Evangelism

Evangelism

Week of April 21^st

If You’ve Been Saved, You’ve Been Sent

Jesus gave the disciples a very clear directive before he ascended into heaven -

Matthew 28:19-20

“Go and make disciples of all 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.”

GO, He said, go and make disciples. Just as the disciples were sent to make disciples out of lost people, so have we been sent to tell people about the good news of Jesus! We have been made new - forgiven and loved by a big God - and because of that, we are called to be ambassadors of the gospel to the unbelieving world.

2 Corinthians 5:17, 20

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: the old has gone, the new has come! We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.”

It doesn’t matter how messed up you think you are, or how far you’ve gone in the past, when you become a believer, you become an example to others - a reflection of Christ’s mercy and grace in this world. You have been saved not just as a means to an end, but it’s a springboard for ACTION!

1 Timothy 1:15-16

“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners - of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinner, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.”

1 Timothy 4:12

“Do not let anyone look down on your because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.”

If we really believed that the gift of grace - the gift of the cross - was the best gift we’ve ever been given, wouldn’t we want to make sure the people we loved knew about it? Wouldn’t we want to share it with as many people as possible? If the gospel really changed our lives, wouldn’t we want to change other people’s lives, too?

Think then Share

The bible tells us that we should be ready to share, at any point, why we believe what we believe.

1 Peter 3:15

“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have…”

So, the first step is to make sure that you know the reason for the hope that you have. Our hope here at Ozone is that what we talk about on a weekly basis actually becomes a part of your walk with the Lord. So the first challenge is this - figure out the reason(s) for the hope that you have in Christ. If you aren’t sure, we want to talk with you about that!

Then, once you know why you believe, be prepared and be challenged to share. Isaiah says that [God’s] name and renown should be the desire of our hearts (Isaiah 26:8). Making HIM known to your friends, family members and even strangers should pump you up, because when you share Jesus with someone, you share the greatest gift of all - the opportunity for eternal life. If you are in Christ, then YOU, middle/high schooler, are the LIGHT of the WORLD. Don’t hide your light - let it shine!

Matthew 5:14-16

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let you light shine before men, that they may see you good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”