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Reaching People. . .
One House at a Time

Pastor Mike O'Brien
July 22, 2007

This morning I want us to think “outside of the box” a bit when it comes to reaching people for Christ. Now part of the mission statement of the church reads “reaching our neighbors. . . for Christ.” Now what is a church mission statement? Well, in my opinion and experience they are usually just catchy phrases that most of the congregation is not even really aware of. Someone has said “words are cheap.” Someone has also said that “actions speak louder than words.” I think that both of those statements are true in the Christian life.

I don’t think anyone here would look at that mission statement and say, “well, I disagree with that statement.” But the big question is this: What are you doing to fulfill that statement? Now I am not concerned with fulfilling a church mission statement, per se, but I am concerned about fulfilling God commands. And one of God’s commands happens to be that we reach our neighbors—our Jerusalem with the gospel.

Now we are more than halfway through the book of Acts and we have seen the apostles and early church reaching their neighbors and beyond with the gospel. And I have seen in my nearly two and a half years here at OFRBC, us become more focused on doing this.

Today I simply want to present you with some ways in which we can reach our neighbors for Christ. Now I want to point something that we have seen in the book of Acts. The reason I want to do this is because I think that most of us would agree that evangelism is mainly to be done outside of the church building.

Now you will remember that in Acts chapter 2 we see the initial meetings of the early church. Many had become saved on the day of Pentecost. They did not have church buildings as we have today, so they gathered in the temple and at homes. And in 2:46 we see what was happening in the temple and then how that correlated to what was happening in the homes.

Acts 2:46

“Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart,”

And in chapter 5:42 we read:

Acts 5:42

“And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.” Again we see the temple and then house to house pattern.

And then look at Acts 8:3

Acts 8:3

“But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison.”

Saul went from house to house to persecute Christians. And by the way the text does not say that Saul went to the houses during church services. It just says he went to houses. So I take it that He found out who the Christians were and went to their homes. Let me ask you this? If someone came into your neighborhood and began asking where all of the Christians lived would they point your house out? That stings, doesn’t it? It stung me too!

All right, now that we are all convicted, let’s turn our attention back to Saul. Saul, of course, is the life most transformed in all the book of Acts. He said this in Acts 20, (and we haven’t gotten that far in Acts, so you may not remember this) but in Acts 20:20-21 Paul says this:

Acts 20:20-21

how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

The growth of the early church was largely “house to house.” Yes they preached in public settings, but they also preached the gospel house to house. I believe that this concept has been largely lost in our society. God wants our homes to be a beam of light in a dark world. In all of the missionary journeys, and the disciples going from this city to that city it is easy to miss this important mission post—the home! Now, of course, foreign mission’s is great, but we better not think of missions as just somewhere outside of our home.

Now I believe that we are all missionaries of some sort. Do you think of yourself as a missionary? We all are called to be local missionaries. Whereas world missions is the whole work, throughout the whole world, of the whole church until Jesus comes, there is also a sense in which missions is an individual work which is to take place in individual homes and communities.

Now let’s go back to Acts chapter 5. Now remember that chapter 5 starts with the situation with Ananias and Saphira. Then apostles are imprisoned as the church is persecuted. But by the end of the chapter 5 we read again:

Acts 5:42

“And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.”

Now that is evangelistic. They were preaching that Jesus was the Messiah. That is what the title “Christ” means.

Now let me ask you and me this question: Who are the people in your neighborhood?

There was a time not long ago in my life when I would read about this Christian or that Christian and I would see the things God did in their lives and I would wonder why God wasn’t using me in those ways. Then I realized that I wasn’t really praying for God to use me in those ways. I wasn’t seeking to be used in those ways. Since then, God has put me in some unique situations.

And so this morning I want us to focus on the question of: who are the people in my neighborhood? Are you taking time to get to know on some level the people in your neighborhood?

Now this is the time of year when you will be out and about walking, riding bikes, swimming at a local pool (mine is very local!) . . . etc. We just had VBS. We play softball. There are many opportunities to get to know people. And all these people need several things.

People need a personal witness.

In 5:32 Peter who had been sharing his faith and so the community leaders come against him, he says

Acts 5:32

“And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

Peter said, in affect, I am a witness of these things so that I have to speak of them. Now all of us are witnesses. We are either a good or bad witness, but we are a witness. We are either a silent or open witness, but we are a witness.

People in our neighborhoods are not likely to show up to church unless you have invited them to do so. Some people go to church through another means, but usually those who go to church will have had a personal witness from someone.

Now there have been times when I have failed to witness to a neighbor. I had good reasons. I have children. I’m just so busy. So often I’ve had good intentions. Now listen just like you I struggle with how exactly to witness. You know, when do I say something, what should I say, how should I say it. I struggle with those things too. And let me confess something else. I get timid at times. I get those butterflies or whatever you want to call them. You say how can a pastor get scared about sharing his faith, well I don’t know but I do sometimes. And so after studying the Bible for years and going to seminary I still know what it is like to get a bit nervous about sharing by faith.

And so people need a personal witness and:

People need a practical witness.

v. 42 “everyday” They didn’t get it all done in one day. It takes time. You may have to build relationships with them in order to share the gospel. Yes, we should share the gospel with them ASAP, but we need to show them we care. Let me give you some ways:

Have you ever seen balloons saying “it’s a girl” or “it’s a boy”? Or a sign on the door announcing the birth of a child? Take those opportunities to drop some food off or a gift. That is a great first step.

Or maybe you see that someone moves into the neighborhood. You take the opportunity to welcome them to the neighborhood.
Or when it snows you help a single mother out or an elderly couple by clearing their drive way for them.
Or you help someone out by mowing their lawn for them. You get the point. If you are looking for opportunities to reach out to people you will find them.
Or we can pray for people as we walk around the neighborhood.

People need a practical witness, and they need a personal witness, but they also need a positive witness.

People need a positive witness.

Now the Bible tells us that Peter and others were beating and imprisoned for sharing Christ. The leaders had forbid them to preach the gospel. And what was the response of the apostles? Look at v. 41

Acts 5:41

So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name.

Now listen, not everyone around you is going to appreciate your efforts to reach people for the gospel. But we better do what we do for Christ’s sake. Not everyone feels appreciated by what they do at the church, but you know what YOU BETTER BE DOING IT FOR CHRIST and not for yourself primarily.

But be a positive witness even in the face of persecution. I’m afraid that far too many people see cranky, disgruntled Christians. Then we wonder why they don’t want to be one! If our message is get saved so you can be miserable like me then it won’t be very effective!

Now I am not saying that we need to put a happy face on when we are going through difficult situations. We don’t need to all look like smiling potato heads! But we need to live in the joy of Christ. That only happens by living a committed life.

You know I think of Dr. Falwell. When he died some cheered others cried. But the night he died a guy on Larry King was saying how Falwell was just a dispenser of hate. And Larry King stopped the man and said you know “I have been with Jerry many times and I can’t say that I ever found him to be hateful.” He was even friends with Larry Flint. He had a way of disarming his critics because people knew he cared for them even if they disagreed with him. Larry King went on to say “I disagreed with a lot of what Falwell said but I always found him to be a likeable person.”

(On the other hand you have the Phelps guy from Kansas)

Now this council, all they could say was that they saw the disciples going away rejoicing. That is a witness.

People need a personal witness, a practical witness, and a positive witness. And

People need a powerful witness.

Acts 5:32

“And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

5:32 “these things” –that is the personal witness, “and so is the Holy Spirit” That is the power of the witness. We know we can’t save anyone. But God can use our personal witness and make it powerful through His Spirit. It is not our job to save anyone, but just to share Christ with them.

You know we handed out many fliers for VBS. We didn’t get many that came from those fliers, but that is not our concern. The point is that we were witnessing to the community.

People need a pointed witness.

In 5:42 we see that they were preaching– “Jesus as the Christ” Our witness must point people to Christ. They don’t need to be pointed to you or me, to this church, but to Christ. We need to share the gospel in our community, not the gossip, but the gospel.

Look again at what Paul said in Acts 20:21

Acts 20:21

solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Paul was preaching the gospel which includes repentance.