The Answer | Rev. Brandon Jones

The question running through Acts is plain: “What must I do?” The jailer asks it in a crisis, with the prison shaken and his whole life feeling like it is about to fall apart. The crowd in Acts 2 asks it after mocking what God was doing, then feeling conviction when Peter preached Jesus. Saul asks it trembling on the Damascus road, after Jesus stops him in the middle of his religion, tradition, and persecution.

That same question is still alive in people. The soul may not know how to say it right, but it is searching for the answer. Somebody at work is asking what to do with all the stress. Somebody in the family is asking what to do with the emptiness. Somebody in the neighborhood is asking if there is more to life than this. The answer is not just religion, not just church attendance, but Jesus Christ. And when people are ready to respond to Jesus, the answer is still Acts 2:38: repent, be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Outreach begins with prayer. God opens doors, but prayer asks Him to open them, prepare hearts, give boldness, give the right words, and help His people recognize the moment. Some open doors are dramatic, like a car breaking down in the driveway. Most are ordinary: a coworker mentions a hard week, a neighbor says they used to go to church, a family member asks for prayer, a friend says something feels missing.

The invitation does not have to be complicated. Andrew brought Simon Peter to Jesus. Philip did not argue with Nathanael when Nathanael questioned Nazareth. Philip just said, “Come and see.” A single invitation can become more than anybody can measure, because Andrew reached one man, and that one man became Peter, and Peter preached at Pentecost.

Wisdom in outreach is not pushy. “He that winneth souls is wise,” and wisdom knows when to speak and when to listen. People are not projects, numbers, or sales leads. They are lost souls, and many of them just need somebody to care enough to ask, listen, pray, and point them to the God who heals, delivers, blesses, and fills with the Holy Ghost.

The burden for lost souls calls every believer to stretch. Strangers may feel easier than coworkers or family, but boldness grows by stepping out. God uses door knocking, simple conversation, a church card, a prayer, and a testimony. The work belongs to God, and the church is called to plant the seed and trust Him for the harvest.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. The soul is already searching The question “What must I do?” shows up in crisis, conviction, and confrontation with Jesus. A person may not have the words for salvation, but the ache underneath stress, emptiness, and confusion is often a soul looking for the answer. Outreach matters because the church is not inventing a need, it is meeting a need already crying out beneath the surface. [15:16]
• 2. The answer is still Jesus The answer is not bare religion, not attendance, and not a social habit with spiritual language attached. Jesus Christ is the answer, and Acts 2:38 still gives the biblical response: repentance, baptism in Jesus’ name, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Confidence in that answer should not become arrogance, but it should remove shame and hesitation. [16:06]
• 3. Prayer opens ordinary doors Outreach begins before the conversation begins. Prayer asks God not only to open a door, but also to train spiritual eyes to recognize doors that do not look dramatic. A casual comment about a hard week, a need for prayer, or a sense that something is missing can be an open door set there by God. [18:02]
• 4. Invitation does not require argument Philip did not try to beat Nathanael in a debate about Nazareth. “Come and see” carried enough faith, humility, and room for God to work. A wise invitation trusts the Spirit more than pressure, and it gives a person space to encounter Jesus instead of just losing an argument. [25:54]
• 5. People are not projects Wisdom refuses to treat lost souls like numbers, sales goals, or notches on a church calendar. Real witness listens long enough to care, speaks with enough courage to invite, and prays with enough faith to expect God to move. The point is not to win a pitch, but to see burdens lifted, lives changed, and people brought to Jesus.
  
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Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [09:43] - Three Questions in Acts
• [13:11] - Outreach and “The Answer”
• [14:55] - Why Outreach Matters
• [16:06] - Jesus Is the Answer
• [17:23] - Pray for Open Doors
• [19:43] - Recognizing Ordinary Opportunities
• [21:11] - Planting a Seed at Lunch
• [23:27] - Andrew’s Simple Invitation
• [25:54] - Philip Says “Come and See”
• [27:03] - Wisdom in Winning Souls
• [34:22] - Door Knocking and Real Conversation
• [40:20] - Inviting People to Receive From God
• [45:22] - Everyone Doing Their Part
• [47:19] - Prayer for Boldness and Burden

Bible Reading

Acts 2:38
“And Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’” [16:26]

Acts 16:30
“Then he brought them out and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’” [12:15]

Acts 2:37
“Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’” [12:35]

Acts 9:6
“But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” [12:53]

Colossians 4:3
“At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—” [17:14]

Proverbs 11:30
“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and whoever captures souls is wise.” [27:03]

John 1:41-42
“He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas’ (which means Peter).”

John 1:45-46
“Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.’ Nathanael said to him, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’ Philip said to him, ‘Come and see.’” [25:28]

Observation questions

1. What different situations led people in Acts to ask some version of the question, “What must I do?” [13:24]
2. According to Acts 2:38, what response is given when someone is ready to respond to Jesus? [16:26]
3. What were some examples of “ordinary doors” that can become opportunities for witness? [19:43]
4. In John 1, what did Andrew do for Simon Peter, and how did Philip respond when Nathanael questioned Nazareth? [26:13]

Interpretation questions

1. The jailer, the crowd in Acts 2, and Saul all came from very different places, yet all ended up asking what to do. What does that suggest about how God reaches people in crisis, conviction, and confrontation? [14:47]
2. If Colossians 4:3 connects outreach with prayer for open doors, what does that say about the believer’s role and God’s role in reaching people? [18:08]
3. Philip answered Nathanael with “Come and see” instead of an argument. What does that reveal about the kind of confidence believers should have when inviting someone toward Jesus? [26:22]
4. Proverbs 11:30 says winning souls is wise. What does wise outreach look like if people are not projects, numbers, or sales leads? [31:11]

Application questions

1. Who in everyday life seems to be carrying a hidden “What do I do?” right now—a coworker, family member, neighbor, or friend? What signs of stress, emptiness, or spiritual hunger have become noticeable? [15:43]
2. Outreach begins with prayer. What specific prayer could be prayed this week for an open door, for the right words, and for the ability to recognize the moment when it comes? [18:37]
3. Ordinary comments can be open doors. When someone says, “I’ve had a hard week,” or “I need prayer,” how comfortable is the group with slowing down, listening, and responding spiritually instead of just moving on? [20:02]
4. A simple invitation can carry more weight than it seems. Who could be invited to “come and see” in a natural way this week—church, a small group, prayer, or just a conversation about what God has done? [26:46]
5. Wisdom knows when to speak and when to listen. In personal conversations, is there a tendency to rush into talking, fixing, or explaining? What would it look like to ask better questions and genuinely hear the person first? [27:19]
6. People are not projects. Has there ever been a time when fear, pressure, or frustration made witness feel mechanical instead of compassionate? What helps keep the heart tender toward lost people? [31:14]
7. Boldness often grows by stretching. What would be one step just outside the comfort zone this week—carrying a church card, offering prayer, starting a conversation, or joining an outreach effort with others? [46:19]