ESG Chapter Three, Continued

Next time we will pick up on page 42.  Let’s prepare to discuss through page 53.  We’ll be looking at our responsibility in evangelism through the life of the Apostle Paul in three points; his authority, his method and his aim/goal:

His authority:

Pg 42-45:          

He identified himself as Christ’s representative:

As steward

As herald

As ambassador

At the end of pg. 45, Packer brings this home to us:

“Every Christian who declares the gospel message to any fellow-man does so as Christ’s ambassador and representative, according to the terms of his God-given commission.  Such is the authority, and such is the responsibility, of the church and the Christian in evangelism.

His methodology:

Pg 46-top of pg. 49:
 
His methodology was that of a preacher/teacher. Note that Packer includes a clear, concise summary of the Gospel on page 47.  Packer makes the point that the gospel is “a message of some complexity, needing to be learned before it could be lived by, and understood before it could be applied.  Hence, as a preacher, he had to become a teacher.”  Remember our discussion of indicatives (doctrine) before imperatives(application)? We will spend some time going over this.

His aim (including his motivation):

Pg 49-top of 53  His aim was conversion—that men would come to Christ.  Packer not only develops this idea of exhorting the hearer to turn and come to Christ, but he also shows us Paul’s (and what should be our) heart toward those he was reaching with the gospel.