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February 21, 2019 3:00 pm
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Let's grab our Bibles and turn to Matthew chapter 28 the title of my message is the Jesus revolution in evangelism in one of the real traits of the Jesus movement was people were out everywhere sharing the gospel known as the last time you saw that when you're out of a public place and amusement park down with a peer out of the mall somewhere and you just saw a bunch of people, maybe even carrying a Bible engaging people in conversations about Jesus Christ. We did a lot of that. So I became a Christian as you know the age of 17 and I was going to church and I heard the pastor say we should go see our faith about the will of been a Christian. Two weeks I know so much about God. Now better going to talk to people and I was you know my theological knowledge could've fit into a thimble, but I knew Jesus to change my life. I knew it was all true. And I wanted to go talk to somebody so bad then there was a little booklet called the four spiritual laws put out by Campus Crusade for Christ and is very simple to just ask questions and so I was so new at this I hadn't even memorized the content of the booklet yet. So I went out to the beach. It was Newport Beach and ice was looking for someone to talk when I saw this middle-aged lady and I double maybe should be nice to be maybe she'll take pity on me, so I walked up to her and he said hi. Can I talk to you a little bit about God and she looked at me like teacher to downsize at the end of my voice was shaking. You don't get nervous and you can't stop your voice from shaking and so I'm literally just reading this booklet to our I hadn't even memorized it is a sense I just said God is reduced to the four spiritual laws.
Copyright 1964, specific risk law one God loves you and is a wonderful plan for your life law to you since I'm reading through this booklet and as I'm reading through it and thinking. This is so not going to work. I'm so I'm crashing and burning right now and I want this to be over with, but at least I can say to my Christian friends.
I actually started a conversation about Jesus time almost to the booklet. I looked up at her periodically. She's just looking at me. No real reaction I get to the end and there's a question to ask a person which was is a really good reason why you should not accept Jesus Christ right now I realize it was a question so I asked her is her any good reason why you should not accept Jesus Christ right now and she said no, went okay no I said you mean you want to send Jesus Christ. I know she said just on my excellent great lead.
Let's just pray your head driving to type something I had no plan for success. I plan for failure. So she closes her eyes and frantically searching this booklet for some prayer something 10 I do now, and I found a prayer IN the burn to show you a little faith I had even as I'm leaving here in this program thinking myself this isn't going to work and I she's done praying this prayer of asking Christ the Commodore life. She opened her eyes and she said something just happened to me I'm like oh something just happened to me to. I realize that God could use an idiot like me.
Now I guarantee I could think anybody in this room and you would know so much more about the Bible so much more about Jesus Christ that I knew as a two week old Christian, but I went for an God blessed it, and this is the thing we way over complicate evangelism. We get all worked up about all stressed about it, and overly nervous about it and we don't understand that you can be used by God to share the gospel and I remember at that was just Christians everywhere doing this we called in the Jesus freaks, and I remember even before I was a Christian would see the Jesus freaks going down the beach.
You know they do have their Bibles and the like.
Looking for sinners and we would all go on the water till they pass because they were there were come in the water. For some reason.
Maybe they didn't want to get the Bible's wet so so mom should've figured out they should have a surfing evangelism ministry and paddle out to where people are, but you know so that was the way it was back then you say what I that's great men. I wish it was that way today. Why can't it be that way today I last time I checked the great commission is still in the Bible.
Is it been removed in the last 20 minutes because I just checked on it. You know the great commission is will read in the moment, but it's the words of Jesus to go to all the world and preach the gospel in the Bible tells us how will they hear unless someone tells them. Listen, the primary way that God reaches people is through people so this doesn't change. Therefore, why are we not doing it today.
Yet I just read that there's a trend among millennial Christians to not do this and back this up. All that was done said 47% of millennial Christians agree at least somewhat that it is wrong to share one's personal beliefs was someone who was of a different faith and hope that they will one day share the same faith help out if you guys appear in the stager millennial entries are okay now you gotta explain this to me. That said, we have a mic down here somewhere. Jordana Mike Cheyenne what's going on here. Is this true do you think this is true. People you know your age. Why is it true and should this be true that's interesting you know know Turner Mike on the guys, so I think that millennial's are trying to enforce and activate like their opinions and freedom of speech but there also so sensitive nowadays. And if you don't agree with what they believed and they just are attacking year with enough harsh words and discourage you and so as a young Christian it's very discouraging to share your faith. I mean, I don't think it's wrong to share faith at all by it's very discouraging. Nowadays, with Adam being so sensitive of everything yet.
So the jury would you think like okay so that's the obstacle you know, here's the interesting thing so many people talk about tolerance today, but I found that the most intolerant people are the ones that talk the most about tolerance.
Basically what they're saying is you know every truth is true everything is good and let's us all accept one another, but yet at the same time.
When you come up with your truth which is the truth of Scripture all they don't like that they think God's bigoted overly dogmatic will.
How do you engage a culture that that is resistant of the sort of thing that's funny when I first saw those couple statistics come out. My first question was men who wear these people from gazelle receipt it don't go to harvest as a settling on how the millennial's here role because they're passionate about sharing the love for God.
Cheyenne hits on a great point in my life and I do were just talking about this is that our world is so fragile today. I think because were seeing a lot of people. Celebrities being taken down by a bunch of social media trolls by giving their opinion because it hurt somebody's feelings a lot of millennial's, I don't think intentionally get fearful and are now about why want to share my face because of my faith because I don't want it to come off the cross as I as I'm trying to shove my faith down someone else's throat. The other side it is.
I don't think the media and I think we would all grief paints a very great picture of what it means to be a Christian.
So a lot of people only think of evangelism we think of what the media portrays as Christians evangelizing, which is people on the street corner holding picket signs it says God hates this God hates that this allotment millennial's are saying will. That's not me, and I think a lot of us was able yeah that's not a C that's also not Jesus. And so I think there's is two different things live in a very sensitive culture were people are afraid to come off as judgmental or crass or harsh and then at the same time.
I think a lot of millennial's need to relearn what evangelism is because the media is telling then were doing evangelism streetcorner picket signs is wrong and that's not true evangelism. That's right.
So I think what we need to do is understand that you know evangelism is really communication with people. When the Bible says go to all the world and preach the gospel, you can do that conversationally you can do that on your social media pages you could do it on Instagram. You can put you can tweak the gospel going to all the world and tweak the gospel, you know, but I think the big issue is when we engage a person you want to build a bridge to them. You might think, because I'm a preacher. I have a little pulpit like this and they take with me everywhere and I preached everyone I meet. Look when I speak in this study like this already in a stadium.
You know it's a monologue and it's me talking to people, but when I engage nonbelievers into dialogue. I don't come up all the answers. I ask a lot of questions and I listen because I don't want to come off like a know it all. For starters, I'm not a know it all and to the point, I'm not better than anybody. I'm better off, but I'm not better so you come in sort of the humility, and Jesus himself modeled this with the woman at the well.
He actually asked her for a drink of water. He comes to her in a humble way and he listens to her and then he engages her with the message of the gospel so that's what we want to do. But you know sooner or later you have to get down to the bottom line and the bottom line of the gospel is all of humanity is sin. There's nothing we can do to get rid of that sin.
God sent his son Jesus Christ to die for that sin and to rise again from the dead and will turn from our sin, believe in Jesus, we can go to heaven. That's the gospel so I know where may be reluctant to share that with there's power in the message of the gospel and the powers always been there, and the power will always be there because Paul said, I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God and the salvation to every one who believes in the word that he uses are for powers that were due to Ms. which means dynamic dynamite power years ago I was at Billy Graham's house. In fact today is one years since Billy Graham went to heaven and that he was the greatest evangelist to ever live.
No one's ever let more people to Christ as a picture with Billy that I took years ago, but no one is ever led more Christ people to Christ than Billy, but I was having lunch of this. Allison and I wanted ask him a question and I said Billy up in older Billy can speak to a younger Billy. What would he say what advice would you give a younger you up for all these years of preaching and and sharing the gospel and he said I would preach more on the cross of Christ and the blood because that's what the power is so I never forgot that. So whenever I speak. I always want to talk about the fact that Jesus died on the cross of the sin of the world that his blood was shed for them. So if you want to really pay tribute to a guy like Billy Graham do would Billy did want to Billy do. He preach the gospel and he invited people to follow Jesus Christ. So listen. Evangelism is never going to be pass�. It's always good to be something God wants us to do and we might find new and creative ways to do it but ultimately we never want to deviate from this calling. God is given to all of us this year in Angel Stadium. Where are celebrating 30 years of doing harvest Crusade so were pretty excited about that and we have some exciting plans for this year.
I can value what they are yet.
It's going to be really amazing organ to do each night of the harvest Crusade, but you know, America was a much different place. 30 years ago, George H. W.
Bush was the president home alone and pretty woman where the top movies in the theaters at top TV shows were Seinfeld the fresh Prince of Bel Air and the Cosby show my how things have changed. The top songs on radio were ice ice baby by vanilla ice I know is Ricky Jackson's favorite. You can't touch this by MC Hammer and flow by Madonna and the Internet was just coming into its own social media did not exist yet and does so this new technology was coming. Email was just beginning. Texting was still in the future, and so we were able to go around the nation and around the world and share the gospel so some things of change, but some things have not changed at all, course the need of humanity hasn't changed the solution to that need. Which is the gospel never changes in every generation is looking for answers, and I look at this young generation today and I think to myself if ever there was a generation that needs to be engaged with the gospel. It is this generation and were going to do everything we can to engage them consider this easy US suicide rate has increased 30 increased 30% since the year 2000. And it's simple for young girls. Opioid deaths have increased three times in teens in the last 20 years as well. From January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2013.
This is a staggering statistic. There were 3,567,000 suicide attempts in the emergency department visits from people 10 and older, 3 million people tried to take their lives and in just seven years. That's 3.5 million attempted suicide. So don't tell me the date of evangelism is over because last year alone of the 2980 people that made a profession of faith 6389 of them were under the age of 30, so the gospel still works. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever.
People need Jesus and though always need Jesus. So we want to keep that in mind always know the church we get excited about a lot of things.
Some people get excited about the latest conference. All this conference is so amazing. Did you go to this conference.
Others might get excited about a new building program while we got our new building up others might get excited of their candidate got elected. You want to know what God gets excited about. If I can use that verbiage of God. God gets excited. Heaven gets excited when people believe in Jesus. The Bible says there is joy in heaven over one sinner that comes to repent and think about that for a moment. Every time a person turn from their sin and puts her faith in Jesus Christ. There's a shout of praise in heaven. There must be a lot of praising in heaven because of the of all the people that come to the Lord each and every day.
In Luke chapter 15 were given a perspective of how God views those that don't know him.
We have three metaphors that are employed by Jesus to show how God loves people. We have a shepherd lost the sheep. We have a woman who lost a coin and we have a father who lost a son ever lost anything of great value in your searching for, because you gotta find it are the idea of a coin woman at a coin is probably the ideal of a wedding. Kind of a hat. She would where I had been sort of. It would have coins in it so to lose it. Calling was not just losing a dime or 1/4. It was losing your wedding ring. That was a big deal, so she searched until she found it and then we have a father who lost a son and a shepherd who lost a sheep. Years ago I lost something of great value to be as a kid, I had a little parakeet and his name was popcorn. I don't know why. Name the popcorn, but that's what I called and so I was down to Balboa Island that I saw this guy what appeared on his shoulder just sat on his shoulder didn't fly away and I asked the guy you know what to do with your paralegal going.
Jamie doesn't fly away and that the that's so cool, so at my house.
My apartment actually popcorn would fly out of his cage. When I called his name and Linda my children and walk around the house with them, so I thought maybe I'll do that would popcorn all go down to Balboa Island with popcorn. The parakeet on my shoulder and it'll be just like the guy with the parents alike walk around the house for a while. We can sure he wouldn't fly away. Then I walked outside open the door.
Walked outside and popcorn just flew out.
I never saw him again just got so I would four days I was walking up and down the street. Popcorn popcorn people are thinking that poor boy is hungry, give them some deleted it. Just the other day I drove by that same neighborhood. I rolled down the window by car popcorn and a really old bird landed on my windshield with the beard. No, not really, but he's gone and so I searched and I searched but I couldn't find him. Jesus talked about the father searching for lost people is like a shepherd looking for a sheep. Now you know she I don't know if you been around. She very often but in Israel sometimes will see a flock of sheep.
Everyone gets really excited because everyone wants a picture about with the sheep in Israel writer a little lamb even better and I've always heard their stupid been now having seen them up close and personal. There really are dumb animals and look they have their purpose in life that are excellent with mint jelly and we can make sweaters out of their you know so it's great but these are animals that literally cannot defend themselves.
These are animals and cannot run. They cannot buy in their incredibly dumb. I read an article a while ago that talked about a bunch of she 1800.
She who died that the what and I had to click it. You know what happened and what happened was one she walked off of the cliff. This happened in Turkey one sheep walk out the edge of the cliff and all the other sheep follow. How stupid is that.
So that when she goes of the adjective which rinses J single father wanting to die today let's go see is not that bad little baby job. Is that dumb sheep are at where the Bible says all we like sheep have gone astray were that dumb. So there's a shepherd was 100 sheep among those astray because I just said you know what if you lose a few cost of doing business. Know Jesus said that shepherd went and searched for the sheep till he founded and he wrapped it around his neck and brought it home rejoicing and then Jesus makes this point and I tell you in the same way. There is joy in heaven over one sinner that comes to repent.
But really the crescendo of Luke 15 is a story of the prodigal son. And that's the one that we all remember best.
The story of the boy that left home drug.
The family name to the gutter spent his inheritance missed his life got drunk, hung out with prostitutes did everything wrong and one day he came to his senses and he returned home, and when the father saw him from a distance and this is Jesus telling the story when the father saw him at a distance he read to his son.
He threw his arms around him. He kissed them and said this my son was dead is alive again. He was lost is found. I think one of the greatest songs. It's been written in recent days is reckless love and it tells the story of the prodigal no one of the lyrics know Wally won't kick down those shadow he won't light up coming after me. I mean it just shows you know I've heard some people. Why don't think God's love is reckless will. The idea of it is God, I mean listen.
Jesus portrayed God the father is an older man willing to lose his dignity to get a son, let me explain. In the first century culture old man did not run. It was considered undignified. Not to mention it's harder for old men to run right so did you have to pull your robe up above your knees and needs in in the story that Jesus tells in the Jesus hadn't told it would almost seem irreverent.
He portrays the father is an older man missing his son running to get to him and I think maybe one of the reasons we can only opine on this but maybe one of the reasons the father was running to his son as he knew the people in the village might stone him because he had disgraced the father disgrace the village disgrace the name of the Lord of the father said I've got to get to that son of mine before they kill that boy and he threw his arms around him.
They're not going to kill the boy if the father's arms are wrapped around that's us you know we are sinners and God says I'm in a get to you. I'm in a push any obstacle out of the way to get to you in the same way that the father loves we should love the world he wants us to have that love so I mention the great commission. Let's go to where text on Matthew 28. Let's read it. This is a very important statement that frankly we all should commit to memory. Jesus says Matthew 28 verse 18, all authority has been given to be in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations. Notice the word therefore is a told you before whenever you see the word therefore find it when it's therefore is drawing upon what is been said what was just said all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth, so go therefore he has this authority were his representatives so we go therefore and what we do make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father of the son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you below.
I am with you, even to the end of the age. There's one more version of the great commission if you will. That's in Mark 16 815 or Jesus simply says going to wall the world and preach the gospel to every person.
So the bullet altogether. The great commission is to go on the wall the world and preach the gospel, God led by the Holy Spirit to bring people to Christ, then to disciple them. This is where a lot of people miss a key element. It's not just to proclaim the gospel. It's a lead people to Christ and disciple them, get them up on their feet spiritually teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you below I'm with you to the end of the age. I believe if we would just obey the great commission, we would experience personal revival.
Why do I say that because when you get your eyes off of yourself for a moment and think about somebody else that's lost and separated from God and leave your comfort zone and seek to share your faith next to being a Christian. This is one of the most joyful fulfilling things we can do. This is why the devil doesn't want us to do it and there's one thing Christians and non-Christians have in common. It's this were both uptight about the gospel.
Satan's uptight with the sharing the gospel one of tying with sharing the gospel so the nonbelievers didn't want to hear. Don't talk to me because like were seen earlier that figure can shove it down your throat.
They think you're going to be judgmental and mean we should never be that waitlisted if you want to win some winsome be nice about it. Share the gospel with a smile on your face care about the person you're talking to and build that bridge so many times Christians burn bridges instead of the burn bridges.
Rather, instead of build bridges and the objective is not to win the argument. It's to win the soul because I've seen some prisons were very knowledgeable and they come in with both gospel guns loaded and they unload them on the nonbeliever and tear down their arguments and humiliate them in the nonbelievers says what a jerk. And I want to talk to a Christian again. He could've done a lot more if you just wouldn't shut up and listen. The little bit showed a little compassion and love and let them share for a while and say what they think and how you can respond appropriately with the message of the gospel, but this is the great commission. But sadly, for many, the great commission is the great omission.
Now let me say something that might surprise him, but I believe it's true. I believe do not share the gospel can actually be a sin, they might see McGregor going too far away. Hold on. What is the sin there's different definitions of sin, because there's different kinds of sin. One definition of sin is to cross the line. So if I'm told, don't step on the black carpet and I stepped on the black carpet. I just crossed the line. That's called a trespass. So when I break a commandment. I do what God told me not to do. I just crossed the line. That's a sin that's a sin of commission. But then there's a sin of omission. The sin of omission is not doing what I should do. The Bible says the him the nose to do good.to do good and does not do it to him it is sin. So mom get on the street and there's a house on fire.
There's a crowd of people standing outside and someone says there's a child on the second floor of that house and I just walked by me to dig a stretch.
Gil Goff posted on Instagram. What a jerk I am, I mean yeah hopefully I'll call 911.
Maybe I'll be a hero try to run in and save the child but to walk by with complete indifference.
That's almost criminal in the same way if I really believe the Bible how many of you believe the Bible is true older Bible appraiser hand up okay if I really believe the Bible and I really believe in the Bible says about the afterlife that there really is a heaven and a really is a hell never really believe the gospel, which effectively says Jesus Christ is the only way that the father and I really believe of a person rejects Christ.
They will spend eternity separated from him and I don't even tried to engage a person in a conversation that could be the sin of omission is so we don't want that to happen and I think also we miss out on a great blessing.
Here's how it spiritually provides you when you get a new believer in your life it can reinvigorate your faith, listen to this new Christian needs. An older believer in their life to stabilize them. An older Christian needs are younger believer in their life to energize you know so you know if you know the Lord for a long time and you just hang around with other people that have known the Lord for a long time you go to church.
You got afterwords review argue theological minutia, but when you have a brand-new believer that year in the fall for the first five minutes can a change. You first of all you're going to have to mind your P's and Q's because if you have a brand-new Christian in your driving to get lunch after church. You might drive the speed limit for the first time in years.
You I think about what you're going to talk about over lunch, not the normal conversation that you have will you complain about things are are are argue about things but you might actually talk about things that would interest the new believer in the don't ask you questions and you may not have the answers. Then again, you may have a lot more answers than you think. Seek God does not give us this truth to horde and to keep to ourselves because this is truth to share Jesus said, give and it shall be given unto you press down, shaken together, running over with the same measure you give it will be given to you when you read generous believer in every way that includes with your finances that includes an event your evangelism that includes everything we hear a giving person, God will replenish your supply and I think when you are around the new believer there asking you questions well it remind you of things you forgotten how much whoever shared something with someone measure sharing it. You get really excited about it again.
You're telling them what Jesus did and what it was like when you first came to Christ in your life is change. Measure sharing your story to get all fired up about it.
That's why you need to do it. It's not just for the lost people post it for us is for us to is sort of like going to Disneyland with kids or adults you know when you go to Disneyland with adults is not always so much fun, especially if their older adults because first of all there going to complain about the admission price, which is somewhat justifiable. What is it like $1000 now that's one part gumball and then you know you want Canon now. They got these little things of your standing here in the line will be in on the writing two days.
It's like you know I really want to know that that makes it miserable for me and and you know so you're you're tired and you don't you know it's a whole different experience a lot of critiquing things all you know this is so fake and all that go with the kid just go with the kids and see Disneyland through the eyes of a child that will be a whole new experience for you there excited, they want to go on the crazy rides.
They want to have fun.
It's a magical place for them and I think in the same way when we only hang around older believers and we never engage new believers, we can actually begin to find ourselves in a place of complacency in a place of dullness and actually what we need is a new Christian in our life that will revive us again and I think this is part of discipling him say something I kinda broke all the rules the way I came to Christ and by that I mean are normally you share the gospel with someone you either leave them to the Lord you bring them to church and they come to Christ, then he will follow up and you help them grow in their faith. None of that happened for me. No one invited me to anything I would even have people give evangelistic booklets to be out of the streets they would give them to people around me and skip me was all about. I actually one of them to. I think it was sort of this look on my face and her know what was must've intimidated people. Can you imagine anyway so you know my story, I saw the Christians meeting on the front lawn of my high school campus. I said close enough or he can eavesdrop on their conversation. No one invited me to the meeting but I heard the gospel and I heard enough to understand. I needed Jesus and I went forward and prayed and asked him into my life now. I could've gone the wrong direction.
I could've fallen through the cracks, but thank God someone followed up on me and his name was Mark and Ivan seen them in years. He came up to me, maybe a few days later and said I is your name Gregor said yeah says I saw that you accepted Jesus Christ the other day I was like, just so good. I didn't really know what it happened to me and I got so yeah yeah what about it would have all you need to start going to church, not subject know you need to come to church with me not live animal churches to yeah whatever were you live on the computer you well know, I don't want to go to church with you. I said no you need to come to church on come on and he was so persistent just to make him stop as it appears my address he shows up at my house. I did not want to go to church now, so all I don't of Christianity literally was a Bible study of like 25 young people I'd not been in the church pretty much my whole life. Maybe when I was a little boy with my grandparents but I don't remember a lot about that. So I go to this church at Calvary Chapel.
It's in the middle of the Jesus movement. There's people everywhere coming out of the windows practically worshiping God and and I literally walked in, in a kind of freaked me out. There was too much love in one place you don't understand the way I was raised. My mom never hugged me.
I'm not saying this to elicit sympathy, but if you feel bad for me go yet but she never hugged me she never said I love you so literally.
I was in all where there was no infection know I love youse and I want to been a complete stranger comes up some growth. God bless you brother. I love you and she hugs me or Mike. It's like I didn't want to be hot. I didn't want to be in this place and it was so packed out.
There was no seats and I was glad and I started to walk away and someone in the front row recognized because they went to my high school is a great come sit with thoughts in a walk-in of their singing happy happy happy happy. Where does this happy feeling come from Jesus.
Unlike widely pointing up what's up there what's happening and I sat in the front row and at that man you known and I was very uncomfortable and then a guy walks out these old is bald again all really. His name was Chuck Smith.
I then want to listen to some adult I don't like adults because all the adults I've been exposed to were not very good examples to me and this guy comes idly brings his Bible and the brothers can be so boring in the opens up the Bible and it just comes alive like drinking it in and you couldn't get me out of the place after that I went every night of the week to every Bible study. They had this guy Mark. He said I want you to come home and meet my parents. I've never been around a Christian family. My mom was buried in the were seven times we consider on a table and eat a meal and have a prayer followed up by a Bible study you kidney should be passed out on the floor. That was my life. So I'm sitting in this house we ever little meal we have prayer. They say grace is never done that before and afterwards let's have a Bible study and their talking about things in the Bible and I'm freaking it is unlike a sponge unlike SpongeBob SquarePants known. I like affect not just taking it in. I'd never heard this before my life was changed.
Why does one guy just said I'm in a go. Hope that guy Greg and he took me under his wing and because he did that for me here I sit today and you know here's the thing we all know the great you know rockstar preachers if you will, the Billy Graham's of the world.
Thank God for them, but you know, a lot of times it's the unsung heroes the play a key role someone who sows the seed in the life of the Billy Graham or someone that follows up on someone that stands in the gap for someone you don't have to be a theologian to do this by the way, you know more than you think you know I already said that.
But you really do is you sit in church all the time and you hear all these Bible studies it's going in your heart and it's going in your mind.
And when you try to help someone it'll start coming to your memory, because the Holy Spirit will bring it to your memory so I'm telling you in this last message in this Jesus revolution series if you want to experience revival to row Bible like thing we do. Back in those days we told you already weak and passionate, heartfelt worship. We study the word of God. We believe that Jesus Christ could come back at any moment and we shared our faith.
All of the time. I would just say to you if you would just start doing those things open every day with the word of God study the word of God start living believing that Christ could come back at any moment and look for opportunities to tell others about Jesus, you will experience revival because as I said we overly mystify revival to as we do evangelism revival just means restoration to original condition and revival starts with you. It starts with me so totally worrying about everybody else. They need revival. This church sees revival. You know it. Shut up. You need revival I need revival start with you.
Make sure that your firing on all cylinders. As a follower of Christ. Make sure you're doing the things that God has called you to do. Let it begin with. You and so that was our heart and that still needs to be our heart because this is not about what happened 40 years ago or 45 years ago. This is about something that God wants us to do. No matter what generation were in, and that includes this generation so I don't care what some people say oh I'm uncomfortable won't work today. Nonsense, the gospel will always work will always change human hearts and it's always the message God wants us to give to every generation because Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever. So let me close by just extending the invitation to maybe somebody here who is not yet a Christian and I were talking about talking to people like you, but maybe I'm actually talking to you right now are your hearing these things for the first time, let me just get to the bottom line you know why you have a big old hole in your heart is because you are created to know God, you know the big movie that's nominated for an Oscar is a star is born and there's a song called shallow that is sung in this film in one of the lines in the song asks a question about living in the modern world, and it talks about the only then your heart and I thought that's true. We all of a void in our heart. In the modern world. This modern world with all of our tax and all of our cool stuff hasn't filled the emptiness inside. Drugs, sex and rock 'n' roll didn't do it in the 60s hi check-in, all the things that we have offer today won't do it. In this time and whatever we come up with in generations to come will do it either as long as the Lord Terry's the answer will always be Jesus you are created to know God, you are created to have a relationship with God.
I'm not talking about religion I'm talking about knowing Jesus in a personal way. That's what appealed to me. That's what I wanted I wanted a relationship with God because I really didn't have a relationship with anybody to speak of. Up to that point I didn't even know how to have a relationship with someone but then along comes Jesus and he comes in the my life and I had so many promises given to me by adults and they broke those promises and they failed me over and over again disappointed me.
And here comes Jesus and he makes a bunch of promises to any keeps every single promise is never failed me once ever's promises are true and he kept them for me. That's why standard talking you about this today because this is my job. This is not my job. This is my passion. This is my life. He changed my life and I want to see them change other lives and there might be somebody here right now are somebody watching or listening, that does not have this relationship with Jesus Christ your center you broken God's commandments.
We all have you crossed the line you fallen short of the standard. But here's the good news 2000 years ago God sent his son Jesus to die on the cross in your place, and he paid the price for all of your sin. Jesus Christ came to pay a debt he did not know because you owed a debt you could not pay in three days later he rose again from the dead. Now he stands at the door of your life in the Knox lease is if you cure his voice and open the door to come in. You can come into your life right now and fill that void. You can fill in this modern world.
This is what you been looking for.
You know my wife. She likes to put puzzles together. I have no idea why I walked by a puzzle. Unlike whatever keep walking. Kathy will stop only when you crazy, she enjoys it a while ago. She got a puzzle and she put the whole thing together and she call me Greg, what I'm missing a piece of the puzzle. The last piece is missing were literally on our hands and knees crawling around and we finally found it.
She completed her puzzle. That's what life is like, and we put all the pieces in place.
Okay if I just you know if I get married and we have this many kids and we live here and I drive this and and this happens and then happens I'll be happy get all the little pieces in place and you're all done. There's something missing sought is something that to someone it's Jesus, God holds the missing piece a relationship with him, but the receiver we have to reach out and say I'm I want you, Lord of my life in a moment begin to pray and I want to give you an opportunity to ask Jesus Christ to come and live in your heart as your Savior and your Lord and you can know then that you go to heaven when you die, you can find the meaning and purpose in life you been searching for for all of your life. So if you need Jesus right now if you want this relationship with him.
Respond to this invitation as we all pray. Let's all our heads. Father, thank you for loving us. Thank you for sending Jesus to die on the cross for us. So Jesus, thank you for coming dying and rising again, thank you that you're here right here right now knocking on the door of many hearts. I pray for folks that don't know you. I prickle come to you and believe we asked in Jesus name I want to heads about their eyes are closed and were praying together. How many of you would say Greg, I need Jesus. I want him to forgive me of my sin. I want to go to heaven when I die I want this relationship with God you been talking about. Pray for me at that your desire. If you want Jesus Christ to come into your life if you want him to forgive you of your sin if you want to know that you go to heaven when you die you raise your hand up right now, raise your hand up and I'll pray for you saying I need Jesus Christ publish you raise your hand up saying I want Jesus Christ right now. Pray for me a preview accomplish anybody else raise your hand up. I reckon see a please call plus some of your watching on the screen right now II can see you. Of course, but the Lord sees you.
You can reach out to them as well but I have just about maybe some of you would say you know what, I'm a little bit like the prodigal. You talked about the prodigal that ran away from home that knows what's right but I've run away from God run away from church.
But I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired and I want to come back to Jesus right here right now that your desire. If you need to return to the Lord.
If you need to come back to him whether to raise your hand up and let me pray for you right now just razors in the Barbara could see it. I bless you, bless you. Anybody else raise your hand up, let me pray for you.
God bless each one of you plus Naaman asked if you would please everyone to be the razor can. I want you to stand your feet. Naaman leads you in a prayer of commitment or recommitment to Christ. If you raise your hand.
Even if you did not, but you want Jesus Christ to come in your life you want to forgive you of your sin, you want to make a recommitment to him. Stand your feet hurt me right stand up regular pray stand up, stand up. I bless you that are standing by for a few more in need to make this commitment I made that stand many years ago. I've never regretted it, and you will regret it.
Either let me lead you in this prayer to stand your feet. Anybody else even if you did not raise her again, but you want to start this relationship with God stand up and will pray away one more moment anybody else stand up them are going to pray together. Bless you.
Bless all of you standing there might be a few more stand now and will pray together.bless all of you standing now I want to pray this prayer and I want you to print out loud after me again as I pray pray this out loud after me. Pray these words.
Now, Lord Jesus, I know I'm a sinner but I know you're the Savior who died on the cross for my sin and rose again from the dead, Jesus I choose to follow you from this moment forward as my Savior and my Lord is my God, my friend. Thank you for hearing this prayer in answering this prayer in Jesus name I pray. Amen.
God bless all of you standing bless you guys a blessing