Share The Love Week 1

Intro-Grandpa Walter…..forrest and betty plants…showed grandma grace even though they were divorced....Forrest Plants become like another father who shared the love of Christ with him….

A December 2021 Evangelism Explosion study conducted by Lifeway Research found that two-thirds of Americans said they were “open or very open to having a conversation about the Christian faith with a friend.” The same study found that 65 percent of Americans said they were “open or very open to talking with a friend about having a relationship with God.”

60 percent of Americans said “many of their friends who claim to be Christians rarely talk about their faith.”

40 percent said they “wouldn’t think about faith on their own if a friend or family member didn’t bring it up.”

April 2022 Study of Self- Identifying Christians Found That Only

-46 precent have shared a Bible verse or Bible story with a non-Christian loved one

-43 precent have invited a non-Christian friend or family member to attend a church service or other program at church

-38 precent shared with a non-Christian loved one how to become a Christian

Yet 65% from the same study agreed sharing with a nonbeliever how they can become a Christian is the most loving thing they can do for them.

Yet 46% percent of Millennials agree at least somewhat that it is wrong to share one’s personal beliefs with someone of a different faith in hopes that they will one day share the same faith.

Loved people, love people.

What is The Gospel?

“Gospel” translates the Old Testament Hebrew verb bisser and the noun besorah. The Greek New Testament equivalent is euangelion, which is a compound word. Eu means "good," and angelion means "announcement." All of these words mean “good news,” but what kind of news?

In 1 word: Jesus.

In 3 words: 'Jesus is Lord.

And in 30 words: "Jesus is God with us, come to show us God's love, save us from sin, set up God's kingdom, and shut down religion, so we can share in God's life."

John

The New International Version (Chapter 3)

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

1 John

The New International Version (Chapter 4)

7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

The New International Version (Chapter 4)

19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

So Why Do We Need to Share The Love and Spread The Word?

1. Jesus asked us to.

Acts

The New International Version (Chapter 1)

you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Matthew

New Living Translation (Chapter 28)

18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

John

The New International Version (Chapter 13)

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

2. Good News is too good not to share.

New Living Translation (Chapter 52)

7 How beautiful on the mountains

are the feet of the messenger who brings good news,

the good news of peace and salvation,

the news that the God of Israel reigns!

3. People’s Lives and Eternities are at Stake.

Over the coming weeks we will talk a bit more of how we can share the love…..

but this message was birthed with two types of people in mind….the first being those who are not intentionally sharing the love.

heart challenge

the second group being those who haven’t experienced or aren’t currently connected to that love.

-Confess

-Repent (which means to turn away from)

-Follow

Romans

New Living Translation (Chapter 10)

9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. 11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” 12 Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. 13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.”