"Toward the Lost--Evangelism" (Acts 20:21)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 7/11/2018 6:57 AM

My Worship Time                                                           Focus:  “Toward the Lost—Evangelism”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                         Reference:  Acts 20:21

            Message of the verse: “21 solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.”

            What we have been talking about in our last few days is a review of Paul’s ministry as he spoke of to the elders of the Ephesian church, and in today’s SD we are looking at a review of Paul’s ministry toward the lost as he told them about the gospel of Jesus Christ.

            This was the first thing that Paul had to do when he came to Ephesus, and that was to tell the lost how they can be saved through faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins, and Paul did that in every place that he went.  He had spent three years ministering to the lost in Ephesus, along with his ministry to those who had become believers so that they could grow in their faith, but the first thing was to speak to the lost, both the Jews and the Greeks or Gentiles. In keeping with that theme Paul wrote in Romans 1:14, 16 the following:

14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.  16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

In First Corinthians 9:19-23 we see that Paul reveals his passionate desire to fulfill that mandate:

“19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; 21 to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. 23 I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.”

Paul was so intense in spreading the gospel that he wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:16 “16 For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.”  In Romans 9:3 we see that Paul was so willing to see the unredeemed Jews saved that he writes “For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh.”  He was willing to give up his own salvation for the salvation of the Jews, but we know that could not happen.

            John MacArthur writes “Paul’s intense zeal for proclaiming the gospel compelled him to make his presentation of it thorough and complete.  ‘Testifying’ is from diamarturomai, a compound word made up of a verb intensified by the addition of a preposition.  Paul’s gospel presentations were never shallow or partial but detailed and comprehensive (cf. vv. 20, 27).  As the apostle of the Gentiles (Rom. 11:13; cf. 1 Tim. 2:7), he evangelized ‘both Jews and Greeks.’”

            As we move along in our verse for today we learn that a biblically sound gospel presentation must contain two components.  The first must include ‘repentance toward God,” and John MacArthur writes “Metanoia (‘repentance’) is a rich and important New Testament word, meaning ‘to change one’s mind or purpose.’  It describes a change of mind that results in a change of behavior; it is the conscious act of a sinner turning from his sins to God.  Nineteenth-century theologian Heinrich Heppe defined repentance as ‘a gracious power, bestowed only on the elect, by which they lay aside the life of sin and busy themselves with righteousness.’”  There is a difference between remorse as it is different than repentance as seen in the fact that both Saul and Judas were remorseful, but not repentant as repentance involves sorrow for the act of sin, remorse sorrow for its consequence.  A truly repentant person is sorry he sinned, whereas a remorseful person is sorry that he got caught.

            An example for true repentance is found in Peter’s first sermon on the day of Pentecost as seen in Acts chapter two.  Peter presented the gospel to the listening Jews stating that they had been a part of killing the Lord Jesus Christ “36  "Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ-this Jesus whom you crucified."”  We see the result of this preaching in verse 37 “37 Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?"”  As we look at verse 37 we see that their repentance involved their entire person, intellect, emotion and their will.  They were truly repentant as was proven by what they asked, and then we know from studying this passage earlier that on that day 3000 people had trusted Christ and were the beginnings of the NT church.

            Repentance is the first step to salvation.  A person has to know that they are sick (sinful) before they call a doctor (the preacher of the gospel).  Once they realize that they were born a sinner and that they sin because of that fact, and once they have heard the gospel and repentant of their sin, then they can accept the forgiveness that Jesus Christ offers for them to be saved, and this is the part that Paul reminds the Ephesian elders of when he says that he not only preached about repentance but also “faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.”

            MacArthur concludes this section by writing “Paul saw himself not only as a servant, feeding the household of God, but as a herald, announcing to lost sinners the good news of salvation.  Those two essential aspects of ministry must be the concern of all believers.”

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  To make clear the gospel message to those whom the Lord brings onto my path.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Continue to trust the Lord for His peace to be with me as I prepare to go for a procedure in the morning.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “Saul” (1 Samuel 19:10).

Today’s Bible question:  “What book of the Bible contains letters to seven churches?”

Answer in our next SD.

7/11/2018 7:39 AM