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Sep 10, 2017

A New Evangelism

A New Evangelism

Speaker: Dennis Gallaher

Series: Love Thy Neighbor

Category: Sunday Morning

We can make a difference in people’s lives for today and for eternity. As we reach out to people around us ,we touch them with God’s love and we lessen their aloneness.

The old story is this:
- Jesus Christ came to save sinners.
- He empowered His church to preach the Good News that God’s grace is for all and freedom from sin and hell is for the asking.
- Whoever calls on the Name of Jesus will be saved.
- Whoever turns from their rebellion will live a life with purpose, freedom, and joy.
- Whoever does not will be bound by the chains of sin and be delivered to hell on judgement day.

It is the task of every generation to take this message forward.

The problem with the world today is rebellion - hatred, willful, deliberate turning from God.

This has been the condition since the Garden when Adam chose the devil’s lies over the truth of God’s own voice.

It is our privilege to be the messengers of the Gospel of Grace that saves, heals, trains, and releases a life of true freedom through a relationship with Jesus Christ.
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How are we, Freedom Fellowship Church, going to deliver this grace to our community?

Genesis 2:7   Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.

All the rest of creation was spoken into existence, but not mankind. He mixed dirt and water together with His own hands forming man into the image of God himself. Then He took that lifeless form and blew into it the breath of life, and man became a living soul.

Before man was alive, he was touched by God with His fingerprints all over him, as well as His divine breath within him.

Genesis 2:18   Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”

The first crisis was not sin but being alone. God created Adam with a holy need for relationship with others.

Sin destroys relationships, first with God and quickly with others. Adam’s first response to sin was to cover himself from Eve and then to hide from God.

When Jesus came, He came to restore. The way He did it was the same as in the Garden; He touched dead, lifeless men, women, and children.

The word for “touch” is used 36 times in the New Testament. It means to modify or change by touching, touching that influences, to start a fire, to kindle a flame.
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John 9:2   And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

This healing story begins where most evangelism begins.

Man is a sinner in need of a Savior. But before he was a sinner in need of a Savior, he was alone in need of another.

John 9:6  Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud.

Just like in the Garden, He touched him.

What happened next are 3 rejections:
1.  His neighbors - they argue about whether it is him or not.
2.  Synagogue, the church - they tell him his doctrine is wrong, his belief system is different.
3.  His family - they know him but they tell them to ask him, he is of age

John 9:35   Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

Jesus heard what happened, and he went and found him. He touched his life with grace, soothed his soul with comfort, and removed his aloneness by being with him.

John 9:38   He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.

Then He saved his soul!

Touching people is …
- Seeing them as stamped with the image of God.
- Seeing them as alone in need of another.
- Knowing how to give an account for the hope that is within you.
- Opening your eyes and seeing people the way Jesus sees them.

This is what I now call “Touch Evangelism.”

How many people can you intentionally come alongside of this week?
How often can you leave people less alone?
How often can you cross the street and demonstrate through sincere care “the hope that is within you?”
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Close:

John 9:31   We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him.

People believe they have to get cleaned up, stop messing up, and God will hear them.

Matthew 11:28-29   Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

If you will come to Jesus, He will touch you with all His grace, mercy, forgiveness, and kindness!