Embarking on a Journey of Empowered Evangelism: Pastor Jason's Call to Courageous Mission

Discover the profound impact of stepping into empowered evangelism with Pastor Jason Hovde on our latest episode of Truth Trek. This journey isn't for the faint of heart, as we tackle the tough questions of faith, pessimism, and the incredible hope that Jesus Christ offers. Be prepared to be inspired by the Apostle Paul's unwavering courage in Corinth and learn how the promise of God's enduring presence can embolden you to speak the gospel with confidence, no matter the obstacles.

As we connect the dots between biblical history and the present-day challenges of missionary work, you'll see that the same divine encouragement that fortified Joshua, Jeremiah, and Paul is available to you right now. This episode is not just about recounting stories from the past—it's a rallying cry for modern-day believers to embrace their role in God's plan, to reach those destined to be part of His family. Pastor Hovde invites you to find courage in your struggles, speak boldly about your faith, and trust in the undeniable power of God to work through your life for His glory. Join us on this transformative trek, where each step is a move towards fulfilling His great commission.

Transcript

Jason Hovde: 0:00

Are you ready to step up your evangelism? Welcome to Truth Trek, where we dive deep into the Bible to uncover the treasures there. I am Pastor Jason Hovde and I will be your guide as we journey together into. In today's episode, our journey together is going to take a look at empowered evangelism. The promises of Jesus should encourage us today, and we're going to look at three promises straight out of the Great Commission that Christ Himself gave us. He's promised number one, to never leave us. Number two, to empower and embolden us. And number three, to produce the fruit of our labors. As Christians, we ought to live with the most hope and joy of anyone around. Instead, we often live our lives with a pessimistic attitude that always assumes the worst things are going to happen. And when we live in this pessimistic way, we are not honoring God. The pessimist always assumes something bad is going to happen. The pessimist is always waiting for the other shoe to drop. The pessimist says, during a beautiful season of weather, we're going to pay for this later. You've heard of this type of torture. The victim is strapped to a cot or otherwise immobilized Water. Over time they nearly go crazy just waiting for the next drip.

Jason Hovde: 2:10

Thomas Carlile was a Scottish historian, philosopher, teacher and commentator. Today, if you visit Thomas Carlile's famous home in London, they will show you an almost soundproof chamber that Carlile had built so that the noise of the street could be shut out and he could work in silence. One of his neighbors, however, kept a rooster that several times in the night and in the early morning gave way to vigorous self-expression. When Carlile protested to the owner of the rooster, the man pointed out to him that the rooster crowed only three times in the night. But after all that could not be such a terrible annoyance. But Carlile said to him if you only knew what I suffer waiting for that rooster to crow.

Jason Hovde: 3:01

Like Carlile, many of us suffer waiting for that rooster to crow. We live as though something bad must be coming. So we live with our necks and muscles continually braced for what is surely coming. Yet, unlike water torture and unlike Carlile's rooster, our dread is self-imposed. And it is self-imposed because we have promises from our Lord and we choose not to believe them. Any time we do not believe something that the Lord has said to us, we are sinning. When we live in pessimism, we are sinning.

Jason Hovde: 3:36

Carlile expressed a sort of pessimism about the rooster. That because he knew it was coming. It was dreadful to lie awake waiting for it, for the Christian life ought to be the opposite. Do we lie awake waiting for the trouble, like Carlile, waiting for the rooster to crow, or do we obey Christ and, despite knowing that we are promised trouble in this life, do we choose not to worry? That is the whole of what Jesus was saying. In this world, you will have trouble, but take heart, jesus said in John 16 33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world. You will have tribulation, but take heart. I have overcome the world. And in John 14.1, jesus said Let your hearts not be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. Carlisle was a man who lost his faith. It is thought that his philosophy was a precursor to fascism. What will become of us? Will we lie awake in torturous angst, waiting for the other shoe to drop or for the rooster to crow, or do we obey Christ, who said Let not your hearts be troubled?

Jason Hovde: 5:04

Paul, as you may well know, continued to run into trouble wherever he went, preaching the gospel, and you can see in his letters that he was treated badly in many places. He was treated badly in Derby Lystra. He was put in prison in Philippi, run out of town in Thessalonica, chased down to Berea and even in Athens had people mock him. Now he's in Corinth as we're going to read and though he believes in his mission, he must have been wavering a little in his faith because the Lord spoke to him in order to encourage him. I'll read the passage and then we're going to focus on what the Lord said to Paul and a reminder that what we're discussing is the promises of Jesus that should encourage us to obey, because he's promised to never leave us, to empower and embolden us and to produce the fruit of our labors. So I read from Acts, chapter 18, to see what happened to Paul in Corinth, starting at verse 1.

Jason Hovde: 6:13

After this, paul left Athens and went to Corinth and he found a Jew named Achilla, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy, with his wife Brasila. Because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome and he went to see them, and because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade and he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks. When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them your blood be on your own heads. I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles. And he left there and went to the house of a man named Titus justice, a worshipper of God. His house was next door to the synagogue.

Jason Hovde: 7:13

Christmas, the ruler of the synagogue believed in the Lord, together with his entire household and many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized. And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people. And he stayed a year and six months teaching the word of God among them. But when Galio was procounsel of Echea, the Jews made a united. This man is persuading people to worship God, contrary to the law. But when Paul was about to open his mouth, galio said to the Jews If it were a matter of wrongdoing or vicious crime, o Jews, I would have reason to accept your complaint, but since it is a matter of questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge. And they all seized Sassanese, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal. But Galio paid no attention to any of this.

Jason Hovde: 8:31

Alright, so let's take a look at this passage and remember that the promises of Jesus should encourage us to obey his promises to never leave us, to empower us and to embolden us, and his promise to produce the fruit of our labors. There's a beautiful truth to be found in this passage, particularly in verses 9 and 10. This truth is that God always provides the encouragement needed to those who desire to please Him. We can look back to times where God has encouraged those who are obedient to Him. To Joshua, charged with the task of leading Israel after Moses' time of leadership was complete.

Jason Hovde: 9:11

The Lord said this in Joshua 1.5-9, no man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so will I be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses, my servant, commanded you Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left that you may have good success wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it, for then you will make your way prosperous and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous, do not be frightened and do not be dismayed, for the Lord, your God, is with you wherever you go.

Jason Hovde: 10:16

When the prophet Jeremiah said this to the Lord in Jeremiah 1.6-8, it says this I said All Lord. God behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth. And in the next verse God gives him an encouragement. But the Lord said to me Do not say I am only a youth, for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver, you, declares the Lord. And in the great commission. Jesus gave each believer authority, direction and encouragement Matthew 28, 18-20,. And Jesus came and said to them All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Jason Hovde: 11:18

So we come back to Paul needing some encouragement. Jesus spoke to him do not be afraid. The original wording of this to Paul was clearly the meaning of do not keep worrying. It wasn't a warning to avoid being afraid, but rather it was a command to stop being afraid. Certainly, paul may have become a bit gun-shy as he encountered enormous opposition to his message, and yet he was continuing to preach. Perhaps no one knew of his need for encouragement more than the Lord did, but the Lord indeed knew that Paul needed encouragement. Go on speaking, he said, for I am with you". Certainly, we can see a reminder of the promise here. Jesus had promised to be with his followers, to never leave them. The psalmist recognized that even in the valley of the shadow of death he could be unafraid because the Lord was nearby. Jesus reminded Paul, even though Paul was an obedient servant, even though Paul had endured many trials, even though Paul was to become perhaps the most influential Christian in history, jesus wanted Paul to succeed in perseverance. He wanted his mission to be completed and so, most likely in the very time of need, he spoke to Paul to offer him this assurance. But what really has excited me about the Lord's encouragement to Paul is that here, in the last part of what he said, he said no one will attack you to harm you. He assures Paul that, at least for this occasion, he will not allow Paul to be shut down in his ministry.

Jason Hovde: 13:03

In Corinth we find the most unlikely places that a church should thrive. This was a capital of vice. If you were to take the worst depravity of San Francisco, las Vegas and New York City and put them all together and on display for all to see, you would be approaching the level of depravity in Corinth. In fact, for more than 500 years, the phrase to carinthinize meant to be depraved in nature. If you think the phrase New York values was enough to offend someone in these days. In those days, a great insult to someone would be to compare them to Corinth. In Corinth, sexual depravity was a game, an industry and a religion unto itself. Prostitution and child abuse were common and Roman citizens were free to indulge in the very worst kind of immorality.

Jason Hovde: 14:02

But it was there to show the world the real nature of God's grace that he chose to plant a church that would serve as an example to the world, in some cases an example of grace, in others an example of licentiousness. But what did the Lord mean when he told Paul I have many in this city who are my people. I used to think this meant God had people in place to protect Paul, to keep him safe. But this is not what is meant here. Remember what the great commandment and the great commission are Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, soul and mind, and love the neighbor as yourself and the great commission. Go and make disciples.

Jason Hovde: 14:52

Paul wasn't being encouraged by the Lord to continue speaking without fear for only Paul's own sake. His mission was to save many people. The Lord had many people in the city, people who had not yet turned to him, had not yet heard the gospel, but were predestined to be part of the family of God. Paul was to keep speaking and not be afraid, because there were people who God wanted to reach in that city. Just as we are to proclaim our faith here, god has many people in our city as well. Wherever you are, god has people in your city, people who have not yet heard the gospel or have not yet been persuaded to follow Jesus. You see, someone needs to tell them.

Jason Hovde: 15:41

Paul needed to speak boldly, not just for his own sake, but for those who needed to hear the gospel. Paul developed a better understanding of this over time and when he wrote to the church in Rome, he told them this in Romans 8, 29 to 30. For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined, he also called. And those whom he called, he also justified. And those whom he justified, he also glorified. He predestined and called and justified and glorified, and this is done through the telling of the gospel or the proclamation of the Word of God. This is why we are unashamed. It is the power of God to all who believe, and while only God knows who they are, who will respond to our telling of the gospel. We are commanded to tell it, not putting the onus on ourselves to make results happen, but trusting in God that, as we live in obedience to him, sharing the gospel with those we encounter, that he indeed does have people in this city, people who are destined to become part of the family of God.

Jason Hovde: 17:05

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians, chapter 2, starting in verse 1, and I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom, for I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. Yet among the mature, we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory, but as it is written, what no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined. What God has prepared for those who love him. These things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God, for who knows a person's thoughts except the Spirit of that person which is in him? So also, no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the Spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom, but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. For who has understood the mind of the Lord as to instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ, him crucified.

Jason Hovde: 19:21

Paul makes clear that when he came to Corinth, he did not rely on his own wit or eloquence but on the Spirit of God. Only the Spirit knows a man's thoughts and the preacher does not know any man's thoughts. So the preacher must preach and the Christian must make disciples. We never know who will respond, but trust in him who promises that his word will never return void. In other words, the telling of the gospel is never wasted. It always has an effect. And when we begin to realize our great privilege in being part of the plan that God predestines many to receive his grace, we can go forth, like Paul, with the confidence in a Lord who is always with us, the empowerment of the Spirit of God to tell the great news we are blessed with.

Jason Hovde: 20:17

It's a privilege and a sobering thought that our telling someone about Jesus may have been part of God's eternal plan for that individual to be saved. Oh, what a glorious thing it is to think that the Lord may use us in the everlasting salvation for a soul. We impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. It is beyond our ability to imagine what God has prepared for us. I remember when we convinced my dad once to see one of the Star Wars movies in the theater. He had never seen anything like it before he kept leaning over to me and saying, wow, that guy sure has an imagination. Some amazing imaginative stories have been written and some amazing special effects have made them realistic and wondrous. Yet all the talent of all the artists on earth would not be able to put together anything close to what God has in store for us. So we ought to want others to share in it. If you see a movie that absolutely blows you away, you tell people about it. If you see a game that is so exciting, you want to talk about it. If you catch a huge fish, you want to lie about it. Hunters tell their stories over and over to any new audience who will listen.

Jason Hovde: 21:42

And yet with this news, we tend to keep it to ourselves. Why is this so? Why are we so timid to live out our faith boldly and share confidently the good news of our Savior? Jesus told us there are more people of His for us to go and find. Jesus said in John 10, 16, I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. He desperately wants us to go and help him to get those sheep into the fold. Yes, he could do that without our assistance, but why would we want that? Why not be part of something really, really big? Some of you have given money to political candidates, for whatever reason. You get excited and want to be part of something historic, something big. Why not be part of the plan of God to bring salvation to our communities? Don't be afraid of the testimony. Don't hesitate to share the good news. God may have predestined someone in your life to become one of the sheep of His fold, so why not be part of the good shepherd's work?

Jason Hovde: 23:00

In 2 Timothy 1, starting at verse 8, paul wrote to young Timothy therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner, but share in the suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but because of our own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior, christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do, but I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me. Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus, by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you. And so what do we do with that? What if it brings suffering to you? What if you share the gospel and it hurts? What if you lose friends or alienate family, or you are mocked or ridiculed? Do not stop speaking, but rejoice in your sufferings.

Jason Hovde: 24:26

Colossians 1,. Starting at verse 24, paul wrote Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body. That is the church of which I became a minister, according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you to make the Word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery which in Christ, in you, the hope of glory, him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy, that he powerfully works within me. Make it known the riches of the glory of this mystery which is Christ, in you, the hope of glory. Proclaim him, toil in this work, for he powerfully works within you. Remember, then, that the promises of Jesus should encourage us to obey, and his promises are that he would never leave us, that he would empower us and embolden us, and that he would produce the fruit of our labors.

Jason Hovde: 25:58

Thank you for joining me on this Truth Trek. I want to close once more to say that God encourages you to go on speaking and not be silent about your faith. I want to go back for one more time to Acts 18, 9, and 10 and see what God did for Paul to encourage him when he was feeling down and discouraged. The Lord said to Paul one night in a vision do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people. I pray that this message has encouraged you to be more bold in your faith and to hear from the words of Scripture that, even though it can be difficult, that God has given us all that we need for our encouragement and strength. Have a blessed day.