Sunday's Message: Spiritual Growth for the Height Challenged - Evangelism

When it comes to spiritual growth, have you ever felt “height challenged”? If you’ve ever felt somewhat short in the spirituality department, this sermon series is for you. For five Sundays, we’ll discuss how we might grow in our faith and in our relationship with God. Specifically, we cover the following growth-related topics:

• January 15 – Study
• January 22 – Prayer
• January 29 – Stewardship
• February 5 – Worship
• February 12 – Evangelism

There's no reason to feel like a dandelion in the midst of spiritual sequoias. Join with us at Sligo Cove Presbyterian Church and grow into everything God created you to be.

During the last message in this series, we looked at the importance of evangelism for spiritual growth. Below is a copy and recording of the sermon. You can stream the series by going to the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube Channel at 10:00 a.m.

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Have you ever noticed how things around the church often seem to come in threes? For example, what sets Christianity apart from every other religion is our Holy Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And whenever churches focus on stewardship, they generally talk about giving your time, talent and money. And how often do sermons have three points and maybe a poem if you’re lucky? I’m telling you, three is really big around the church. And whether you realize it or not, this morning we’re facing another ecclesiastical three. You see, within the Body of Christ, there are three days that seem to be more important than any other. As a matter of fact, they have a major impact on what churches choose to do. Of course, those days are Easter and Christmas and Super Bowl Sunday. And if you don’t think the Super Bowl directly affects the church calendar, let me tell you, in every congregation I’ve served over the last 35 years, the annual meeting has always been scheduled on the Sunday between the conference championships and this high, holy day. The Super Bowl is a big deal, right?

But the church isn’t the only place where that’s true. My gosh, for the last two weeks, we’ve been bombarded with just how important it is, with constant reminders on Fox and daily analysis on ESPN and special snack displays in grocery stores. But the word of Super Bowl glory isn’t just directed to football fans. I mean, we’ve got all the commercials and Rihanna is singing at half time and remember, The Puppy Bowl will be played on the Animal Planet, Discovery, TBS, HBO Max, and discovery+ not tomorrow but today. Let’s get real; those responsible have done an amazing job of taking the good news of the Super Bowl out into the world.

And I’ll tell you, this business about taking the good news out into the world, well, that’s really what we’re going to be talking about this morning as we tie up this series, Spiritual Growth for the Height Challenged. You see, over the last four weeks, we’ve been looking at some of the things we can do that might help us grow spiritually. And over that time, we’ve focused on study and prayer, stewardship and worship; and we’ve talked about why each one is important and how we might do them better. And this morning, we’re going to look at evangelism as another growth stimulator. And as we’ve done before, we’ll be answering two questions: first, why is evangelism important for those who want to grow spiritually; and then second, how might we be effective evangelists? 

But you know, before we start answering questions, I think we need to spend just a minute or two talking about what evangelism is and what it’s not, and I’ll tell you why. I think a lot of Christians, maybe some of y’all, view evangelism as being pretty narrow. For example, it’s what happens in churches that have revivals, and it’s done by preachers who often either pound on pulpits and threaten damnation or who grin all the time and promise a whole bunch of blessings. You see, for a lot of folks, that’s evangelism. And without saying whether this kind of stuff is good or bad, that’s really not how we’re going to define evangelism this morning. Instead, we’re going use as a guide the last words Jesus gave his disciples according to the Evangelist Matthew:

And after he came, Jesus said to [the eleven disciples], “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Now when you go, disciple all nations by baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and by teaching them to obey everything I commanded you. And see, I myself am with you always until the completion of the age. [Matthew 28:18-20, my own translation]

Now, this is how we’ll be defining evangelism. It’s the sharing that we’re called to do as we go about our daily living. 

And so with that established, let’s answer our two questions, starting with question number one, why is evangelism important for those who want to grow spiritually? I mean, outside of the fact that Jesus told us to do it, why is it important to share his good news to and with others? Now that’s the question, and for me, I think there are at least two excellent answers. 

You see, for one, when we decide that we’re going to be evangelists, you know, to be men and women who share Jesus Christ to others, I believe that’s important to us because it forces us to understand God, and I’m talking about, to understand him better than we do right now. And you know, I think Paul wrote about this sort of thing, first, in his letter to the Colossians:

Let the message about Christ completely fill your lives, while you use all your wisdom to teach and instruct each other. With thankful hearts, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. Whatever you say or do should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, as you give thanks to God the Father because of him. [Colossians 3:16-17, CEV]

And then, second, to Timothy, he wrote this:

Don't let anyone forget these things. And with God as your witness, you must warn them not to argue about words. These arguments don't help anyone. In fact, they ruin everyone who listens to them. Do your best to win God's approval as a worker who doesn't need to be ashamed and who teaches only the true message. [2 Timothy 2:14-15, CEV]

Now that’s what Paul wrote, and it seems pretty clear that he believed that it was important to understand what we’ve been called to share.

And I’ll tell you, that just makes sense, doesn’t it? I mean, how on earth can anybody share a message that they don’t understand? Good night nurse, that would be like me telling you how to fix your refrigerator or treat your eczema. If it can’t be done with a hammer and a screwdriver, man, I’m out of my league. You see, before we talk, we better understand at least a little bit. And I think that’s also true, if we’re serious about sharing the good news. And isn’t the truth about God at least as important as an appliance in your kitchen or a rash on your skin? We might want to learn before we share. And you know, what’s amazing is this: as we learn about God, we also grow. And for me, that’s one reason why evangelism is important.

And two, a desire to become effective evangelists not only  forces us to understand God, it also forces us to understand those around us, particularly all those men and women on the other side of these walls. You see, if we want them to listen, we need to understand who they are. And I’ll tell you, I think this is something the Apostle Paul did really well. For example, according to the Book of Acts, when he was in the pagan city of Athens, a place where folks worshiped all kinds of gods, even gods they didn’t know, this was what he did:

So Paul stood up in front of the council and said:

People of Athens, I see that you are very religious. As I was going through your city and looking at the things you worship, I found an altar with the words, “To an Unknown God.” You worship this God, but you don't really know him. So I want to tell you about him. This God made the world and everything in it. He is Lord of heaven and earth, and he doesn't live in temples built by human hands. He doesn't need help from anyone. He gives life, breath, and everything else to all people. From one person God made all nations who live on earth, and he decided when and where every nation would be.

God has done all this, so that we will look for him and reach out and find him. He isn't far from any of us, and he gives us the power to live, to move, and to be who we are. “We are his children,” just as some of your poets have said. [Acts 17:22-28, CEV]

Now that was what Paul did, and I think it’s really cool. You see, he got to know who the Athenians were and even paid them a compliment before ever talking about God.

And you know, I think we can do the same thing ourselves. I mean, before we start sharing what’s important to us, it just makes sense that we spend a little time learning about what’s important to them. My goodness, it just makes sense to learn something about who they are and where they’ve been and what’s shaped their lives. And you know, it just makes sense to learn their language so we can share what we understand in a way that they can understand it too. Back when I was in Weirton, the best friend I’ve even had and the most dedicated Christian I’ve ever known used to talk about why the Presbyterian Church was so successful in evangelizing Korea. And according to Robb, this was the reason. When the Roman Catholics came, they tried to teach the people Latin so they could worship. And when the Methodists came, they tried to teach them English so they could read their Bible. But when the Presbyterians came, they learned Korean. And now, there are more Presbyterians in South Korea than in the United States. You see, evangelism pushes us to understand others. And as we do, we also grow. And along with forcing us to understand God, for me, that’s why evangelism is important for the spiritually height challenged, the answer to our first question.

And of course, that leaves us with question number two, how might we become effective evangelists? And again, how we answer this is really where the rubber hits the road. I mean, just knowing why it’s important really isn’t enough, not if we don’t know how to do it. You see, how can we share Jesus Christ to others? Now that’s a great question. And you know, even though there are all kinds of techniques out there, many of which are really good but others, well, not so much, I believe there are three things we might want to remember as we go out into our world.

You see, first, I think we need to remember that we share Jesus Christ through our words, you know, the words that we use. I mean, we can certainly tell others about the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. But you know, aren’t we also communicating Christian grace by forgiving others and asking to be forgiven ourselves? And aren’t we conveying God’s love when our words are gentle and uplifting? And aren’t we reflecting the kind of fellowship the Spirit offers when we tell folks that, in spite of their past, they’re accepted here? You see, whether it involves content or compassion, what we say tells others what we believe. And I’ll tell you, I don’t think that fact was lost on Paul. I mean, just listen to what he wrote to Timothy:

When Christ Jesus comes as king, he will be the judge of everyone, whether they are living or dead. So with God and Christ as witnesses, I command you to preach God's message. Do it willingly, even if it isn't the popular thing to do. You must correct people and point out their sins. But also cheer them up, and when you instruct them, always be patient. The time is coming when people won't listen to good teaching. Instead, they will look for teachers who will please them by telling them only what they are itching to hear. They will turn from the truth and eagerly listen to senseless stories. But you must stay calm and be willing to suffer. You must work hard, telling the good news and to do your job well. [2 Timothy 4:1-5, CEV]

You see, first, we evangelize through the words we use. 

And second, I think we also need to remember that we share Jesus through our works, in other words, the works we do. And I think this is really important for us to remember, because, I’ll tell you, I can preach about damnation all over the place and I can talk about blessings until the cows come home, but if I’m not living the faith I claim, all my words mean nothing. As Paul wrote, 

What if I could speak

all languages of humans

    and even of angels?

If I did not love others,

    I would be nothing more

than a noisy gong

    or a clanging cymbal. [1 Corinthians 13:1, CEV]

No, our faith is shared by the lives we choose to live. And I’ll tell you, I think that’s exactly what Jesus was getting at when he said this to his disciples:

You are the salt for everyone on earth. But if salt no longer tastes like salt, how can it make food salty? All it is good for is to be thrown out and walked on.

You are the light for the whole world. A city built on top of a hill cannot be hidden, and no one lights a lamp and puts it under a clay pot. Instead, it is placed on a lampstand, where it can give light to everyone in the house. Make your light shine, so others will see the good you do and will praise your Father in heaven. [Matthew 5:13-16, CEV]

I’ll tell you, second, we evangelize through the work we do.

And third, and you know, this may be the most important of all, I think we need to remember that we share our Christian faith through the values we claim. And like I said, this may be more important than either our words or our work, because I think our values shape what we say when there’s no one around to hear and what we do when there’s no one around to see. And maybe that explains why the Apostle Peter wrote this:

Stop being hateful! Quit trying to fool people, and start being sincere. Don't be jealous or say cruel things about others. Be like newborn babies who are thirsty for the pure spiritual milk that will help you grow and be saved. You have already found out how good the Lord really is. [1 Peter 2:1-3, CEV]

No, I think our values reflect who we are and point to the one whom we follow. Therefore, we need to remember that they show the world what we believe. And maybe that’s why Paul thought it was so important for believers to value love, and I’m talking about the kind of love that’s done and not just felt. And how did he describe this kind of love, just listen to what he wrote to the Corinthians:

Love is patient and kind,

never jealous, boastful,

proud, or rude.

Love isn't selfish

    or quick tempered.

It doesn't keep a record

    of wrongs that others do.

Love rejoices in the truth,

    but not in evil.

Love is always supportive,

loyal, hopeful,

    and trusting.

Love never fails! [1 Corinthians 13:4-8a, CEV]

You see, we share Christ through the values we claim, and along with the words we use and the works we do, I believe that’s the third thing we need to remember as we go out as evangelists.

And so, here we are. Of course, we’ll have to wait to see whether the Chiefs or the Eagles will be lifting the Lombardi Trophy. The commercials have yet to air, and Rihanna hasn’t sung a single note, and I imagine Team Ruff and Team Fluff are still wagging up. But you know, right now, we have the power to make some pretty important decisions. You see, we can decide that, because it forces us to understand God and those around us, we’re going to take evangelism seriously, remembering that it’s done through the words we say and the works we do and the values we claim. And you know, right along with study and prayer, stewardship and worship, this is something else that just might help us grow spiritually.