Portable Bible School Evangelism Lesson Ten

Evangelism Lesson Ten Burden But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd” (Matthew 9:36). FOCUS: Look briefly at the burden possessed by Jesus Christ and several notable men. WHAT I HAVE LEARNED Charles Spurgeon expressed that if sinners were to be damned, they should have to leap over our bodies. If they were to perish, they should perish with our arms around their knees. He felt that no one should go to hell unwarned and unprayed for. “If one-tenth of what you believe is true, you ought to be ten times as excited as you are.” (Walter Moberly) We must recognize our divine obligation. Jesus said to His earthly parents, “I must be about my Father's business” (Luke 2:49). His burden, vision, and passion kept Him working. “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (John 9:4-5). It was because of a burden for a lost soul that Jesus stated that He “must needs go through Samaria” (John 4:4). It was because of a burden that Jesus said to the little man, “Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house” (Luke 19:5). Because of a burden, Jesus claimed, “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd” (John 10:16). Jesus’ burden caused Him to move from city to city, village to village, preaching the gospel. “And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd” (Matthew 9:35-36). Jesus ultimately climbed Golgatha and hung on Calvary because of His burden and love for lost mankind. One Nigerian chorus says, “Jesus, surrendered His life for me. What have I done for Him?” “But life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about God's mighty kindness and love” (Acts 20:24, TLB). C. T. Studd, a missionary who served in China and Africa, said, “Some want to live within the sound of a church or chapel bell. I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell.” David Holdaway in Never Enough claims that it was an article by a non-believer that motivated Studd to give all to the Lord. Holdaway’s quotation of the article appears below: “If I firmly believed, as millions say they do, that knowledge and practice of religion in this life influences destiny in another, then religion would mean to me everything. I would cast away earthly enjoyments as dross, earthly cares as follies, and earthly thoughts and feelings as vanity. Religion would be my first waking thought and my last image before sleep sank me into unconsciousness. I should labor for its cause alone. I would take thought for the morrow of eternity alone. I would esteem one soul gained for heaven a life worth suffering. “Earthly consequences would never stay my hand or seal my lips. Earth, its joys and griefs, would occupy no moment of my thoughts. I would strive to look upon eternity alone, and on the immortal souls around me, soon to be everlastingly happy or everlastingly miserable. I would go forth to the world and preach to it in season and out of season.” The story is told of a prison chaplain who tried to share the gospel with a condemned man. After listening to the man’s appeal, the prisoner responded, “Do you really believe the gospel, Chaplain? If I believed your gospel were true, I would crawl across England on broken glass to tell men about it.” The reality of our beliefs determines the urgency of our witness. It is unusual to see a man cry (weep). Crying is usually manifested as a result of:  Sadness (Joel 2:12; Psalm 30:5).  Joy.  Burden (Psalm 126:5-6). William Booth-Clibborn talked of “the curse of dry-eyed Christianity.” Paul possessed a great burden for people. “Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears” (Acts 20:31). One man was finding his work difficult, experiencing little progress. William Booth sent him this message, “Try tears!” It made the difference. William Carey is considered to be the father of modern missions. He had an immense burden for the lost. As a young man, he worked in a shoe cobbler’s shop. He saved discarded bits and pieces of shoe leather and made a makeshift globe. He sketched in ink the outlines of the continents and various countries on his crude leather globe. It is said that Carey’s tears of intercession for the world literally blurred the outlines of the nations on his handmade globe. He became a missionary to India and changed the course of mission’s history throughout the world. “He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him” (Psalms 126:6). WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED? 1. What is crying usually a result of? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ 2. What does the reality of our beliefs determine? __________________________________________________________________ 3. What did Charles Spurgeon say about sinners that were to be damned? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ 4. Give two examples that would show Jesus possessed a burden for souls. __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ 5. What did C. T. Studd say in this lesson? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ 6. What did William Booth tell the man who was struggling to see growth in his area of responsibility? Why do you think he said that? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ 7. According to Acts 20:24 TLB, what is the work assigned to us? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ 8. What are five things that the man (quoted by David Holdaway) said he would do if he believed that millions were lost? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________