Love Your Neighbor: Love Your Neighbor: Evangelism in our dayEvangelism in our day

Rudy RiveraRudy RiveraDecember 17, 2006December 17, 2006

That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." For there is no difference between Jew never be put to shame." For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”Lord will be saved.” How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”news!” But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?”says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. message is heard through the word of Christ. - Romans - Romans 10:9-1710:9-17

Love Your Neighbor: Evangelism in our dayLove Your Neighbor: Evangelism in our dayRudy RiveraRudy Rivera

““The load, or weight, or burden of my neighbour’s The load, or weight, or burden of my neighbour’s glory should be laid on my back, a load so heavy that glory should be laid on my back, a load so heavy that only humility can carry it, and the backs of the proud only humility can carry it, and the backs of the proud will be broken.  It is a serious thing to live in a society will be broken.  It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you can the dullest and most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare.  All day long we are, in if at all, only in a nightmare.  All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations.  It is in the light of these these destinations.  It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics.  There are friendships, all loves, all play, all politics.  There are no no ordinaryordinary people.  You have never talked to a mere people.  You have never talked to a mere mortal.  Nations, cultures, arts, civilisations--these mortal.  Nations, cultures, arts, civilisations--these are mortal,... But it is immortals whom we joke with, are mortal,... But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit--immortal horrors work with, marry, snub, and exploit--immortal horrors or everlasting splendours. ”or everlasting splendours. ”

- exerpt from C.S. Lewis, Weight of Glory- exerpt from C.S. Lewis, Weight of GloryLove Your Neighbor: Evangelism in our dayLove Your Neighbor: Evangelism in our dayRudy RiveraRudy Rivera

Love Your Neighbor: Evangelism in our dayLove Your Neighbor: Evangelism in our dayRudy RiveraRudy Rivera

For Christ's love compels us, because we are For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. them and was raised again. So from now on we regard no one from a worldly So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.righteousness of God.

- 2 Corinthians 5:14-21- 2 Corinthians 5:14-21

1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, 1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,

      because the LORD has anointed me       because the LORD has anointed me       to preach good news to the poor.       to preach good news to the poor.       He has sent me to bind up the       He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted brokenhearted       to proclaim freedom for the captives       to proclaim freedom for the captives       and release from darkness for the       and release from darkness for the prisoners,prisoners,

2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor 2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor       and the day of vengeance of our God,       and the day of vengeance of our God,       to comfort all who mourn      to comfort all who mourn

- Isaiah 61:1-2- Isaiah 61:1-2Love Your Neighbor: Evangelism in our dayLove Your Neighbor: Evangelism in our dayRudy RiveraRudy Rivera