Upward Closing Celebration 2024 Gospel Presentation
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**Introduction:**
- Ask: "What is the object of the game of basketball?" "What is the main aim?"
- Hopefully someone will say - "To make a goal!"
Demonstrate: Ask one of them to hold the basketball and demonstrate how to do this. Point out how first they face the goal, then they move toward it, aim the basketball, and shoot.
**Point 1: The Goal**
Would it be harder to make the goal if you turned away from it?
What if you were moving farther and farther away from it too?
Romans 3:23 talks about another goal -
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
Sin causes us to turn away from God - our goal.
None of us have reached God's perfection or even come close!
Only Jesus lived a perfect life without sinning.
We have all turned away from God, and on our own, we wander farther and farther away.
6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him
the sins of us all.
God knew even before creation He would need to save us from wandering our own way and ending up lost and not knowing Him.
He sent Jesus to take our sin and bring us back to Him.
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.
**Point 2: In Christ**
Most basketball games are played in a gym.
In this case, we must be inside the gym to even be near the goal.
Right now, we are in the sanctuary; outside of the gym
Imagine if I told one of you to try to make a shot in one of the baskets in the gym from all of the way over here.
It would be impossible!
God invites each of us to come into fellowship with Him and have eternal life.
Jesus made the way!
When we accept Jesus as our Lord & Savior and surrender our lives to Him, He comes in and saves us!
We are forgiven and become a child of God; we now are "in" Him, "in" God's family!
2 I am writing to God’s church in Corinth, to you who have been called by God to be his own holy people. He made you holy by means of Christ Jesus, just as he did for all people everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.
**Point 3: Playing the Game**
We were in the gym moments ago, but how many of us are really playing the game and scoring goals?
Some may be in the stands as spectators, others on the bench, but only a few are actually on the court playing the game and making goals.
We become a child of God as soon as we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior; our eternity is settled, but our new life is just beginning.
It's not time to sit and just watch others or go through the motions of practicing, wearing a team jersey, but always sitting on the bench.
To make a goal, we need to not only be inside the gym, we need to be in the game, facing the goal, trying to get closer to it and aiming at it.
Think about:
Are we "in Christ" but just sitting on the bleachers watching other Christians live life loud for Jesus?
Are we going through the motions, but actually just sitting on the bench?
Are we on the court but not even facing the goal or aiming to score.
Jesus called His disciples to follow Him. Paul tells us in Ephesians 5:1 -
1 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.
The greatest goal in life is to know Jesus, draw near to Him and aim at following His example.
6 Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.
**Summing it Up:**
Why is it that we need to turn towards God like facing a hoop when shooting a basketball?
Because of sin we are not even facing God.
We are going our own way in rebellion against God.
And also because of that sin we are on the outside nowhere near God!
Without Jesus, it is impossible to live a life pleasing to God; it's like being outside the gym.
Jesus is the only one who can bring us into God's family, but He won't force us; He waits for us to ask.
Once we're in God's family, we need to be on the court, drawing near the goal and aiming to know Him more and follow His example.
Certainly! Here's the Gospel invitation added to the end of the presentation using the "Accept, Believe, Confess" model:
**Gospel Invitation:**
If you're here today and you've never accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, I want to invite you to do so right now. It's as simple as ABC - Accept, Believe, Confess.
**Accept:**
Accept that you are a sinner in need of a Savior.
Acknowledge that you cannot save yourself and that you need Jesus to forgive your sins and give you eternal life.
**Believe:**
Believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins and rose again, conquering sin and death.
Trust in Him alone for salvation and eternal life.
**Confess:**
Confess your faith in Jesus as your Lord and Savior.
Confess your sins to Him, asking for His forgiveness and inviting Him into your heart and life to be your Lord and Savior.
If you're ready to make this decision today, I invite you to pray with me:
"Dear Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and that I cannot save myself.
I believe that you died on the cross for my sins and rose again.
I confess my sins to you and ask for your forgiveness.
I invite you into my heart and life to be my Lord and Savior.
Thank you for saving me and giving me eternal life.
In Jesus' name, Amen."
If you meant that in your heart, congratulations!
You have made the most important decision of your life.
Please let me know so that I can celebrate with you and help you take the next steps in your journey with Jesus.
**Closing Prayer**