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"PRINCIPLES OF EVANGELISM"
Luke 10:1-11

Opening Prayer...

Any of you ever been fishing? I have. I went fishing once in Arkansas at a small creek with some folks from here. I didn't catch much, mind you. In fact, I think I caught more of my sweatshirt that day than I did of anything else.

I've got some pictures here of one of our students, Richard Fangmeier, who went fishing with his Dad and brothers last year. He gave these pictures to me, and I thought since we were going to talk a little bit about fishing that we'd show these.

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Here's the battle between Richard and the fish.
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He had a little bit of help. And then we've got the winner of that particular battle.
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Then, we've got the picture of the fisherman and his brothers.
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And we've got what they found in the fish's belly.

Now, I would like to take a moment and tell you a story about fishing. This story happens to be about a man named Bob.

Illustration: Bob hooks a huge bass
Bob had a great day of bass fishing, not just a great day, but a record-breaking day. He was able to hook the heaviest bass known to man. Soon after his sudden success, Bob was asked to speak to a fisherman's club about his experience.

Bob went through the whole story with them, telling them what lure he had used and explaining the struggle he had pulling the fish in. One of the members of the club was so impressed with his story that he asked Bob to come speak to another group. Soon, Bob was speaking everywhere about this one fishing experience. In fact, he spent three years going from place to place telling this story. However, during those three years, he never went fishing.

Now, you may have heard this story before or you may doubt that it really happened... but the truth of it, what's behind it is clear. Many people think that going fishing one time makes them a fisherman. I've been fishing once or twice in my lifetime... that does not make me a fisherman.

The same thing with practicing evangelism... the process of sharing Jesus Christ with others. Just because I shared Jesus once long ago doesn't make me an evangelist.

This morning, we're going to look at a piece of Scripture that was spoken by Jesus and we're going to draw four principles of evangelism. Not the only four, not the perfect four, but four in a strategy that Jesus laid out for his disciples.
In doing so, our prayer should be that God would allow us to live out some of these principles in not just our church life, but in our everyday lives.

Luke 10:5-6 says this:
5"When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.' 6If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you."

BLESS THEM.
Remember, this is Jesus talking. He's giving instructions on how to begin to win a place in the hearts and minds of the people.

Really, I can see the logic in this. I can see the intelligence in His plan... His strategy. Because we have to ask... what have we lost if we try to bless someone and they refuse it? Nothing! It is their loss! If somebody offers to pray for me and I refuse... it's my loss! If somebody tries to buy me lunch or dinner (which I consider a blessing) and I refuse... it is my loss!

We have become too indoctrinated with the lie that we have nothing to offer an unbelieving world... we have salvation, church! We have the only name through which men may gain salvation! We have the security and peace of mind that this world is not all there is!

Luke 10:7 goes on to say:
7"Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house."

2. FELLOWSHIP WITH THEM.
Remember, Jesus is still speaking. Now, is He saying not to go door-to-door? I don't think so. Somebody, somewhere might try to make a case for it... but I believe there is a much deeper message embedded in these words of instruction.

Jesus understand that human beings are relational and that if you stick around long enough, even with the most reclusive person, eventually, you will push past the veneer, the wall they may have built up and you will get to know that person. You will come to see them as a person and not just a project.

Likewise, when He says to eat and drink whatever they give you, He is saying, become familiar with them, with how they cook their burgers or tacos... take your pick. Because if there's one thing we know Texas, it's that home-cooking varies from home to home... Amen?

Illustration: "Tortillas" My aunt and grandmother were famous for the way they would prepare the flour tortillas. Not too thick, not too thin... but just right. In all my time in Texas, I have never come across anyone who prepares tortillas exactly like they did.

And Jesus knew that if you stuck around someone long enough, in the places they inhabited, that eventually you would come to know them better and better.

But not just for strategy's sake, but also for relationships' sake. When you come to know another human being, you pray for them more intensely because you care about them, you actually desire good and godly things for that person and their family and their life. You don't pray blanket, general prayers anymore... your prayers become
more and more personal and your burden for them becomes stronger.

We bless them, we fellowship with them and we...

Luke 10:9a says this...
9Heal the sick who are there..."

3. MEET THEIR NEEDS.
If someone is sick, heal them. Heal them. If someone is hurting, help them. If someone is hungry, feed them. If someone is naked, clothe them. If they are in need, meet that need.

I'm not saying the church can meet every need... we can't. It's impossible. Neither am I saying that we should allow ourselves to be taken advantage of. There are so many swindlers out there today that have no problem with cheating a church... I take offense at it. I'd like to take one or two every now and then behind the church house and teach 'em a thing or two about respect for the church. But then there's people inside the church who have just as much problem learning respect.

So, we bless them, we fellowship with them, we meet their needs and...

Luke 10:9b finishes it off:
"...and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.'"

4. THEN, SHARE THE MESSAGE OF CHRIST WITH THEM.

It's really very simple. These four principles don't have a lot to them, but sometimes we have a hard time because they're about evangelism.

But How do we share the message of Christ?

Some practical tips for sharing Jesus...

1. Always be prepared.
1 Peter 3:15b instructs us, "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have."

2. Always be in prayer.

3. Always be aware of opportunities.

Let me close with this film clip... we're talking about fishing, so let's look at a movie that has some really great fishing scenes in it.

Illustration: Clip from Jaws.
Start Time: 00:36:06
End Time: 00:37:45

Chief Brody didn't warn people about swimming in shark-infested waters, even though he should have.

How many of us would not warn friends if they were about to dive into shark-infested waters?

The Bible says that no one will live forever, that no man can escape the power of the grave (Psalm 89:48). Nobody. Eventually, every one of us, and everyone that we know is going to have settle up with the grave.

Why oh why would we not tell people who are about to dive headfirst into Hell?

Why oh why would we allow ourselves to be put in a position where we would have to shoulder the fact that we could've, but we didn't?

Why oh why, would we talk with some close friends about everything else under the sun... but we wouldn't share with them the simple, life-changing, soul-saving news of Jesus Christ?

Let's pray...