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Jesus Commands Us to G.R.O.W.
Scripture: Romans 10:12-17
C.I.: Outreach Determines Outcome
Today we continue our series of lessons entitled, “Jesus Commands Us to G.R.O.W.” – So far we have seen…
Yet while both of these are important – they by themselves will not save anyone!
If people are going to be saved – they need to believe & then do God's will God's way!
I. “Tell Me the Story of Jesus”
• We have made “reaching people for Jesus” to be much harder than it actually is!
1. When Jesus spoke of the growth of His kingdom – He frequently used terms an agrarian society would understand…
a. ( Matt. 13:3 ), “He spoke to them in parables, saying, ‘Behold, the sower went out to sow, and as he sowed some seed….'”
1) We say: “People won't respond to me” – God says, “Soil (hearts), not the sower determines results!”
2) “Keep Sowing!”
b. ( Mk. 4:26 ), “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who casts seed upon the soil; and he goes to bed at night and gets up by
day and the seed sprouts and grows….'”
1) We say, “I don't know enough!” – God says, “ Sower doesn't have to know everything to get results!!!”
2) “Keep Sowing!”
c. ( Mk. 4:30-32 ), “The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed, which when sown upon the soil, though it is small than all the
seeds that are upon the soil, yet when it is sown, it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants….'”
1) We say, “My efforts won't make any difference!” – God says, “Seed, not the sower produces results – just sow!!!”
2) “Keep Sowing!”
2. Because of the nature of growth, we should be asking, “How can I get God's word to more people?”
a. Reason: God is so straight-forward towards us, ( II Cor. 9:6 ), “He who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and
he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully.”
b. But what is it that God wants me to say???!
• We have a story to tell…
1. What the apostle Paul did:
a. To those familiar with the scriptures, Paul proves to them that Jesus is the Messiah and calls for a response.
1) ( Acts 17:2-3 ), “According to Paul's custom, he went to the synagogue in Thessalonica, and for three Sabbaths
reasoned with them from the scriptures, explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again
from the dead, saying, ‘This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.'”
2) This was Paul's “custom,” i.e., this was his method for reaching the people who were religious.
3) Some of us have a few “religious friends” – and for them we have numerous methods for your use…
b. For those friends who are not familiar with the scriptures, Paul tells his story.
1) ( Acts 22:1-4, 15-16 ), “Brethren and fathers, hear my defense which I now offer to you … I am a Jew, born in
Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers,
beings zealous for God. - And I persecuted the Way to the death, binding and putting both men and women into
prisons … ‘For you will be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen and heard. And now, why do you
delay? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.”
2) ( Acts 26:9-10, 18 ), I thought to myself I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. – And
this is just what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority
from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I cast my vote against them … ‘to open the eyes
of the Gentiles so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, in order that
they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.'”
C. Jesus Used this Method… (i.e., allowing others to “tell their story” in order to bring people to Him)
1. The Samaritan Woman, ( John 4 )
a. Intro.: ( vs. 6-8 ), “Jesus being wearied from His journey, was sitting by a well. It was about noon. – There came a woman
from Samaria to draw water. – Jesus said to her, ‘Give Me a drink. For His disciples had gone into the city to buy food.'”
1) Jesus initiated the conversation. – Remember (from last week), Jews were supposed to hate Samaritans.
b. Move from the physical to spiritual: ( vs. 9-10 ), “She said to Him, ‘How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink
since I am a Samaritan?' – Jesus said, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,' you
would have asked Him and He would have given you living water.'”
c. Show their personal need: ( vs. 16-19 ), “Jesus said to her, ‘Go, call your husband, and come here.' The woman answered
and said, ‘I have no husband.' – Jesus said to her, ‘You have well said you have no husband;; for you have had 5 husbands,
and the one you have now is not your husband.' “
1) All of us have a need. – For the one thing everyone knows – is how bad off we are, ( Rom. 3:23 ).
d. Jesus reveals Himself: ( vs. 25-26 ), “The woman said, ‘I know that Messiah is coming; when He comes He will declare
all things to us.' – Jesus said to her, ‘I who speak to you am He.'”
e. Woman tells her story: ( vs. 28-30 ), “So the woman left her waterpot, and went into the city, and said to the men, ‘Come,
see a man who has told me all things that I have done; this is not the Christ, is it?' – And they went out of the city and were
coming to Him.”
f. Message to the disciples (US!): ( v. 35 ), “Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, and then comes the
harvest?' Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes, and look upon the fields, that they are white for harvest.'”
1) Their excuse – “The timing is not right!” – Jesus response, “The time is perfect & it is NOW!”
g. Outreach determines outcome: ( v. 39 ), “And from that city many of the Samaritans of the city believed in Him because of
the word of the woman who testified, ‘He told me all things I have done.'”
2. The Demon-Possessed Man, ( Mark 5 )
a. Review last week's lesson re: this man.
b. The people feared Jesus: ( vs. 16-17 ), “And those who had seen it described to the people how it had happened to the
demon-possessed man, and about the swine. – And they began to beg Him to depart from their region.”
c. The man is told to tell his story: ( vs. 18-19 ): “And as Jesus is getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-
possessed was begging Him that he might accompany Him. – And He did not let him, but He said to him, ‘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.” -
1) Those who only “saw” what Jesus did and told others – caused them to become afraid!
2) But the man who had a personal encounter with Jesus – he now HAS A STORY – and he tells everyone!
d. A “Paul Harvey” moment: ( 7:31-32 ), “Again He went out from the region of Tyre … within the region of the Decapolis.
– And they brought to Him one who was deaf and spoke with difficulty, and they begged Him to lay His hand on him.”
1) They were afraid & asked Jesus to go. But now after hearing the man's story… they come to Jesus!
e. In each of these situations (the Samaritan woman & the demon-possessed man)…
1) Had Jesus responded to a person's need (Lesson #2)? – Yes!
2) Did this person then go and tell others their story (Lesson #3 – today)? – Yes!
3) Because of this, were people now willing to come to Jesus (Lesson #1)? – YES?!
3. What we (the family at Golden) can do…
a. Recognize that we too have a story to tell – and therefore, a job to do! Raise hand if you became a Xn because…
1) You decided you needed Jesus? 2) A stranger knocked on your door and spoke to you and/or gave you
some literature? 3) You heard a great sermon? 3) A friend or family member invited you to church?
2) If this (personal invitations) is what worked for us – don't we think it will work for others???!
b. ILLUST.: “Marble” – when you have invited someone to church – move the marble.
1) IF… each member invites 1 person to church/day (e.g., “Marble”) = 500 invitations/week.
IF… only 10% of them respond = 50 visitors/week. - IF only 10% are interested in a Bible study = 5
studies/week. - IF only 2 accepted the gospel & are baptized > 100 new Christians this year!!
2) Which would be easier; explain why we did invite people to Jesus – or to explain why we didn't???!!!
CONCLUSIONS:
1. Members: Are the souls of our friends & relatives worth “a marble”?
2. Guests: You are in the middle of your story. – Now is an opportunity for you to write is ending…, ( Mark 16:15-16 )!
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