Sharing the Gospel

A new pastor, who had a heart to begin soul winning. decided he was going to go door to door one muggy afternoon. He walked up to a house and knocked but while knocking he heard a sound from around the house, so he stepped around to met a man named Carl. Carl was sitting near his garden eating an onion like you might eat an apple. The pastor introduced himself, and Carl offered him an onion. The young pastor wasn’t quite sure what to do. He thought, “I have no desire to eat an onion, but on the other hand, He wanted to gain a hearing with Carl to be able to share the gospel.” He took the onion and took a bit, Carl then offered the Pastor a seat and they began talking first about gardening then the Pastor was able to share the gospel with Carl. Carl after a few hours, if questions and answers bowed his head next to his garden and trusted Christ as His Saviour.

God has given is a message that is a matter of life and death to share with the world. This message is worth every effort on our part. And it is essential that we both understand it completely and communicate clearly.

Today we are going to look at one of the most basic presentations for sharing the gospel with others.

Understanding the Gospel

Before you can clearly share the gospel with someone else, you need to be clear on what the gospel is and isn’t

Sometimes people see church outreach merely as an opportunity to show kindness to others, such as by doing projects to serve the community. Or they think of it as a way to sway people’s views or change their perceptions of God and Church. Our purpose, however, is to share a singularly focused message- the gospel. Creating opportunities to communicate that message may include showing kindness or serving others. but sharing the gospel itself is sharing the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:1–4 KJV 1900

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

That’s it. the word gospel literally means “good news.” indeed it is.

Avoid the Extremes

Don’t front load it with elaborate terminology and extra-biblical requirement. Remember KISS, Keep It Simply Stupid.

Have a plan

My advice to a new soulwinner is to learn and memorize a plan of salvation and the verses that go along with it.

Giving a Clear Presentation

Often when you begin speaking with someone you just met, you will talk about small things like the weather, or their beautiful flowers or etc. but while making small talk you want to move the conversation into why your their. you might ask a question like:

“Has anyone shown you from the Bible how you can know without a doubt you are on your way to Heaven?”

“If you were to die today, do you know where you would be?”

along the way try to remain sensitive to whether or not they are responding to each truth your sharing and allow the Holy Spirit to direct you. The next question you could ask is; Can I show you from the Bible how you could know your on your way to heaven?

Understanding that God Loves You

The first thing you need to understand is that God loves you. He love you so much that He gave Himself for you.

John 3:16 KJV 1900

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

but that’s not all. God not only loves you; He wants you to know that you can have a home in Heaven with Him. Some people think we can only hope we will be in Heaven. But God wants us to know.

1 John 5:13 KJV 1900

These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

So, if God loves us and wants us to know we have eternal life, why doesn’t everyone automatically go to Heaven? that’s what we have to understand next.

Realize your Condition

The Bible tells us that we all lost in sin. Sin is any act contrary to God’s law and commandments, and all of us sin. The Bible teaches us that Adam and Eve were the first to sin and past on their sin nature to us.

Romans 5:12 KJV 1900

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

but the Bible teaches that our sin separates us from God.

Romans 3:10 KJV 1900

As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

Romans 3:23 KJV 1900

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Notice God’s Price for Sin

Romans 6:23 KJV 1900

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

A wage is what you earn for what you do. like a paycheck at work. Even so, we deserve Hell for the sins we have committed.

Some believe that we can pay this price through good works, but the Bible tells us that we can’t earn our way to Heaven.

Ephesians 2:8–9 KJV 1900

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Believe Christ Died for You

Though we deserve eternal death for our sin, Jesus paid our payment when He died for us. We were lost and separated from God, but He loved us. Because He is love, He sent His own son- Jesus- to die on the cross for our sin. After His death, He rose from the dead 3 days later.

Romans 6:23 KJV 1900

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

This is a gift paid by Christ for us. We do not have to pay for our sin ourselves. by His Grace, Salvation is provided.

Romans 5:8 KJV 1900

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Confess you Faith in Christ

To have a relationship with God and an eternal home in Heaven, we must stop trusting ourselves, our works, or our religion and place out full trust in the Lord Jesus Christ alone for forgiveness of our sin and for eternal life.

Romans 10:9–10 KJV 1900

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

God Himself promises that if you realize your sinful condition and confess Christ as your Saviour, trusting the payment He made for your sin and turning to Him alone to be your Saviour, He will Save you.

Romans 10:13 KJV 1900

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Leading to a Decision

You don’t want to just “share” the gospel- you want to see the person trust Christ. So, how do you lead a person to a decision?

At this point in your conversation be very sensitive to how the person is responding. If he had been attentive and it seems the Holy Spirit is working conviction in his heart. Then you continue by asking if he would like to call on the Lord Jesus by faith for salvation.

If the person seems to not be listening or distracted you might pull back and start asking questions like;

Do you believe that you are a sinner, separated from God, and without the ability to save yourself?

Do you Believe that Jesus, God’s Son, shed His blood to pay for you sin?

Would there be anything that would keep you from turning to and trusting Christ as your saviour today?

Depending on the answers you would try again to ask; Would you like to trust Christ as your saviour today.”