The Plowman

Spirit-Driven Evangelism [ 39:16 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (55)

2013 Acts #14: an exposition of Acts 8:26-40. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, August 18, 2013.

Intro:

I was nervous, frustrated and scared.  I kept telling myself, “You’re a seminary student, a college graduate – you’ve done this before.”  I couldn’t help it.  The pressure was on.  I was enrolled in Evangelism Explosion at our home church in Fort Worth.  It was visitation night.  They took us to the mall and said we would need to conduct evangelistic surveys with the people in the mall.  I was trying to pick out a “victim” I mean person to interview.  “What was the first question?  I can’t believe it.  I’m blank on the first question.”  My heart was pounding.  My palms were sweaty.  I swallowed hard and stopped the next person that came by.  I couldn’t believe how easy it was.  The lady was pleasant.  She actually seemed grateful that I had stopped her.  I was halfway through the questions when she finally got my attention.  I had been so focused on the presentation I hadn’t noticed she was trying to tell me something.  “No abla English.”  This sweet Hispanic lady had no idea what I was doing.  Needless to say that was not a wonderful witnessing experience.  Now if I had the gift of tongues it would have been a wonderful experience I’m sure!

Why is it we find evangelism such a difficult task?  We are all agreed that it is necessary.  We all agree that we should be evangelistic.  We should share our faith yet we all admit we fail to be evangelistic on a consistent basis.  We are afraid we will say the wrong thing.  We are afraid we’ll look foolish.  We’re afraid we won’t know the answer or that we’ll do harm rather than good.  But what is God looking for?  What does he expect of us in evangelism?  For some answers we turn to Acts chapter 8.

Text: Acts 8:26-40

Here we find the story of a very unlikely candidate for conversion found and converted through the supernatural leading of God himself.  This is not the result of a “plan.”  This Ethiopian convert is not the result of a strategic initiative.  He is not part of a target group.  His is not a trophy of “operation desert witness.”  He is the result of a divine appointment.

Dr. Luke is telling us about the continuing work of the Lord Jesus through His church.
We have learned that Acts 1:8 is being dramatically fulfilled.
God, in his sovereignty, is even using the rage of the ungodly to carry out his work.
The “God-haters” are advancing the Kingdom!
Philip is one of those “set apart” by the church to minister to practical needs (Acts 6).
He has felt the sting of persecution and as a result was preaching the Gospel in Samaria.
God was doing great things through Philip.
There is healing, exorcism, great joy and rejoicing.
A great revival is going on in Samaria of all places.
That is where our text picks up.
From this text we learn that:

Thesis: God’s plan for reaching the world requires gracious, yielded and passionate ambassadors of the Gospel.

It is easy for us to forget that, “Salvation is of the Lord.”  (Jonah 2:9)
There is something very freeing in realizing that salvation is God’s work.
You don’t bear the burden of saving the world, He does.
You are given the gracious privilege of being part of the process but it is His work.

I’m convinced that we make things more difficult than they are.  We complicate the picture as much as possible.  Lets look at what the Lord requires of us as we explore the story of Philip and the Ethiopian.

1. God’s plan requires that we gladly yield to His leadership.  (8:26-29)
2. God’s plan requires that we graciously tell the story of Jesus.  (8:30-35)
3. God’s plan requires that we passionately plead for commitment.  (8:36-40)

Unleashing the Gospel [ 39:23 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (67)

2013 Acts #13: an exposition of Acts 8:1-24. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, August 11, 2013.

Intro:

You know, as unlikely as it may seem, not everyone likes me!  I just don’t get it.  I’ve always thought to know me is to love me.  The same thing can be said about you.  Not everyone likes you.  I don’t care how strong, how independent or stubborn you are – no one is comfortable with the idea that they are not liked.  We all have a need to be wanted.  We want to fit in.  We are communal beings.  Let’s face it even the Lone Range had Tonto!  When John Wayne rode off into the sunset he had his horse.  The desire to “fit in” and be part of the group is not just a longing of young people it is a part of all of us.  It is this longing to fit in; this desire to get along that often causes us to remain silent when we should be speaking the Gospel.

There is that part of us that says, “Well I don’t want to offend.”  “What if they get mad and I loose a friendship?”  “What if it costs me a promotion or worse, I loose my job?”  These are honest concerns.  It is understandable that such questions would plague you.  The issue is are these sufficient reasons for failing to obey the command of our Lord?  Will they be sufficient in the Day of Judgment?  Will they withstand the scrutiny of the sovereign judge of the universe?  I don’t think so!  What if it gets worse?  What if society becomes so hostile to biblical faith that my life is actually threatened?  Believers have faced this challenge since the beginning of the church.  The answer of the church has been, “Whether I live or whether I die, may Christ be glorified in me.”

Obviously martyrdom is not an immediate threat in the United States.  But society is becoming increasingly hostile to biblical faith.  Our pluralistic culture has limited patience with our “exclusive faith.”  To say that salvation is to be found in Christ and in Christ alone is to draw the ire of our “tolerant” society.  To suggest that sincere practitioners of other faiths are sincerely wrong and will suffer eternal torment is to be labeled a hate monger and bigot.  If some social engineers have their way, soon preaching the biblical Gospel could be labeled a “hate crime.”  What are we to do?  How are we to respond?

Thesis: In the face of threats, ridicule and hostility, the church must be willing to unleash the power of the Gospel.

Do we fight it out in the courts?  Do we seek to mandate through legislation?  As Americans I think we use the various means available to voice our concerns and to argue our point in the marketplace of ideas.  We vote our conscience.  We elect people who will represent our point of view but ultimately, as the church, we are to rely on the power of God and the power of the Gospel itself.  I think we defend the Gospel in the same way Spurgeon said we defend the Bible.  Spurgeon said, “You defend the Bible the same way you defend a lion.  Turn it loose!”  That’s how we defend the Gospel, turn it loose.  Preach it.  Believe it.  Live it.

Do you remember what Stephen did when called before the High Priest and the elders?  When asked if the charges against him were true? Stephen didn’t argue his case he preached the Gospel!  He was not interested in defending himself he was interested in glorifying Christ.  That is just what he did.  He glorified Christ with his life, with his words and in his dying.  Our text this morning picks up with the events immediately following the martyrdom of Stephen.

Text: Acts 8:1-24

The early church existed in an environment much like ours.
Roman society was a “pluralistic” society.
You can worship whatever gods you choose provided you acknowledge Caesar is lord!
The Christian insistence on Jesus alone as Lord led to incredible hostility.
Hostility from both the Jewish and Roman perspective.

As we explore the events immediately surrounding the martyrdom of Stephen and the beginning of Philip’s ministry we learn something of how we, through the Gospel, ought to respond to the pluralistic threats of our culture.

1. We must realize that the Gospel enrages the ungodly.  (8:1-3)
2. The fury of the ungodly only serves to fan the flame of the Gospel.  (8:4-8)
3. The Gospel will not be subject to those who seek to prostitute its power for their own gain.  (8:9-24)

Biblical Evangelism [ 36:45 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (67)

2013 Acts #12: an exposition of Acts 6:8-7:60. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, August 4, 2013.

Intro:

“Go into all the world and preach the Gospel,” is our Lord’s command.  Even on the Mount of Olives just before his ascension he said, “You will receive power after the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you will be my witness in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the uttermost part of the earth.”  The preaching of the Gospel is foundational to the work of the church.  We are to be evangelist.  We are to share the evangel, the good news, of the reconciling love of God in the person of Jesus Christ.  We know that.  We talk a lot about doing that.  We, as Southern Baptist, are good at beating people up about it.  We’ve got plans, programs and methods on how to do it.  There’s Evangelism Explosion, Continued Witness Training, WIN School, Share Jesus Without Fear, there’s Got Life?  There’s How To Have Peace With God.  There are the Four Spiritual Laws.  There’s the Roman Road.  There is FAITH Sunday School and Evangelism Strategy.  We had the I Found It Campaign in the 70s.  Bold Mission Thrust in the 80s and 90s.  Here’s Hope in the 80s.  In addition to that we have mass crusade evangelism.  We have evangelistic block parties.  We have Judgment House at Halloween.  We have the Power Team.  We have Special Event Evangelism.  We have Prayer Walking.  One wonders what we did before we came up with all this stuff!

I recognize that the older I get the more cynical I become.  I know that and so I’m trying to keep my perspective but there is a growing trend that concerns me.  Our programs are becoming more and more “professional.”  Our “pitch” is becoming fine-tuned.  Evangelism in the church today is increasingly taking on the look of a well-run ad campaign.  We talk of target group, demographics, presentation and mass appeal.  Churches talk of their niche.  “These are the folks we are after.”  “This well-defined group of people is who we are after.”  The Gospel is then neatly package and sold to that group in a form that will appeal to them.  The customer is always right so we package the Gospel to meet their needs.  I believe the intent is good but the approach is fundamentally flawed.

I am convinced that:

Thesis: In a world obsessed with flash and professionalism the church of the Lord Jesus must seek to practice biblical evangelism.

Evangelism is not an option.
It is not something we can choose to do or not do.
We must preach the Gospel.
I also believe we should do it well.
I believe we should train but I’m convinced that we must be biblical in our approach.
I think we would do well to take a serious look at evangelism in the early church.
Our text this morning is found in Acts chapters 6 and 7.

Text: Acts 6:8-7:60

From Acts 6:8-9:31 Luke introduces us to three pivotal figures in his story.
In 6-7 it is Stephen and his martyrdom.
In 8 it is Philip and his ministry.
In 9 it is Saul and his conversion.

Using the story of Stephen’s martyrdom I want us to see a portrait of biblical evangelism.  When I say biblical evangelism I’m not talking about technique.  I’m not talking about a certain outline for sharing our faith.  I’m talking about something more fundamental.  I’m talking about the foundation that sustains the effort.

There are three things I want us to note.

1. Biblical evangelism relies exclusively on the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.  (6:8-7:1)
2. Biblical evangelism dares to preach the whole Gospel.  (7:1-53)
3. Biblical evangelism seeks the glory of Christ above all else.  (7:54-60)

Being the Perfect Church in an Imperfect World [ 33:40 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (73)

2013 Acts #11: an exposition of Acts 6:1-7. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, July 28, 2013.

Intro:
On the one hand you have this vibrant, growing, dynamic, “dangerous” church.  Things are happening in that church that you simply would not believe!  People are being saved daily.  The worship is alive – you never know what might happen in a service.  On the other hand you have a church that is murmuring.  Unrest is felt throughout the congregation.  Negative, critical, biting comments are being made about the leadership, accusations abound, it is said there is favoritism – it’s a mess.  Now honestly, which of those churches are you going to join?  Which one do you want to be a part of?  Here’s the problem – it’s the same church!

We often idealize the early church.  We think of the early church as being “pure.”  We think that the early church, before it achieved a level of success, is the model we are to strive for.  What we tend to forget is the church is made up of people and people, since the fall, been rotten!  The church is the bride of Christ.  The church will, one day, be presented to Christ as a bride without spot or blemish, but that will be because of the work of Christ and our transformation as we enter into the eternal state.  In the mean time the church is a mixture of beauty and blemish.  At times the church shines in radiant demonstration of the life of Christ and at other times the church reveals the perversion of human nature.  Tares grow along side the wheat.  The dragnet has brought in both good and bad fish.  John Piper says, “The dragnet has swept a lot of debris into the church.”  The visible church here on earth is a mixed body.  Made up of both true and false disciples.  Beyond that, those who have genuinely been born again are in the process of being sanctified.  We are being made holy but we are not there yet.  The result is that the church is at times loving, gracious, faithful and glorious; and at times the church is self-centered, self-obsessed and critical.  The old adage is true – “If you find a perfect church don’t join it.  You’ll ruin it!”  How are we, as the church, to navigate these troubled waters?  For some insight we turn to Acts chapter 6.

Text: Acts 6:1-7

Dr. Luke the faithful traveling companion of the apostle Paul set out to write a two-volume work on the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus.  His first volume was a “Gospel.”  A selective history with a purpose to demonstrate to his friend Theophilus that Jesus was in fact the Messiah.  The book of Acts is volume two in which he tells of the continuing work of Jesus through his body the church.  One of the purposes of Acts is to tell the story of the remarkable growth of the church in the years after Jesus left the earth and sent his Spirit to empower his people.

• Acts 2:42 – “So those who received the word were baptized and there were added that day about 3,000 souls.”
• Acts 2:47 – “And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”
• Acts 4:4 – “Many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to about 5,000.”
• Acts 5:14 – “More than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.”
• Acts 9:31 – “So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was built up; and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit it was multiplied.”
• Acts 13:49 – “And the word of the Lord spread throughout all the region.”
• Acts 16:5 – “So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily.”

It is an amazing story full of supernatural vigor but the church was not pure.  Consider the deception of Ananias and Sapphira in chapter 5.  Or the power-hungry Simon the magician in chapter 8.  The doctrinally confused Apollos in chapter 18, professing Christians in Ephesus who for some time concealed their black magic (19).  We often say, “Oh if we could just return to the book of Acts…” we’re there!  Our text deals with another problem within the early church.  A struggle that threatened the very life of the church.

This text serves to remind us that:

Thesis: To be a vibrant, living church in the “real” world demands compassion, honesty and a God-driven focus.

There are three things I want us to note in this text.

1. The vibrant, living church willingly acknowledges that conflict is inevitable.  (6:1)
2. The vibrant, living church prayerful seeks to resolve the conflict while remaining focused on and committed to a Kingdom agenda.  (6:2-5)
3. The vibrant, living church emerges from conflict with a renewed passion and commitment.  (6:7)

Conclusion:
Conflict is inevitable but we must face that conflict with honesty and compassion, not loosing sight of our ultimate goal.  We must remain focus on and committed to a Kingdom agenda.  The result will be that we emerge from the struggle with a renewed passion and commitment.