The Great Commission
MINISTERING IN CHRIST
Part 3: Light of the World ~
How to be an Effective Witness
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith – www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org
ANNOUNCEMENTS
6:00PM Evening Service at the church –
“Seminary Students will be preaching”
January 25th – Grace Steadman
February 1st – Lori Ulman
February 8th – Lynnette Higgins
February 15th – Deacon Kurt Ulman
January 18th – Walker Spriggs
WHERE WE ARE AT
† Spending Time with the Lord
† Growing in the Lord
† Maturing in Christ
New Series: Ministering in Christ
Previously:
Committing your life to Christ
The Way to True Service
TODAY’S SERMON: The Great Commission
MINISTERING IN CHRIST
Part 3: Light of the World ~
How to be an Effective Witness
INTRODUCTION
ACTS OF TRUE MINISTRY
So what are acts of true ministering?
The Good Samaritan – Luke 10:25-37
The Samaritan Ministered to the needs of another.
This is the mind we need, that we are here for others, that while we meet their needs, we in turn show them the love of Christ, and their need for Him.
The Wild Game Dinner at Lott Baptist Church
The Pastor meets with the needs of hunters by educating them in the hunt, while at the same time showing them their need for Christ, and how to obtain a personal relationship with Him.
Morning and Evening – Ecclesiastes 11:6
Sew your seed in the morning, and at evening, let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whither this or that, or whether both will do equally well.
I. Show your Light
Matthew 5:14-16
14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 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. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Luke 11:33
33 "No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead he puts it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light.
John 13:35
…By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
II. A Prepared Minister
I Peter 3:8-11, 15
8 Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. 9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 10 For,
"Whoever would love life
and see good days
must keep his tongue from evil
and his lips from deceitful speech.
11 He must turn from evil and do good;
he must seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.
II Timothy 2:15-16, 23-25
15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 16 Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.
23 Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. 24 And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25 Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
Luke 6:45
The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.
II Timothy 4:2
Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.
III. Bold, Speaking as one with Authority
Luke 12:8-9
8 "I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God. 9 But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God.
Ephesians 6:18-20
18 And pray in the 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.
19 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, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
Luke 21:14-15
14 But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. 15 For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.
II Timothy 1:8-10
8 So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
Romans 1:9, 16-17
9 God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you
16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."
IV. The Effective Witness
Luke 15:4-7
4 "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
Proverbs 11:30
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
and he who wins souls is wise.
James 5:19-20
19 My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, 20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death(thanetos) and cover over a multitude of sins (hamarteeah).
Believers can walk away from following Christ.
And their soul is in danger of Gehenna, hell, unless they are led back.
And if they return from their error, not only are their souls saved once again, but the sins they committed in their absence will be forgiven.
God redeems the lost, and brings back the stray.
Acts 1:8
8 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."
Mark 16:15
15 He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.
CLOSING
In the presidents inaugural address, he states we are not a Christian nation, but …quote from the inaugural address transcripts on the Whitehouse website…
“We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus, and non-believers.”
This is the face of the new America of the United States.
And all of these have one thing in common, they need Jesus Christ.
