Facing a Task Unfinished

Cultivating personal evangelism week by week

Roger Carswell

• Publisher: Christian Focus Publication
• eBook ISBN:
  9781781916155
• Year: 2015

The Gospel to All Nations

Week 5

Luke 24:13-16, 44-49

Now behold, two of them were travelling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.

… Then He said to them, ‘These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.’ And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. Then He said to them, ‘Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things. Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.’

Meditation

What a delightful snapshot of Jesus the Pastor, the Wonderful Counsellor drawing alongside the downcast, doubting disciples as they walked and talked about Jesus. Throughout His life this is what Jesus did, drew alongside the doubting, the despondent, the grieving, the sick, the lonely, the struggling and even the dying. Here Jesus used the Word to point the two disciples to Himself and the gospel itself, insisting that the Christ had to suffer, die and the third day rise again. What a Bible study that must have been, and what a role model is Jesus. To effectively cure the hearts of lost men and women, we need the best tool, which is the Bible, and time, and talk! Much good conversation about Jesus comes about when we have the time to start at the beginning and carefully tell people of Jesus. It is a good thing to always have a Bible, and be ready to open it and explain who is the Person to whom it all points. Isn’t this what life is actually about? Sir Wilfred Grenfell said, ‘The service we render for others is really the rent we pay for our room on this earth.’

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How shall they hear the Word of God

Unless His truth is told?

How shall the sinful be set free,

The sorrowful consoled?

To all who speak the truth today

Impart your Spirit, Lord we pray.

How shall they call to God for help

Unless they have believed?

How shall the poor be given hope,

The prisoner reprieved?

To those who help the blind to see

Give light and love and clarity.

How shall the gospel be proclaimed

If heralds are not sent?

How shall the world find peace at last

If we are negligent?

So send us, Lord, for we rejoice

To speak of Christ with life and voice.

— © Michael Perry

Prayer

Lord of all, I confess that so often I am just too busy to stop and talk to people about Jesus. Please forgive me. Impress upon me that the greatest investment of my life is to point people to Jesus. Guide me by your Holy Spirit to draw alongside the hurting and those with hearts that are ready to hear the good news that Christ had to suffer and rise, so that we might experience His forgiveness. May I be a faithful, fruitful witness to Your grace and goodness. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

My personal prayer:

Use this section to note down your prayers if your eBook reader allows. Alternatively, you might want to write them down on a piece of paper or your diary and keep them safe.

Week 6

Joshua 6:20-25 (nlt)

The Fall of Jericho

When the people heard the sound of the rams’ horns, they shouted as loud as they could. Suddenly, the walls of Jericho collapsed, and the Israelites charged straight into the town and captured it. They completely destroyed everything in it with their swords—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep, goats, and donkeys.

Meanwhile, Joshua said to the two spies, ‘Keep your promise. Go to the prostitute’s house and bring her out, along with all her family.’

The men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father, mother, brothers, and all the other relatives who were with her. They moved her whole family to a safe place near the camp of Israel.

Then the Israelites burned the town and everything in it. Only the things made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron were kept for the treasury of the Lord’s house. So Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute and her relatives who were with her in the house, because she had hidden the spies Joshua sent to Jericho. And she lives among the Israelites to this day.

Meditation

Rahab, the prostitute of Jericho, in an act of faith, had given refuge to the two spies sent by Joshua to spy out the land. They had been a blessing to her, and then promised that if she bound a scarlet cord in the window, through which they had escaped, everyone who was within her house would be saved. About three weeks passed before the Israelite army marched around the walls of Jericho. However, on the seventh day they marched around the city seven times. The walls fell down and the city was routed.

The young men, who had been spies, went to Rahab’s house and brought out Rahab, her father, mother, brothers and ‘all that she had’. That phrase is written in 6:23 and 25. Clearly she had spent her time with her family, friends and anyone else she knew, earnestly and urgently persuading them to come to the place of safety. Little did she realise how vital that task would be to so many. It was her greatest act of love.

Even more, she was to be an ancestor of Jesus. Her self-sacrificing led to immediate and long term blessing to millions because of what her greater Son would accomplish. Is God not able to use us to bless those around us, and maybe bring the Saviour to generations yet to come if we will spend time with those we would aim to win to Christ? David Siegmann said, ‘God is in the people-saving business, and His method is to use His people.’

•

Church of God, elect and glorious,

Holy nation, chosen race;

Called as God’s own special people,

Royal priests and heirs of grace;

Know the purpose of your calling,

Show to all His mighty deeds;

Tell of love which knows no limits,

Grace which meets all human needs.

God has called you out of darkness

Into His most marvellous light;

Brought His truth to light within you,

Turned your blindness into sight.

Let your light so shine around you

That God’s name is glorified;

And all find fresh hope and purpose

In Christ Jesus crucified.

Once you were an alien people,

Strangers to God’s heart of love;

But He brought you home in mercy,

Citizens of Heaven above.

Let His love flow out to others,

Let them fear a Father’s care.

That they too may know His welcome

And His countless blessings share.

Church of God, elect and Holy

Be the people He intends;

Strong in faith and swift to answer

Each command your master sends;

Royal priests, fulfil your calling

Through your sacrifice and prayer;

Give your lives in joyful service—

Sing His praise, His love declare.

— © James E. Seddon

Prayer

O God, my Heavenly Father, You know all about my past, which I confess to you and of which I thoroughly repent. I do not want to live selfishly, I want to redeem the time knowing that the task is urgent, and I pray for Your help and ability to bring to the Saviour my close relatives and anyone else that I can. I know destruction is so near to so many but, Lord, please use me as a soul-winner not only to dwell in the place of safety, but to bring many others to know Jesus as I do. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

My personal prayer:

Use this section to note down your prayers if your eBook reader allows. Alternatively, you might want to write them down on a piece of paper or your diary and keep them safe.

Week 7

Matthew 5:43-44

You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you …

1 Timothy 2:1-4

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, pray-ers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, who desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.

Meditation

In these passages we are directly told to pray specifically for certain people: those who spitefully use or persecute us; for kings and all in authority; indeed for all men and women. I am not sure that we are good at keeping these commands! In 1 Timothy, praying for these people is linked with God’s desire to see all of them saved. Reducing individuals to mere numbers leaves us feeling insignificant. Let us learn to pray for our royal family, for political and spiritual leaders, for those who control the media, education, the economy and those who influence the minds of millions. Skevington Wood remarked once that ‘It is the temptation of this pragmatic age to presume that technique is the secret of evangelism’. It is not. Only God can make our proclamation fruitful. The resemblance between some evangelistic work and business and sales campaigns undermines what we evangelicals are saying. Let us ask God to allow us to live in an atmosphere which enhances the gospel, but above all, we can pray that these people who need the Lord, just as we do, will be saved. Do they seem too far away from Him for that? Remember, Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. They, and we, qualify!

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Out in the darkness,

Shadowed by sin,

Souls are in bondage,

Souls we would win.

How can we win them?

How show the way?

Love never fails,

Love is the way.

Think how the Master

Came from above

Suffered on Calvary

Breathing out love;

Think how He loves us,

Even when we stray.

We must love others,

Love is His way.

See, they are waiting,

Looking at you,

Furtively watching

All that you do:

Seeming so careless,

Hardened and lost.

Love never fails

Count not the cost.

Love never fails

Love is pure gold;

Love is what Jesus

Came to unfold,

Make us more loving,

Master, we pray;

Help us remember

Love is God’s way.

— Flora Kirkland

Prayer

O Lord God, King of kings and Lord of lords, I pray today for those who have authority on earth. I pray for our royal family: the Queen, Princes and Princesses. In Your goodness please reveal Yourself to them, that they might bow their knees to Your absolute reign over all. Bless them and do them good. I pray for local and national political leaders, asking that they would be given wisdom to lead our nation in godly ways where righteousness and justice rule. Save them I ask. And for those who are my enemies, and enemies of the gospel, please be merciful to them. Lovingly rebuke them, so that they too might repent and believe. Thank you that I live in the times You have allotted for me and I ask to be faithful and loving in proclaiming Jesus to all. Amen.

My personal prayer:

Use this section to note down your prayers if your eBook reader allows. Alternatively, you might want to write them down on a piece of paper or your diary and keep them safe.

Week 8

Acts 1:1-8

The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, ‘which,’ He said, ‘you have heard from Me; for John truly baptised with water, but you shall be baptised with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’ Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, ‘Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’ And He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.’

Meditation

Like a church bell tolling out a message, this powerful passage strikingly reminds us that God has a strategy for world evangelisation. With the power of the Holy Spirit we are to be witnesses to Jesus first in the immediate area, then to move out of our comfort zone to those increasingly distant from our home, until eventually the gospel has been taken to the very ends of the earth. As witnesses, we do not speak of ourselves but Jesus; not of what we have gained, but of Jesus; not of our particular church or denomination but Jesus. Or, as I once heard the black preacher E. V. Hill say, ‘Preach Jesus; He is preachable!’ And in proclaiming Christ, we must not just keep Him in the security of the four walls of our churches but witness to Him wherever there is opportunity to do so.

•

From Greenland’s icy mountains,

From India’s coral strand,

Where Afric’s sunny fountains

Roll down the golden sand,

From many an ancient river,

From many a palmy plain,

They call us to deliver

Their land from error’s chain.

What though the spicy breezes

Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle,

Though every prospect pleases

And only man is vile:

In vain with lavish kindness

The gifts of God are strown;

The heathen in his blindness

Bows down to wood and stone.

Can we, whose souls are lighted

With wisdom from on high,

Can we to men benighted

The lamp of life deny?

Salvation! O Salvation!

The joyful sound proclaim,

Till each remotest nation

Has learned Messiah’s name.

Waft, waft, ye winds, his story,

And you, ye waters, roll,

Till, like a sea of glory,

It spreads from pole to pole;

Till o’er our ransomed nature

The Lamb for s...

Table of contents

• Testimonials
• Title
• Indicia
• Contents
• Introduction
• How to use this book
• The Heart of the Gospel
• The Gospel to All Nations
• The Great Commission and The Need of the People
• The Soul Winners’ Motive and the ‘Lostness of the Lost’
• The Process of Evangelism
• The Characteristics of Soul Winners
• Suffering
• Children and Families
• Conclusion
• My Prayer Book
• Other books of interest from Christian Focus Publications
• Christian Focus