Motives for Personal Evangelism

1. Read: Mark 5:18-20

2. About the Text:

1) Jesus had just cast out a legion of demons from this man.

2) The multitudes wanted Jesus to go away and so he did.

3) But Jesus instructed this man to stay behind and tell others of what had been done.

4) Let’s discuss some motives in this man’s life to tell others about Jesus.

5) These motives apply to us also.

3. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.

1. Love for Jesus

1) After this demons were driven out of this man, he wanted to be with Jesus.

2) He showed a sincere love for Jesus.

3) Jesus instructed him not to come with him, but to go teach those in his country.

4) He obeyed because he loved Jesus – 1 John 5:2,3 “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.”

2. Love for Relatives and Friends

1) I can’t help but think that this man out of whom these demons were expelled, had someone to love.

2) Parents? Children? Spouse? Friends?

3) He went back to his own country and told them about Jesus.

4) Do we show this kind of love for those we love?

3. Love for self.

1) Matthew 22:39 – Love your neighbor as yourself.

2) Most of us understand how to love ourselves; we need to apply that same love to our fellow man.

3) The golden rule is just an extension of this – Matthew 7:12

4) Now, would you want someone to share the gospel with you if you were in their situation knowing what you know?

1. I can’t help but think that this man was thankful to Jesus.

1) Imagine being trapped inside your body with wicked spirits controlling it.

2) Making it do dreadful things such as run around with no clothes, cut oneself, and sleep in the cemetery.

3) If that great burden were lifted from you, would you not be thankful?

4) No doubt this man went and told others about his situation out of thankfulness.

2. What about ourselves?

1) We were once in sin, separated from God.

2) We had no power of ourselves to provide for our own salvation.

3) God sent Jesus to die in our place for our sins.

4) We can be resentful of that or we can be thankful.

5) 2 Corinthians 9:15 “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.”

6) How can we be anything but thankful?

3. What will we do with our thankfulness?

1) When we’re thankful for something, don’t we usually tell others about it?

2) Look what thankfulness did for one man that Jesus healed – Read Luke 17:11-19.

3) Our thankfulness should motivate us to do the Lord’s will in our life.

1. I believe that this man was also very happy/joyous with his new situation.

1) Are we happy with our salvation? I sure hope so.

2) When you’re happy about something, you want to tell someone else about it.

3) We should be wanting to tell others of our salvation if we’re happy with it.

2. What can happen when we let our happiness motivate us to tell others of Jesus?

1) Read John 1:40-42 – one person.

2) Read John 4:28-42 – great crowds.

3) Regardless as to whether it is one person or great crowds, it will make a difference.

4) Boy with star-fish story.

3. But what of the happiness that results from bringing a lost soul to Christ?

1) We are happy when such occurs – Acts 15:3 “And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.”

2) The saved individual is happy – Acts 8:39 “went on his way rejoicing.”

3) But most importantly, God is happy – Luke 15:10 “Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”

1. Why ought we to be motivated to do personal evangelism?

1) Love

2) Thankfulness

3) Joy

2. Surely there is a motivation here that each of us can take and use to help us in conducting personal evangelism.

3. If not, then I truly feel sorry for the soul that has no love, thankfulness, or joy in their life.

4. Invitation