ANNOUNCING: GOOD NEWS
Mt. 28:19-20
Mt. 28:19	“Go and make disciples of all…”
Purpose:	To fulfill God’s purpose of proclaiming the Gospel to unbelievers.
Introduction:
	1.	The teachings of God appear foreign and unnatural compared to our human tendencies 			and personalities.
	2.	An example is God’s directive: to go and make disciples of all people.
	3.	We call this evangelism.
	4.	Most find talking about God to be very difficult.
	5.	To ask others to make a decision to follow Christ generates fear.
I.	Why do we need to evangelize?
	A.	Obviously it is the command of God.
		1.	Why would a loving Father ask us to do something so difficult?
		2.	He wants us to be fulfilled.
			a.	God has chosen to let us in on some of His plans.
			b.	He has allowed us to have a part in eternity.
			c.	He has placed people’s destiny in our hands. 
			#I was an eighth grader when I introduced Ron to Christ.  I was never to be the 				same again.
		3.	God knew we would best communicate with other people.
			a.	Even our fears, uncertainties and humanness communicate.
			b.	Unfortunately we have come to the conclusion that only the 						professionals can evangelize.
			c.	We labor under the notion that we have to know all the answers to the 					questions people may ask.
		4.	Because of God’s love He wills that no one perish due to lack of knowledge.
			a.	The God who sends sun and rain on both the just and unjust does not 					favor the salvation of one to the damnation of another.
			b.	The one to whom forgiveness is given should lovingly give to others.
	B.	There is an inner urge to tell the gospel.
		1.	A person finding forgiveness wants to tell it.
		2.	Freedom from sin and its accompanying guilt is worth sharing.
		3.	A new relationship with the almighty God stirs enthusiasm.
		4.	Our commitment to the Lord will inevitably need to be expressed.
		5.	We possess an inward desire to inform others about God.
		6.	A divinely caused urge makes us want to tell people about Christ.
	#Wendell said he’d like to have evangelism training, for he did not want to stand before God 	empty-handed.
	C.	The purpose of the church is to evangelize.
	#Holt rebuked a pastor for suggesting that people bring their friends to an event for the purpose 	of leading them to Christ.  He said, “We should never say that.  What if unbelievers hear us say 	that!”
	That is God’s unswerving purpose for the church!
II.	Some mistaken ideas about evangelism.
	A.	God can save a person whether or not we say something.
		1.	It is true He is not bound by our unfaithfulness, but He is limited.
		2.	The number of believers is in direct relationship to the churches who preach the 			gospel.
	B.	“I wait for the Holy Spirit to direct me.”
		1.	The Holy Spirit seldom prompts a believer to speak to another person.
		2.	God has already instructed us to evangelize.
	C.	“I believe we are to live the life.”
		1.	But not as a substitute for speaking.
		2.	Nazarenes believe they witness by not smoking, drinking, dancing or 					swearing.
		3.	There are ungodly people who refuse to do those same things and their lives are 			a testimony to their discretion or preferences.
		4.	The truth of the gospel is not explained merely by a life lived.
		5.	How can our lives alone explain the atonement?
	D.	“I’m not about to button-hole someone and embarrass them or me.”
		1.	This is not how evangelizing is done.
		2.	The fear of driving people from God is not a real danger when we talk with 				patience and gentleness.
		3.	Evangelism presents the good news about Jesus.
		4.	While everyone does not believe the good news, they don’t run farther from 				God because it is shared with them.
		5.	Evangelism does not consist of us forcing our ideas onto others, although God 				does ask us to persuade people to accept the Good News.
	E.	We have concluded it is better to live peacefully than to evangelize.
		1.	“Live and let live,” expresses a modern view.
		2.	We are to place the claims of Christ in the marketplace of ideas.
III	Here’s how to talk about accepting Christ.
	A.	Confess		I John 1:9
	B.	Believe		Romans 10:9
	C.	Ask		Romans 10:13
Conclusion:
#Sharon led Nick into a saving relationship with Jesus.  Today rejoicing is heard in heaven.
	The Lord is on earth in the life of the faithful believer appealing to unbelievers.