An E-Ticket for Reaching the Lost, Part 2

Given the growing cynicism in our world about the Church and those who lead it, sometimes it's hard to imagine a spiritual revival sweeping through our country.

Those days are behind us, or so it seems. Today on Insight for Living, Chuck Swindoll reminds us that our best days are ahead because the gospel of Jesus Christ is timeless and without question our only hope. What you're about to hear is a message Chuck started on Friday's program. Teaching from Acts chapter 2, Chuck describes what he calls an e-ticket for reaching the lost. Realize growth is going to happen because as we are making Christ known, God begins to add to the church those who are being saved. In a few miles from us we have Insight for Living that is broadcasting the gospel in 16 languages around the world. At Dallas Seminary we have a body of 1,600 men and women being trained to take the gospel around the world and we have a missions pastor who is motivated to the point of taking a team of men and women with him to a land and to pick a state and to say let's adopt this and go there and put our hooks into these individuals. That's just one of a number of things and just as the Lord led those people to speak to individuals and to share the great news so he's doing that with us and it's taking off. I made some observations when I read those same verses that I read to you a few moments ago and I boiled them down to five.

Let me give them to you. First they were unique and creative in their outreach. It had not been done before and it was very creative how they went about it. Sometime in a synagogue, sometime on a street corner, sometime they did it in a setting where there was a riot about to happen.

Sometime they did it as they were being beaten. They spoke openly of Christ as I could have read for you from chapters 4 and 5 of Acts. We need to remember that our missionary outreach must remain unique and creative. Second it was not limited to the church gatherings. I want to emphasize that because that's where we've gotten off in the 20th and 21st centuries. If I were to ask, if someone were to ask you how could a person come to Christ you're going to be tempted to say well I'll bring them to church and let Chuck tell them.

Why you want me to do that when you know enough to tell them yourself and you're there knowing them and able to follow up with them and spend time with them. Evangelism isn't a churchy thing. Evangelism is a Christian thing. It's the life of Christ being shared with someone else.

We need to remember that. Evangelism happens outside the church so that the people of the church might then grow while meeting and gathering together, get the steam up if you will in the huddle we have so that we can run the place through the week. Here's a third observation. It was usually connected to non-religious events. It was usually connected to non-religious events. When they were in prison they witnessed. When they were standing by those who were dying in sickness they witnessed. When they were at the public square they spoke of Christ. When there were personal conversations not religious conversations they were just talking about life in general. Then they made Christ known.

We need to remember that. Let me say forth it was never the result of force or coercion. No one was ever manipulated or made to feel shameful or guilty when they were presented with the claims of Christ. It was winsome therefore convincing. It made sense because it was appealing.

It was gracious. It made me smile when I read in Ray Stedman's authentic Christianity this thought. He says it's always seemed unfair to me that many churches and some Christians keep careful records on how many converts they make to Christianity but they never keep any records at all on how many they drive away from Christ.

That's so Stedman. Fairness would seem to dictate that both sides of the ledger should be maintained for the fact is churches often turn far more people from Christ than they ever win to them and frequently it's the most zealous and orthodox of Christians who are driving them away. The reason is though they may indeed be true Christians themselves the lives they are manifesting is a false Christianity.

It is as phony as a $3 bill. True there is a false Christianity which is practiced by those who aren't Christians at all. There are many religious frauds who have never been real Christians and there are apostates who give every appearance of being Christian for a while and then throw the whole thing over but surely the most subtle stratagem ever devised by the tempter to deceive and delude men is to take genuine Christians who truly know Jesus as the living Savior and mislead them into practicing a sham Christianity which they sincerely believe is the real thing. It can't of course be detected by a doctrinal statement or adherence to a creed for this type of phony Christianity is always Orthodox. It is frequently very zealous and feeds upon consecration services and dedication meetings. It uses all the right terms and behaves in the proper Orthodox manner but the net result is to drive people from Christ rather than bring them to him. In sharp contrast there is the real thing authentic Christianity as it was intended to be when it is manifested it never requires advertisement or publicity it has a fascination about it that that will draw people like flies to honey. True it may antagonize many when they find out what the secret is but the initial character of authentic Christianity is to attract and compel admiration.

When we admire someone we want to know the secret of their life and when they make themselves accessible to us and they're willing to tell us the secrets we're ready to listen. Let me tell you a story then I'll get to the fifth observation I made. When I was in the Marine Corps I was stationed on the island of Okinawa involuntarily. The recruiting officer had promised I'd never have to go overseas. They lie bad in the military service and in a few months I got my orders cut and I was sent overseas and I was stationed at Camp Courtney headquarters company right in the heart of not far from Naha in on the island of Okinawa. There were 48 men who lived in our Quonset hut and there were there were 24 bunks 12 on each side and of course two per bunk and and it was close living and it wasn't long before some of the guys in my outfit found out that I was a Christian and so when the bottom bunk became empty the guy was shipped back home a new guy came named Eddie and I knew that Eddie had been warned about me because before he ever took his c-bag off his shoulder he said us one way one thing clear preacher I'm not interested in your stuff don't lay it on me boom and he drops his sleeping bag that's the nice welcome that we had as we shared together well I thought Eddie is obviously not happy and he needs to know what real happiness is but I got to be I got to be I got to be smart here and wise as I go about it at that time I was involved in a scripture memory program connected with the Navigators some of you are familiar with it and I had a little verse pack that I carried on occasion when I had a little spare time I'd go over those verses and I I thought you know Eddie can read and Eddie would would maybe want to help me do this and so I had to send him one day hey Eddie I'm trying to memorize some of these I don't want that stuff shut down my front I know I know I know but I thought maybe you'd like to check me out in the verses and see if I know I'm and point out where I'm saying I'm wrong oh yeah I'll do that I'll be glad yet so I brought my old verse pack down there and ahead of time I had put all the verses that had to do with salvation in my little verse pack every one of them and written them out and so I'm going along struggling with like John 3 16 I go for God so God love yeah look look God so loved the world that he gave his his only begotten son yes only begotten son so we would go over these verses and Eddie got to where he almost knew those verses as good as I knew those verses nothing happened nothing nothing happened with Eddie he continued to live his life I lived my life I honored his request I never cornered him and years passed it's a true story maybe 20 21 22 years passed my phone rang I was sitting in my study at the church and I picked up the phone and said hey Chuck this is Eddie and I go Eddie oh and I called his last name he said yeah I'm in New Orleans he said I I'm running a car dealership here and he said hey you know that trick you played on me he said it worked I just want you to know it worked and he said I I trusted Jesus as my Savior he said you know I've been thinking about what you did back when we were both on the island together he said it's kind of like witnessing by deception wasn't it yeah I guess it kind of was Eddie and he told me about it transformed life changed marriage changed the way he's raised his children and I loved it when he said it worked this will work this will work folks phoniness doesn't work counterfeit Christianity blows up in our faces we need to remember that there's a winsomeness that's connected with these new young Christians in the scriptures that you can't get away from all they were committed this was no casual faith but they knew how to deal with the lost in a way that the lost couldn't stay away now having said all of that let me give you my fifth observation the majority of first century Christians did not personally leave home and go on foreign soil to serve Christ I noticed that oh some of the greater lights did and we know about Barnabas and Silas and Saul of Tarsus of course Luke went left his work Peter stopped fishing and he went and Matthew no longer did taxes he went there were there were a number of the greater lights by that I mean the more prominent names but the great majority never did that they supported those who did that they prayed for them they were engaged in it on the home front but and therefore the the real heroes of the world missionary outreach they aren't limited to the people we know most of them are names we've never heard who never found their way into the text of the book of acts or one of the letters ever once in a while you will meet them ever once in a while I have came across in my research an interesting book it's called from Jerusalem to Irian Jaya by a woman I've never met named Ruth Tucker Ruth Tucker writes far less attention has been paid to those who stayed behind and who may have been no less obedient to the heavenly vision it has been said that for every missionary that goes to the foreign mission field there are at least 50 individuals who at one time or another committed their lives to missions but never carried through with their commitment to go was their call to missions unrealized in some cases it was their commitment was forgotten in other cases however they played an indispensable role on the home front where would missions be today without these stay at homes of the 100,000 student volunteers who signed the Princeton pledge 20,000 actually went abroad as foreign missionaries but how could that awesome army have endured on the front lines without the powerful backup network at home during those years monetary giving to missions quadrupled Stacey Woods had his plans all made to go to India in 1934 but he ended up staying in America to found and direct inter varsity Christian fellowship a student organization vitally involved in promoting missions through its work on university campuses Dawson Trotman never became a foreign missionary but he too played a crucial role in missionary outreach through the founding of the Navigators Trotman caught a vision for missions while in Paris in 1948 and and since the time that time the Navigators have spread across the globe with a dynamic zeal to disciple others in the Christian faith Bill Bright like Dawson only gradually developed a vision for world missions campus crusade for Christ was begun as a ministry geared primarily to reaching American students but by the 1980s it had some 16,000 staff members involved in evangelism in more than 150 countries and protector it's around the world so what about those who did not go overseas how should their lives be evaluated are they any less a part of the Great Commission because they stayed at home is their missionary call any less valid how many young people have heard that missionary call and vowed to go but seemingly became sidetracked along the way did they miss God's call each one must answer that question individually before God the story of those who went out is a thrilling drama far more exciting no doubt than the story of those who stayed home yet I love this those who stayed behind also have a story that needs to be told and sometime it very closely resembles the story of those who went out some of you are sitting here in guilt unfortunately because you're not out there in the midst of India doing the work why God hasn't called all of us or even most of us to be in India doing the work but it doesn't mean that we live our lives with arms crossed selfishly hanging on to everything we make on the contrary it means we dip deeply into our treasure and we give to the point of sacrifice at times so the work of ministry can go that's our calling that's why you have that job and why I have this one and I I love it when I read the stories in the New Testament that this vision swept the country to the point of their turning it upside down but really only a small minority went when the great majority prayed gave loved him encouraged him made provision for our mission statement is to encourage all people to pursue a lifelong joyous relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ isn't that a healthy statement to encourage all people to pursue a lifelong joyous relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ begins by coming to know him it continues by growing from infancy to maturity in him it involves our being willing to share what we know with others who don't know it it endures for as long as we are on this planet and there is no retirement plan isn't that good we don't live for the day we can hang a don't disturb sign on our door we live for the day when we've got more doors of our lives open saying to those who long to have what we have and enjoy can I come in can I find out will you tell me let's bow our heads you are in fact the most powerful force in the world today you you are your relationship with Jesus your commitment to him your love for others your winsome spirit your forgiving heart your open-minded unprejudiced zeal that gives you a force through the power of the Holy Spirit very few people on this earth possess you may have come today and not not even know the Lord and my would be so great to have you leave with him as your Savior just by trusting him like the rest of us have you can know eternal life and instant forgiveness and a removal of shame and and the heartache emptiness that has plagued you trailed you all through your life trust him now trust him we've we have and we recommend him but you need to know your life's gonna be changed never gonna be like it was before thank you father for the stories of Eddie all around the world where the the seed was planted and your word was somehow ignited with life and you you brought forth a change and you brought him to yourself or her thank you for telling us about the Savior through a parent or a friend or neighbor or somebody we work with or somebody we respected thank you for the vision you've given us as a church keep it fresh and and and free of traditionalism and and legalism and keep us from the guilt of wrenching money from people may we be so caught up in it that we cannot help but pour ourselves in it and ignite those lives that are to go and make it clear and give them it a determination never to look back as they serve you in a place beyond the familiar shores of home thank you for the expression of our faith which gives it vitality and life and zeal and and excitement thank you that it has no ending but it takes us from time into eternity Lord use this church in great ways to forge a new vision and to touch lives that would never otherwise be touched both at home across the street and across the states as well as across the seas and we will praise you praise you forever blessed be the name of the Lord it's in his name that we pray everybody said amen in a message originally presented to the congregation he leads you're listening to the Bible teaching of pastor and author Chuck swindoll and this is insight for living and if you'd like to learn more about this ministry please visit us online at insight world org as you heard Chuck talk about the church today you might be wondering how to find a church that helps you cultivate what Chuck called a lifelong joyous relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ well Chuck has written an article on how to recognize a healthy church we believe it'll steer you in the right direction you'll find this article online at insight org slash Church of course there's nothing that will shape your understanding of the church better than a personal study in the Bible to that end I'll point you to the swindoll study Bible the swindoll study Bible includes practical insights from Chuck and ideas for application and it's all integrated alongside the biblical text to purchase the color and font size of your choice go to insight org slash offer well Chuck you've shown us that our view of God's strength and his power will determine the course of our lives that's right Dave I believe with all my heart that God is not only big but he's the God of limitless possibilities think about that my convictions are founded on biblical truth I'm thinking for example of Luke 18 27 where we read the things that are impossible with people are possible with God and the same thought is in Jeremiah the weeping prophet wrote this nothing is too difficult for you Jeremiah 32 17 in addition to these biblical affirmations I can also bear witness to the God of limitless possibilities I've seen his greatness at work in my own life again and again for these reasons and so many more I'm compelled to pursue what many people deem impossible that is to obey the great command of our Savior Jesus and make disciples of all the nations that's right all the nations would you be willing to join us in this journey in recent days and months you've heard me talk about what we call vision 195 so this is not new to you it's the passion of our hearts to bring insight for living to all 195 countries of our world I confess it's an audacious dream in my own strength admittedly it's impossible but I base my confidence on the God of limitless impossibilities in the last two years God has accomplished the impossible he's guided insight for living ministries through a global pandemic as well as a combative national election and a season of isolation we've never experienced until now during this time period we've kept every single radio station and we have not missed a broadcast and my friend I believe our best days still lie before us so let's trust this God of impossibility shall we let's pull together and let's offer our personal resources to tell of God's amazing grace in all the countries of the world that's 195 of them please follow God's prompting and give generously whatever God has placed on your heart give that and do that today thanks so much for standing alongside us well responding to Chuck swindoll has made simple when you pick the method that's best for you first you can call us if you're listening in the United States dial 1-800-772-8888 once again 1-800-772-8888 or it might be quickest to give it our secure website insight org slash donate well Chuck sat down for a personal discussion about the challenges of the year and in particular how our study in the Gospel of Matthew has shaped our future at insight for living well we had the video cameras rolling and we invite you to take a seat at the table with Chuck this 30-minute conversation is online and we encourage you to click on the link at insight org slash conversation I'm Dave Spiker inviting you to join us when Chuck swindoll describes a time-tested model for sharing your faith that's Tuesday on insight for living the preceding message an e-ticket for reaching the laws was copyrighted in 2003 and 2019 and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2019 by Charles are swindoll Inc all rights are reserved worldwide duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited you