Evangelism Starts IN YOU | The SECRET SINS That Hold Us Back

What is it that holds us back from sharing the gospel more often than anything else? What are the secrets that more often than not close our mouths to speaking the truth of Jesus Christ with those in need? If we give it much thought, we will no doubt confess some of our hesitations. Hesitations like shyness, fear of rejection, intimidation, and even persecution. These are legitimate hurdles to overcome. They are real. But more often than we’d like to admit, these not what is holding us back from reaching out to the lost around us. All of these, I just mentioned, can actually present us in either a good light or call others to sympathize with us. The things that are really holding us back are often much more sinister and definitely do not put us in a good light. 

In Acts chapters 10 and 11 the infant church and specifically the Apostle Peter were confronted by God Himself about some of the private sins that they held dear were getting in the way of God’s plan to save others.  

The last half of chapter 9 shows different Paul was from Saul. God had saved him and given him a new name. Paul immediately went to work preaching the gospel. In chapters 10 and 11 we return to the amazing ministry of the Apostle Peter, except now the Spirit will begin to confront some private prejudice in Peter’s heart. My plan of study through section is to help us understand the narratives of chapters 9, 10, and 11 (mostly 10 and 11) by giving attention to chapter 11 first in this message today. Next, we will return to pick up the accounts we skipped to mine them as well. 

As we think about this text of chapter 11:1-18, we should become overly negative about it. God works in His people powerfully through His Spirit and His Word and the result is that the church responds and souls are saved! 

Let’s look at how the was helped by the Spirit to confront its deep prejudices to begin reaching the lost in areas they never dreamed of.