Scripture: Mark 5:11-20

C.I.: To Deal with Evangelism

Today Jesus is going to be training us in evangelism.
The lesson began back in chapter 5. Lets begin by learning how to sow seeds Jesus' way!

•  We are Called to Either “Sow” or “Harvest,” (Mark 7:31-37)

•  Sowing Jesus' Way, (v. 31)

•  “He went out from the region of Tyre and came through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, within the region of Decapolis,” ( v. 31 ).

•  In our Scripture Reading we saw the last time Jesus was here they asked Him to leave.

•  ( 5:17 ), “And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region.”

•  It is not unusual for people to be afraid when they see God's power working in a life.

•  Have you ever run into someone who knew you before you became a Christian…??!

•  The easiest/best(?) way to sow for Jesus is to tell people what He has done for you!

•  ( 5:19-20 ), “Jesus said, ‘Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, - and how He had mercy on you.' And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.”

•  No list of scriptures to remember, no debate techniques to use, just you & your story!

•  ( Jn. 4:29, 39 ), “‘Come see a Man who has told me all things I have done….' From that city many Samaritans believed because of the words of the woman who said, ‘Come see…”

•  ( Acts 26:4, 28 ), “‘All Jews know my manner of life from my youth up, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation…' – ‘In a short time you will persuade me…!'”

•  After telling us what we should be like ( Mt. 5:3-10 ), Jesus says don't hide it ( vs. 13-16 )!

•  So? Are we sowing seed for Jesus?! Are we sharing how He has changed our lives and now we live in obedience to His word???!

•  “Is this effective?” Raise you hand if you were converted by either a sermon or a preacher?

•  Now, raise your hand if you were converted by a friend or a relative, i.e. “ …your people ” ?

•  ( 7:32 ), “And they brought to Him one who was deaf and spoke with difficulty, and they begged Him to lay His hand on Him.”

•  So, people who had first seen the power of God and were afraid are now bringing others to Jesus – because of the testimony of one who had seen the power work in his own life!!!

•  Harvesting Jesus Way, (vs. 32-35) [3 steps in evangelism]

•  Step #1: Speak to people individually – (Evangelism is not a spectator sport!)

•  ( v. 33a ), “And Jesus took him aside from the multitude by himself.”

•  Many times people are more concerned about what others think than what God thinks!

•  Jesus removes this fear by removing the man from becoming a public spectacle.

•  Street preaching? Bar preaching?! (scriptural, yes – effective – no!) Matt. 7:6, “Do not give what is holy to dogs (pl) , nor cast your pearls before swine (pl.), lest they (pl.) trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.”

•  Step #2: Let people know the source of the power

•  ( v. 33b-34a ), “… [He] put His fingers in his ears, - and after spitting He touched his tongue with the saliva; and looking up into heaven with a deep sigh….” Why spitting & fingers in the ears?

•  Clearly Jesus didn't need to touch him in order to heal him.

•  Last week, vs. 29-30 ), “Because of this answer go your way the demon has gone out of your daughter. And going to her home, she found the child lying on the bed, the demon…

•  Since the man would not be able to hear Jesus but he could see and feel. Thus, Jesus did these things (fingers, spit, looking into heaven) so he would know the source of the power.

•  When we are speaking to others do they hear about God's power or our own??!

•  ILLUST.: I heard someone telling others about a change in them and when asked why they were different they told them it was because of a athletic club they belonged to. (Yikes!)

•  Are we living by the power and for the glory of God? Do others know this??!

•  ( Quote Rom. 1:16; Eph. 3:20; Col. 3:17; I Pt. 2:10; 4:11 ).

•  Step #3: Speak to people in a language they understand

•  ( vs. 34b-35 ), “…He said to him, ‘Ephphatha!' that is, ‘Be opened!' And his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was removed, and he began speaking plainly.”

•  Mark records this for us. – The man, though not able to hear could perhaps read lips.

•  In any case, Jesus was speaking to the man and using an Aramaic word he understood.

•  In the same way, when we are telling others about Jesus we need to speak so they can know.

•  Illust.: “The ramifications of sanctification as seen by the insipient rise of Docetic Gnosticism in the later 1 st and early 2 nd centuries!”

•  When God's people told others the good news they did it so the people would be impressed with God and His plan – not with their “great learning!”

•  ( I Cor. 9:19-22 ), “For though I am free of all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more. To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win the Jews; to those under the law, as under the law, though I myself am not under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, that I might win those who are without law. – To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some!!!”

•  The Outcome for Them and for Us, (vs. 36-37)

•  In our Lord's day, the advertising kept Him from accomplishing His mission.

•  ( v. 36 ), “And He gave them orders not to tell anyone; but the more He ordered them, - the more widely they continued to proclaim it.” This is not reverse psychology (that's disobedience).

•  ( 1:44-45 ), “‘See that you say nothing to anyone…!' But he went out and began to proclaim it freely to such an extent that Jesus could no longer publicly enter their cities but stayed in unpopulated areas; and they began coming to Him from everywhere.”

•  But today, word of mouth advertising is how Jesus accomplishes His mission, ( quote 16:15-16 ).

a. Brethren, we are either sowing (sharing the good news about Jesus), or we are reaping for Lord.

1) ( I Cor. 3:9 ), “For we are God's fellow-workers; you are God's field.”