WHEN IS EFFECTIVE EVANGELISM POSSIBLE?

SERMON TEXT: “If my people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

SERMON THESIS: Effective evangelism is possible.

INTRODUCTION: I am holding in my hand a book titled: Effective Evangelistic Churches, written by Dr. Thom Rainer, who is the founding dean of the Billy Graham School of missions, evangelism and church growth of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky. From the introduction of this book, I read the following statement: “This book . . . is not another research work on a few dozen growing churches. It is one of the most challenging evangelistic research projects ever attempted: to study in great detail 576 of the most evangelistic churches in America.”

During my five and one-half years at Calvary, I had the privilege to baptize three-hundred and twenty-six new converts, and more than six-hundred persons were added to His church during that period of time. To remind us that effective evangelism is possible anywhere, this was a church located in the northwest and is still a pioneer missionary state. Therefore this proves that effective evangelism is possible. The question is, however, When is effective evangelism possible?

I. WHEN GOD’S PEOPLE HUMBLE THEMSELVES

      “If my people, who are called by name, humble themselves . . .”

     One writer said, “Effective evangelism is possible only as God’s people live and witness humbly in the power of the Spirit.”

      1. What does it mean to humble ourselves? It means coming before God in worship in a spirit of thanksgiving; positioning ourselves humbly and reverently before Him. According to the The Disciple’s Study Bible, “Worship (Hebrew hishtachawah)means to bow down to pay homage or honor to a person with superior rank or position” as in the following verses . . .

“...And Joab fell on his face to the ground, prostrated himself and blessed the king; then Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, O my lord, the king, in that the king has performed the request of his servant” (2 Samuel 14:4, 22).

 “And all the sons of Israel, seeing the fire come down and the glory of the Lord upon the house, bowed down on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave praise to the Lord, saying, “Truly He is good, truly His loving kindness is everlasting” (2 Chronicles 7:3).

           It was the Psalmist who said . . .

           The writer I quoted earlier goes on to say, “The basic definition of worship includes giving homage to God because He is superior to us by nature.”

       2. When do we humble ourselves? When we, according to Psalm 100, “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise,” bowing before Him as our superior.

When is effective evangelism possible? When will we see the lost saved and added to His church?

      The writer of 2 Chronicles goes on to give us the second condition for effective evangelism . . . “ . . . and pray and seek My face . . .” Praying and seeking His face go hand in hand.

      1. God invites us to pray and seek His face. This is what is meant in this call to worship, “O come let us worship and bow down . . . kneel before the Lord our maker.”

      2. What does it mean to pray and seek His face? It means to ask for His presence and to reveal His will in our lives. This is why worship of God is so important. This is why we should not forsake the assembling of ourselves together. One writer said,“God’s place of worship is the place of revelation where we encounter God and He reveals His will.” I love that song, “In The Presence of Jehovah.” It is in His presence that He reveals His will to us.

            The writer of I Chronicles said . . .

“Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His face continually” ( I Chronicles 16:11).

            The Psalmist said . . .

“Many are saying, “Who will show us any good?” Lift up the light of Thy countenance upon us, O Lord!”(Psalm 4:6).

“Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His face continually” (Psalm 105:4).

“For the Lord God helps Me, therefore, I am not disgraced; therefore, I have set My face like flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed” (Isaiah 50:7).

When is effective evangelism possible? When God’s people pray and seek His face?

There is a third condition for effective evangelism? What is it?

III. WHEN GOD’S PEOPLE TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS

        The writer of 2 Chronicles goes on to say,

“ . . . and turn from their wicked ways . . .”

        1. Turn means to repent. In repenting, we turn from something? That something is self and our wicked ways. In repenting, we also turn to someone. That someone is Jesus. What do we turn to Him for? Forgiveness!

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9).

        2. Turning from our wicked ways takes a willingness on our part . . .

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling” (Matt. 23:37).

Effective evangelism is possible . . .

IV. WHEN GOD’S CONDITIONS ARE MET . .

        1. He will hear from heaven . . .

“...that Thine eyes may be open toward this house day and night, toward the place of which Thou hast said that Thou wouldst put Thy name there, to listen to the prayer which Thy servant shall pray toward this place” (2 Chronicles 6:20).

        2. He will forgive our sin . . . When God’s people met his conditions, here is what happened . . .

“Because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God, when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and because you humbled yourself before Me, tore your clothes, and wept before Me, I truly have heard you,” declares the Lord. Behold, I will gather you to your fathers and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, so your eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring on this place and on its inhabitants” (2 Chronicles 34:27-28).

             Hear the words of this writer, “God has promised forgiveness of sin to His people who humble themselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from their wicked ways.”

        3. He will heal our land

CONCLUSION: If, then, effective evangelism is possible, why are we not seeing more people saved? The answer is this! If people are not being saved on a regular basis according to Acts, which reads . . .

“... praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47).

then it is obvious that we have not yet met God’s conditions. According to one writer, “No passage in the Old Testament is more important to vital witnessing that this verse. It alone presents the principles of revival and spiritual reality”. Therefore we should never sing again, Lord Send A Revival, until we are ready to meet God conditions for revival.

As a church body, and as individuals, WHAT WILL BE OUR RESPONSE TO THIS MESSAGE?