Boldly Sharing Christ's Love Through Action and Prayer
Summary
In this sermon, I discussed the importance of witnessing and sharing the love of Christ with others. I emphasized the need for prayer, meeting people's physical needs, and sharing the gospel with a sense of urgency. I used the story of a widow from the Bible who was given the opportunity to share her resources with her extended family, friends, and neighbors. I also highlighted the importance of being bold and courageous in sharing our faith, even when it might bring attention to ourselves. I shared stories of individuals who were transformed by the kindness and love of Christians, emphasizing that more people have been brought into the church by acts of love than by theological arguments.
Key Takeaways:
- Prayer is essential in our journey of faith and in our efforts to share the gospel with others. It gives us the boldness and courage we need to share our faith ([48:47]).
- Meeting people's physical needs is a powerful way to demonstrate the love of Christ. By helping others in tangible ways, we can open doors to share the gospel ([50:01]).
- Sharing the gospel should be done with a sense of urgency. We are not guaranteed tomorrow, so we should seize every opportunity to tell others about Jesus ([51:03]).
- Witnessing is not just about sharing our faith verbally, but also about demonstrating the love of Christ through our actions. Our actions often speak louder than our words ([52:14]).
- We should be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit in our witnessing. We need to ask God for wisdom to know when to share, how to share, and who to share the gospel with ([53:50]).
Study Guide
Bible Passages:
1. 1 Kings 17:10-16
2. Matthew 28:19-20
3. James 2:14-17
Key Points from the sermon:
1. We are given opportunities every day to witness for Christ.
2. It takes boldness, courage, and divine wisdom to know when, how, and who to share the gospel with.
3. Meeting people's physical needs can open doors for spiritual conversations.
Observation Questions:
1. What was the widow's initial response to Elijah's request in 1 Kings 17:10-16?
2. What command does Jesus give in Matthew 28:19-20?
3. How does James 2:14-17 describe the relationship between faith and works?
Interpretation Questions:
1. Why was it significant that the widow chose to trust and obey Elijah's God in 1 Kings 17:10-16?
2. What does it mean to "make disciples of all nations" as stated in Matthew 28:19-20?
3. How does meeting physical needs relate to demonstrating faith according to James 2:14-17?
Application Questions:
1. How can we show boldness and courage in sharing our faith with others?
2. In what ways can we meet people's physical needs as a means to share the gospel?
3. How can we cultivate a lifestyle of witnessing for Christ in our daily lives?
Devotional
Day 1: The Power of Prayer
Prayer is a powerful tool that God has given us to communicate with Him. It's through prayer that we can express our deepest fears, hopes, and desires to our Heavenly Father. In the Bible, we see the prophet Elijah praying earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.
James 5:17-18 - "Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops."
Reflection: Reflect on a recent situation where you felt the need for prayer. Did you take the time to pray earnestly about it as Elijah did? If not, how can you incorporate more intentional prayer into your daily routine?
Day 2: Meeting People's Physical Needs
Jesus not only preached the Gospel but also met the physical needs of the people around Him. He fed the hungry, healed the sick, and comforted the broken-hearted.
Matthew 25:35-36 - "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me."
Reflection: Can you recall a time when you had the opportunity to meet someone's physical needs but didn't? What held you back and how can you overcome that barrier in the future?
Day 3: Sharing the Gospel with Others
Sharing the Gospel with others is a command given to us by Jesus. Philip, one of the disciples, obeyed this command by sharing the Good News with an Ethiopian eunuch.
Acts 8:35 - "Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus."
Reflection: Think of someone in your life who may not understand the Gospel. How can you, like Philip, approach them with kindness and patience to share the Good News?
Day 4: Trusting in God's Provision
God is our provider. He knows our needs and promises to meet them. The widow of Zarephath trusted in God's provision and was blessed.
1 Kings 17:15-16 - "She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the LORD spoken by Elijah."
Reflection: Reflect on a time when you were in need. Did you trust in God's provision as the widow did, or did you rely on your own resources? How can you cultivate a deeper trust in God's provision?
Day 5: The Importance of Boldness in Sharing the Gospel
Sharing the Gospel requires boldness. The apostles prayed for boldness and God answered their prayer.
Acts 4:29-31 - "Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus. After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly."
Reflection: When was the last time you felt threatened or intimidated to share the Gospel? How can you pray for boldness and courage to speak God's word despite opposition?
Quotes
1. "We got to keep praying. We got to keep believing. We got to keep asking. We need to ask the Lord of heaven to say open our eyes so that we can see what's going on around us because friends, I believe prayer works." - 43:05
2. "Friends, we have to be willing to give bread to meet people's physical needs. That's why we did that. We've done the backpack giveaway the last few years. And the barbecue had just allowed people to sit there with us and hang out and talk and eat." - 44:36
3. "We have to be willing to meet their physical needs. I mean, I couldn't even imagine if she had the bread, if she had the oil and she had the food and she didn't meet their needs. What that would look like." - 45:57
4. "Friends, can I tell you that this is the time where you and I can be the boldest. This is the time where we can stand on our faith. But this is the time we have to know in whom we believe." - 51:03
5. "We can't delay anymore in telling other people about Jesus. I remember when I was going to youth group at the age of 17. And every Wednesday night, whoever the speaker was, he would, he'd be like dangling this over hell itself with a shaky stick. Come on. And every Thursday morning, I mean, I got saved every week at youth group." - 52:14
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