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"How to Witness Jesus' Way" Luke 10:1-20; Galatians 6:7
by Clancy Nixon
July 8, 2008
Church of the Holy Spirit
Ashburn, Virginia
www.holySpiritAnglican.org
[Showed video of Mr. Genor, "Extreme Evangelism" found at
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8079222068794156871&pr=goog-sl ] Check
it out it will bless you!
Today we'll look at the Law of Sowing and Reaping as it apples to our gospel
lesson for today, our mission to our neighbors. Please open your Bibles to Luke chapter
10, beginning at the first verse. In your blue pew Bibles, that's page 1027.
In chapter 9, Jesus had sent out the Twelve Apostles on mission, and here in
chapter 10, look in verse 1, Jesus sends out seventy-two others. Verse 2: "He told them,
"The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore,
to send out workers into his harvest field." Let's camp here in verse 2 for a while,
because here is where so many of us stumble. Jesus is using the agricultural metaphor of
a harvest to describe the mission of the church to lead people to repentance and so to
salvation. The first thing to notice about this harvest of souls is that the harvest belongs to
the Lord God from start to finish. God the Father is the Lord of the harvest; he is
sovereign in this business of soul-winning. The harvest is his idea, this way of seeing
mission done is his idea. God invites us into his harvest field. Our part is to pray to God
to send workers and then to be workers ourselves by sowing the proper seed in due
season.
Jesus said that the harvest is plentiful. Let's stop right there, because this is
essential. Do we really believe that the harvest is plentiful all around us? [pause] I'm not
talking about whether we know the statistics. For example, you may know that 2/3 of all
people in Loudon County are unchurched. I'm taking about our own networks. Do you
truly believe that the harvest is plentiful on the street where you live, in the office where
you work, in the school where you study, in the family in which you find yourself? Do
you believe that the Kingdom of God is so near to YOU that God wants to use YOU to
sow seeds and reap a harvest? Many of us have become so discouraged by our past
efforts at evangelism that we no longer really believe that the harvest is plentiful all
around us. Some of you think that other people's fields may be ripe unto harvest, but not
yours. What are you going to believe your past results, or the word of God? Mr. Genor
in our video never saw results from all the seeds he had sown, but still he continued to
sow to the spirit every day for forty years. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association's
research shows that in 1960, the average person needed four positive contacts with
Christianity before they would come forward at a Billy Graham crusade to give their life
to Christ. By 1995, that average person needed twenty positive contacts before they
would come forward. Today, it's even more. The Apostle Paul knows that it is hard work
sowing seeds for salvation of souls, and that we can become discouraged. That is why he
tells us at Galatians 6:9, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time
we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Friends, God is asking you to believe that
your harvest will be plentiful if you do not give up. Let's be like Mr. Genor in that way.
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Let's say this together: "MY harvest is plentiful." "MY harvest is plentiful." Turn to
someone and tell them this: "YOUR harvest is plentiful." Believe it; God's Word says it
is true.
Back in verse 2, Jesus says that the workers are few. This is true enough. In
Loudoun today, with all the activities competing for our time, it is easy to see why so few
of us go on mission trips like the seventy two here, and why so little of the rest of our
time is spent in witnessing to unbelievers. Let's look at some common objections to
witnessing, and how Jesus addresses those in this passage.
One reason some of us don't witness is that we think this is work for the called
and gifted, the pastors and leaders, "but not me." Notice that this is not the 12 being sent
here, but the 72. This is the lay people, the common believer, of whom Paul said not
many of you were wise, not many of noble birth, etc. In verse 3, Jesus tells them, "Go!"
He tells us all the same thing in the Great Commission, Matthew 28:29 he says, "Go
make disciples..." We may not all be gifted evangelists, but we are all called to witness. I
was talking to one new member of our church about witness, and she asked me, "You're
not going to make me go door to door, are you?" Much to her relief, I told her, "No!"
Then to her chagrin, I told her, "You can do this anywhere."
Another reason we don't go we neglect Jesus' instruction that we are to go
two by two. Mr. Genor evangelized alone, but he was really extraordinary in his ability to
do this over time. Most of us crave immediate feedback and encouragement. Think how
much more fruitful Mr. Genor might have been if he had taken on an apprentice or two;
how much more encouraged he would have been if he had followed up with any of them.
You and I need partners to do this ministry. This fall I'm going to ask you to spend one
hour a week in a Life Transformation Group a small group of two or three people. I'm
very excited about this initiative for evangelism, accountability and for life
transformation. Stay tuned!
Another reason we don't witness is that we don't relish becoming food for wolves.
Look at verse 3: Jesus tells us that he is sending us out as lambs among wolves. It can
feel like people can eat you up and spit you out when you risk sharing with them about
Jesus. At one time, one of my sisters told me she never wanted to hear me say anything
about Jesus ever again! Ten years later, just last month, while we were watching her adult
daughter become baptized in a new Hollywood church plant, my sister told me that if she
lived in L.A., she would attend that church. Praise God, the harvest is plentiful, even in
our families.
Another reason we don't see the harvest is that we are not traveling light enough.
Look at verse 4: Jesus told the seventy-two not to take a purse or bag, and not to greet
anyone on the road. I don't know about you, but I like having cash with me. I'm fairly
compulsive about making sure I get to the ATM before I run out. There is security in that
for me. As I studied this passage, the Lord Jesus convicted me of my sin in this regard,
that my security is not to be found in the cash in my wallet. My security is to be found in
that my name is written in the book of Heaven, and that the Holy Spirit is active in my
life and yours. Amen? Not having money with me is embarrassing, because it puts me in
a place where I must depend on others, the very people I am witnessing to, to provide
hospitality for me. When you do that, you put yourself in their debt. For years, I did that
with my neighbors by asking them to borrow their lawn mower, and refusing to buy my
own mower. That gave me an opening to talk to them, to put myself in their debt. That is
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the kind of thing Jesus wants us to do, according to this passage. He told the seventy-two
that they were to stay in other people homes, putting them in your debt of hospitality.
We are here to serve others, and when they serve us, that helps the other feel needed as
well.
Another reason that we don't go is that we've made the gospel too complicated.
Yes, it helps to get good training in evangelism, and I really believe in that kind of
training, I've invested many hours over many years in training people in evangelism. The
fact is., this training is not absolutely necessary. Look at Mr. Genor from Sydney,
Australia. On a crowded street, he held out a tract in front of strangers passing by, and
asked them, "Excuse me, are you saved? If you died tonight, are you sure you'd go to
heaven?" Mr. Genor sowed seeds in what could be called a pretty insensitive,
confrontational, isolated way. I think he could have used some training. But who am I to
argue with this simple method? The truth is that Mr. Genor's compassion for the lost and
his commitment to keep at the work for 35 years were far more important to his success
than and deficiencies in his method! God can use any method. Jesus gave us some simple
instructions here, and if we use his method, we will see results approaching his. He told
us that the harvest is plentiful.
What method does Jesus give us here? He gives us two attitudes, and three
actions. The two attitudes are to keep focused on the mission, and to be polite to others.
The three actions are to go, to heal the sick and to tell them that the kingdom of God is
near you. Even these actions reflect underlying attitudes, kingdom values that we must
embrace before our actions are genuine. These attitudes are how we sow in faith, sow to
the spirit, not to the flesh.
Attitude #1 be focused on your mission. Verse 4 Jesus says, "don't greet
anyone on the road." Verse 7 also apples here "don't move around from house to
house," but stay focused on one family by really getting to know them. Jesus isn't saying
to be rude by not greeting others. If greetings in Jesus' time and place were anything like
those in Uganda today, simple greetings can easily take a half hour! Stay focused on
your mission you'll reap a greater harvest if you focus your time on a few, like Jesus
did on the twelve.
Attitude #2 - be polite! Verse 7 "eat and drink whatever they set before you." In
other words, don't give unnecessary offense. The gospel of the God who dies for our sins
is already an offense to the unbelieving mind. Major on the majors. When you are
hanging out with a seeker, don't get all prickly about your diet. Whether they set brussels
sprouts or ice cream in front of you, just eat it. Now is not the time to worry about your
calorie count.
As for the three actions the first is "to go." Just do it! Every day is an
opportunity for mission. Every day, pray that God would use you to witness to the love of
Jesus, wherever he takes you, with no prescribed agenda for the day except to go where
God leads you. Have you ever taken a day to do that? Try it this week. One of the most
spiritually productive days of my life was a day on vacation at summer camp where
Ginger and I decided that we would have no agenda other than to love people and witness
to them. I was so surprised at who I ended up spending time with, and how many
opportunities God showed me when I let go of my own ideas and preferences of how to
spend my day. Give just one day over to Jesus. You can make it today. Pray that he will
use you today to sow seeds of the Kingdom. How do you do that? Actions 2 and 3!
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The second action Heal the sick. Look at verse 9. Jesus tells us, "Heal the sick
who are there...." Do you notice how Jesus not only commands us to do this, heal the
sick; he expects us to accomplish it, to be successful in healing the sick? Like healing is
just as simple as going. You may be thinking, "Right, Jesus, as if I can heal anybody!"
Well, what if you are not a physician, and what if you don't have a gift of healing or
mercy? Look again at the text Jesus expects the 72, and by extension us, to heal people.
One way to read this is in a non-supernatural way -that Jesus is telling us to meet
people's needs and do what we can to help them where they are hurting. That is certainly
implied here in the concept of healing. Sit with people for a long time, and listen closely
to learn the places where they are hurting. You and I are called to minister healing in
those places. Then, we can all pray for healing for the sick. I find that I can do that
several times a day.
When I attended Virginia Theological Seminary, I was shocked at how
uncomfortable so many of my classmates were with the idea of praying for their healing
on the spot! I was naïve, but I thought that here were the future leaders of the church,
people giving their lives over to the service of Christ, surely they would get the need to
pray for healing! In conversation, when I heard a classmate disclose a sickness or a
wound or a need in their life, I'd ask them if I could pray for them. They were surprised,
but grateful. Then I'd press in and ask them, May I pray for you now? Typically I'd get
this look of shock and disgust, but they almost always relented and accepted my offer.
They were always grateful afterwards. So few people ever experience people praying for
them with love and sensitivity in their presence!
But more than just prayer and helping out is going on in this text. When Jesus said
to heal the sick, I believe that his primary meaning is, make the blind see, the deaf hear,
the lame walk! You may ask, how on earth can we do that? The answer is we can't do it
with earthly power, but only with heavenly power and authority. But that is exactly what
Jesus gives us. Look at verses 18 and 9. Jesus sys, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from
heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome
all the power of the enemy..." Repeat this after me: "Jesus has given me authority to
overcome Satan." "Jesus has given me authority to overcome Satan." The dictionary
says that authority means "The right and power to speak and act in a governmental way
with judgment, blessing and legitimacy." In this text, Jesus has given us His authority.
That is why he can command us to "Heal the sick" so perfunctorily, with such assurance.
Jesus has defeated Satan, and it is Satan who attacks us with sickness and death. Believe
that Jesus will use you to heal the sick, because he has given you authority to overcome
the works of Satan. Listen to what my son Will wrote yesterday from his mission in
Brazil, when I sent him a message that he walk in his God-given authority and power to
heal: He wrote, "Its happened and it was amazing. It was just us, my group, and 5 others,
equaling 10 people in all, and God healed 89 people 100%!" Friends, heal the sick. God
wants to use you to do that as a part of your witness.
The third action Jesus tells us to take is to proclaim that the Kingdom of God has
come near. The Kingdom means the rule and reign of God. Whenever we walk into a
room, you and I bring the Kingdom in. You have the King's authority. You have the
King's power. Jesus told you to proclaim that King Jesus is near, that he is coming right
behind you. You are his advance men and his advance women! Since Jesus has already
risen from the dead, you are not only heralds of Jesus, proclaiming that He will come
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again, you are also part of the mop-up crew, because God the Holy Spirit has gone before
you. Jesus is telling us to recognize the truth about God's presence with us and in us and
before us and ruling over us, and to proclaim that reality. The Kingdom of God is a
superior reality to the earthly reality that most of us walk in, whether we are believers or
not. As believers, Jesus is calling us to walk in his authority, and to live by faith that we