Power of Serving Evangelism – How to Witness Through Good Deeds audio video notes. I hear of food being made and delivered to the sick. I hear of people cleaning houses, fixing cars, and hauling furniture. Sometimes I am amazed and ask, ‘Why do they do this?’ I have the answer. I want you to know serving is an evangelistic power given to you by the Holy Spirit and resident in you. Serving is your witness for Jesus.
Seven Personalities Of Evangelism
Power of Serving Evangelism – How to Witness Through Good Deeds
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Power of Serving Evangelism – How to Witness Through Good Deeds
Scriptures: Acts 1:8, Acts 9:36-42
Many people believe if they are American and haven’t committed any capital crimes like killing someone, then they are okay, and they will make it into “heaven” when they die. This attitude is especially true if the person lives in the “Bible belt” and even more true if they are a Republican. It is somewhat difficult to find anyone who truly realizes they will go to hell when they die without Jesus as their Lord or leader.
I wanted to tell everyone again about our background. It is a picture of a nine-foot-tall bronze statue called “Joyful Jesus.” It depicts Jesus finding the lost sheep taught in Luke 15 and returning with the sheep on his shoulders rejoicing. That’s how Jesus, Father God, and the Holy Spirit feel when one lost person is found.
Most people believe in God, but it’s difficult to find anyone who will say they are “lost.” However, it’s easy to find thousands of people who are not devoted followers of Jesus Christ. These are the unchurched. These are also lost. In Luke 15, the sheep became lost, the coin became lost, and the prodigal son became lost. Many of us have lost loved ones who easily fit into this category. The Lord said to look around, “Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest” (Joh 4:35). Those are our harvest fields.
They, too, must be found. Over the next years, we will make reaching these people a high value of Life Gate Church. Life Gate will reach people and make them devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
Power of Serving Evangelism video audio notes
Let’s refresh ourselves on the different evangelism styles.
1. Intellectual Style (Paul at Athens)
2. Confrontational Style (Peter – Day of Pentecost)
3. Relational Style (Levi – Luke 5)
4. Invitational Style (Woman at well)
5. Serving Style (Tabitha)
6. Testimonial Style (Man born blind)
7. Prayer Style (Cornelius)
Which is the most important? All are of the same importance. What determines the importance is the situation. For example, it would not be wise to be confrontational when an intellectual approach is necessary.
Nothing to be done in a true spiritual life can be done in a hurry.
Today’s lesson is a wonderful example of how things cannot be done in a hurry when it comes to reaching people for Jesus. Serving people takes time and is a part of a true spiritual life. That is what we will look at today.
Power of Serving Evangelism video audio notes
Acts 9:36-42
36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas), who was always doing good and helping the poor.
37 About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room.
38 Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!”
39 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.
40 Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up.
41 He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called the believers and the widows and presented her to them alive.
42 This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.
Power of Serving Evangelism video audio notes
It’s sad how it takes a person dying before others will come to Jesus. I know Tabitha’s being raised to life was what brought many in, but the death of a person brings home our own mortality. Many preachers use a funeral to confront people at this sensitive time. I have done it on a few occasions myself. However, this situation we just read ended with a person coming back from the dead, causing people to come to Jesus.
How many of us have ever experienced something having the potential to take us out, but we lived instead? Perhaps it was a disease like cancer, or a car crash, or a physical problem like a heart attack. Those times are powerful times of witnessing for Jesus. If you have had one of those close encounters, then you need to talk about it.
…named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas)
We are given a wonderful story about a woman named Tabitha. I noticed how Luke, the writer of the Book of Acts, placed a special emphasis on her name. He translated her name from Aramaic (Tabitha) to Greek (Dorcas). There is something about her name he wanted his readers to be aware of. As we know, names mean much, and names are of God. So, I looked up “Tabitha,” and I looked up “Dorcas.”
Power of Serving Evangelism video audio notes
Tabitha – Tabitha {tab-ee-thah’}
of Aramaic origin
Tabitha = “female gazelle”
Dorcas – Dorkas {dor-kas’}
primitive root
Dorcas = “gazelle”
Both words mean “female gazelle,” which wasn’t exactly what I was expecting to find. It took me a minute, and with the help of the Holy Spirit, I began to see what was being accentuated.
A gazelle is actually an antelope. They are very beautiful, graceful, and fast animals. Luke thinks of a woman who was very graceful, very beautiful, very fast, and full of energy. We have a picture of Tabitha in her name. She was a beautiful person both outwardly and, more importantly, inwardly. This image is the picture of Tabitha. She was a beautiful and graceful person.
Doing for others energized her and kept her busy, and she was obviously a woman deeply loved because of her inward beauty and service to others. Tabitha was beautiful, like a gazelle.
Power of Serving Evangelism video audio notes
Always doing good and helping the poor
We are told that Tabitha was always doing good things and helping the poor. The word “always” is meaningful. She was constantly serving others. Serving was her ministry. She wasn’t confrontational—gazelles are not. She may not have been intellectual. However, Tabitha touched lives for Jesus through her witnessing gift of serving. Her power to be a witness for Jesus (Act 1:8) was through serving others.
The Bible says she was always doing good and helping people. Scriptures do not tell all Tabitha did, but they do say she provided clothing for widows (Acts 9:39). She made certain she met people’s needs. By serving, she touched lives at the point of their need. Tabitha loved helping and doing for people. It wasn’t laborious to her. It was a pleasure.
I think of people in our church body who are like this. Many of you are ALWAYS doing things for others. I constantly hear of women taking care of the children of others, food made and delivered to the sick, and people cleaning houses, fixing cars, and hauling furniture. Sometimes, this amazes me, and I ask, “Where do they find time and the energy to do that? Why do they do that?” I have the answer.
You’re a gazelle. I want you to know the evangelistic power given you by the Holy Spirit and resident in you (Act 1:8) is serving. Serving is your witness for Jesus, and serving energizes you.
Most likely, you don’t even think you are “witnessing” as you serve. You simply love serving people and doing for others. It’s your thing. It’s time to learn to use it as a powerful witnessing tool.
Power of Serving Evangelism video audio notes
Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
You need to know everyone will not do for people what you do for people.
Others will not take the time or expand the energy or go to the trouble to meet people at their point of need. You not only will, but you enjoy doing it and actually look for opportunities to do it. You are beautiful in the eyes of God.
What I hear the Spirit saying today is to encourage you to take your ability and use your ability more to witness for Jesus. You minister much to those already devoted followers of Jesus Christ. Expand yourself and minister to those far from God. Then, work into your serving a time where you talk to them about Jesus. You will need to plan it and make it happen. In the back of your mind, be looking for a place to talk about Jesus. Invite them to church.
Realize your impact on people and utilize your impact for the sake of Christ. They owe you, though you didn’t do it to be owed. Take advantage of the opportunity for Christ. Tabitha did.
I remember years ago when I worked in manufacturing.
I had a man who worked for me. His name was Billy. I had been inviting Billy to church and witnessing to him but hadn’t seemed to get very far. One morning I was going home from work and Billy was having automobile problems in the parking lot. I drove to where he parked and asked if I could assist. After investigating the situation, we decided he needed a new starter. I told him to hop in, and I would take him to get one. He did, and we went to the auto parts store, where I had to lend him a little money to get the starter.
Power of Serving Evangelism video audio notes
I then drove him back to his car and waited until he installed the new starter. It all took several hours, and I found myself waiting for Billy to ask me what he owed me. I had my answer pre-thought and ready. When over and his car running, he asked me what he owed me. I said, “Billy, you don’t owe me anything. It was a joy helping you. But there is one thing I would like for you to do. Go to church with me just one time. I’m not trying to twist your arm, but it’s important to me you come to church with me at least once.”
We need to tell people the importance of their coming. He said he would, and he did that next Sunday. That Sunday, the Lord saved Billy.
What if I had not helped Billy? What if I had not taken the time necessary to do something special for him, and what if I had not taken advantage of the opportunity? However, because I did, Billy came into the kingdom of God.
Power of Serving Evangelism video audio notes
she became sick and died
Scriptures tell us Tabitha became ill and died. It was interesting to see the impact her death had upon her region. Her passing away obviously grieved many, which shows the impact Tabitha had on people’s lives.
They summoned the apostle Peter. No average preacher would do for Tabitha’s funeral. I don’t think they expected Peter to come and raise her from the dead. They had washed her body and prepared her for burial. They wanted Peter to come and preach at her funeral and to help make some sense of this saint’s unexpected death. The urgency of Peter’s coming quickly was they did not embalm, and funerals needed to take place quickly.
When Peter arrived, he saw the hurt and grief of the people. Obviously, this moved Peter by the loss. He prayed, and God raised Tabitha back to life.
I want to mention this point. It is obvious Tabitha’s length of life extended because of her always doing good and helping the poor. I have seen God do this. There are people in our church congregation who have been completely healed of some serious physical problems, and I believe it is because they are always doing good and helping people. I want to encourage you. Perhaps you need a physical healing. I feel strongly about this. Find some people who have a need and touch their lives at their point of need.
Often when a person cannot receive a healing, I notice they never do anything for others. They want others to do for them, but never do they serve others. Healing extended Tabitha’s life because of her serving others.
Power of Serving Evangelism video audio notes
Acts 9:42 This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.
The people in the region loved Tabitha. They grieved her death but were now touched by her healing. We touch deeply the lives of people when we serve them, and we touch lives when the Lord heals us. People listen to people who give them help. We want to respond when people do something for us.
Many people will believe in the Lord by our witness. When the people we help see those who have touched their lives go through tough times and remain faithful to Jesus, it contributes to bringing them to the Lord. Utilize this as an evangelistic ministry. People are watching.
The ways to serve people are endless. I do not believe most of us have any difficulty serving one another. It is when we need to reach out to someone who is far from God we have difficulty. Yet, this is exactly the person we need to reach and touch. It is extremely easy for me to do things for you, but it is difficult for me to do things for people far from God. I suspect it’s this way with most of us. However, to do the work of the evangelist, we need to realize the people we want to come to the Lord are moved by our serving them. It’s the power of serving evangelism.
Power of Serving Evangelism – How to Witness Through Good Deeds
Power of Serving Evangelism – How to Witness Through Good Deeds
Other Related Sermons:
Evangelism Seven Styles audio video notes
Seven Personalities Of Evangelism
Power of Intellectual Evangelism
Also see:
Power of Serving Evangelism video audio notes