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House to House Evangelism
Introduction:
The spring, summer, and fall
seasons are perfect times to evangelize house to house. The whole body
of Christ has this responsibility.
A. House to house evangelism
began in the first century:
1. Acts
5:42 "And daily in the temple, and
in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ."
2. Acts
16:32-34 "And they spake unto him the
word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the
same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he
and all his, straightway. And when he had brought them into his house,
he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house."
3. Acts
18:8 "And Crispus, the chief ruler
of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of
the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized."
4. Acts
20:20 "And how I kept back nothing
that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you
publickly, and from house to house."
B. Public teaching began in the
first century.
1. Jesus in the "Sermon on
the Mount" (Matthew chapters 5-7).
2. The Day of Pentecost (Acts
2).
3. Mars Hill (Acts
17).
C. This congregation needs to have
the reputation of the Thessalonians (I Thessalonians
1:7-8) "So that ye were ensamples to
all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. For from you sounded out the
word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place
your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any
thing."
I. Evangelism saves souls
A. There are many that read
the Bible and cannot find the truth. Why?
1. Acts
8:30-31 "And Philip ran thither to
him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou
what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide
me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him."
a. The result (Acts
8:32-38).
2. It is our (Christians) responsibility
to preach to the lost. (II Corinthians 4:5-7)
"For
we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your
servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out
of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge
of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure
in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and
not of us."
B. It is the word that is the power
of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16).
1. Nothing else can save you
(I Peter 1:18-25).
C. Without preaching there is NO
WAY a person can be saved (Romans 10:14-17).
II. We should feel as Paul
A. Many have this attitude:
"The world owes me everything. I owe the world nothing. I was born into
the world; I did not choose to be here. I expect the world to care for
me, although I have no intention of carrying for the world." Notice Paul’s
attitude: (Romans 1:14-17) "I
am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the
wise, and to the unwise. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach
the gospel to you that are at Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the gospel
of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that
believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the
righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The
just shall live by faith."
B. When was Paul made a debtor?
Acts
26:12-19
1. Paul realized the obligation
of preaching the Gospel. I Corinthians 9:16-19
"For
though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is
laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! For if I
do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation
of the gospel is committed unto me. What is my reward then? Verily that,
when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge,
that I abuse not my power in the gospel. For though I be free from all
men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more."
a. Paul was a chosen vessel
Acts
9:15 "But the Lord said unto him, Go
thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the
Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel."
2. Paul realized that the blood
of men would be on his hands if he did not preach. Acts
20:26-27 "Wherefore I take you to record
this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned
to declare unto you all the counsel of God."
3. Paul paid. II
Timothy 4:6-8 "For I am now ready to
be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good
fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there
is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous
judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them
also that love his appearing."
4. Paul realized he was a debtor
to Christ and he made Christ not on the center of his life, but of his
death as well. Philippians 1:21 "For
to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."
C. The Lord has left each one of
us a portion of work in the Kingdom. We do not want to let Him return finding
us digging holes and burying our work (Matthew
25:14-30).
III. Things that discourage brethren about
"house to house" evangelism
A. The excuse: "We have not
baptized anyone from door to door campaigns lately."
1. We are to preach the Gospel
and let God give the increase (I Corinthians 3:6)
"I
have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase."
2. Our goal should be to preach
the Gospel (I Corinthians 1:17) "For
Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom
of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect."
a. Baptism will come as a result
of the faith arrived at through preaching (Mark
16:15-16).
B. The excuse: "We need a better
method." Our preacher just is not getting it done
1. No, we need better commitments
to fulfill the great commission from ALL BRETHREN (Matthew
28:19).
C. The excuse: "Denominations are
growing without door knocking."
1. Matthew
7:13-14
2. Denominations are going to
hell. Do you want to follow their practices?
D. Preaching is commanded (Mark
16:15-16). There is no excuse!
1. Notice the following statement
by the Apostle Paul:
a. I
Corinthians 9:16 "For though I preach
the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me;
yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!"
2. We should not be able to keep
the truth to ourselves. (Jeremiah 20:9)
"Then
I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name.
But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and
I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay."
3. Whose blood do you want on
your hands? Ezekiel 3:18 "When
I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning,
nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life;
the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require
at thine hand."
Conclusion:
The church is supposed to be
the pillar and ground of the truth (I Timothy
3:15). What does a pillar do? It holds up, supports, let’s stand,
etc. If we are the ground and the pillar of truth, we should hold it up
in this area of lost folks!
 2002
by Brian Yeager may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes at no cost
to others.
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