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Source: https://www.sermonindex.net/speakers/john-fitzpatrick/responsibility-in-gospel-work/
How are you doing, my beloved brethren, in the Gospel? I understand the Iowa Assemblies, Wisconsin Assemblies, and I appreciate very much the knowledge of the Gospel work that's done as far as Gospel meetings, but I would like to look in the Word of God of responsibility that each one of us would have with a wonderful Gospel message.
So 1 Thessalonians, please, chapter 1 and verse number 8. Eighth verse, first chapter, 1 Thessalonians. For from you sounded out the word of the Lord. Not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place, your faith to God were to spread abroad so that we need not to speak anything.
Verse 4 of chapter 2. But as we are allowed of God to be in trust with the Gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God which trieth our hearts. For neither in any time used we flattery words, as you know, nor a cloak of covetousness.
God is our witness. Verse 7. But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherished her children. So being affectionately desirous of you, we are willing to have imparted unto you not the Gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because you were dear unto us.
Now we're well aware in Matthew's Gospel and also in Mark's Gospel, we read, go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. So I'm not wanting to take up the aspect of the Gospel for an evangelist's responsibility, but I want to look at it this afternoon as the responsibility that each one of us as believers has.
He's not called all of us to be evangelists, but I want to suggest immensely that he calls every one of us to do evangelism. In other words, what I mean by that is to tell our neighbors, our workmates, our friends, the wonderful Gospel message.
I read in Proverbs that people perish where there is no vision. Coming up through California on the last trip and going back down on the same way, I looked at hundreds and hundreds of acres of farm fields.
Some of it was just richly planted in orchards, straight as an arrow, little white tubes around it to keep the mice from nibbling, all the irrigation lines laid out for them, drip irrigation. And I said to Linda, I says, these farmers here have a tremendous vision that in about five years they're going to be able to get a crop and it's going to be able to produce fruit.
I would like to ask you this afternoon individually, what is your vision for the Gospel? What is your vision for the assembly? I suggest that the Gospel is the lifeline of the assembly. If souls are not saved, teachable to the truths of God, in a period of time, testimony will be no more.
Sinners need the Gospel. They're saved through the Gospel. In Ecclesiastes we read, whatsoever you do it with all your might. We also read, cast thy bread on the waters and after many days ye shall find it.
Many different ways it's thought of and many different ways it's looked at. And we read in Isaiah to sow beside all waters. Corinthians says if we sow sparingly, we'll reap sparingly. When it comes to a Gospel series, I'd like to remind ourselves we're in a battle.
It's not a battle in Vietnam or in the Gulf War, however you want to develop it. We're in a battle together against principalities and powers and we need all hands on the deck. That means as much as possible, everyone is bringing folks out.
As much as possible, everyone is at the prayer meeting before the Gospel meeting because our power comes from prayer. I remember a dear elder up in West Bank one time and before the series of meetings we began he said, little prayer, little power.
Much prayer, much power. There were souls saved in that series and the prayer meetings were a rich time with younger and older coming before the meeting, night after night, supplicating the throne of grace to see God work for His honor and glory.
Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. The Gospel message must be clear. It must be concise. We're well aware of 1 Corinthians, Christ died for our sins and was buried and rose again for the third day.
We all know the elements of the Gospel. Discouragement can come in. Nobody's getting saved. We tried it last time, why try it this time? My heart aches. At assemblies I would know and believers I would know and I will not tell you where.
And they've lost their exercise for the Gospel. And on Lord's Day there's no more Gospel meeting. And would you ask them, would you like a series or would you think of one in another town or would you like to borrow a tent and get someone else to use it?
Well, we tried it, John, and it doesn't work. Nobody comes. You will reap in due time if you faint not. It's a promise that comes from the Word of God. And even if you don't see one saved in the series, rest assured God is working and His gears are working and there's many links that link to a soul coming to know Him, whom to know is life eternal.
My mind goes to a man. I only met some of his children years ago in Alaska. His name was Everett Batchelder, labored up a gnome. In the wintertime there wasn't too much to do in the little village. But if you were to look in Los Angeles paper, he was called the bottle missionary.
With a dog sled team and bottles with about 10 different languages, he went out on the sea ice close to the shores of Russia and left those bottles on the sea ice. And it is interesting to read the accounts of different ones where the bottles floated around and wrote back and told how they came to know the Lord Jesus Christ as their own personal Savior.
The Word of God will not return void. So I want to ask you young men here, because you've got strength. My days are getting tired a little bit. Can you believe that? You know what I said after lunch? I would like to sit down for 10 minutes and take a siesta in the nice warm sun.
Shame on me. Isn't that something? Are you going to the doors in the community with the gospel? Are you bringing them a gospel paper? Can you say that the community where you live, you have had the privilege to bring every home a gospel paper?
I called up Peter Sims. We've worked together some. Sadly, his health is not well at all now. I said, Peter, what are you doing this summer? Well, he says, John, this is the seventh summer. And my exercise has been to put a gospel paper in every home in Saskatoon before I leave this scene.
It's a good-sized town. He accomplished it. I said, that's incredible. He says, I did not want to live in an area where none in the area that I lived, I had not had an opportunity in some way to tell them the gospel.
You young ones have strength. You young ones have energy. You can use it for your own pleasure and lose reward and lose blessing. And you can use your energy, guided by the gracious Holy Spirit, to bring the gospel message.
Now, I've never been much for fishing. No offense to the fishermen here. I've enjoyed it in Alaska years ago when the salmon are running so thick, you're guaranteed to catch one. But when you catch one soul, when God gives you one soul, you're going to want another soul.
And you can be a link in the chain. Have you invited any to the gospel meeting tonight? I believe it's essential every week that we're trying to bring some to hear the gospel of the grace of God. I confess I can't get people out every Lord's Day evening to hear the gospel, but I can say every week I've been inviting some to come and hear the gospel where we hang our hat, if you want to put it that way.
So I want to just look at a few of the places in the Word of God where the gospel was brought. I do not see that the gospel series is the only place to bring the gospel. I don't say that offensively. I agree with the gospel series, and I believe the gospel meeting is an assembly meeting.
But I come to Acts chapter 2, and I find it was on the streets of Jerusalem, verse 14. I find in chapter 3 it was a temple gate. Chapter 5 was the temple in every house. I find in Acts chapter 8, as we well know, it was in the desert.
One man was set to a man riding in a chariot, and he said, do you understand what you're reading? Questions are valuable. And so when you are doing door-to-door work, very valuable, introduce yourself.
My name's John. I've come along, and I've got a little Bible paper for you. Can I ask you, sir or ma 'am, are you sure of heaven? Use your own style. You have to be yourself. It's not an optional thing.
It's essential that you would be yourself and I would be myself. Most times I get away with a very blunt approach. Many of my brethren say, that won't happen. I say, that's because you're not me. People can tell if you love them.
People can tell if you care for them. We're dealing with eternal matters, beloved, and you and I know that that man or that woman on the other side of the door, if they know him not, whom to know is life eternal, will never be in heaven.
They'll be in the awful place called hell. It was brought into the synagogue in Acts chapter 9. It was in the house of Cornelius. It was in the jailhouse, chapter 16. I understand some of the brethren go to the jails.
I used to do that through the years. It was on the riverside. So what I am finding is where you find people is where to bring the gospel. I generally, most days of the week, have opportunities every day to sell somebody a short gospel message.
And you can try to turn the conversation a little bit and weave the conversation a little bit and tell them of the beauties of the Lord Jesus Christ. You can always tell them how you got saved. They can't deny that.
It's essential. When was the last time you told your workmate about the gospel? Your classmate? I just want to give you a little challenge, beloved. It was preached on Mars Hill. In Acts 20, it was house to house.
I have found and others have found through the years that cottage meetings are very effective ways to bring the gospel. No, I can't find that term in the Bible, I know. But you find a home and one or two that have an interest and maybe they bring one or two other family members or friends over and at the kitchen table or at the living room or wherever it would be, you open the word of God and you tell them the gospel of the grace of God.
And you know what? People get saved. Part of the work in starting the assembly in Corvallis was through cottage meetings after tent meetings. Brother Jack Gould is very effective in cottage meetings, you probably know him very well.
And he labors with the Hutterites and he gets in the home, very gracious brother Jack, gentleman as all gentlemen could be, and he opens the word of God with them. And you know what happens? They get saved.
And you know what's happened in Rose Isle? The place is bubbling with saints that have come to know the Savior and teachable to the truths of God. You can open your home to your neighbors. You can invite your workmates.
When I had meetings down in West Virginia with Brother Brandon, we met a businessman and we went in and we chatted and he says, you know, tomorrow we're having a meal for all the employees. There'll be about 20 here.
And he says, I want the two of you to come and preach the gospel to all our employees. And he announced, now you employees, I want you to stay. You're all getting paid on the time clock. No reason to hurry out.
I want you all to hear this message because it is something that is very important. In Phoenix, we had this Veterans Day parade, and maybe you have a little county parade. I don't know what you do, but we got out 2 ,300 tracks, the missus and I, in one parade.
It was only about seven miles. And I had a rich time talking to people on the streets. And you know what happened at the Veterans Hospital? They told me they were going to arrest me. I couldn't give papers out in there.
I thought they didn't really mean that, so I met with the administrator and I can't. But what happened at the Veterans parade, they were all outside in their wheelchairs on the sidewalk, and I got to give them all the papers at the parade.
You know, there's different opportunities. And I remember one time in Phoenix, and I don't want to get into stories or so, but I remember with Brother Slabaugh, we were having gospel meetings, and that was the Saturday they had a funeral for one of the Hell's Angels who was killed.
There were 220 of them there. The most armed group of men I've ever been around. I got the chicken gland turned off, and I had a great time giving them the gospel papers. Sorry about your funds, sir. I'd like to leave you a little paper to read.
I only made one mistake, and I gave one once twice. And I says, oh, I'd never make it as a detective. And he got a little upset when I told him that word. But you know, there's lots of opportunities all the time to tell the gospel.
And so it was preached house to house. And Agrippa, and in Paul's own hired house. And so God wants us to reach out with the gospel. First Thessalonians, we find that they scattered with the gospel. From Achaia, it was about 430 miles.
I scaled it. It's the same from the west coast to the east coast of Oregon. From you sounded out the word of the Lord. What it was about? Whether it was because of opposition, whether it was because of famine or whatever it was.
But the word of God sounded forth. And I want to challenge you, dear one. Because there's an enemy that wants you to keep quiet. And we all have a chicken gland, though the doctors say there's no such thing.
Because the fear of man brings a snare. And you read in the Old Testament, and we know what anybody does. They want to cut off the water supply. And the wells are filled up. Oh, there's too many difficulties.
And maybe it's not a good neighborhood. And maybe the dogs are going to bite me. Well, I've only been bitten a few times. And I've only had a gun held at me twice. But you know, I learned that safety is of the Lord.
And if he opens the door, or the door opens a little bit, just push the door open a little more. And see what God can do. If you want to see the assemblies built up, bring him the gospel. You say, well, we do that in a series.
I know that, and that's good. But it's not the only avenue for a gospel to be brought. And the children of Israel despair. Oh, it's the Red Sea, and the foe is behind. And can God do above and all we can ask or think?
Are you downcast and discouraged because you tried it and it didn't work? That's no problem. Just do it again. It will work. You'll reap in due time if you faint not. I had a young one with me one time.
And I told him, I says, when you get to the door, just tell him you're not a Jehovah's Witness, because I didn't think it was that kind of neighborhood. Well, you know what happened? He came back, and he says, well, they are, John.
I says, well, let's go to the next home. Don't be discouraged on it. And so, you remember we mentioned about Moses yesterday. I've got no ability. The first time I ever spoke was at Macaulay Water Street Mission in New York City in the 10th grade.
And I knew God wanted me to tell the gospel, but I was so nervous, I said, I'll never do this again. Well, I have done it a couple times since, I have to say. God will give you a little ability. Be yourself.
And to give you a message, and if he gives you a message, the message will bear fruit. And Moses, he said, I'm not eloquent, and I don't have any success. And, you know, we can't engage with spiritual work and warfare, with sin in our lives individually, or sin in the assembly.
And Tobiah was an enemy, and he came along. But I read of Nehemiah, and it's the greatest lesson of leadership we find in the word of God. Nehemiah came in circumstances that he did not produce, but he came in circumstances that he wanted to help, and he wanted to build, and he was used of God to build.
I read about a team one time climbing Mount Everest. Things were going well for a while, and they deteriorated, not from the weather, but there was strife, and there was hatred, and there was fighting, and there was bickering, and one even died on the journey.
We can't have strife, as Brother Jim was telling us. We can't have bickering. We've been saved by His matchless grace. And where the saints dwell together in unity, there the Lord commands the blessing.
Interpersonal relationship with the Lord, interpersonal relationship with one another, it's not optional. It's essential. Remember the disciples? Let down your nets. They let down the net. Remember the four men who brought a man through the roof?
Four men had a burden for one man, and that man was healed, and that man walked out, and there was no physical therapy. Have you got a burden, four of you young ones, for one man, to encourage him to come, to encourage him to hear the gospel of the grace of God?
You know, there's a little soul wearer's prayer. Lead me to some soul today. Oh, teach me, Lord, just what to say. Friends of mine are lost in sin and cannot find their way. Few there are who seem to care, and few who pray.
Melt my heart and fill my life. Give me a soul today. Many a time I've pulled a truck to the side of the road in little towns in eastern Oregon. Many a time I told the Lord I needed strength and I needed wisdom and I needed guidance, and I know not one in this town.
And I could tell you many accounts of many opportunities in bringing tents in the area, and ones and twos that have come to know Him, whom to know is life eternal. I want to encourage you to reach out.
I look at a map of Iowa, and I look at a map of Wisconsin, and I find it amazing, all the little communities. You know, in the West, we can drive for hours sometimes before there's anyone around, and especially up north.
From you sounded out the Word of the Lord. And when you preach the Gospel, just tell Him the Word of God. I've been interested that the Lord Jesus never made any pleas. He presented the message, and He passed on.
I never met Brother Lloyd Boldhagen, but I've been told about him, and I learned something from him. They told me he used to raise ducks, and he'd hear this little duckling scratching in the shell, and he decided he would help it get out.
And every shell that he helped crack to get it out ended up with a dead duck. You say, what are you trying to say? We preach the Word, we pray, and we back away. Salvation's of the Lord. Don't try to press someone into salvation.
I'm an old man now, so they tell me, though I don't feel it. I've watched some take their Bible and sitting down with one saying, now if this was sin, and the Lord Jesus bore your sin, where would you be?
That's not Gospel work at all, dear ones. That's an insult to the Lord and the Word of God. It's not found in the book. You present the message of the beauties found in the Lord Jesus Christ and what He did on the cross at Calvary, and back away and pray that God might reveal His Son to that poor soul what Christ did for him on the cross at Calvary.
Salvation is an illumination. 1 Corinthians 1 and verse 23, we preach Christ. That's the local assembly. Philippians 1 and verse 27, striving together for the faith of the Gospel. That's the local assembly.
1 Thessalonians 4, whom we warn every man. I've got a little poem I'll read and I'll sit down and I want to pray that, beloved, in this year be the Lord Jesus Christ not come. You'll not only pray about bringing the Gospel, but you will find homes to bring it to, communities to bring it to, loved ones and families and workmates to bring it to.
The title of the poem is, my friend, Sometime while on earth I walked with you day by day and never did you point the way. You knew the Lord in truth and glory, but never did you tell me the story. My knowledge was very dim.
You could have led me safely to Him. Though we lived together here on earth, you never told me of the second birth and now I stand condemned, perhaps because you failed to mention Him. You taught me many things in life, it's true.
I called you friend and trusted you, but now I learned and it's too late. You could have kept me from this fate. We walked by day and talked by night, and yet you never showed me the light. You let me live, love and die and all along you knew I would never be on high.
Yes, I called you friend in life and trusted you in joy and strife, yet coming to this end, I see you really weren't my friend. But God might encourage us to tell our friends, our neighbors, our loved ones to spend time with them, take them out for coffee, take them out for a meal, visit them.
We know their eternal destiny. We can't save them, but we can tell them of the Savior and God honors His Word. I trust that we might have a motivation to reach out individually and collectively with the wonderful Gospel message.