Dave’s Monday Blast – April 15, 2019
Matthew 28:6 & 7 confirms what we KNOW to be true about our Christian Faith; after three days according to the Scriptures Hosea 6:2 …”Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here. He has risen.” The Newsboys echoed the words of the Angel, “God’s not dead…He’s surely alive.” What do we do with this news? The Angel said it plainly, “….go and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead…” Remembering what Jesus did for us on that cross is good to do. Being confident in the Truth about the resurrection is good. Responding to the admonish of the Angel at the tomb is not only good, but it is our reasonable service (Romans 12:1 & 2).
Last week we shared some positive principles and strategies for effective evangelism as we enter into this Easter season. These strategies equip us to be part of the Redemptive Plan of our Heavenly Father; how we can respond in obedience to His “call to action”?
From last week:
1. We are to take the Gospel (Good News of His resurrection) to the world (Acts 17:17).
2. We need to verbally communicate this Gospel (Romans 10:14 & 15).
3. We must relate to people and build relationships (1 Thessalonians 2:8).
4. We need to build bridges for the Gospel (Acts 17).
This week:
5. We must remove barriers to the Gospel. Often times we will encounter obstacles, real or imagined, which keep a non-believer from taking the message of Christianity seriously. As Christians we must be prepared to address and overcome these barriers (2 Corinthians 10:3 – 5).
6. We need to pray for the Holy Spirit to move in people’s hearts. While we must be faithful in our verbal proclamation and defense of the Gospel, we must never forget to plead for the Spirit’s intercession in the hearts of non-believers (Acts 16:13 -15).
7. We must invite the non-believer to receive Christ. Many Christians know how to fish, but they fail to set the hook! We must give people the opportunity and encouragement to take that vital step of faith. Be prepared with some simple questions, such as, “Would you like to pray with me today to put your faith in Jesus?” I strongly encourage you to be INTENTIONAL about your Easter Sunday invite as Pastor Phil is going to be sharing a strong evangelistic message!
8. Whenever possible, we must commit to discipling new believers. We must help new converts become established in the faith: come alongside them to help them grow, ground them in Scripture, help them gain assurance of their salvation, and get them connected to a Bible-based church where they can participate in the body of Christ. This really is the DNA of our church: Connect-Grow-Serve!
