Special Edition Sermon 6: Jesus Christ’s Workshop on Christmas Eve: “Three Questions Every Good Soldier of Jesus Christ Must Be Able to Answer!”
WARNING: This Sermon Series serves as “Basic Training for all Born-Again Christian Soldiers to prepare them for Spiritual Combat against Satan and the forces of darkness. In teaching these Sermons, we are not giving any place to fears of sparking negative emotions or feelings that gender strife and offense.
Hebrews 4:12 says,
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
As such, we are examining ourselves in light of the Word of God, and making changes where needed so that we may test what is that good, acceptable, and perfect will of God for our lives—and that is, to be like Jesus Christ in this untoward world. God expects for us to be “Good Soldiers” that are fit for battle, locked, and loaded with the Word of God and prayer to defeat the enemy. No matter the hardship encountered, we are determined to fight the “good fight” of faith until Jesus Christ, The Lord, returns.
Good Morning Saints of the Most-High God and Merry Christmas to All! Prelude to the Workshop
It is Christmas Eve and many people, including born-gain Christians, have their thoughts centered on the traditional worldly celebration of Christmas. Thoughts of last minute preparations for the big family Christmas dinner and drink with family and friends, gift buying and wrapping, and the ball games they plan to watch on giant-sized flat screen televisions. What a good time we all plan to have, with our houses decorated so green and red, and full of lights. Wow, cheers!
This is all fun and good to be together and share the yuletide with those we love. Now, the Lord willing, Dr. King will be preaching the Christmas Message for you next week, and bring the Word of God to us as we move forward into 2024.
But today, I want to herald to the body of Christ and to this Ministry individually, on this Christmas Eve that we must not leave “Christ” out of Christmas! We must stop and ask ourselves, what gifts do we plan to bring to Jesus Christ to celebrate His birth, life, death, resurrection from the dead on the third-day, and ascension to the right-hand thrown of God the Father? What does Jesus want from us on the day we celebrate as His birth into the earth?
For sure, there are two gifts Jesus Christ desires to receive from you: (1) Complete worship and service to Him, alone. (Rom 12:1) (2) To go out into the world and win souls to Him. (Mark 16:15-16)
These gifts are not new requests of our King and Lord. Jesus has been asking and waiting for years to receive these gifts from most Christians. But most Christians have left Jesus’s stocking hanging empty. Most Christians have never won a single person to Christ, nor invited anyone to attend Church, infrequently attend Church themselves, and regularly show up late!
At Christmas time, in Christian Circles, so often our focus is on the birth of the baby Jesus in the manger with the shepherds all around (NOT THREE WISE MEN PLEASE!); and this is a good thing. But we forget to look at the work of the shepherds after they left the manger.
The Apostle Luke told the story at Luke 2:9-20. In summary, while the shepherds were watching over their flocks that glorious night, the angel of God appeared and announced to the shepherds, that the Savior, “Christ the Lord had been born in Bethlehem. The Savior for “All People.” The sign of where they would find the baby, was He would be wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. Then a multitude of angels appeared before the shepherds praising God, saying, “Glory be to God in the highest, on earth peace and good will toward men.”
The shepherds then went to Bethlehem and found Mary, Joseph, and Jesus lying in the manger. Glory be to God in the Highest! Let all the earth adore Jesus, Christ the King!
Jesus Christ was sent by God the Father, into this world to save the world from sin, and to give to every person the free gift of eternal life. (John 3:16) An abiding relationship with God in Christ Jesus that is full of God’s Peace (prosperity), good will (health and longevity), as well as life after death forever with God in glory! (John 10:10)
The shepherds could not keep the good news and their experience with the baby Jesus to themselves. Praise God, they saw something and heard something: So they had to say something! The shepherds left the manger and immediately went throughout Bethlehem telling everyone what the angels of God had told them about the new born Savior of the world.
I can just see the shepherds jumping for joy and talking amongst themselves about what they had just seen and heard. They had seen and been in the presence of the Messiah, and were “willing workers/witnesses” that the Savior, Christ the Lord, was in the world.
Umm, think about it. This was Jesus’s “birth” day, and the shepherds chose to make that “day,” a day of telling others about the Savior of the world. Therefore, I say to you, that Christmas should be a day in which we focus our celebration on inviting others to believe in Him to receive eternal life: God’s Peace, Good will, and Life after death with God in Christ Jesus.
This is what our Commander-in-Chief of the Army of Christ, longs for us to give to Him on Christmas, and throughout the year! For born-again Christians, “Christmas Day” ought to first and for most be a “work-day” for Jesus of soul winning and sharing His love with all people; before we carry on with our holiday traditions. Minus of course Santa, and all the other mystical and commercial blarney the world has created around Christmas.
Our Workshop today is intended for us (like the shepherds gathered at the manger) to talk amongst ourselves about what we have both seen and heard about Jesus Christ. So that we can become more “effective” at doing the work of the ministry; witnessing Jesus Christ to the lost in this untoward world. So let’s get started with the Workshop.
The Workshop of Jesus Christ on Christmas Eve
The “Good Soldier” of Jesus Christ always yearns for the unsaved to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ to receive the free gift of eternal life through belief in His name. (Rom.10:15)
With boldness and meekness, the Good Soldier continually reaches out to the lost with never ending hope that they will come and say, “What must I do to be saved?” Even after rejection and a flip of the hand, and the snarl of people saying, “whatever,” the Good Soldier never gives up on winning souls to Jesus Christ!
The Good Soldier knows the eternal importance of the decision a person needs to make to choose the Strait Gate and Narrow way that leads to life eternal in Jesus Christ in heaven. Rather than the Wide Gate and Broad way with Satan that leads to eternal damnation in hell. (Matt. 7:13-14)
So the Good Soldier studies the Word of God and prepares themselves to defend the faith of Jesus Christ, by rehearsing the testimony of Jesus Christ and remembering their own testimony of Jesus Christ. The Good Soldier remains ready to give an answer to anyone that might ask of them for the reason they have chosen to be and live as a Christian in this world.
In this final edition of the Series on “Spiritual Warfare 101.” We are equipping every born-again Christian to do “the work of the ministry. (Eph. 4:11-12) Please, please and please… Let no member or partner of Exousia Ministries, Inc. say that they have never been taught how to witness and win the lost to Jesus Christ. During the Series, entitled, “God Has a Really Big Plan for You,” I presented several models for sharing the gospel with Non-Christians that can be used for evangelism.
Moreover, everyone has a standing invitation to join me in Outreach Ministry on Saturday mornings to work to win the lost to Christ and connect with the community. Finally, each week through emails, everyone is encouraged to invite family, friends, and strangers to participate in our Sunday Morning Worship Services on Zoom.
Moving on now, I want to share with you a new and dynamic approach to witnessing to the lost, that God gave to me a couple of years ago. The approach has radically changed my life and efforts, as a co-laborer with Jesus Christ, to reap souls within the Lord’s Vineyard. The enemy Satan and his wicked spiritual forces hate this approach. They try all they can to block and stop it from being administered to the unsaved. But, Jesus Christ has given us the power over all the ability of the enemy, and nothing by any means can hurt us. (Luke10:19)
A New Approach for Winning the Lost To Jesus Christ
Let me take a few minutes and explain how I learned this new approach to preaching the gospel and witnessing. It was on a very hot Saturday in August 2019. I had just completed Outreach work at the Germantown, Maryland Bus Depot and returned to my car. I was taking a drink of water outside of my car, when I saw a bus load of teenagers and young adults from one of the nearby Mega-Churches get out and do evangelism. I was very happy to see them, as only on rare occasions had I seen Christians evangelize in the area, and never a large group. So I was very curious to see what they would do.
I watched the young people eagerly and very quickly hand out water and church materials to the people waiting at the bus stop. Also, I noticed that most of the Christians were not really initiating conversations with the people, and they only stayed about 10-minutes or so, and then boarded the bus and left.
While I was watching the outreach effort, God and I began conversing back and forth. As I recall, the exchange went like this:
God said to me, did you see that? I said, see what Lord? Again, God said, did you see that? I replied, Lord I see the young Christians handing out water and materials.
God said, yes and that is essentially what you have been doing for years too. He said, while you may spend more time talking to people out here in the streets (than the young Christians were doing); inviting people to church and telling them about Exousia Ministries, this is not what I want you to focus on.
God said, for now on when you come into my Vineyard, I want you to see every unsaved person you meet as “Our Customer,” and to give them special attention and treatment. God said “we are in the business of turning Customers (sinners) into Clients (disciples), and, until the saved souls are disciples your job is not finished!”
(Looking back on my outreach efforts at that time, I realize now, that I was evangelizing like a Shoe Store manager. I had in stock every shoe and size a Non-Christian needed, but instead of giving them the shoes, I was only offering them socks!)
God said to me start giving the Customer what they need. I said, Yes Lord I will. Even though I wasn’t really sure what God meant. So, I got in the car and started the engine, and then it happened!
God said to me, “WHY ARE YOU A CHRISTIAN?” I said uh? He said, you heard me at the first, “WHY ARE YOU A CHRISTIAN?”
I tell you the truth, I could not answer the question! Every time I tried to answer I drew a blank. I wanted to ask God for the answer—but I didn’t think that would go over to well, do you think—a pastor that can’t answer the simple question of why he is a Christian? Really????
I said Lord, I don’t have a good answer. God replied, Go home and think about it— “Why should a sinner even bother to listen to you, if you can’t explain why you are a Christian?” Why should a sinner become a Christian, if you don’t know why you are one?
God said spend the rest of the day thinking about it and study and give me the answers to these three questions:
- Why are you a Christian?
- Why should a sinner become a Christian?
- How can a sinner become a Christian?
So I went home and spent the rest of the day contemplating the questions and how to respond.
I asked the Holy Ghost to help me with the answers. I presented the answers to God that evening and He found them acceptable.
Then God told me these are the answers to the questions our Customer (the sinner man) needs to make the decision to receive Jesus Christ and eternal life. He said when you provide the answers to the questions, you are preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. God said now go and practice, and apply what you have learned in my Vineyard, so that you will not be workman found to be ashamed. (II Tim. 2:15)
God said the power to save, heal, and deliver will be available to everyone who hears you and believes. I will share my answers to the questions with you in a little while. But first, I want to give you the opportunity to answer the questions as best you can. Imagine if a Non-Christian (family member, co-worker, friend, or stranger) asked you the three questions, how would you respond?
Let’s Construct the Answers to the Three Questions Every Non-Christian Needs to Know
For the next 30-minutes, I want you all to work as a group to come up with answers to the three questions. (1) Why are you a Christian? (2) Why should a sinner become a Christian? (3) How can a sinner become a Christian?
set way to answer the questions, as there are many ways to witness Christ. However, for certain, your responses should point the unsaved person to Jesus Christ being the way to God and eternal life.
Answer 1:
Answer 2:
Answer 3:
Sanctifying God in Your Heart is Essential in Answering the Three Questions
The approach I used to answer the three questions is that, before trying to give responses, I “sanctified the Lord God in my heart.” Let’s examine I Peter 3:15 as it reveals a great way for answering the question for anyone who would ask: “Why you are a Christian.” Peter wrote:
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.
In the Greek translation of the word “sanctify” (hagiazō) is used to convey the meaning; “to dedicate, to set apart, to make holy, treat or regard with reverence and honor.”
Also the expression of the identity, “Lord God” in the New Testament refers to the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Thus, the Apostle Peter is saying that we are to, “sanctify,” or set apart, Jesus Christ in our hearts—we are to give Him the highest place of honor.
Other translations word the command to sanctify the Lord as, “you must worship Christ as Lord of your life” (NLT) or “in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy” (ESV).
So in answering the question of “Why I am a Christian,” watch how I approach sanctifying my heart unto Jesus Christ the Lord God. In other words, I major in telling the sinner man what “I believe” in my heart about Jesus Christ and who He is in my life. Here is how I typically initiate a conversation with people I meet during Outreach Ministry. I say from a short distance away from the person:
Good morning, my name is Pastor Darryl Joyce of Exousia Ministries. May I have the pleasure of knowing your name? I would like to have a few minutes of your time to talk about Jesus Christ. May I ask, have you formally received Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord?
If they respond yes, I may ask the Christian if they have a church home and the name of their church—for future fellowship opportunities and share with them our invitation card.
If the person responds no, then I have my “Customer.” Next, I say, my friend I would like to answer for you three vitally important questions. This should take no more than 10-minutes of your time. I want to share with you 1) Why I am a Christian, 2) Why you should become a Christian, and 3) How you can become a Christian?
Why Am I a Christian?
I am a Christian because I believe that Jesus Christ is the only begotten son of God and Savior of the world. I believe that Jesus is the only way to God the Father. (John 3:16 & 14:6)
I believe by God’s great love and amazing grace, that while we all were yet sinners, destined for hell for all eternity, Jesus Christ—who knew no sin—bled, suffered, and died on the cross to save the world from sin. (Rom. 5:8)
I believe that God resurrected Jesus Christ from the dead on the third-day, and Jesus showed Himself alive with many infallible proofs, so that every person who would believe in Him would have eternal life. Eternal life is a personal and abiding relationship with God in Christ Jesus in our hearts—that changes a person’s life forever. (John 3:16-18, Acts 1:3, I Cor. 15:6, & John 17:3)
I believe that on Jesus’s last day on earth His disciples saw Him taken up into the heavens where He is forever seated at the right hand of God the Father in all power and dominion. Further, I believe that Jesus Christ is coming again in the clouds to rapture His Church. (Acts 1:11 & Heb. 10:12)
I am grateful unto God, that from a young age, I had the opportunity to hear this good news preached to me, and I heard Jesus Christ call me into His Kingdom, and accepted the invitation, and now I have eternal life as He promised. (Rev. 3:20)
I am a follower of Jesus Christ, and He has made me a “Co-laborer” with Himself, to win souls to Him through the preaching of the gospel (good news). (I Cor. 3:9 & John 4:34-37) God’s Peace and goodwill is available to everyone!
I know that God loves you, and I believe God has sent me to share with you; why you should become a Christian too? (Rom.10:14)
Why should you become a Christian?
This is the most important question in life, and the decision you make from it will determine your eternal destiny. Because of its supreme importance, you should consider answering today, as tomorrow is not promised to any person.
If you died today, do you know where you would spend eternity? Today, if you choose to believe in the testimony of Jesus Christ that I just told you about, and are baptized with water, you will be saved from your sins and have eternal life with God. (Mark 16:15-16)
However, if you choose not to believe the testimony of Jesus Christ, you will not be saved, and you will die in your sins and go to hell for all eternity. (Mark 16:15-16, Matt. 25:41, & Rev. 20:15)
God loves you and does not want you, nor any person to perish, but desires for all persons to come and live with Him forever in heaven, and in the new heaven and earth that is to come. (II Pet. 3:9 & John 3:16-18)
You were created by God for worship and fellowship with God in heaven, and not hell. However, without Jesus Christ as Lord of your life, you will remain trapped in your sins and go to hell. (Is. 43:21, John 4:23, & Rev. 21:1)
My friend, I believe Jesus is calling you to Himself right now to become a Christian and receive eternal life. (John 10:10) Is it your choice to receive Jesus as your Savior and Lord and become a Christian? I can show you how to become a Christian now. Do you want Jesus Christ to be your Savior and Lord?
How do I become a Christian?
You have made the best decision in life to become a Christian. From your heart with all sincerity and confession with your mouth: (Rom. 8:9-10)
Believe in the name of Jesus Christ for there is no other name under the heaven given among men whereby we can receive salvation. (Acts 4:12)
Believe that Jesus Christ is God manifested in flesh who died on the cross to save you from sin, rose again on the third-day, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father, so you would have eternal life.
Repent, be godly sorrowful for your sins and give your life to Jesus Christ. Ask the Lord to come into your heart and be your Savior and Lord. Ask the Lord to fill you with His Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38-39 and Luke 11:13)
Congratulations you are now a Christian, just like me. Please come to church and receive water baptism, and learn more about the teachings of Jesus Christ. (I John 2:6 & I John 4:15)
Conclusions
In closing this Forum and Series on Spiritual Warfare 101, as born-gain Christians, we have learned that God has made us “Soldiers in the Army of Jesus Christ.” We have been equipped with the Whole Armor of God to stand against all the attacks of Satan and the kingdom of darkness. Never are we to take the Armor of God off and must use it daily by praying always with God in the Spirit—the Word of God and without ceasing for all the Saints, the people of this world, as well as ourselves.
Let the mission of Jesus’s Army be your sole quest: to love God and all people, to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to the lost, with miracles following, and to make disciples of Christian converts with education, mentoring and fellowship. This is well pleasing unto the Lord.
The format for evangelism I have given to you today, is a viable and powerful tool for sharing the gospel in a complete, compact, and persuasive way. But it takes study and practice to present to the Non-Christian. The Good Soldier always wants to represent Jesus Christ skillfully and in excellence. (We learn many songs by heart; we need to also learn how to witness by heart too!)
The testimony of Jesus Christ, coupled with your own testimony, in answering the first question, stirs up the gift of God in you, and makes the power of God available unto salvation, and good ground for miracles and the promises of God to manifest among all who would believe. (I Tim.1:6-9)
Furthermore, sharing the gospel this way shields you from the fiery darts of the spirit of the antichrist who seeks to block and stop your witness of Christ; with many temptations to fear people, persecutions, and ridicule. The spirit of the Anti-Christ wants to impress and lure the people of the World into believing there is no God and/or reason to believe in the existence of God. While at the same time discouraging Christian Soldiers from being equipped and trained in evangelism and doing the work of the ministry: winning souls to Christ and making disciples. Satan would happily have our churches empty and broken financially. This is what will happen if we refuse to obey Jesus Christ and go to the streets with the gospel, as well as express our love for Christ through financial giving of tithes and offerings.
Let us “compel” all people to come to Jesus Christ, and to Church. (Luke 14:23) To compel means to make the sinner man an offer that cannot easily be refused. What humankind needs most in life is freedom from death, hell, and the grave. Jesus is the only way to escape death. Jesus with His Resurrection from the dead took the sting out of death. (I Cor. 15:55-58). Anyone who believes in Jesus and lives for Him shall never see, nor taste, nor experience death. (John 8:51, 11:26, & II Cor. 5:8).
Since we have the secret to overcoming death and sin, which is believing in the name of Jesus Christ, we can also compel every person to come into God’s House and receive every good thing they need in life: healing, deliverance, and prosperity. (Rom. 8:32 & II Cor. 8:9)
Finally, remember there are many ways to witness Christ to the lost. The only failure in witnessing, is not to witness at all. Be a Good Soldier in the Army of Christ and endure all hardness that comes. Your reward shall be great in heaven and on earth! Amen.
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