The fear of man, prayerlessness, secret sins, ignorance of God's word, selfishness, and callousness are identified as hindrances to personal evangelism. Proverbs 29:25 warns that the fear of man brings a snare, a danger echoed in Jesus' words in John 15:18-21 regarding the world's hatred. Prayerlessness is illustrated by Jesus' own example of extended prayer in Luke 18:1 and 6:12, and Elijah's powerful intercession in James 5:17-18. Secret sins, as seen in David's repentance in Psalm 51, hinder effective witness until confessed and removed. Ignorance of God's word, as highlighted in Titus 1:9 and 2 Timothy 2:15, prevents a workman from being approved and equipped. Selfishness, contrasted with the self-sacrificing love of Christ in 2 Corinthians 5:14-15, leads believers to live for themselves rather than for Him. Finally, callousness, or a lack of compassion for the lost, is addressed by God's declaration of universal sinfulness (Romans 3:10-19), His love for sinners, Christ's sacrifice, and the reality of hell.
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our study book I'm not sure how many of you if very few of you perhaps may have a copy of the study book itself but I'm going to concentrate and condense as much as possible the subject and follow it through according to the plan of the book now in the fifth chapter of this book on personal evangelism the subject pertains to the hindrances or the difficulties that may be in the way concerning the person or worker. Not the hindrances that he may face or she may face from others, but difficulties that may hinder them being effective in the witnessing of the Lord in the Gospel.
The first reference we would like to refer to I trust you'll turn with me in your Bible to Proverbs chapter twenty nine the book of the Proverbs right after the book of Psalms chapter twenty nine and verse twenty five the first scriptural reference I believe in relation to this particular theme the first hindrance that is mentioned is having the fear of man The twenty-nine chapter of Proverbs and verse twenty-five, particularly the opening verse, the first half of the verse, the fear of man bringeth a snare.
One may recognize this true in many cases, in different forms and experiences, but the fear of man in witnessing for the Lord Jesus can also be a snare. In view of this, look with me in John's Gospel. Chapter fifteen, if you please. The Gospel according to John. For I believe in view of this particular fact, of the fear of man being a snare, the Lord Jesus, before he went home to glory, spoke to his disciples regarding that danger.
chapter fifteen reading only verse eighteen through twenty one but please note the words that the Lord Jesus says as he begins in verse eighteen if the world hate you ye know that it hated me before it hated you now one can recognize this also is a ground for fear to recognize that when we are faithful in our witnessing, it may bring the hatred, and it often does, the hatred of the world. Read on in verse eight as we go on in verse nineteen through twenty one.
If he were of the world, the world would love his own, but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. Therefore the world hateth you, Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his Lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they have kept my saying, They will keep yours also, but all these things will they do. Unto you, for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.
That also can prove to be a fear, the persecution of the world against the believer. But oh how the Lord Jesus encouraged us on one occasion when he said, great will be your reward in heaven when you thus face and end your persecution. but that can be a snare. One more scripture before we go to the next theme. Galatians chapter five and verse eleven. For in this fifth chapter of the Galatian epistle and in the eleventh verse there is an expression that needs to be remembered.
As we thus face the ministry of testifying in this world that is opposed to its message. Verse eleven of Galatians chapter five. And I, brethren, if I get preached circumcision, why do I get suffer persecution? Then, if I don't suffer, then if the offense of the cross ceased. My beloved, please let us remember, the offense of the cross with its message of salvation to the lost will always continue and bring to the faithful witness persecution.
Now that can be a hindrance if we fear it. God help us not to do so. But the second characteristic that is mentioned as being a hindrance to the worker is prayerlessness. That is the lack of prayer. May I just introduce, it's not in your lesson reference, I believe, but I would, by the way of example, which I think would be very appropriate to remind you as well as mine own heart, if you were to read the Gospel of Luke carefully, you would find the occasions that are written by Luke When the Lord Jesus prayed.
If I recall correctly, there may be eight of them mentioned. But the life of the Lord Jesus is an example of prayer. I only mention that particularly, which I think is a very valid point. If the Lord Jesus in his humanity upon the earth recognized the need of prayer, so should we. So should we. Look with me in chapter eighteen of Luke. Chapter eighteen of Luke. Chapter eighteen in verse one. And I believe we can recognize the exhortation that the Lord Jesus makes there and appropriate to ourselves the message that it contains.
Chapter eighteen, he gives an example of it that follows. But just note the first verse. Jesus speak a parable unto them to this end, for this purpose, that men ought always to pray and not to faint. One can recognize the Lord Jesus is exhorting himself. Men ought always to pray and not to faint. There is no question of doubt. Without the use of prayer, certainly we shall not be efficient as a worker and testifier for the Lord.
Go down in chapter six with me please. Let me just read one verse of Luke chapter six in verse twelve, where we have indeed what the Spirit of God will bring before our conscience and our heart. Chapter six in verse twelve. And here is the example of the Lord Jesus on one of the occasions that Luke mentions. Note it. It came to pass in those days that he went out into a mountain to pray and continued all night in prayer to God. Let me summarize this by once again presenting to your heart and to mine.
If the perfect person of Christ manifested the need of prayer in the days of his humanity, how much more you and I need. And on this particular occasion, spending all night in prayer. Many years ago there was a book written which I was very greatly blessed by. I really needed more than ever called Preacher. and prayer. It was particularly addressed to preachers. Since that time, I go back seventy years within here, but since that time it's been written and published under the name of power through prayer.
But I never forgot the exhortation within that book emphasizing the need of prayer. And here's a statement that I never have forgotten. It is a great thing to be talking to God for man. But it is a greater thing. I beg your pardon. Let me play the other direction. It is a great thing to be talking to man for God. But it is greater still to be talking to God for man.
I'm sure you will find him in that lesson, the suggested example of other men of the past who prayed earnestly for the souls to whom they preached. So prayerlessness can be a hindrance. Look with me in James chapter five in the closing reference we'd like to emphasize the epistle of James following the book of Hebrews. And in James chapter one, chapter five, that's right, we have an example of a man in the Old Testament by the name of Elijah. Let me read it, verse seventeen and eighteen, if you please.
James writing that Elijah was a man, subject to light passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly, that it might not rain, and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again. And heaven gave rain and the earth brought forth her fruit. The occasion of this you may read in First Kings chapter seventeen I believe and onward where we prayed on Mount Carmel. But is a man like you and like me of the weaknesses that any human person has? But he prayed. And thank God for the example of the Lord Jesus and of others in the Word of God and even of others in the lifetime of Christianity who have been faithful in prayer.
A third characteristic that can be a hindrance, and that is secret sins. Let me read with you chapter fifty-one in the book of Psalms. Most of us, if not all, may be familiar. that David unfortunately fell into sin which was of most unfortunate example to the people of Israel as well as a disgrace to the name of God he had to repent and in this great penitential psalm of repentance when he did I want you to notice in Psalm fifty one verse twelve and thirteen now please may I note with you What had happened?
A sin had come into his life. It was an alarming sin. In fact, there were two of them. Murder as well as adultery. But now when he was repentant and confessed his sin, notice his prayer, Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free spirit. Recognizing that the sin he had committed and allowed in his life was a hindrance. But now note, when the hindrance is removed by repentance and confession, note verse thirteen, then will I teach transgressors thy ways and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
Let me just repeat it for emphasis before we go further. secret sinned. It came into the life of David, king of Israel, crowned with glory by God so greatly, handed him to this testimony. But will you please note, please may I say again, may I emphasize it, there was restoration. And after the restoration, then he said, I will teach sinners thy ways. transgresses thy way. Beloved, that they may be converted unto thee. O my beloved fellow believer, let you and I recognize this can be a hindrance.
Thank God it can be removed and we can be delivered. A fourth characteristic that is a hindrance. I think this is often duplicated in these subjects of the lessons from different one to the other lessons. But the fourth one that is mentioned in your book is ignorance of the word of God. Ignorance of God's word. One scripture we would like to refer to is in the New Testament. Titus, the epistle of Titus, right after Timothy. Titus chapter one and verse nine. Where the beloved apostle Peter is writing to the elders, to Titus regarding the elders in Crete.
And please note, as he mentions to Titus in this ninth verse, the responsibility, the responsibility that a person who is seeking to minister to any soul, whether a non-believer, as well as a believer, must know the Word of God. Let me read verse nine. He should be holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught. Why? That he may be able, by sound doctrine or sound teaching, both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers, those who oppose it.
I believe they'll be in the next lesson. I'm not sure, but I think it's in the next lesson. Development upon this particular fact. The requirement of knowing the Word of God. I recall an incident that I read concerning a brother witnessing for the Lord. And all the time he was witnessing to this friend of his or acquaintance, he kept quoting the word of God. Until the fellow said, I can't argue with you. You use the Bible all the time. Well, that's a good argument, wasn't it? Then you can recognize, look, we must know the word of God. Then let me give you the thought right at this point.
At the end of this one lesson you've got eight scriptures to memorize. And may I give this thought, you may not remember it, I hope you will remember it rather, and forget all the rest I've said. But if you memorize those verses and remember them you'll have more from the book than you can even read them. There are verses at the end of this chapter that are all gospel verses from anyone that's on saying. Eight of them. So it's putting the word of God into your heart. It's memorizing the word of God. Please let me say, I don't know what you think of this course. I've never taught it before.
I taught other courses on personal evangelism years ago. But may I say, the best part of personal evangelism courses is the memory work. What the man writes in the book, you may forget. But what God writes in your heart and your mind from his book, that's the thing to remember, his word. Look at another scripture on this theme. Well, you know it well. I'll just quote it. Second Timothy chapter two, verse fifteen. Study. And the word means give diligence. Study to show, study to show thyself approved of God.
A workman that needeth not to be ashamed. Now please let me say, please note the meaning of that verse. It's a workman in the word of God. Not talking about your work for God. It's talking about how have you developed the workmanship this book can develop in you. For instance, A carpenter must have his tools. A mason must have his tools. A mechanic must have his tools. My beloved, you know the only tool you and I should use is this one. The Word of God.
And be a good workman in knowing it. Let me quote the words. We'll get them later, I'm sure. From Second Timothy chapter three, sixteen and seventeen. Study to show all scripture is given. by inspiration of God, is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. What for? That the believer might be a workman, truly furnished unto all good works. Let me give you the lovely thought. You know, some of the Greek language has picturesque language in it.
In other words, sometimes you find in the word of God in the Greek language, the language that is used in the Greek text often is a picture describing something. And let me mention that text. That, as he goes on to say, all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is probable for doctrine, for reproof, for instruction, for righteousness, that the man of God may be complete. Truly furnished unto all good works. Now let me suggest what the picture is in the Greek language. It's a picture of a ship in a port and it's loading its cargo to carry across the seas merchandise, goods, precious, valuable from place to place as it may travel.
Well, beloved look. The more you and I get the word of God in our heart and in our memories, you'll have more to give out wherever you land. At every port, to any person you may meet, the Lord will... Remember the Lord Jesus said to his disciple, and this I do value. In John chapter sixteen, he spoke of the coming of the Holy Spirit. He will bring all things to your remembrance. He is the believer's remembrancer. You got a good forgettery? So have I. But if you're saved, you've got the Holy Spirit.
And the Holy Spirit is your remembrancer. Isn't that good? Better than a wife, better than a husband, better than a father, better than a mother, better than a preacher. The Holy Spirit is the believer's remembrancer. And what joy to recognize He'll bring the Word of God before us. May I say it lovingly? I cannot boast about it. You may sometimes, I've heard you've made comments. Many of you made comments. How often I quote the scriptures. And where did I get it? I don't have a photographing memory. I never had. I tried to, but I never made it. Repetition.
Repetition. Repetition. Constant reading. Constant memory work. Constantly referring to the Scriptures. The Holy Spirit brings them back to your remembrance. And thus you can see the value of the Word of God. The fifth hindrance that is mentioned in the book is called selfishness. Well, one wonders sometimes how many would have that failure. But look with me in Second Corinthians chapter five. Second epistle of Paul to the Corinthians in chapter five. I'd like to read verse fourteen and fifteen, where we have the Spirit of God writing to Paul and saying, For the love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge that if one died for all, then we're all dead, and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live under themselves, but unto him which died for them and rose again.
Those of you who were with us on Sunday morning, in the message on the Christian discipleship, you may remember that we mentioned from Luke chapter fourteen, which is another reference in this very lesson, that the believer has to crucify self. Lay aside self. all the realization that Paul says if we believe that Lord Jesus died for all men and that he wants all men to be saved let's forget ourselves in the ministry that constrains us to let them know the message of the gospel selfishness selfishness and then last of all let me well let me just quote Romans twelve one as a quotation which you find in your lesson reference I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present yourselves a living sacrifice.
Let me just stop right there. The believer, because of what God has done for him and for her, to give his and her life as a, and will you please note, a living, not a dead sacrifice. In the Old Testament there were dead sacrifices. brought to the Lord. In the New Testament, it's a believer who is to be a living sacrifice. In other words, it's a sacrificial life. It's a sacrificial life. I don't know how many of you acquainted with the fact. The Salvation Army many, many years ago in its early days, founded by General Bramwell William Bramwell Booth, was a mighty force for God in the winning of souls.
The great work began in London, England when this dear brother went to the poor district of London to win the souls that were in poverty there. He did a mighty work for God, but it was on selfishness in his character all the time. On one occasion he was asked to telegraph before the days of telephone to telegraph a message to this continent where Salvation Army people were meeting in convention and he was told asked to telegraph a message he sent only one word in that message others others others and my beloved that's the divine principle that in the ministry of seeking to win souls we only think of others not of ourselves Paul speaks of that in second chapter of Philippians to recognize we should look upon others when we think of the Lord Jesus coming he looked upon the whole world now
that brings to our sixth point and the last one mentioned in the lesson one difficulty that may be but I doubt that it would be found very often not in a sincere believer callousness meaning the lack of compassion callousness or the lack of no compassion look with me in Mark's Gospel chapter six please the Gospel according to Mark and may I say earnestly One of the greatest Gospels that you can read regarding service is the Gospel according to Mark. In Mark's Gospel you have God's perfect servants.
How he worked, what he did, what he said. And in chapter six at verse thirty-four, will you please note the heart of compassion that belonged to the Lord Jesus? Chapter six of Mark thirty-fourth verse. And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people and was moved with compassion toward them because they were a sheep, not having a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. You have the truth repeated in Matthew, I'm sure. You have the same truth repeated in the testimony of Paul in Romans chapter nine.
Reading verses one through three. Paul said he was willing, he was willing to be cursed to die eternally. If you can only save his fellow Jews, he loved them so dearly. But here's the whole thought. No callousness, nothing but compassion upon the souls that are a sheep having no shepherd. May I say honestly, I believe with conviction. It's a mystery to me why so many people don't want to get saved.
I speak that first, thankfully. I can meet more people if I approach them on the way of salvation and not even wanting to listen to it. Not willing to be saved. You've got a world around you that's like that. We'll see some of that in one, I think, in our next lesson. And we'll see some of that, the carelessness of other people. And one can well realize. One can only have compassion upon them. The man is lost.
He's blind. Satan is blind in the mind and eyes of those. But you and I can only show compassion. I say again, let me repeat it. Many experiences I've had in the past have been amazing to me that when I try to point us all to the joy of salvation, they didn't want to listen to it. Remember giving a track to a lady in a hospital bed. I said, lady, here's a nice gospel track. Tell you how to get to heaven. And she snapped at me. I'd like to know how to get out of this here place first. I thought a minute for a quick minute, I said, I can tell you how.
She said, how? Go to heaven. Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. I'll up her hands. Now that's common. You know, what I thought afterwards? I thought she acted as though I invited her to go to hell. I hadn't done that. I'd invited her to go to heaven. Let me say again, you'll mean it, but don't get callous. Pity the poor soul, see. And so may we realize it. But in closing the lesson, that last point on callousness, there are four particular facts that are mentioned at the end of that lesson that are worth repeating.
To erase To remove callousness. First, let me quote it. First, God's declaration in his word. Now, I'm not going to read the scripture, but you know it well. And if you make a note, it's Romans three from verse ten through nineteen. Romans three, verse ten through nineteen. And what does God declare? Let me give you the thought. You go to Romans one, two, and three, particularly in chapter three, you'll find God has all the world in the courthouse. He's got them on trial.
They stand before His judgment bar because they are sinners. And at the end of that portion in verse nineteen, He says, all the world's guilty. My beloved, may I say to you as well as to my known heart, recognize the nan of the woman that may be careless and indifferent to you, is just as guilty as their sin against God. They should shut their mouth. God says all of sin comes short of the glory of God as we well know it.
And that the wages of sin is what? Death. death. Oh, beloved, may I say again, God says it. God says it. Dear old Alfred Gibbs, I think it was Gibbs or no, it wasn't years ago when I was a Sunday school teacher. We had a lesson for the kid on your fingers. First, I sinned. God loves. Christ died. I believe. I live. Try to teach it to the kids. And if you want a five-finger lesson, object lesson, just use your fingers. I sin.
That's what God says. But he also says, he loves. And he tells me how. Christ died. And then he says, you believe. And I believe. And I live. It's God's declaration. And the second thing, as we've already mentioned on those fingers, God loves. God says you're a sinner. that God loves. Now God doesn't love sin, but he loves the sinner. I remember years ago in a Sunday school, I asked the children on one occasion when I had them together, what kind of boys and girls does God love? And you know every one of them yelled out, good ones! And there in the front was a little boy.
I said, Melvin, are you a good boy? He put his head in his hands and he said, oh Mr. Bramwell, I'm an naughty boy. And he was right. A little later Melvin got saved. Months later asking the same question to the same Sunday school group, I asked, What kind of boys and girls does God love? And here was Melvin. And he shouts out, Naughty ones. It's the only kind of people God saves. Naughty ones. And if you don't tell them you've been naughty, you'll never get saved. He loves them. That's the second thing.
God's declaration, we're sinners. Yet God loves sinners, though he hates their sins. And then you've got the love of Christ, the love of Christ. Here is love, not that we love God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. He laid his life down for us. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son. God's love for the sinner. Christ's love for the sinner. Now please let me say there's one more point. This is a good one at the end. The fourth fact.
First, God's declaration we're all sinners. Second, declaration God loves us. Third, Christ loves us and died for us. And gave himself for us. And last of all, the reality of hell. the reality of hell. May I close by saying, I remember a dear brother up in Mount Raleigh years ago, said to me on one occasion, he said, Brother John, what brought you to Christ? What special thing was it that brought you to come to Christ? I thought quickly for a moment and I looked at my friend, I said, Luther, It was my fear of going to hell.
And the answer they said, you know, Brother Johnny said, I've asked many people the same question. Unusually, not always, I've had the same answer. The fear of hell. Not always is the case. But I want to tell you what. My beloved, they're going to hell. One of our old preachers of about two hundred years ago or more, maybe more, by the name of Rowland Hill, before they had loudspeakers and anything of that type at all. He preached in the open air, and please let me say, how would you like to preach in an open field to five thousand people with no acoustics and no loudspeaker?
But that's what they did. Wesley, many others in those days of the past. Out in the open field. And this brother had a Stentorian voice. They could hear him. And he preached the gospel fearlessly. And mentioned the danger of hell. But he made the comment one time. There was a sand pit where some men were caught under the sand. as they slipped and fell upon them and buried them. And he was all alone. He couldn't dig them out himself, but he shouted with his voice as loud as he could, Help, help, help. So that men came running from distant places to help bring the men out of the sandpit where they were buried.
And he made the comment, he said. They came to help when I was calling for help for these men in the sandpit. But when I preach that the people going to hell, they don't move too much. My beloved, please let me say, hell is real. Hell is real, as we well know. But there are four facts. It'll take the callousness out of you. God's declaration to all the sinners, second, he loves sinners. Third, Christ loves sinners. Gave himself a sinner. And fourth, hell, which is the place of love sinners.
May God bless his word. Let me give you the encouragement and say it again as I did previously. You that have your lesson books, memorize those scripture verses. You may not remember all the notes that are in the book, but if you memorize the verses pertaining to it, personal evangelism you'll be well fortified shall we pray blessed father we thank you for speaking to our hearts and to our consciences blessed father we confess we're not moved enough over the conditions of men and women boys and girls that are out of Christ.
And blessed Lord Jesus, when you were here, you looked upon the multitudes and you saw them as sheep having no shepherd. Blessed Lord Jesus, as many strange sheep today, who know nothing and can say, never can say, the Lord is my shepherd. We pray that thou wouldst indeed burden our own heart as well as equip our own souls to better witnesses for thee. Grant indeed that none of us will permit hindrances to keep us from being faithful, to make Christ known to others.
We ask it, Lord, for thine honor and glory, giving thanks for the lesson in Jesus' name. Amen.