God — The Evangelist

We can’t cause, create, nor bring results in evangelism.

Evangelism is ultimately a spiritual activity. The fruit (i.e., a disciple) of our evangelism work is truly God’s doing.

We can weep for the lost, or labor in prayer, but salvation the gift from God.

We can share our faith, engage in spiritual conversation, listen to questions, be excited about Jesus.

The other person remains spiritually dead until the Lord causes an awakening in their soul.

No wonder evangelism can be like talking to a brick wall.

Dead is dead.

Incapable of response.

God as Evangelist: The First Seeker

When Adam and Eve were naked and ashamed, they hid from God.

Yet, God pursued them. God sought after them.

Adam, where are you?

The first question of Scripture.

If you look at Ezekiel 34:11ff, you’ll notice all the “I’ll” phrases.

“ ‘For this is what the Sovereign LORD says:

I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep.

I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land.

I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land. I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land.

There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel.

I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign LORD.

I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice.

Ezekiel 34:11-16 (NIV)

When Jesus was accused of eating with sinners, he said

“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:17)

With Zaccheus, he declared:

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10)

In these statements, Jesus declares his pursuit of us before we knew Him.

God is the first seeker.

The lost parables of Jesus (lost sheep, lost coin, lost son) all speak of the Father’s heart to look for those who are lost, seeking out that which has been lost.

In these stories, Jesus communicates to us the outrageous love of the Father to go and look for that which was lost, to leave the 99 to find the one, to tear the house upside down to find the missing coin.

They talk about the celebration that happens when that which has been lost has been found.

God doesn’t worry when people reject his offer.  He continues to love and pursue.

God goes ahead of us – God is already at work

God is already witnessing to people.

What may be known about God, he is revealing.  

God’s self-revelation begins with nature (Romans 1:18).  

The reaction of people to this self-revelation is not one of ignorance, or claiming lack of evidence.  Its suppression.  Because its suppressed, some people cannot know God until more of his revelation is explained.

Creation and beauty testify to his character (Psalm 19:1-4).

When many people see the vistas of a beautiful scenery, many feel spiritual — they realize God’s goodness and power.

God is already at work in the people that He is drawing unto Himself.

God includes us in the process of Evangelism

By God’s grace, we get to be included in this work of helping people find faith in Christ.

We get to pray. Evangelism is a mystery that happens in the Spirit. Pray for spiritual blinders to be removed.

God includes us in Divine Appointments, Kairos Moments “as the Lord assigned to each” (1 Corinthians 3:5).

Lord, help me to see.

Lord, help me to share.

God is Responsible for the Results of Evangelism

God does the drawing (John 6:44)

God does the regenerating (Ephesians 2:1-10).

We simply remain faithful to sharing our faith and trusting God for the results.

Our God is the supreme Evangelist.

Do you need help in Personal Evangelism?

Start here with this MP3 Download on Evangelism Training from the store ($10) to help you see where you need to grow.

It’s a 80 minute audio file that takes just a few minutes to download, but it may help you answer the question:

What can you do in the next 90 days to grow in your evangelism skills?