The reason you and I are here.

This message was preached by Colin D Cruz at Word of Grace Church on the 13th of April 2012.

Imagine a small group of people, not very educated, not many of rich or of noble birth, being given the task of preaching the gospel to the whole world. They are a scared bunch who lock themselves up in their rooms and run when challenged. They think, is it possible, how will we make disciples of all nations. I’ve never been to any other nation before.

2000 years ago, Jesus gathered his 11 disciples and in Mt 28:18-20 he gave them this instruction: and make disciples of all nations…

What if Jesus said that to you today? In fact, he is saying that to you today. You may be wondering – what can I do? Can I make a difference?

Brothers and sisters, you are sitting here because that group of 11 took Jesus’ instruction to heart and faithfully made disciples… who made disciples… till one day somebody shared the gospel with you and you became a disciple. It’s now your responsibility before you leave this earth to make more disciples.

3 STAGES IN DISCIPLEMAKING

1. MAKE disciples thru evangelism (unbelievers become believers, followers of Jesus)
2. MARK them thru baptism (They identify themselves with Jesus and with the local church)
3. MATURE them thru teaching with obedience (This is ongoing – they receive teaching and put it into practice and grow in maturity). (Various stages of growth – spiritual infants, children, adults, parents)

The first task in disciple making is EVANGELISM.

  Jesus made disciples through PUBLIC PREACHING and PERSONAL EVANGELISM

Not all are called to Public Preaching but we are all called to personal evangelism

Mt 28:18-20

ALL AUTHORITY

GREAT  CALLING

2 Cor 5:18 ministry of reconciliation

5:20 – ambassadors of Christ

GREAT REJOICING

Lk15:7 There is more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous persons who do not need to repent.

Lk15:10 there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

GREATEST THING U CAN DO FOR SOMEONE

JESUS CAME TO SAVE THE LOST  Lk 19:10 For Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

JESUS PROMISED TO MAKE US FISHERS OF MEN Jesus said he would make us fishers of men. Mt 4:19 "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you  fishers of men."

2       THINGS WE CANT DO IN HEAVEN – Sin and Share the gospel

JESUS’  LOVE COMPELS US - If we have the love of God in our hearts …it will compel us. 2 Cor 5:14, 15 For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.15And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

Imagine if you were on the TITANIC and it began to sink and you were struggling in the water. And somebody on a lifeboat through  you a rope and pulled you on to safety. Please have some hot coffee, change your wet clothes, have some hot idlis and vadas. But then as you look around you see other bodies struggling in the water. They have not drowned yet. Some of them are swimming – they think they can make it to shore – 500 miles away – no way. Others are holding on to pieces of wood. Other are gasping for breath.

Evangelism – Is presenting the good news that Jesus has died for the sins of the world, that whosoever repents and believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Before we can present the gospel – There are pre-evangelism stages.

1.      Prayer

2.      Opening of Doors (Col 4:3)

3.      Preparation: learn how to share the gospel, learn how to share your testimony,

4.      Arouse spiritual interest – through actions and words

a.      I’ll pray for you…

b.      God blessed me…

c.      I thank God for …

5.      Love one another jn 13:34-3

6.      Share the gospel – the results are in God’s hands,

God has to choose and touch hearts

Jn 15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to bear fruit…
Acts 16:14 Lydia The Lord opened her heart to respond…
Acts 13:48 … and all who were appointed for eternal life believed

3 different responses to the gospel

1.      Acts 17: 32 some of the sneered, (rejection)

2.      others said “We want to hear you again on this subject”  (more information)

a.      v34 A few men became followers of Paul and believed (salvation)

 Here is a story of a man passionate about sharing about Jesus till the very end.

One hundred years ago, on Sunday, April 14, 1912, the “unsinkable” ocean liner Titanic sank to the bottom of the ocean after hitting an iceberg. About 700 people survived, but 1,517 people perished in the cold sea because insufficient lifeboats had been placed on the boat.

John Harper with his wife and daughter pictured some time before he perished on the Titanic

here is a fascinating story about one of the passengers, John Harper, who was among the Titanic passengers who lost their lives, and his “final convert”.

The story said, “Harper served as pastor of Walworth Road Baptist Church in London, England. He was a 39-year-old widower with a six-year-old daughter. Harper was en route to Chicago, where he was slated to preach for several weeks at the Moody Church.

“His daughter and niece accompanied him on the trans-Atlantic voyage. After the Titanic hit the iceberg, his daughter and niece boarded a lifeboat and survived.

“Harper, however, refused to save himself and instead helped others to the crowded lifeboats. According to survivors, Harper preached the Gospel until his dying breath, first on the sinking ship and then in the frigid waters.”

The October 1928 issue of “The Latter Rain Evangel” (published by The Stone Church, a historic Assemblies of God congregation in Chicago), recounted the following story of John Harper’s last convert.

An illustration of the sinking of the Titanic

“Three or four years after the Titanic foundered (1912), a young Scotsman rose in a meeting in Hamilton, Canada, and said: 'I was on the Titanic when she sank. Drifting along on a spar in the icy water on that awful night, a wave brought John Harper of Glasgow near to me. He, too, was holding on to a piece of the wreck. "Man, are you saved?" he shouted. "No, I am not!" was the reply. He answered, "Believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved".

“The waves bore him away; but strange to say, a little later he was washed back alongside of me. "Are you saved now?" "No!" I replied, "I cannot honestly say that I am." Once more he repeated the verse, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." Then losing his hold he sank. And there, alone in the night, and with two miles of water underneath me, I believed. I am John Harper’s last convert.”

Let our passion for the lost be like John Harper where we loose no opportunity to give people a chance to respond to the gospel. Amen.

Colin D Cruz

13th April2012