Sharing the Message with Someone Else
john 1:40-41

Andrew accepted the invitation. Notice, if you will, before the Lord can start to work in a life, there must first be an acceptance of the invitation. John 1:12 reminds us, "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." The word “power” means both power and right, or authority. When we accept Christ, we have the power or right to become sons or daughters of God. Now the word "become" means to be something that a person is not. Before you and I were saved, we were all God's creation, but we were not God's children.

When we receive Christ, we become children of God. Romans 8:15-16 explains, "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." This same Spirit bears witness with our spirits that we are children of God. Now understand this is why you know when you are saved. The Spirit of God in us bears witness or testifies that we are God's children. Nobody has to tell you that you are saved. If you have to be told that you are saved, you either do not understand what salvation means, or the chances are you are not saved.

Now here's what happens when the Spirit adopts the believer—the believer is then delivered from the spirit of bondage. We are no longer captured or under the power of sin. Bondage is actually a fear. When you are fearful, you are in bondage. Fear will keep you from going to church at night because somebody might rob you or do something more dreadful to you. Fear will keep you from witnessing on the job or telling others that you are a Christian. When the Holy Spirit comes into our lives, He delivers us from the bondage of fear. Now when you’re on the job or in a public arena, you must be prayerful and use wisdom. An unbeliever is more likely to give you his attention if he is alone than if he is in a crowd with other unsaved friends.

When Andrew accepted Christ, He first wanted to share the good news with his brother. As a result, he brought his brother, Simon, or—as many of you know him—Peter, to Christ. When we receive Christ, we ought to be like Andrew and want to tell somebody else. But before you can tell others how to find their way to Christ, you must make certain that you have found your way!

Andrew had a sense of urgency. I think that all of us who have followed the news and studied prophecy can attest to the fact that we are living in the last days. This means that Christ could return this very moment! If you have relatives who don’t know the Lord, there ought to be a sense of urgency to share the gospel with them. But don’t stop there. Sometimes the hardest people to receive the message from us are our relatives. If they refuse to hear us, we have to share the message with someone else. You see, that person you share the gospel with may be the very person who ends up reaching your relative for Christ. It’s amazing how God sometimes works. He honors faithfulness! Some of us are expecting God to be faithful in responding to our prayers for a loved one and we want God to save them. However, we have not been faithful to Him by sharing His message with others!

One of the best ways to share the Lord with someone else is to be receptive to the needs of others. First, try to understand that the person you are sharing with has a need! And the farther they are away from Christ, the greater the need! Most of us are like Peter and John, who said to the crippled man at the gate of the temple in Acts 3:6, “Silver and gold have I none …” We don’t have a lot of money to give to every needy person that we encounter. However, like Peter and John, we can give what we have. Peter looked at the crippled man and said, “. . . But such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.”

You may not be able to provide certain needs that an individual may have, but you can still minister to them. How can we do that? Sometimes for them to rise up on spiritual feet and walk, they just need words of encouragement! Some of you know people who are hurting inside. Some of you know people who just need a good friend—they are all people who need someone to tell them about Jesus, Who can change their lives. When we serve them in responding to their needs, it opens the door for us to share with them the gospel of Jesus Christ. Too many times, we miss the opportunity! Listen, did you not know that somebody had to take time with you to help you get to where you are? No man or woman will go to the gas station and fill up their car, only to park their vehicle with no anticipation of driving it. When you come to church on Sunday and fill up your spiritual tank, what a pity it would be for you to only go home and sit down until next Sunday!

Andrew was so excited about finding Jesus that he went and told someone else. If you are excited about Jesus, reach out to someone else! Now it’s true that witnessing is sharing the gospel. But before you can share the gospel, it always helps if you have initiated a relationship with the person you are sharing with. Sometimes it is during your brief encounter with someone at a grocery store! It can be next door in your neighborhood, or wherever you are able to establish a relationship.

If we sat under the teaching of the Apostle James, he would have probably hurt most of our feelings. He wrote, "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." (James 1:27) James doesn't mean that we are to look just for people who don't have fathers or people whose spouse has died. What he means is whatever the need, God expects us to reach out to people.

Every church in a community is surrounded by rows of houses. We can easily visit every home by simply setting aside several hours a week and simply going from house to house. We’ve done that in our community. But sometimes you have to go back several times to let people know you are really sincere! As you go, tell them that you are visiting for Christ and the church to see if you can be of help to their family. One of the greatest things that we can do in the community is to let people know that we really care. This also includes helping people in your sphere of influence whom you know are experiencing some problems. Don't just refer them to the pastor or the first lady—you reach out and encourage them!

Can you imagine the number of times we all have missed an opportunity to share the gospel because we didn't take the time to help and encourage somebody else? It is wonderful that you have a great testimony among other saints here. But where is your testimony when you discover the neighbor next door is having some difficulty? Where is your testimony when you discover someone else's family is hurting and they just need you to share words of encouragement? Call them up. You don't have to stay on the phone for hours. Just call and let them know you are praying for them!

Before he died, Alex Haley used to have a picture in his office of a turtle on a fence. Although the picture seemed strange, Alex would always tell curious inquirers it was just a reminder to him that he didn’t get where he was all by himself! Not a single one of you got saved all by yourself! Somewhere along the way, somebody told you about Jesus! You be that somebody for someone else!

Back to 2010 Sermons
View Sermon Archive