{"id":1339,"date":"2014-11-01T22:51:32","date_gmt":"2014-11-02T05:51:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hobart-community-church.org\/?p=1339"},"modified":"2014-11-01T22:51:32","modified_gmt":"2014-11-02T05:51:32","slug":"week-eight-book-notes-beholding-god-and-evangelism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/hobart-community-church.org\/?p=1339","title":{"rendered":"Week Eight \u2013 Book Notes Beholding God and Evangelism"},"content":{"rendered":"

Week Eight \u2013 Book Notes Beholding God and Evangelism <\/strong><\/p>\n

Introduction: At this point in the book, we begin to look at 3 significant ways that the church comes into contact with the world and how we are to communicate our understanding about God. \u00a0[Those three are Evangelism (Chapter 8), Christian Service (Chapter 9), and Living a Changed Life (several chapters).] \u00a0The majority of non-churched people will never read our books or frequent the sermons, but they will grasp our view of God in the way that we present the gospel to them.<\/p>\n

Why would different motives and different efforts of evangelism be considered different in God\u2019s eyes?<\/p>\n

Proverbs 11:30<\/p>\n

Matthew 23:15<\/p>\n

What is the difference between these two examples that have been sighted: One is done with wisdom (Prb 11:30) and one is done with an evil motive. \u00a0One desires to make disciples unto the disciple maker, and the other desires to bring others closer to healthy relationship with God. \u00a0Wisdom, in evangelism, is the skillful application of the right part of the gospel to the person who is listening to you. What are the parts of the parts of the gospel<\/strong>?<\/p>\n

If we are to practice wisdom in our evangelism, we must begin with the knowledge that God is the center of all evangelism. The gospel is not a sales pitch or a memorized set of questions and responses, but it is the child of God being led by the Spirit of God to minister to the soul God sends in their path at the time and circumstances God uses to prompt them to be present. As we are reforming our understanding of God, this will naturally lead us to refashion our methods based upon the real God of our redemption.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Day One<\/strong>:\u00a0 Starting with God in our Evangelism. Being honest with ourselves is the beginning to reshaping our life practices to align with the character of God. \u00a0\u00a0If we want to engage in evangelism that pleases God and rescues souls, we must be biblical in our approach. \u00a0We must build our efforts in evangelism upon a clear view of God\u2019s character and ways.<\/p>\n

Begin with this basic truth: Who God is will affect what we say and how we say it. \u00a0We often forget that God is the author of evangelism.\u00a0 It is God who brings forth witnesses, equips them, sends them out and guides them to the person prepared to hear. But oddly enough, it is God who has been violated by the sinner. \u00a0It is as though you built something in your garage and after you were done, it wanted to up and walk away. \u00a0Would it hurt, of course it would.\u00a0 Deeper than any scar any ex has ever left on any heart, but then, when that thing that you built has an opportunity to come back to you, you do everything possible to provide a path or a way. \u00a0You and I would say, HeY That Thing was mine already \u2013 why should I have to kill my son to get back what was created by Me?\u00a0 But those were the rules ordained since time began. \u00a0Never doubt that all creation belongs to God.\u00a0 But He has permitted mankind to make certain choices, and those choices can not be overlooked.<\/p>\n

Snyder writes about God\u2019s Unalienable Rights. There is a degree in my own heart where I wonder why we as humans must make sense of why God has rights. \u00a0It reflects again how small a view of God we actually have. \u00a0Colossians 1:16-17: For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities\u2014all things have been created through Him and for Him. \u00a0He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together<\/strong>.\u00a0 God is the only \u2018thing\u2019 in all the universe that doesn\u2019t owe His existence to anyone or anything else.<\/p>\n

Romans 14:7-9 speaks not just to believers but to non-believers. For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord\u2019s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The Nature of Sin:<\/p>\n

Read Psalm 2: Why are the nations in an uproar, and the peoples devising a vain thing? 2 The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, 3 \u201cLet us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us!\u201d\u00a0 4 He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them. 5 Then He will speak to them in His anger and terrify them in His fury, saying, 6 \u201cBut as for Me, I have installed My King upon Zion, My holy mountain.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

7 \u201cI will surely tell of the decree of the Lord: He said to Me, \u2018You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. 8 \u2018Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as Your possession. 9 \u2018You shall break them with a rod of iron, you shall shatter them like earthenware.\u2019\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

10 Now therefore, O kings, show discernment; Take warning, O judges of the earth. 11 Worship the Lord with reverence and rejoice with trembling. 12 Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath may soon be kindled. \u00a0How blessed are all who take refuge in Him<\/strong>!<\/p>\n

Notice what the author has to say about sin? Notice Who is the target of sin?\u00a0 Who is afflicted when sin is committed?\u00a0 What is the common perspective about sin in our own minds? Of course our lives are damaged and wounded but look at David\u2019s perspective when he committed the sins surrounding Bathsheba. \u00a0\u00a0Psalm 51:3-4 For I know my transgressions and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight<\/strong>,<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s answer some of the questions put forth by the author \u2013<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Have you ever considered the need for people to recognize God\u2019s rights over them or have you skipped this truth and moved directly to \u201cGod loves you!?<\/li>\n
  2. Where do you and I usually start with a person when witnessing?<\/li>\n
  3. Can you see the importance of beginning with who God is and what we owe Him?<\/li>\n
  4. Can you see the danger of asking people to trust in God when they have not yet been taught who this God really is?<\/li>\n
  5. Can a person be saved who is trusting in a God that exists only in his imagination?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Day Two<\/strong>: The Ultimate Goal of Evangelism<\/p>\n

    What God\u2019s motives in His desire to bring everyone to a saving knowledge of Himself? Is His just trying to gather the better team?\u00a0 Since He doesn\u2019t need anyone else\u2019s approval, why should He care about us?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Week Eight \u2013 Book Notes Beholding God and Evangelism Introduction: At this point in the book, we begin to look at 3 significant ways that the church comes into contact with the world and how we are to communicate our …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":772,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[53],"tags":[64,65,66],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/hobart-community-church.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1339"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/hobart-community-church.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/hobart-community-church.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/hobart-community-church.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/hobart-community-church.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1339"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/hobart-community-church.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1339\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1340,"href":"http:\/\/hobart-community-church.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1339\/revisions\/1340"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/hobart-community-church.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/772"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/hobart-community-church.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1339"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/hobart-community-church.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1339"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/hobart-community-church.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1339"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}