I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH 5B "THE WITNESSING CHURCH" - MAY 22, 2022

We are His witness – don’t be fearful!

I. UNASHAMED – Romans 1:16

Romans 1:16 – For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

II. WITNESSING – what it means

A witness is someone who shares the truth about what they have seen, heard or experienced.
I John 1:1-4 – ¹ That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— ²the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— ³that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ^{. 4} And these things we write to you that [a]your joy may be full.
Christians are to be witnesses of Jesus
It is not hard when we have truly experienced the power of the gospel
Bold witnesses – Acts 1:8; 4:31,33

III. FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT

Luke 4:1, 18 – ¹Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, ¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me [a]to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed;
Ephesians 5:17-20 – ¹⁷ Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸ And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, ²⁰giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
- Dissipation – “wasteful expenditure”
- Filled with the Spirit
  - Results – Fruit that glorifies the Lord!
  - Empowerment to please the Lord and live an overcoming life!
  - Empowerment to be a BOLD WITNESS!
  - Overflowing PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING!

IV. VISION FOR THE LOST

The Lord is NOT willing that any perish – 2 Peter 3:9
Repentance necessary – Luke 13:3,5
John 3:16-17 – ¹⁶ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. ¹⁷ For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
25 Lines around the world
William Booth’s Vision – multitudes of people blindly going over a cliff into the darkness and bottomless abyss of eternity.
Proverbs 24:11 – Rescue the perishing
Why aren’t some of us trying to stop them?
- Lack of concern
- Busy-ness and selfishness
The kingdom of darkness is dreadful! No joke!
- Parable of the rich man and Lazarus – Luke 16:19-31
Compassion for the lost
- Throw out the life-line – rescue the perishing
- Again – Proverbs 24:11
- Luke 19:10 – Jesus came to seek and save the lost
- Luke 9:25 – what does it profit if we gain the whole world and are destroyed and lost?!
- Parable of the lost sheep – Luke 15:4-7
- Parable of the lost coin – Luke 15:8-10
- Parable of the lost son – Luke 15:11-32
- Lostness – defined – “unable to fined the way”
Illustration – importance of the instrument panel for a pilot – many have been lost and perish when they don’t trust the instrument readings
John 6:12 – Jesus doesn’t want anything lost!

V. JESUS EXAMPLE

VI. AM I A FAITHFUL WITNESS?

Matthew 5:16 – Let your light shine…
Light – attracts fish
- We are to be fishers of men – Mark 1:17; Luke 5:9-10
- 2 things that attract people – 1) Fear – immediate & impending danger; drowning person… illus – plane/ parachute; 2) Love of God
Mark 15:16 – preach the gospel
Romans 10:14-15 – people need a preacher of the gospel to be saved
Psalm 107:2 – Let the redeemed of the Lord SAY SO
Isaiah 43:10-12; 44:8 – we are His witness – don’t be fearful

VII. PAUL – A FAITHFUL WITNESS

Acts 26:16 – Jesus revealed himself to Paul for the purpose of making him a WITNESS
Acts 20:24 – he was unmoved and faithful in his testimony

VIII. WHAT ABOUT YOU?

Guidelines – Prayer, care. Share, Dare. Wear
How?
- With Simplicity
- With Sincerity and Truth
- With Willingness to Sacrifice
John 13:34-45 – people know we are his disciples by our LOVE…
I Corinthians 13:8 – LOVE NEVER FAILS…

I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH 5B “THE WITNESSING CHURCH” – MAY 22, 2022