Communicating the Gospel

 I. Introduction

A. Go Over IMPACT

B. When your team wins, how do you let people know

1. Scoreboard, newspaper, TV News highlights, water cooler talk

C. The Times-Reporter of New Philadelphia, Ohio, reported in September, 1985 a celebration of a New Orleans municipal pool. The party around the pool was held to celebrate the first summer in memory without a drowning at the New Orleans city pool. In honor of the occasion, 200 people gathered, including 100 certified lifeguards. As the party was breaking up and the four lifeguards on duty began to clear the pool, they found a fully dressed body in the deep end. They tried to revive Jerome Moody, 31, but it was too late. He had drowned surrounded by lifeguards celebrating their successful season.

D. Ask, by show of hands how many came to know Christ by:

1. Book; Radio; Music; Friend or family member

E. Institute for American Church Growth asked over 10,000 people: “What was responsible for your coming to Christ and this church.” (Statistics below)

F. The point

1. Gospel meetings as traditionally held have lost some of their effectiveness

2. Justifies the concerns of a church to pick a pastor carefully

3. Give special regard to the quality of their Bible classes

4. If the church is to grow it will only be through the efforts of the individual members

G. Acts 2:46-47

1. People were added to their number daily

2. Peter had preached evangelistically at Pentecost

H. Three Facts about evangelism

II. The gospel is a priority – Is it a priority in your life?

A. To Christ

1. Great commission in all four gospels and Acts

2. It was His purpose

a. Luke 19:10 (NASB95) “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” – In speaking to Zaccheus

b. Jesus was stepping outside the cultural norms by eating with Zaccheus

c. He did it because of His love for sinners

B. To others:  Reality of death without Christ

1. James 5:20 (NASB95) let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

2. Jude 22-23 (NASB95) And have mercy on some, who are doubting; 23 save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.

C. To You (Christian)  Ezekiel 3:18-19 (NASB95) “When I say to the wicked, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn him or speak out to warn the wicked from his wicked way that he may live, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. 19 “Yet if you have warned the wicked and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered yourself.

III. The gospel is Pertinent (Relevant)

A. Illustration – People are looking for something real and relevant – They do not want to waste their time with religion with no real meaning for their live

B. The message of the gospel is the more relevant to more people than any other issue on Earth

C. Yet More people Think that it is completely irrelevant

D. More immediate issues take priority in our lives - Salvation is necessary, but does not hit a “hot button” or meet a present felt-need.  Bills, Illness, or sports

E. In speaking to Nicodemus, the Pharisee, Jesus explained the relevance of the gospel - John 3:3 - 3) In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”

F. Also, John 3:16-18

G. We must show its relevance to the world:

1. Inner emptiness; Loneliness; Purposelessness; Fear of Death; Desire for inner peace

2. Matthew 9:36-38 (NASB95) Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 “Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”

H. Jesus is the only way to heaven:  John 14:6

IV. The gospel is powerful

A. What is it about the gospel that changes lives?

B. What drove Paul to do missions?  Romans 1:16:  For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

C. Isaiah 55:11 (NASB95) So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

D. Our Job is to speak the message.  It is the Holy Spirit’s job to draw the heart of the listener

E. Through the gospel of Jesus, a handful of men changed the world!

V. Conclusion

A. Barna - The most effective evangelists are the most obedient and committed Christians.  They need not have formal theological training, a full-time position in a church, or credentials, such as ordination.  They need a passion for Christ, a desire to make Him known to the world and a willingness to be used in any and all situations to help usher others into the kingdom of God

B. Romans 10:12-15 – How will they hear unless we will tell them

C. Ways to start communicating the gospel              

1. Be where lost people are – You can know lost people if you are not around them

2. Be aware of the lost around you

a. Pray for them

b. Find ways to show them the love of Jesus

c. Invite them

d. Share with then what Jesus has done in you life

e. Invite theme to church

3. Be aware of the visitors that are in our church

·         I had a special need – 3%

·         I just walked in - 3%

·         I liked the minister - 6%

·         I visited there - 1%

·         I liked the Bible classes - 5%

·         I attended a gospel meeting - 0.5%

·         I liked the programs - 3%

·         A friend or relative invited me - 79%

Great Commission Verses

Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Mark 16:15-16 (NASB95)And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.

Luke 24:47-49 (NASB95)and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 “You are witnesses of these things. 49 “And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

John 20:21 (NASB95) So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”

Acts 1:8 (NASB95)  but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

 Romans 10:12-15 (NASB95)
12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; 13 for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? 15 How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!”