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Sermonaudio Gospel of John
E.A. Johnston
0:00
0:00 6:16
E.A. Johnston

Sermonaudio Gospel of John

E.A. Johnston · 6:16

E.A. Johnston emphasizes the importance of adapting gospel outreach methods to contemporary culture by using accessible tools like the printed Gospel of John to effectively share Christ's message with a spiritually hungry but Bible-illiterate generation.
In this evangelistic sermon, E.A. Johnston addresses the challenges of sharing the gospel in a generation largely unfamiliar with the Bible. Drawing on historical examples and personal experience, he encourages believers to adapt their methods by using practical tools like the printed Gospel of John. Johnston underscores the necessity of prayer, a burden for souls, and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit in effective outreach. This message equips listeners to engage their communities with compassion and strategic gospel witness.

Full Transcript

Today I want to share with you, friends, an effective way to get the gospel out in your community. Sermon Audio has a nicely printed Gospel of John that can be ordered in bulk inexpensively. I ordered a whole box of them to hand out to folks in my community.

People need the Word of God today, and more and more folks are hungry for it. Reaching your generation with the gospel is challenging today, more than ever. Every man's work is different in his generation, because every generation is different.

I'll give you an example. D.L. Moody served God in a religious society on the heels of the second great awakening. Charles Finney served God in the midst of the second great awakening, where the very atmosphere was pregnant with the presence of God, and his hearers were often subjects of that great revival.

We've served God today in a time where few even know what the Bible is or know what a true revival of religion is. In Moody's day, he labored in Christian America, where there was a distinction between Christianity and the world. To witness to folks, all he had to do was to approach them on the street and ask, Are you a Christian? People knew the difference back then.

One man grew angry at Moody for asking him that question and almost punched him in the nose, but two months later called on Moody in the middle of the night to ask what he must do to be saved. But if Moody lived now, he'd have to change his method and his message, because what worked in his generation would have little impact today. When Moody lived, people knew their Bibles.

We live in a day where hardly anyone reads their Bible. Moody lived in a day of a praying church. We live in a day of a prayerless church.

Well, how are you going to reach this generation with the gospel, if you have ever heard, friends? When there is a withdrawn presence of God in the land, and all hell is stacked against you, you better be on fire for God yourself. To draw the lost to you, you better be sensitive to the Holy Spirit as you look for opportunities to witness to folks. And we need to keep a burden for souls in our hearts and have wet eyes and a broken heart as we pray for them.

We have to carry that burden of souls with us before we can go out and reach them. I used to hand out gospel tracts to those I encountered in my daily routine, but now I've switched to handing folks the Bible. The receptivity of the Word of God is growing in the land, and most folks will be thankful that you gave them a Bible.

I've had a great deal of success with the Sermon Audio printed copy of the Gospel of John. It's a King James translation, and the chapter headings are well laid out in an easy-to-read format. You can purchase them in bulk from Sermon Audio, and it's an easy way to witness because they can easily fit into a person's purse or pocket.

The Sermon Audio Gospel of John is an effective witnessing tool, and I keep a stack of them in my car, and I hand them out to folks I meet throughout the week. Recently, I was at a Dunkin' Donut drive-through, and the young man waiting on me asked me if I could spare some quarters so he could have some bus fare to get home. Well, I looked around for some change, and I found some quarters and gave them to him, and as soon as I drove away, I came under conviction for failing to share the gospel with that young man.

Well, I made it a point to go back to that same location the same time of day, and there he was in the window, and I had a Sermon Audio Gospel of John beside me on the seat of my car, and this is how the conversation went, friends. I said, Hey, how you doing? Do you have your bus fare for today? He remembered me and smiled and said, Yes, I do. Thanks for asking.

Well, I smiled at him and said, Hey, I brought you something that I think you could really use. You can read it on your breaks, and I handed him the Sermon Audio Gospel of John. Then I looked him in the eye and said, Listen, friend, this is something that's made a big difference in my life, and I know if you take the time to read it, it can make a big difference in yours as well.

I just wanted you to have it. Well, that young man was so grateful for that gift, he carefully read the cover before he placed it in his pocket and thanked me and thanked me and thanked me, and I drove home with tears running down my face, praying for God's spirit to attend the reading of his word and that young man's life, and I pray for him each day for his salvation. Our Gospel witness must be bathed in prayer with a burden to see the loss brought in.

It's easier to throw away a track, but few people will throw away the Bible. That's why I've been using the Sermon Audio Gospel of John in my weekly evangelistic labors. I highly recommend it to you, friend.

It will help you to share the gospel in your community as well.

Sermon Outline

  1. I. The Challenge of Reaching Today's Generation
    • Differences between past and present evangelistic contexts
    • Decline in Bible knowledge and prayer in the church
    • Need for new methods to engage a secular culture
  2. II. Learning from Historical Evangelists
    • D.L. Moody's ministry in a Christian society
    • Charles Finney and the Second Great Awakening
    • Why past methods may not work today
  3. III. Practical Evangelism with the Gospel of John
    • Using printed Gospel of John as a witnessing tool
    • Personal testimony of handing out Bibles
    • The power of prayer and burden for souls
  4. IV. The Role of Prayer and Sensitivity to the Holy Spirit
    • Maintaining a heart burdened for the lost
    • Being sensitive to opportunities to witness
    • Praying for the Holy Spirit's work in salvation

Key Quotes

“People need the Word of God today, and more and more folks are hungry for it.” — E.A. Johnston
“It's easier to throw away a track, but few people will throw away the Bible.” — E.A. Johnston
“When there is a withdrawn presence of God in the land, and all hell is stacked against you, you better be on fire for God yourself.” — E.A. Johnston

Application Points

  • Keep gospel materials like the printed Gospel of John readily available to share with others.
  • Cultivate a heart burdened for the lost through consistent prayer and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit.
  • Adapt your evangelistic approach to meet the cultural and spiritual needs of your generation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does E.A. Johnston recommend using the printed Gospel of John for evangelism?
Because it is an accessible, easy-to-read tool that people are more likely to keep and read than a gospel tract.
How does the current generation differ from past generations in terms of evangelism?
Many today lack Bible knowledge and church prayerfulness, making traditional evangelistic approaches less effective.
What role does prayer play in effective gospel outreach according to the sermon?
Prayer is essential to maintain a burden for souls and to seek the Holy Spirit's guidance in witnessing.
Can evangelism methods from past revivals be used today without change?
No, methods must be adapted because cultural contexts and spiritual climates differ greatly.
What practical advice does the speaker give for sharing the gospel in daily life?
Keep gospel materials like the printed Gospel of John handy and be ready to share with sensitivity and prayer.

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