GETTING CONNECTED:
The Motivation For Witnessing


A Sermon On:

2 Corinthians 5: 11 - 6: 2



PREPARED BY

KEN GEHRELS

PASTOR

CALVIN CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH

NEPEAN, ONTARIO



So - how was it?
Did you resonate with anything presented in the drama?
Found yourself on the giving, or maybe on the receiving end of sharing the Christian faith in that way?

Witnessing. Evangelism.
If you want to ever find two words that can make people somewhat uptight or fill them with pangs on guilt these fill the bill quite nicely.

Maybe you've got an introvert temperament. Getting out and speaking to others exhausts you. And now you're being called to share something intimate and sensitive?

Perhaps you look back to some experience earlier in your life where you encountered an overly zealous evangelist or some strong arm specialist. And now whenever you hear these terms you start checking over your shoulder.
Like the one who beats on a group of young kids at camp convincing them that if they don't make a life decision right now they will be doomed forever.
One person shared an experience at a conference he attended. The speaker gave the motivational talk and ended by saying, "I believe that if Jesus means ANYTHING at all to us we should leave here and share Jesus with 3 people before we go to bed." The fellow checked his watch. It was after 10pm. He was tired. What was he to do? Pull people out of bed? And so he sat there feeling terribly guilty, manipulated and used while others all around sprung to their feet in response to the call.

We're beginning a 3 week series on witnessing and evangelism here at Calvin church. Now don't go ducking for the nearest door or slinking behind the pew. I have no desire to manipulate anyone, or heap dump truck loads of guilt on you. What I DO want to do, as we prepare for the upcoming Graham Mission, is consider the call of Jesus and the words which the Spirit inspired St.Paul to write in 2 Corinthians 5 -- all words calling us to witness, to be ambassadors for the Lord.

This week we'll consider what might possibly motivate us to give it a try.
Next week the message of witnessing.
In two weeks, the method of witnessing.
Hope you'll be able to join us for the whole series.
On to today's question --Where on earth do you find the motivation to put energy into witnessing?
Let's face it. Life presents us with a few hot buttons: sex, money, religion. There are enough complications to face without having to get into conversations about these items with other people.
So - why do it?
Why lay out inside, intimate thoughts and feelings about your relationship with Jesus Christ -- why lay that on the line?
What kind of motivation could there possibly be?

Let me suggest 3 sources of motivation.

I'd like to begin considering Motivation #1 by looking at a bible story:
it's found in 2 Kings 6.24 and following.
A city is under siege by enemies. Attacking army keeps everyone from going out or coming in. Supplies dry up. People begin to starve. How bad does it get? Listen to the Bible - "A donkey's head sold for 1 kilogram of silver, and a half pint of dove's dung sold for 55 grams of silver." A little later in the story it even talks about cannibalism - parents eating their children.
'Nuff said.

Two lepers live outside of town, between the city walls and the besieging army. Eventually they get so desperate that they head to the army tents. "We'll die here, anyway. What have we got to lose?" they say. When they get to the tents they discover that everyone has fled. God caused confusion in the camp and chased the army away with a huge miracle. The lepers duck into the first tent and find loads of food. They stuff themselves. Eating. Drinking. They grab armfuls and race back to where they live.
Then comes 2 Kings 7.9. They stop short and look at each other. And say, "We're not doing right. This is a day of good news and we are keeping it to ourselves."They'd been starving.
Now they're rich beyond their wildest dreams.
They can't handle it all -- there's more than enough for everyone in the city. People are dying behind those walls.
They've GOT to share the news!
It's unthinkable to say nothing!
We live in a starving city, friends.
People hop from bar to bar. They try fun fix after fun fix. Throw themselves into their work. And they keep coming up empty. Spiritually starved. Life is a shell without central meaning.I don't want to condemn or point accusing fingers at anyone.
But don't you feel terribly sad when you see a life like that?
Don't you want to shout out the news of Ps 34.8:"Taste and see that the Lord is good."
Believers at Calvin Church, we have such unbelievable riches.
An amazing stockpile!More than enough for all who will come, says the Reformed doctrine of Atonement. It'll never get to the point where a sinner will come to Jesus only to hear, "Sorry, but we just ran out. I'd love to have something available to forgive your sins but inventory is empty. I'd love to make room for you in heaven, but all our rooms are full. No vacancy."
Never will happen!
Never will happen that God will say, "I've got enough in my family. I'm not going to adopt any more children. No place or time for you. Can't take care of you. Not enough resources."

There's resources for ALL! Lots to go around!
Phenomenal.
If you doubt that, let me encourage you to write down a list of the blessings you get from God:- His love, protecting, caring
- His merciful forgiveness
- His direction for each new day.
- A certain eternal future.
- A ever-present companion in the Holy Spirit
- Prayers heard and answered
There's a start for your list.

Hey, Ottawa -
Stop scavenging. Stop picking at garbage heaps trying to find significance, hope and meaning for your life.
There's a banquet table waiting here inside!
A huge stockpile.

Stockpile motivation.
Followed closely by honour motivation.

Remember the bible passage I just read? These words:"We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us." Jesus makes us His not-so-secret agents in this world. God has chosen in His sovereign wisdom to use us.
What an honour!
And what a challenge!

The story is told of Jesus going back to heaven and being greeted by the angels. They rejoice and praise Him for His victory over sin and Satan. And then they begin to ask, "Now what, Lord? Who will carry on the work? Who will bring the Kingdom around the world?" And Jesus explains about a band of common folk -- tax-auditors, fishermen, farmers, and family types -- regular vanilla folk that He has appointed to do the work. The angels talk among themselves. One, with a worried look, turns to Jesus, and says, "Lord, but what if they fail? What's your 'Plan B'?" And Jesus says, "I have no other plan."

No other plan -- we're it.
And I don't know about you, but wouldn't it be great to stand before our Lord one day as our lives are reviewed, and hear His sacred voice say, "Well done, good and faithful agent."

And so the motivation is there to be awake for the little moments that God will create for us -- the moments when we can put in a word here, or a deed of love there -- a moment to be a not-so-secret agent for the saving love of Jesus.
Moments to show and tell people that they matter to God!

As we surrender our agendas to the Lord in prayer these moments will come. We won't have to manufacture them, or be phoney, or have any big come-on's. No heavy hand. No long memorized speech.

Just being us. And taking advantage of little openings rather than let them drop. Wouldn't it be great that God would smile in love and keep presenting us at Calvin CRC with opportunities to represent Him? Wouldn't that be much better than seeing God, with a sad sigh having to say, "To achieve my electing purposes in saving the lost I'll have to use another segment of the Church. This arm of my Body on earth is just not responding. It's gone lame."

The motivation and honour of being chosen as an agent for the Lord.
Wow!

And one thing -- don't get all hung up, agents for Jesus.
Don't get hung up thinking that getting results depends entirely on you. Just do the best you can. Be sensitive. Be relevant. Be real. And Jesus will do the rest. You present the riches of Jesus in a form that people can understand. The Lord through His Spirit will reach into the heart and work change.

And finally there's this motivation.
Not a pretty one, like the other two are. In fact it's an awful thing to talk about.
But very, very real.
It's the motivation for witnessing that comes from an awareness of the reality of Hell.

The reality of Hell - something that was a significant part of Jesus' ministry. Hell and eternal suffering was something he didn't ignore or sweep under a rug.
Jesus knew that hell is real
and that real people go there.
And He let those around Him know it.

There's a passage in Luke 16 that makes me shudder, but needs attention. Please find it. P.1181 - start at verse 16.

Notice especially what the rich man, suffering in hell, says in v.27-31.
It's horrendous!
"I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment." 5 minutes in hell turned the rich man into an evangelist.
Pull out all the stops!
Tell them!
And that's a real part of life today, too, my friends.
Never forget it - Hell is real. And real people go there.
I'll never forget a comment a christian friend of mine once made. She was someone who wasn't too familiar with my church heritage. But she knew some people from my congregation. And in total sincerity she asked one day, "Do people in your church not believe in hell?" I was shocked, and said. "What makes you ask that? Of course we do. It's part of the bible's message."
"I know that," she replied.
It's just that your people don't seem to show urgency to win the lost for Christ. It seems like their eternal destiny doesn't matter.
Wow.
That was so painful to hear.

I hope that no one ever
ever
EVER
says that about Calvin Church!

EVER!

Brothers and sisters in Jesus,
We know it. We've tasted it. We've experienced it. We live it.
Christianity is the greatest way to live.....
and the only way to die.
Let's show and tell people that news.

Let's take up the challenge of being an agent for God.
And let's never forget about the reality of hell.