Wandering In The Wilderness:

Acts 17 : 1-4 (NKJV)1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, Acts 17 : 1-4 (NKJV)3explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ. 4And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas.A Great Evangelistic ExampleActs 17:1-4Evangelistic ExampleWhile we are all very aware of the need and command to evangelize, it seems as though the church does not grow as it did in the first century

One major reason for that is that many are not following the model set forth in the New TestamentEvangelistic ExampleWe know how frustrating it is to be told to do something without being told how to do it

God did not tell us to evangelize without showing us how to do it

Many of our examples come from ActsEvangelistic ExampleOften, the best way to learn how to do something is to watch someone else do it

That is a strategy that Christ employed with His apostles

The same is true of our efforts to evangelizeEvangelistic ExampleOne of the best at evangelizing in the New Testament was the apostle Paul

He was a fearless preacher of God who was responsible for many converts

Acts 17 gives us a peek into why he was so successfulEvangelistic Example1. Paul went to the people

they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them

Notice Paul did not wait for anyone to come to him, but rather he went where the people wereEvangelistic Example1. Paul went to the people

Often times our only effort to evangelize is when someone comes to us asking questions

Or perhaps our only effort is to make them come to us by inviting them to worship servicesEvangelistic Example1. Paul went to the people

Here we see Paul specifically going to where the people are

He searched out souls and brought the gospel to them

Jesus said we are to Go (Matt. 28:19; Mk. 16:15)Evangelistic Example1. Paul went to the people

If we only ever wait on others to come to us, then we will not be very effective in bringing the lost to Jesus

Paul, as well as Jesus, showed us the importance of finding the lost and taking the gospel to them (Lk. 19:10)Evangelistic Example2. Paul was patient with them

For some, the problem isnt whether or not they share the gospel

The problem with some is that they have no patience

We often wonder why others have a hard time understanding what we see right in front of usEvangelistic Example2. Paul was patient with them

We may wonder why it is not as plain to them as it is to us

Or perhaps we wonder why they are hesitant to obey what they say they believe

All these things can cause us to lose patienceEvangelistic Example2. Paul was patient with them

Paul spent 3 Sabbaths teaching these same people

For some 3 weeks Paul found himself (likely daily) teaching in the synagogue

Paul realized that you cannot rush some into this important decisionEvangelistic Example2. Paul was patient with them

Paul said that love, in the context of evangelism, is patient (I Cor. 13:4)

In the same way, God is longsuffering towards us all (II Pet. 3:9)

It is both difficult and downright scary for someone to change what they have believed all their lifeEvangelistic Example3. Paul taught effectively

It matters not just what you teach, but how you teach it (Eph. 4:15)

Paul understood that and taught in 3 ways that we should consider teaching in as well

Using the scriptures as his sourceEvangelistic Example3. Paul taught effectively

He reasoned with them from the Scriptures

Reasoned = thoroughly discuss; think different things with oneself; to ponder; to dispute with others

Falsehoods and false doctrines must be disputedEvangelistic Example3. Paul taught effectively

We see Paul using these same methods elsewhere (Acts 17:17; 18:4, 19; 19:8)

We see Paul reason with Felix in Acts 24:25

Paul thought things through himself, then reasoned with others concerning the truth

Evangelistic Example3. Paul taught effectively

The Bible also teaches that Paul was explaining things about Christ to them

Explaining = open thoroughly; expound; open the mind, cause to understand

The word literally means to open as in eyes (Acts 7:56) or mind (Acts 17:3)Evangelistic Example3. Paul taught effectively

Paul was also described here as demonstrating Christs death, burial and resurrection

Demonstrating = to place beside or set before

It refers to the idea of laying out facts or proofs to get across the ideaEvangelistic Example4. Paul taught Jesus

The Bible clearly shows that Paul was reasoning, explaining, and demonstrating things concerning Jesus

Christ should be the focus and center point of our discussions with others on religious mattersEvangelistic Example4. Paul taught Jesus

The very first gospel sermon in Acts 2 focused and centered around Jesus

Once people agree that Jesus is in fact God in the flesh and understand His authority, then we can begin to look at obeying what He teachesEvangelistic Example4. Paul taught Jesus

Notice what Philip did with the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8

Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him (v. 35)

We need to preach Jesus just as Paul and others did