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"THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW"
Principles Of Evangelism - I (Mt 10:5-10)
INTRODUCTION
1. In Mt 28:19-20, Jesus gave what is commonly called "The Great
Commission"...
a. In which His apostles were charged to make disciples of all the
nations
b. A charge which still holds true today for His church
2. As we seek to carry out "The Great Commission" today...
a. What principles should govern our efforts?
b. Has the Lord provided any advice or counsel as to how we might
best go about the work of evangelism?
3. In Mt 10:5-42, we find what is commonly called "The Limited
Commission"...
a. A charge given to the apostles during the earthly ministry of
Jesus - Mt 10:1-5
b. So-called because He limited their work to the house of Israel
- Mt 10:5-6
c. In which the Lord gave instructions to govern them as they sought
to carry out their work
4. From the instructions of Jesus, we can glean some "Principles Of
Evangelism"...
a. Principles that helped them also carry out "The Great Commission"
b. Principles that can help us be more successful in evangelism
today
[In this lesson and one to follow, I want to point out at least ten
principles that Jesus applied in sending out His apostles. They are
principles that I believe can prove successful today. The first one
is...]
I. UTILIZE THE POWER OF SYNERGY
A. THE APOSTLES WERE SENT OUT TWO-BY-TWO...
1. As evident from Mark's account - cf. Mt 10:5a with Mk 6:7
2. A practice continued...
a. When Jesus sent out the seventy - Lk 10:1
b. When the Spirit sent out Paul and Barnabas - Ac 13:2
c. When Paul and Barnabas went their separate ways - Ac 15:36-40
B. THIS ILLUSTRATES THE PRINCIPLE OF SYNERGY...
1. Synergy: "The working together of two things (muscles or
drugs for example) to produce an effect greater than the sum
of their individual effects"
2. Two or more preachers working together can do more than by
working separately
a. They encourage one another, and help each other - cf. Ecc 4:9-10
b. A plurality of witnesses lend credibility to their story
- cf. Jn 8:17
C. MAKING APPLICATION TODAY...
1. The practice of two or more preachers working together should
be encouraged
a. Especially in foreign fields or difficult areas
b. Through the principle of synergy they can be effective in
one area more quickly, and then move on to the next
c. This is better than preachers working alone, struggling for
years by themselves
2. Small congregations in the same area might need to ask
themselves which is better...
a. Trying to maintain two struggling works
b. Or perhaps becoming one in order to grow faster, swarming
later into two separate and larger congregations
3. In one's own personal evangelism...
a. Seek out a companion in the congregation with similar
interests
b. Go together in visiting, teaching home studies, etc.
[Perhaps much of the slow growth in evangelism today is a failure to
appreciate the principle of synergy which was applied by the Lord and
the early church. Another principle to consider is...]
II. EMPLOY THE PRACTICE OF SPECIALIZATION
A. THE APOSTLES WERE SENT TO THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL...
1. Which is why this is called "The Limited Commission" - Mt 10:5-6
a. Circumstances limited the arena in which they were to go
b. E.g., their mission was to prepare people for Jesus'
coming, and their time was limited - Mt 10:23; cf. Lk 10:1-2
2. Later, in carrying out "The Great Commission", the apostles
had their individual "focus groups"
a. Peter focused on the circumcised (Jews), while Paul focused
on the uncircumcised (Gentiles) - Ga 2:7-9
b. Paul also focused on going where others had not gone - Ro 15:20
B. THIS ILLUSTRATES THE VALUE OF SPECIALIZATION...
1. Specialization
a. The act of specializing; making something suitable for a
special purpose
b. The special line of work you have adopted as your career
2. Certain skills, backgrounds, circumstances, etc., may make us
more suitable to a certain area of endeavor
a. We need to appreciate the diversity of function - Ro 12:3-5
b. We should not hesitate to focus in our area of expertise or
opportunity - Ro 12:6-8
C. MAKING APPLICATION TODAY...
1. Preachers may choose to focus on certain areas or groups of
people
a. Based upon their background, ethnicity, or personal skills
b. Some may be well-suited for foreign work, others for local
work; some may be well-suited for holding gospel meetings,
others may be better at personal work
c. Time is limited, none can do it all
1) We should not expect every preacher to be alike
2) We should appreciate those who focus on their particular
"mission field"
2. As a congregation...
a. It's focus may depend upon several factors
1) The make up of its members and their abilities
2) The community in which the church is located
b. While the congregation should try to reach all, it might
focus on certain areas for which it is well-suited
1) E.g., senior citizens or young people
2) E.g., the affluent or poor
3) E.g., certain ethnic groups as opposed to others
3. In one's own personal evangelism...
a. You might concentrate on your peer group
b. You might focus on a particular type of evangelism for
which you are well-suited
[Certainly we should not specialize to the point that we refuse to help
those who come our way; but there is value in utilizing one's strengths
and circumstances, being selective in the direction we go. The next
principle is most essential...]
III. PROCLAIM THE WORD OF GOD
A. THE APOSTLES WERE SENT TO PREACH...
1. In "The Limited Commission", the subject was the kingdom of
heaven - Mt 10:7
2. In "The Great Commission", it was expanded to include the
gospel of Christ - Mk 16:15
a. So Philip the evangelist preached when he went to Samaria
- Ac 8:12
b. So Paul preached in synagogues and from house to house
- Ac 19:8; Ac 20:18-21; Ac 20:25; Ac 28:23; Ac 28:30-31
B. THIS ILLUSTRATES WHAT SHOULD BE OUR THEME...
1. It should always be the Word of God, the Gospel:
a. Which is God's power unto salvation - Ro 1:16
b. Able to save the souls of those who receive meekly - Ja 1:21
2. As Paul instructed Timothy: "Preach the word!" - 2 Ti 4:1-5
C. MAKING APPLICATION TODAY...
1. Preachers need to avoid things...
a. Which entertain, rather than provide sound doctrine
b. Based more upon the ideas of men, rather than the Word of
God
-- Text based, expository preaching can help keep preachers in
the Word
2. Churches should consider what message they are presenting to
the lost...
a. Is it the gospel of health and wealth, or the gospel of
Christ?
b. Are we calling for people to become just church members, or
disciples of Jesus?
3. In one's own evangelism...
a. Do not get sidetracked on various issues
b. While many subjects may have their place, they may be
"second principles" rather than "first principles"
c. The lost need to know the gospel of Jesus Christ and His
kingdom, first and foremost!
[The next principle is also taken from the words of Jesus to His
disciples in "The Limited Commission"...]
IV. OFFER OUR SERVICES FREELY
A. THE APOSTLES WERE TO "FREELY GIVE"...
1. They were empowered to cast out demons and heal the sick - Mt 10:1
a. Such signs were for the purpose of confirming their message
b. As explained later - cf. Mk 16:17-20 ; He 2:3-4
2. They were to offer this service freely - Mt 10:8
B. THIS ILLUSTRATES THE IMPORTANCE OF "PRACTICING WHAT YOU
PREACH"...
1. We preach a gospel of salvation offered as a gift - Ro 6:23
2. Jesus certainly gave Himself freely, that we might be rich
- 2 Co 8:9
3. To charge people for the message we preach would be
incongruous to the spirit of the message
a. Do we want them to take our message of sacrificial love and
the gift of salvation seriously?
b. Then what we have to offer the lost should be without
charge!
C. MAKING APPLICATION TODAY...
1. Preachers have to be careful
a. They do have a right for support (see next point)
b. But they should not seek to get rich through their ministry
1) It is one thing to charge for the cost of producing
materials
2) It is another to charge above expenses with the view of
making money
c. One sign of a false teacher or prophet is to exploit others
by engaging in "covetous practices" - cf. 2 Pe 2:3; 2 Pe 2:14
2. Churches should also consider what they offer the community
a. E.g., services such as television and radio programs, audio
tapes, videos, Bible correspondence courses, etc.
b. Congregations which offer such things freely...
1) Display the spirit of the gospel
2) Avoid the appearance of "being interested only in
people's money"
3. In one's own evangelism...
a. Offer your message freely
b. What gifts or abilities to serve you might have, offer
without cost
c. By the grace of God you are what you are, follow the
example of Jesus and His apostles in offering themselves
freely to the lost
[At the same time, there is another principle of evangelism which
relates to when one might receive support for their labor...]
V. SUPPORT THOSE WILLING TO WORK
A. THE APOSTLES WERE ALLOWED MONETARY SUPPORT...
1. For which reason they were not to take anything - Mt 10:9-10
2. They could be supported by those who willing to provide for
them - cf. Lk 10:7-8
B. THIS ILLUSTRATES THE PRINCIPLE OF SUPPORTING WORKERS...
1. As expounded upon by Paul in 1 Co 4:4-14
a. The right to forego secular work in order to serve in
spiritual matters
b. The right to receive carnal things in return for spiritual
service
c. A principle taught in the Law, and by Christ Himself
2. Applied to elders who rule well - 1 Ti 5:17-18
3. A practice encouraged by John many years later - 3 Jn 5-8
C. MAKING APPLICATION TODAY...
1. Preachers may rightly receive support for their labors
a. It allows them to concentrate their efforts in matters of
the gospel
b. Of course, this support should come from those who are
Christians, and should not be a means of accumulating
wealth (see previous point)
2. Churches have an important role in such support
a. Churches can provide support of preachers - 2 Co 11:8-9
b. Much foreign evangelism goes undone today, not because
preachers are unwilling to go, but because churches have
not been willing to send and support - cf. Ro 10:15
3. In one's own efforts...
a. There is nothing limiting an individual from helping to
support preachers
b. While one might help support a local congregation's effort
to send and support, one can also help through direct
support
CONCLUSION
1. Here are "The Principles Of Evangelism" we have gleaned so far from
our Lord's instructions in giving "The Limited Commission"...
a. Utilize the power of synergy
b. Employ the practice of specialization
c. Proclaim the word of God
d. Offer our services freely
e. Support those willing to work
2. As we saw, these principles were later employed by the early
church...
a. Which may help explain the rapid spread of the gospel in the
first century
b. Which can still be useful to the Lord's church today
-- Could it be that failure to implement any of these may be reasons
why the church is not growing like it did then?
In our next lesson, we shall examine yet another five principles of
evangelism from the instructions Jesus gave to His apostles...
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