and his disciples before Jesus' ascension into heaven. Picking up in Acts 1:3-4 (NIV) we read, "After his suffering (on the cross), he (Christ) showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: 'Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.' " Later in the conversation in Acts 1:8 (NIV) Jesus promises, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
And so where do we first find the Church in the book of Acts long before the miracle of Pentecost andlong before the cataclysmic expansion of the gospel throughout the entire known world? In Acts 1:14 (NIV) we find them, "joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers." In Acts 2:42 (NIV) it says, "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." The result in Acts 2:47 (NIV) is them. "enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."
In Acts 4:24 (NIV), "…they raised their voices together in prayer to God." The result in Acts 4:31 (NIV)is that "After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly." It is in Acts 10:2 that we find Cornelius, a man who was devout, God-fearing, generous to those in need, and who prayed to God regularly. In Acts 10:9 we also find the apostle Peter up on his roof praying. In prayer, God was bringing these two men together to spread the gospel through the Roman Empire.
In Acts 16:25-34 Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. A violent earthquake shook the prison, and the prison doors flew open. Paul and Silas stayed behind, and that night the jailer and his entire household came to believe in God.
The Holy Spirit empowers our witness for Jesus Christ.
The power behind our influence isn’t our personality, our approach, our words, our cleverness, our salesmanship, or our technique. Jesus Christ is our power. Our influence is powerful only to the degree that we trust in Christ’s authority. This is why I said earlier that every one of us can be an extraordinary influence for Christ. The Holy Spirit empowers our witness for Jesus Christ far beyond our own ability. In 1 Thessalonians 1:5 (NIV) Paul says, "...our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction."
In Ephesians 1:17-19 (NIV) Paul says, "I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit (the Holy Spirit!) of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe..."
In Ephesians 6:18-20 (NIV) Paul says, "And pray in the Spirit (the Holy Spirit!) on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should."
What is needed in our evangelism and in our influence is more of God and less of us. Apart from God's Holy Spirit our witness is ineffective, our words are powerless, our testimony is too weak, and our efforts fall too short. Are you frustrated being an influence for Christ? Back up and start with prayer.
The role of prayer in evangelism.
As our time comes to a close, let me give a summary of the role of prayer in evangelism. This is a just a partial summary, and it comes out of my own study. If you want the scripture references, log onto our website later and download this manuscript.
- Prayer opens doors for the gospel message. Prayer enables us to speak clearly about Jesus Christ to others. Prayer empowers us to be obedient to our call. Prayer helps us to know how to live wisely among unbelievers. Prayer helps us make the most of every opportunity to share Christ. Prayer helps us know how to answer everyone. Prayer helps our conversation be full of grace and truth. Colossians 4:2-6
- Prayer invites God kingdom to come in to our lives and in to our world. Prayer invites God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:10
- Prayer extends God’s power and authority into our world. Prayer gives us the assurance of God’s presence as we go and make disciples of all nations. Matthew 28:18-20
- Prayer invites God to open the hearts and minds of unbelievers so that they can understand the scriptures. Luke 24:45
- Prayer opens the hearts of unbelievers so that they respond to the message. Acts 16:14
- Prayer helps an unbeliever be persuaded of the gospel and for the unbeliever to become a Christian. Acts 26:28-29
- Prayer helps an unbeliever’s heart become enlightened, for them to know the hope to which he is called in Christ, and for him to see God’s power. Ephesians 1:16-19
- Prayer brings power to our words, and deep conviction to the sinner. 1 Thessalonians 1:5
- Prayer causes the gospel to spread rapidly and to be honored. 2 Thessalonians 3:1
- Prayer causes God’s people to rise up and obediently enter the harvest as workers. Matthew 9:35-38
- Prayer enables us to tear down the strongholds of Satan, to fend off the attacks of Satan, and to have boldness sharing Christ’s name. Ephesians 6:10-20
- Prayer can deepen our passion and make us obedient in evangelism. Luke 4:42-43
Whatever is lacking in your evangelism can more than be made up by prayer. God wants us to rely on him. God causes all things to grow. God’s Spirit convicts us and others. As you came in this morning, you were handed a postcard. This idea came from the Harvest Prayer Ministry.
There are five Sundays in the month of October. Why not write down the names of five people who you want more than anything else to know the Lord. Commit throughout this month to pray five blessings for five neighbors for five minutes for five days a week for the five weeks of October. Let’s invite God to empower our evangelism and to empower our influence. There is a high probability that everything I have said today will be forgotten. As this next song plays, I want to invite you to spend your first five minutes praying for the five people on your list. You can pray alone in your seat, or you can pray together with a small group of people.
Every week I prepare a study guide on the internet based on my message. Why not print that up this week and discuss it with three or four other believers? Why not spend some time with that same group later this week praying for your top five. Let's see if God can do something we haven’t been able to do alone.