Various scriptures / A simple tool to share the gospel

Have you ever shared the message of Christ with anyone? How did you share the gospel? What was the experience like?

Or maybe you would say that I don’t know how to share the gospel?

How hard is it to share the gospel?

Ask Adrian. Since he was saved I have heard him share the gospel at least a half dozen times. And what he shared is all that is necessary to be saved.

The gospel is very simple to share. It can be shared in multitudes of ways as long as the key points are given. It can be adapted to a person’s need. It can include years of relationship building. Or it can occur in a moment with a stranger. It can be shared with a single scripture, or a multitude of scripture.

But what is the essence of the gospel? What information must be shared?

In most of our contacts in the US, I like to explain that there are four things you need to know to be saved.

1. We are sinners.

2. There penalty for sin is death.

3. Jesus died and rose again to pay the penalty for our sin.

4. We can be saved by placing our trust in Jesus as Savior and God.

In a simple form this is the gospel.

We can expand on it. We can apply it. We can further explain it. And most often we should. But the essence of the gospel is the four points. By sharing them most of the people we encounter can be saved.

It helps to package the gospel in way that is easy for us to understand it and for us to easily be able to share it with someone else.

There are lots of methods out there.

I’d like to share one of the two that I often use. It seeks to keep things very simple.

I’ll expand on the various points, but remember that it is the points themselves that matter. Keep it simple.

1. 2. 3. 4.

I package the points into two parts --- Bad News Good News

There is Bad news 1. 2.

There is Good news 3. 4.

Let’s take a few minutes and look at a simple way to present the gospel.

Pray.

Sometimes it is helpful have prethought through how to begin the presentation of the gospel. This generally assumes you have begun a conversation that appears to have an open door to talk about the gospel.

Intro question: May I show you from the Bible how you can know for sure you are going to heaven / have a relationship with Jesus?

Begin the discussion: There are four things you must know to go to heaven/have a relationship with Christ. Two are bad news / Two are good news. Let’s start with the Bad News.

I. Sharing the gospel: Bad News

A. Bad News: We are sinners Romans 3:23

(ESV) Romans 3 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

We know when things are just wrong. When people in the world are so bad that it is just for them to be punished. We know there is right and wrong. Murder / Rape / Abuse /

at times No one has to tell us when we get it wrong. Our conscience points it out.

We live with regrets from the mistakes we have made.

In the middle of the night when no one is around, you know you are really inadequate and fall short.

What is a sin? God the creator has declared the definition of sin: that which does not please God. He gives some examples.

(NKJV) 1 Corinthians 6 9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. …

(NKJV) Revelation 21 8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

Don’t do some of them. Guilty of others. Unworthy. Can’t make it across to be like God.

B. Illustrations: Target / Rock

Key is We are Sinners – we fall short

1 We are sinners

II. Sharing the gospel: Worse News

A. Bad news (even worse): The penalty for sin is death Rom 6:23

(ESV) Romans 6 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We have a sense of justice. Wrong should be punished. So much evil in the world. Will there ever be a time it is all set right? Yes there will. God had declared the wages of sin is death.

In life the penalty for sin also is present

Sin in the world has brought aspects of death already. Chaos and trouble

Our own sin brings guilt and disappointment

Nothing every seems to bring real satisfaction

We seek for fulfillment and always come up short.

The world and us are impacted by sin now – Nothing the way it was created to be. Already the penalty for sin creeps in.

And ultimately the price will be even greater. Eternal punishment forever. The just punishment for sin.

B. Illustrations: Wages / Speeding Ticket

If we leave it here. We have no hope.

Key is The penalty for sin is death – We owe an eternal debt for our sin.

1. 2.

But there is also good news. We could never come to God, So He came to us. He made a way for us to come to Him.

III. Sharing the gospel: Good News

A. Good news … Christ died for our sins Romans 5:8

(ESV) Romans 5 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

God is gracious. Not willing any should perish

So before the foundation of the world He devised the plan of salvation

We could not reach out to Him or come to Him

So He came to us and made the only way for us to come to Him

B. Illustration: Cancer / Pay ticket

Key is Christ died for our sins – He took our place

1 2 3

And there is even better news. God invites us to receive this forgiveness that Jesus offers. He invites us to receive Jesus as Savior.

IV. Sharing the gospel: Even Better News

A. Good news (even better) … You can be saved through faith in Christ Ephesians 2:8-9

John 3 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

(ESV) Ephesians 2 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

It’s a choice. We make the choice to be far from God by our sin. We must make a choice to come the God through His Son. By Grace. But a choice to make.

B. Illustration: Chair

Must put your trust in Him.

Key is You can be saved through faith in Christ – You can trust Christ as your Savior and God right now.

V. Making the decision

Question: Is there anything keeping you from trusting Christ as Savior right now?

You can tell God right now that you want to trust Christ as Savior.

A. Lead them to pray

One of the most common mistakes is to share the truth but never invite someone to choose to trust Christ. Once they have been give the knowledge of what Christ has done, it is always appropriate to invite them to trust Christ

1. Have them tell the Lord their desire to trust Him as your Savior

2. Aloud

3. I have done wrong and the penalty is death

4. I know that Jesus died for me and I want to trust Jesus as Savior

5. If they need words to pray feel free to help them to pray, but be sure they know it is not words that matter, it must be from their heart. (danger either way – giving them words help them to understand – can be just a bed time prayer) (Not giving them words – they might not understand what they are doing or they might really get it and express themselves)

B. Give Assurance John 5:24; John 3:16; John 1:12

(ESV) John 5 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

1. Did you hear and believe/trust in Him --- what do you have?

John 3 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

2. Did you believe/trust in Jesus? --- What do you have?

(ESV) John 1 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

3. Did you believe/trust in Jesus? What did He make you?

1. 2. 3. 4.

It’s that simple.

Have you trusted in Christ?

Will you share this message to those without Christ.