Euangellion and Life

Theology of Jesus’ Evangelism He incarnated the message of God in flesh and blood. He intentionally came to seek and save the lost. He worked by the power of the Holy Spirit. He called “whosoever” to become His disciples through a continuum of Gospel transformation and a call to Gospel transmission.

Theology of Jesus’ Evangelism He taught and he preached, he talked and he listened. He journey his life with people. He constantly met new people. He got out into all of life. He demonstrated and healed. He advocated... He called people to trust in God again by listening to God, and witnessing the work of God in him. His death was an act of “Gospeling” and while he died for the world he embraced a thief..

George MacLeod: I simply argue that the cross be raised again at the centre of the marketplace as well as on the steeple of the church. I am recovering the claim that Jesus was not crucified in a cathedral between two candles, but on a cross between two thieves, on the town garbage heap, at a crossroad so cosmopolitan they had to write his title in Hebrew, Latin and Greek. It was the kind of place where cynics talk smut, thieves curse, and soldiers gamble. That’s where he died. And that’s where Christians ought to be and what Christians ought to be about.

Essential Learning Elements of mission and Gospel from the Fourth Gospel 1. There has been a decisive and complete revelation of God in the particular event of Jesus' earthly ministry. "He who has seen me has seen the Father" (14:9). 2. Nevertheless there is much that they have still to learn. The Spirit of the Father himself will be their teacher, interpreting to them his revelation of the Father (14:16). This promise is to the Church and not for the world, for the world cannot receive the Spirit (14:17).

Essential Learning Elements of mission and Gospel from the Fourth Gospel 3. Nevertheless this gift is not for the private possession of the Church; the presence of the Spirit will constitute Christ's witness to the world (15:27). 4. This witness, however, will be in the form of a contradiction of the world's most fundamental beliefs (16:8-11). The work of the Spirit will thus continue through the witness of the Church that contradiction of the world's fundamental beliefs which was historically enacted in the cross.

Essential Learning Elements of mission and Gospel from the Fourth Gospel 5. To the Church, however, the work of the Spirit will be "to declare the things that are to come," to interpret coming events, to be the hermeneutic of the world's continuing history (16:13). 6. In doing so the Spirit will "glorify" Jesus. It will become clear through this teaching and guiding of the Spirit that the crucified Jesus is truly Lord of history (16:14). 7. The scope of this work of the Spirit is as wide as the universe itself, for "all that the Father has" belongs in truth to Jesus (16:15). Lesslie Newbigin. The Gospel in a Pluralist Society.

Pattern of Fourth Gospel Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 20:30-31 Nicodemus … “no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him” Healing the Paralytic Feeding Multitude Blind man Lazarus raised from dead “How can this be?” 3:9 Gospel Proclaimed 3:16

Live a life that demands a Gospel explanation. Live the kind of life among unbelievers that can not be explained other than by the Gospel.

Early Church Pattern “Wait for the gift” 1:8 “Holy Spirit” and sign of tongues 2:4 “what does this mean?” 2:12 Gospel Preached 2: ,000 Believe & Baptized 2:41 Lives Reflecting Gospel in communitas 2:42

Early Church Evangelism

Early Church Pattern Dependence on the Gift 3 Lame man healed 3:7 what does this mean? 3:10-12 Gospel Preached 3: ,000 Believe 4:4 Lives Reflecting Gospel in Persecution 4:3-7 Gospel Preached to Religious Elite 4:8-12 communitas

Early Church Pattern Dependence on the Gift 3 Ananias and Sapphira killed … 5:10 “many signs and wonders” 5:12 Meeting Together in Temple 5:12 “More and more believe” 5:`14 “as a result more sick were brought” 5:15 More persecution 5:17-18

Early Church Pattern Cont’d. place them in prison 5 Angel miraculously delivers them … 5:19-20 “go tell the people about this new life” 5:20 Gospel Preached 5:20, 42 “number of disciples increasing ” 6:1 Social needs being met 6:2ff Number of disciples increased rapidly … priests coming to the faith 6:7

Early Church Pattern Dependence on the Spirit Work of the Spirit (signs & wonders) Samaria: demons cast out and healings (8) Saul: Light from heaven (9) Aeneas healed (9) Tabitha raised from dead (9) Cornelius: Angel Peter: Vision (10) Philippian jailer: earthquake “Gospel Preached” Philip preaches Ananias proclaims Peter preaches. Paul preaches. Gospel is believed Samaria: believed and baptized. Saul believes and is baptized “All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.” “this became known … many people” believed in the Lord Cornelius believes and is baptized. Philippian jailer believes and is baptized.

What is the relationship between evangelism and disciple-making? Evangelizing comes from word for “gospel” and is the enterprise of declaring the Gospel. Disciple comes from word for “learner” and disciple-making is the process of teaching one to “obey everything that [Jesus] has commanded you.”

What is the relationship between evangelism and disciple-making? Evangelizing brings people to trust God’s work through Jesus Christ. Disciple-making brings people to live (obey) God’s word through the Gospel. The Gospel is the content of both movements. – Evangelism: brings people to faith in the Gospel. – Discipleship: brings people to live out the Gospel

What is the mission of the church? “Make Disciples!” – We do this by being Christ’s witnesses (evangelism). – By baptizing people into the Name (identity, character) of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. – By Teaching the new followers to obey everything Jesus has commanded.