LK. 15:3-10; ACTS 1:6-8 BV 6/6/99

THIS MORNING MARKS THE FIRST MESSAGE IN A SHORT SERIES WE WILL BE OFFERING ON EVANGELISM.  EVANGELISM IS A FUNNY WORD...A WORD THAT ORDINARILY ONLY OCCURS IN RELATION TO RELIGION...ESPECIALLY CHRISTIANITY.  IT COMES FROM A GREEK WORD, EUANGELLION, WHICH SIMPLY MEANS TO TELL FORTH OR TO PROCLAIM A TRUTH OR GOOD NEWS.  I REALLY DON'T WANT TO STEAL ANY OF MYRLENE'S THUNDER FOR NEXT WEEK SO I DON'T WANT TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT WHAT EVANGELISM IS TODAY. BUT I DO LIKE D.T.NILES' DEFINITION WHICH SIMPLY SAYS THAT EVANGELISM IS ONE BEGGAR TELLING ANOTHER WHERE TO FIND BREAD.

WE HAVE ALL KINDS OF NEGATIVE IMPRESSIONS ABOUT EVANGELISTS, DON'T WE?  THEY RANGE FROM THE OBNOXIOUS OVERBEARING ZEALOTS ON TV WHO SEEM TO PREACH MORE ABOUT SENDING IN YOUR MONEY THAN THEY DO ABOUT THE GOSPEL TO THE FANATICAL NUT WHO COLLARS YOU ON A STREET CORNER WITH A TRACT IN ONE HAND AND A BIBLE IN THE OTHER AND DEMANDS TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED.  MAYBE THAT'S ONE REASON WHY WE DON'T SEEM TO DO EVANGELISM VERY WELL...WHY WE SHY AWAY FROM DOING IT.  AND ALSO WHY MOST OF US DENY THAT WE HAVE THE SPIRITUAL GIFT OF EVANGELISM.  IN FACT, MOST OF US DO NOT WANT THE SPIRITUAL GIFT OF EVANGELISM.  BUT DID YOU KNOW THAT GOD HAS GIVEN AT LEAST 10% OF US WHO ARE A PART OF MORNING STAR THE GIFT OF EVANGELISM?  THAT'S RIGHT...AT LEAST 10% OF US ARE EQUIPPED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT TO DO
EVANGELISM.

I HAVE A QUESTION...HOW MANY OF YOU ARE HERE TODAY BECAUSE AT SOME POINT IN THE PAST SOMEONE TOLD YOU ABOUT WHAT GOD IS DOING HERE AT MORNING STAR AND INVITED YOU TO COME AND CHECK US OUT?  CHANCES ARE THE PERSON WHO DID THAT HAS THE GIFT OF EVANGELISM.

THE REAL QUESTION WE WANT TO CONSIDER HERE THIS MORNING IS "WHY DO EVANGELISM IN THE FIRST PLACE?"  WHAT IS OUR MOTIVE...OUR RATIONALE FOR MAKING CHRISTIAN DISCIPLES?

THE ANSWER LIES IN 2 CORINTHIANS 5:14 WHERE IT SAYS THAT THE LOVE OF CHRIST CONTROLS US.  THE NEW REVISED STANDARD TRANSLATION SAYS THAT THE LOVE OF CHRIST URGES US ON...THE NEW ENGLISH BIBLE PUTS IT THAT THE LOVE OF CHRIST LEAVES US NO CHOICE.  WHILE J.B.PHILLIPS MORE FREELY TRANSLATES, "THE VERY SPRING OF OUR ACTIONS IS THE LOVE OF CHRIST."

 IN SHORT, WE SIMPLY MUST ENGAGE IN THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILING PEOPLE WITH GOD BECAUSE OF THE LOVE CHRIST HAS FOR US.  BE AWARE THAT IT IS NOT SO MUCH OUR LOVE FOR HIM BUT RATHER HIS LOVE FOR US AND FOR THE WORLD THAT MOVES US TO SHARE THE MESSAGE OF WHAT GOD HAS DONE IN JESUS.

FIRST JOHN TELLS US THAT "WE LOVE, BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US."  THIS IS LOVE THAT ORIGINATES WITH GOD, NEVER WITH HUMANKIND.  IT IS WHAT THE BIBLE CALLS AGAPE LOVE...A LOVE THAT ONLY COMES FROM GOD.  IT IS THE SAME LOVE THAT CHRIST HAS FOR US...MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT THAT.  PAUL PUTS THE TWO TOGETHER IN ROMANS WHEN HE SAYS "GOD SHOWS HIS LOVE FOR US IN THAT WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS CHRIST DIED FOR US."

OUR MOTIVE FOR DOING EVANGELISM, THEN IS NOT OUR COMPASSION FOR THOSE WHO STAND APART FROM THE JOY OF BEING A CITIZEN OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD.  RATHER IT IS THE LOVE OF GOD DEMONSTRATED IN THE DEATH OF JESUS AND POURED OUT UPON US AND INTO OUR HEARTS THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT.

I READ ABOUT A MISSIONARY IN  VIETNAM NAMED SAM JAMES WHOSE HOUSE WAS ROBBED ONE DAY.  LATER THAT DAY SAM GOT INTO A TAXI AND STRUCK UP A CONVERSATION WITH THE DRIVER.  THE CABBIE, REALIZING THAT SAM SPOKE HIS LANGUAGE, ASKED HIM HOW LONG HE HAD BEEN IN VIETNAM.  THEN, HE SAID: "YOU MUST REALLY LOVE THE VIETNAMESE VERY MUCH.  WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT THEM?"  THAT QUESTION KEPT GNAWING SAM ALL DAY AND INTO THE NIGHT.  "WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT THEM?"  SAM COULDN'T SLEEP.  HE WENT TO HIS STUDY AND BEGAN TO PRAY.  AS HE PRAYED, HE REALIZED THAT HE REALLY DIDN'T LOVE THE VIETNAMESE AND CONFESSED THAT TO GOD.  THEN, IT SEEMED AS THOUGH GOD SPOKE TO SAM, SAYING: "SAM, I DIDN'T SEND YOU HERE BECAUSE YOU LOVE THE VIETNAMESE.  I SENT YOU HERE BECAUSE I LOVE THEM, AND I WANT TO LOVE THEM THROUGH YOU." (MILES)

AGAPE LOVE IS THE HIGHEST MOTIVE FOR EVANGELISM...FOR TELLING OTHERS ABOUT THE LOVE GOD HAS GIVEN US IN HIS GIFT OF HIS SON, JESUS.  IT WAS AGAPE LOVE WHICH MOVED GOD TO SEND US HIS GIFT.

THE MINI-GOSPEL MESSAGE OF JOHN 3:16 TELLS US THAT GOD EXISTS IN AN AGAPE LOVE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE WORLD: "FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE."  WE ALL KNOW THAT VERSE.  IT SIMPLY TELLS US THAT GOD LOVES US WITH NO STRINGS ATTACHED.  IT IS UNMERITED LOVE. UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.  LOVE THAT IS NOT CONDITIONED BY THE NATURE OF THE ONE WHO IS LOVED, BUT RATHER IT IS CONDITIONED BY THE NATURE OF THE LOVER.  THIS IS THE CENTRAL MESSAGE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT...GOD'S GRACE IS POURED OUT ON THE UNWORTHY.  WE CANNOT DO A THING TO EARN IT.

GOD DOES LOVE THE WORLD.  BUT THAT MEANS HE LOVES US TOO.  HE LOVES ME.  HE LOVES YOU.  IT IS A PERSONAL LOVE...A LOVE SHARED BY YOU AND ME...A LOVE THAT INCLUDES BOTH OF US. A LOVE THAT COMPELS GOD TO COME LOOKING FOR US, TO CALL OUR NAME, TO SEARCH FOR US UNTIL HE FINDS US...LIKE THE SHEPHERD WHO HUNTS FOR HIS LOST SHEEP UNTIL HE FINDS IT AND THE WOMAN WHO SEARCHES FOR HER LOST COIN UNTIL IT IS FOUND.  AND THEN HE CALLS HIS HEAVENLY HOST TOGETHER IN A GREAT CELEBRATION ...A PARTY TO END ALL PARTIES...TO REJOICE THAT WE HAVE BEEN FOUND.

THIS MATCHLESS LOVE IS OUR MOTIVATION TO TELL OTHERS ABOUT IT.  THIS IS GOOD NEWS TOO GOOD TO KEEP TO OURSELVES. THE IS THE GOOD NEWS WE HEAR AND CELEBRATE HERE AT MORNING STAR EVERY TIME WE COME TOGETHER.  THIS IS WHAT WE TELL OTHERS.

A LONG TIME AGO I LEARNED SOMETHING ABOUT EVANGELISM. EVANGELISM IS NOT TELLING ANOTHER PERSON WHAT YOU BELIEVE. PEOPLE DON'T REALLY CARE ABOUT YOUR BELIEFS...THEY HAVE ENOUGH OF THEIR OWN THAT ARE ALL SCREWED UP TO WORRY ABOUT YOURS.  RATHER, EVANGELISM IS TELLING THAT OTHER PERSON WHY YOU BELIEVE WHAT YOU BELIEVE.  THAT'S  YOUR STORY...THE ONLY STORY YOU HAVE TO TELL...THE STORY NO ONE CAN DENY OR ARGUE WITH...IT'S YOURS TO OWN AND TO TELL IN RESPONSE TO THE LOVE GOD HAS GIVEN YOU.

GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON. THOSE TWO VERBS, "LOVED" AND "GAVE," BELONG TOGETHER.  YOU CAN'T HAVE ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER.  LOVE ALWAYS GIVES.  IT IS THE NATURE OF LOVE TO GIVE.

WE ARE ALL ON A JOURNEY IN OUR LIFE.  I AM ONLY TOO AWARE OF THAT JOURNEY AS I CONTEMPLATE ANOTHER UPCOMING BIRTHDAY IN WHAT HAS BECOME A RATHER LONG STRING OF SUCH OCCASIONS AT THIS POINT.  LIKE ALL JOURNEYS, LIFE HAS A BEGINNING AND AN END.  AND AT SOME POINT, WE ALL COME TO ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THE PURPOSE THAT LIES IN OUR LIFE.  WHY DO WE EXIST?  WHAT GIVES OUR LIFE MEANING AND SIGNIFICANCE?

IN THE NOVEL "GRAND HOTEL", A WORKING CLASS MAN LEARNS THAT HE HAS ONLY A SHORT TIME TO LIVE.  HE DECIDES HE IS GOING TO HAVE ONE LAST FLING BEFORE HE DIES...ONE TASTE OF WHAT HE THINKS IS REAL LIFE.

HE TAKES HIS MEAGER SAVINGS AND GOES TO A FASHIONABLE HOTEL IN BERLIN WHERE HE TRIES TO GIVE HIMSELF TO THE AMUSEMENTS AND EXCITEMENT OF THE PLACE.  BUT SOMEHOW IT DOES NOT WORK AS WELL AS HE THOUGHT IT WOULD.  ONE DAY HE DISCUSSES HIS DISILLUSION WITH ANOTHER MAN.

"WHAT IS REAL LIFE?" HE SAYS TO HIM.  "I HAVEN'T COME ON IT AS YET.  I HAVE BEEN TO THE CASINO, AND HERE I AM SITTING IN THE MOST EXPENSIVE HOTEL, BUT ALL THE TIME I KNOW IT ISN'T THE REAL THING.  ALL THE TIME I HAVE THE SUSPICION THAT REAL LIFE, GENUINE LIFE IS GOING ON SOMEWHERE ELSE AND IS SOMETHING QUITE DIFFERENT."

"YES," SAYS THE OTHER MAN, "BUT WHAT'S YOUR NOTION OF LIFE?  DOES LIFE EXIST AT ALL AS YOU IMAGINE IT?  THE REAL THING IS ALWAYS GOING ON SOMEWHERE ELSE.  WHEN YOU ARE YOUNG, YOU THINK IT WILL COME LATER.  LATER ON YOU THINK IT WAS EARLIER.  WHEN YOU ARE HERE, YOU THINK IT IS THERE--BUT WHEN YOU GET BACK THERE, YOU GENERALLY FIND THAT LIFE HAS DOUBLED BACK AND IS WAITING HERE, HERE IN THE VERY PLACE YOU RAN AWAY FORM.  IT IS THE SAME WITH LIFE AS WITH THE BUTTERFLY COLLECTOR AND THE PURPLE SWALLOWTAIL.  AS SOON AS YOU SEE IT FLYING AWAY IT IS WONDERFUL, BUT AS SOON AS IT IS CAUGHT, THE COLORS ARE GONE, AND THE WINGS BASHED." (PST)

TODAY I AM GOING TO SHARE SOME THINGS WITH YOU THAT I HAVE LEARNED ABOUT LIVING LIFE...REALLY LIVING LIFE.  THEY ARE SOME TRUTHS THAT HAVE BEEN PAINFULLY LEARNED BECAUSE THEY GO CONTRARY TO MANY THINGS I WAS TAUGHT IN MY YOUNGER YEARS.

THE FIRST THING IS THAT LIFE...REAL LIFE...CANNOT BE SAVED.  IT IS GIVEN TO US TO BE INVESTED...TO BE SPENT...TO BE USED...TO BE LIVED.  THE SECOND THING IS THAT LIFE IS GIVEN TO US TO BE LIVED WITH A PURPOSE.  THAT PURPOSE IS FOUND IN THE PHRASE THAT "GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON" AND THE FACT THAT THE TWO VERBS "LOVED" AND "GAVE" CANNOT BE SEPARATED.  YOU SEE, TRUE PURPOSE IN LIFE ONLY COMES OUT OF THE GIVING OF OURSELVES.  PURPOSE IS NEVER REALIZED FROM GETTING...IT IS FOUND ONLY IN GIVING. REALLY LIVING LIFE WITH PURPOSE MEANS WE MUST GIVE AWAY THE GIFTS...THE TALENTS, THE TREASURES...THAT HAVE BEEN ENTRUSTED TO OUR CARE...THE GIFTS THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN US OUT OF GOD'S GREAT LOVE FOR US.  AND THE GREATEST OF THOSE GIFTS IS THE GOOD NEWS OF GOD'S UNCONDITIONAL, UNDESERVED LOVE GIVEN US IN JESUS CHRIST.  THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO GIVE AWAY...THAT'S WHERE THE REAL PURPOSE AND SIGNIFICANCE AND MEANING IN LIFE CAN BE GAINED.

IT IS SAID THAT BEFORE THE AFRICANS RETURNED THE BODY OF DAVID LIVINGSTONE TO ENGLAND, THEY CUT OUT HIS HEART AND BURIED IT IN THAT LAND TO WHICH HE HAD DEVOTED HIS LIFE.  DO YOU LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR OR YOUR BROTHER OR SISTER OR YOUR COMMUNITY, WHATEVER TURF OR PERSON GOD HAS GIVEN YOU, SO MUCH THAT WHEN YOU DIE THEY WILL WANT TO KEEP YOUR HEART THERE FOREVER?  HAVE YOU RECEIVED THE TREASURE OF THE LOVE OF GOD GIVEN YOU IN JESUS?  THEN GIVE IT AWAY...THAT'S WHY IT WAS GIVEN TO YOU.  AMEN.