09-Effective Evangelism
09 EFFECTIVE EVANGELISM Text: “Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations.” Matthew 28:19.
“We began this series of addresses on the “Challenge of the Ministry” with the Master’s “Come,” spoken to earnest young men engaged in an honest and profitable business, to fishermen on the Galilean lake. Today we gather our thoughts around the word “Go,” spoken to the same men, and others like them who had staked their lives on the words of Jesus.
It was at most a bare three years from the lakeside invitation to the hillside commission, but they were years of greatest significance to the world. As Jesus walked out by the lake that morning the years of his earth ministry were before him, and his kingdom, however clear-visioned, was but a cherished hope as yet unshared by a single soul on earth. Fresh from the wilderness experience where he had rejected the offer of the world and its glory, te felt the need of companions who should become imbued with his own spirit, and who should share his purposes. The call was for men who could carry forward and out into the world his message of truth and his gospel of salvation. Now, as they had met at the appointed place in the mountain of Galilee, his work on earth, was finished. He was about to withdraw his bodily presence, (which was necessary to his initial contact with humanity, but which localized and narrowed his ministry) in order that the Holy Spirit, his ubiquitous “other self,” might descend with power. In the wilderness of temptation he had been shown the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them, and he felt himself equal to the lordship of all he surveyed. Conscious of his power with men he was tempted to take the royal road to kingdom-rule, and to manipulate the governments of the world for the good of mankind. But he had vision to see not only out over the world, but down through the centuries.
He realized that the world was suffering from ills more radical than misrule, and that while a benevolent king might correct many glaring evils what the world most needed was a cure for sin. So he turned his back upon what to the worldly-wise was the obvious way, and chose instead, the way of the cross. And now at the end of the road which had lead him through the Garden of Gethsemane and up Golgotha’s hill, Jesus claimed all authority in heaven and on earth. Instead of forsaking heaven to gain the earth, as the tempter would have had him do, he united heaven and earth under one kingship. This he did, to the disappointment of the Jews, not by setting up his capitol in Jerusalem with chosen men, even a John or a James on his right hand and on his left, but by establishing his throne in the hearts of men.
I have said that the men to whom Jesus gave the great commission to evangelize the world were the same men whom he had called to be his followers three years before on the lakeside. They were the same men, but not the same. Three years of closest contact with the Master had given them a new viewpoint for life. Their admiration for him that morning by the sea had grown into a tender and abiding love by months of blessed companionship with him, and was now by the cross converted into a divine passion. Their hearts burned within them witlra new and holy fire, as in the light of the crucifixion the meaning of the scripture was revealed. They saw clearly what the Savior meant when he said his kingdom was not of this world. They now understood his admonition to be in the world but not of it.
They realized the meaning of a spiritual kingdom, for they experienced an unbroken communion with the crucified and risen Lord, and ’ felt a joy unspeakable in the assurance of his eternal fellowship. In this new conception of the nature of the kingdom was made plain the duty of the disciples to extend it in the world, and was made clear the method to be pursued. The kingdom interests were not to be promoted, as the princes of the church, have sometimes seemed to think, by getting possession of earthly thrones, either by force or by adroit diplomacy. Such methods Jesus had rejected at the beginning of his ministry as calculated to defeat the purposes for which he came to earth.
Men must be won to Jesus Christ. Men, singly, one by one, must be led to experience the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit who would take of the things of Christ and make them manifest, to the saving of the lost and to the building up of Christian character. The death of Jesus gave evidence unmistakable of the love of God for the world. With that love as a background the crucifixion revealed also the depth of the world’s sin. Sin had done its worst in putting to death the Son of God, but at the point where sin worked out its deepest tragedy, love, redeeming, conquering love did more abound, and the despised cross became the symbol of redemption. Henceforth there could be no doubt that a God of love ruled in the world, who seeks the lost, and who will save all who come to him through Jesus Christ.
It is said that in an earlier day when prairie fires were more frequent and destructive than they are now, these fires often traveled faster than a horse could run. “When the settler saw the fire coming, reaching out in consuming flames as it licked up everything in its path, there was but one way by which he and his family could possibly make their escape. It was folly for them to try to run away by any means of travel at their command. Their only safety was in setting fire to the dry grass around their own home. As the blaze spread out from that center and gained momentum, its flames met the oncoming flames of the raging prairie fire, and out there at the rim of that blackened circle the destructive fire was stayed. The world was being consumed by the fires of /hate and selfishness and deceit. Sin had destroyed its beauty, and had weakened the power of men to build up its life. There was no way of escape. At the cross of Jesus hate was overcome by love, sin was consumed in sacrifice, and the one safety zone for all mankind was provided.
“With this gospel of salvation, this story of the cross, the disciples were commissioned to go into all the world. They were not only to be heralds of the truth which Jesus had taught them, but witnesses of his own redeeming, saving power as experienced in their own lives. And this is still the Savior’s plan. He has no other.
There is a tradition to the effect that when Jesus returned into heaven, after his ministry to earth had been accomplished, the following dialogue took place between the Master and an angel of Glory. The angel is supposed to have said: “Master, you died for the world, did you not?” To which the Master replied, “Yes, I gave my life for the world.” “But not all are saved, are they?” “No.” “Well, what is your plan to save them?” “I left a few disciples down there who know the plan of redemption, and I am expecting them to tell the others.” “But suppose they do not tell others. Suppose that even James and John and Peter and Andrew and the others are faithful, as you feel sure they will be, but suppose away down in the twentieth century someone refuses to tell others, what is your plan then?” And the Savior replied, “I have no other plan.
I am depending on them.” From every quarter of Christendom there comes with discouraging frequency and with unrelieved regularity the cry of a dearth of ministers; and the young men are not giving themselves to this holy calling in anything like adequate numbers. Does this mean that in our generation men are refusing to bear the message of life and salvation to the world, to the world distraught and dying in the throes of a selfish materialism? Has some other plan been heralded from heaven or worked out by men whereby we must be saved? Is there no need for messengers of the cross to go into all the world to disciple, and baptize, and teach the nations of the earth? Surely the world’s need was never more evident than now. The systems of men for the salvation of the race have been tried and found wanting.
There is no other Name by. which men must be saved. The world is vocal with the Macedonian call; where are the God-inspired apostles who will respond to its urgent cry?
It can no longer be said that young men lack the heroic spirit; or that they seek softness, and shun a task because it is difficult.
Let them but understand that it is worth while and they run to meet hardness, and “go over the top ’ ’ with a daring and bravery which knows no fear and stops -at no danger. It must be that the call of Jesus is not understood. I fear the church by its own timidity has given to this great commission of the Master a false and weakened content that has robbed it of its heroic appeal and made it mean too little in the minds of young men of power and ambition. The cross of Jesus, on the one hand, has been associated with darkened rooms and burning tapers. Confined to an atmosphere wholly retrospective and smelling of the middle ages, it has begotten an attitude of life receptive and passive. On the other hand, it has been made meaningless by the ease. with which one may by hitting the sawdust trail claim and reclaim its magic power to work a cheap salvation. The cross has no power to impart to those who are faithful in mere adoration, expressed in gracefill or even pious genuflections. Many an evangelist’s appeal means little more to those who come forward and take his hand than if he had said, “Come to x,” an unknown quantity. The sacrifice of Jesus on a green hill, outside a city wall, was not the “original” Passion Play, written in heaven and staged on the earth.
Jesus gave his life not because God required it, for it was sin that put him to death. But in that execution the Master proved to be deathless because divine, and sin itself was doomed. The meaning of that sacrifice needs to be interpreted in terms that may be understood by men who live in these strenuous and changing times. The world has in these latter days developed a broad idea of service. All kinds of good works are included under the enticing name. This is all very good. It is quite possible, however, that some one or all of these forms of service may be looked at as in itself and for its sake the ultimate goal and aim of effort. Where this becomes true then merely ameliorative effort usurps the place of redemptive service.
Jesus entered upon a manifold ministry.
He healed the sick, he cheered the discouraged, he comforted the sorrowing, he taught the ignorant. All ministries along these lines in His name must be reckoned as affiliated with his work, as having the sanction of his example and the promise of his approval. Such service is made the real test of disciplesMp in the Master’s graphic description of the final judgment. Nevertheless it must not be forgotten that the primary object of Jesus in his ministering was the salvation of souls from the thraldom of sin. These deeds of mercy are but the fruits of a saved life. Their full and legitimate harvest is not reaped except souls are saved from sin. Of course the awakened forces in the redeemed life should be harnessed up to the great task of the kingdom of God. The regenerate man needs to be furnished with a task of a regenerate sort. But the elemental entity, the primary unit, in the kingdom of righteousness is the redeemed and regenerate man. The minister will always find reforms to champion. There will always be abnormal and maladjusted social conditions which will call for immediate action in an ameliorating ministry. To these the minister dare not close his eyes or refuse his help. Indeed he cannot and be true to the Master who went about doing good. But his first and highest service is to bring to bear upon sinful men the sacrificial and saving life of Jesus Christ.
Eegenerate men will make a regenerate world; and a regenerate world will be a world of peace and righteousness, and of brotherhood. The call is for men regenerate in life, and whose lives are hid with Christ in God, to proclaim to men this message of redeeming love, this gospel of eternal life.
“Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations.”