Path of Evangelism IV: Sufficient and Willing

In this week’s episode, John and Matthew discuss what must come after the Holy Spirit plows the soul of an unbeliever and shows him or her the depth and reach of their sin. They also discuss some of the lies the enemy can, and often does, use to attack them. If we are going to be wise guides to Christ we must know these lies and the biblical truths that answer them.

One common lie is that the unbeliever is a special type of sinner, outside the reach of Christ’s salvation. Jesus is willing to save some sinners, the lie whispers, but you have gone too far and done too much. Scripture is rife with the truth the Jesus is sufficient to save even the foulest sinner.

Another lie typically following the one about Jesus' ability to save is that He does not want to save this sinner. Sure, Jesus is willing to save some sinners, but not you. You have abused his love too much. You have pushed Him back one too many times. Again, we must look to the Bible and see how Jesus Himself answers this lie and proves He is both sufficient and willing to save.

All the Scriptures and resources mentioned in the podcast are listed and linked for you under Show Notes.

0:00-3:00 John and Matthew briefly recap the importance of being careful with Scripture. We need to know what Scripture says about God and about the sinner. But we also must be careful in how we participate with God in the work of evangelism.

3:00-5:00 Now that the work of conviction is done, we must point the lost soul to the willing and sufficient Savior, Jesus. John and Matthew first emphasize the sufficiency of Christ.

5:00-7:00 Samuel Walker gives four guidelines when showing the sufficiency of Christ. Even though they were originally penned a hundred years ago, they are still very applicable.

7:00-11:00 If someone begins to doubt Christ can save a sinner such as him or her, Walker has beautiful words of truth. Matthew reads them and John elaborates. It comes down to the fact that Jesus is both God and our representative. As we begin to understand more concerning Jesus’ role as our representative, we become more enamored with the truth of HIs active obedience.

11:00-13:00 The sufficiency of Christ is also shown in the nature of the atonement and God’s acceptance of His sacrificial death. Beyond that, we point the unbeliever to the fact that our salvation is for God’s glory. He can not and will not fail in what He has promised. These truths are not just moving the sinner toward repentance and faith, they are what motivates Christians to evangelize in the first place.

16:00-18:00 Having laid out the fact that Jesus is sufficient to save sinners, John and Matthew address the fact that Jesus is willing to save sinners. How can we know someone is ready to hear the willingness of Jesus to save? And what Scripture can we walk them through to show it?

18:00-22:00 John looks at Jesus’ prayer in Matthew 11. It is an important passage that illustrates Christ's willingness to save. Look close at the way Jesus describes those He is inviting to come to salvation.

22:00-25:00 Looking at the invitations of Jesus helps us in several ways. Another help is the doctrine of election. But this beautiful truth is also attacked by our enemy. John gives an insightful illustration from Charles Spurgeon concerning what election actually is, and how it is misunderstood.

25:00- Other helpful portions of Scripture are the parables. Jesus often used stories to convey spiritual truths. One is The Parable of the Wedding Feast in Matthew 22. Who does the invitation go out to? Not those who are seemingly important, but those who have no standing and nothing to offer. Another parable is that of the Prodigal Son. Why would the father take his son back after being so wicked toward him?

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