How to Share the Gospel
How to Share the Gospel
There is a saying, “Preach the gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words.” This saying is frequently attributed to Saint Francis Assisi. The problem is twofold. For starters, there is nothing in the records that attributes this to him. Secondly, this statement is nothing short of unbiblical.
“But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, ‘How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!’ (Romans 10:14-15, NLT).”
"This word euangelion [Greek], which means 'good message' or 'good news,' has a rich background in the Old Testament. There, the basic meaning of the term gospel was simply an announcement of a good message. In ancient days, when soldiers went out to battle, people waited breathlessly for a report from the battlefield about the outcome. Once the result was known, marathon runners dashed back to share the latest update. That is why Isaiah wrote, 'How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news.' (Is. 52:7). The watchman in the watchtower would look as far as the eye could see into the distance. Finally, he would see the dust moving as the runner sped back to the city to give the report of the battle. That is the concept of gospel in its most rudimentary sense." (R.C. Sproul)
In the book of Romans, Paul emphasizes that even if we live our lives righteously, it is insufficient to spread the gospel to others. We must actually communicate it to them.
When it comes to sharing the gospel, there are two things that must be known:
Our responsibility is to share the gospel, not to save them. You cannot want it for them, you cannot force them into it, and you must remember – you are not the one saving them. You do not have this power; this is the role of the Holy Spirit.
When someone vows their loyalty to King Jesus, it is crucial that the decision is made with logic and reason. We acknowledge that emotions may play a role, but one cannot make a commitment solely on impulse and emotion, especially one that is meant for life. God desires complete dedication.
God makes it very clear that if we love Him, we will do the things He has commanded us to do. Meditate on the following verses:
John 14:15: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments (ESV).”
1 John 5:3: “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments, and His commandments are not burdensome (NASB).”
2 John 1:6: “And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it (ESV).”
Matthew 19:17: “Why ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. But to answer your question—if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments (NLT).”
John 14:21: Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them (NLT).”
John 15:10: “If you keep My commandments and obey My teaching, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love (AMP).”
There is no doubt, that if we love the Lord, we will be obedient to what He has called us to do. The question is, “What has He called us to do?” It’s called the Great Commission.
“Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 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 (Matthew 28:18–20, NLT).”
It is repeated throughout Scripture. Write out Mark 16:15: And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation (ESV).
Let me be clear: if you are not making disciples and proclaiming the gospel, you are living in habitual sin; you are living in disobedience.
Here is how we fix this. Over the last two weeks, we have studied the gospel. This week, we are going to learn how to share it and how to plant seeds in everyday conversations. Sometimes, certain situations can lead to deeper conversation and the ability to do a full gospel presentation. Other times, you might ask a question that prompts the other person to examine what they believe. Both are important.
Let’s recap the four parts of the gospel.
1. God
2. Fall
3. Redemption
4. Restoration
The first step to sharing the gospel is prayer. Start by praying for the chance to share with someone and for wisdom and guidance on the precise words to use. The second step is to do it.
WAYS TO SHARE:
Be honest about what you are doing.
Inform them that you are enrolled in an Academy, and as a homework assignment, you are required to share the gospel with someone on a weekly basis. Ask if they are willing to allow you to share with them.Use your testimony
Our culture loves stories, and when we use ours, we allow ourselves to be vulnerable and approachable. Jesus used (and still does use) people’s stories. Let’s look at two you may be familiar with.
“Then they sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. When he got out on land, a demon-possessed man from the town met him. For a long time, he had worn no clothes and did not stay in a house but in the tombs (Luke 8:26–27, CSB).”
The man is demon-possessed.
The man is sleeping among the tombs. Read Numbers 19:11. Based on this verse, what does that mean for the possessed man? He is unclean because he slept in tombs where there were human corpses.
The man is naked. Being naked makes humans feel shame, guilt, and vulnerability. Think about dreams where you are naked in front of the classroom. Psychologists say it’s due to an underlying feeling of being exposed or vulnerable. In the Garden of Eden, there was none of this until Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. It was then that we are told, “Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves (Genesis 3:7, NIV).” Shame and guilt reared their ugly head and took over.
“Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains, he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones (Mark 5:5, CSB).”
In 1 Kings 18, we learn of one of Elijah’s encounters with Ahab. Here, Elijah tells Ahab to take the 450 prophets of Baal and have them call on their god to bring fire on a burnt offering. He would do the same. 1 Kings tells us they called on Baal from morning until noon, and “there was no response; no one answered (1 Kings 18:26b, NIV).” They danced around the altar. At noon, they began to get louder and “slashing themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed (1 Kings 18:28, NIV).” Cutting oneself is an act of worship to demonic deities. When this man at Gerasenes is using stones to cut himself, he is doing two things:
1. Practicing the ancient worship of demonic false gods.
2. The demon is doing everything he can to destroy the body created in God’s image and likeness with His breath. This does not mean we are physically created in God’s image, but we are His, and the demon wanted this body destroyed.
“When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before him, and said in a loud voice, “What do you have to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torment me!” For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. Many times, it had seized him, and though he was guarded, bound by chains and shackles, he would snap the restraints and be driven by the demon into deserted places.
‘What is your name?’ Jesus asked him.
‘Legion,’ he said, because many demons had entered him. And they begged him not to banish them to the abyss. (Luke 8:28–31, CSB).”
In this context, the abyss that the demons are begging Jesus not to send them to is Hell. Keep in mind demons are not the rulers of Hell; they are slaves there.
“A large herd of pigs was there, feeding on the hillside. The demons begged him to permit them to enter the pigs, and he gave them permission. The demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned (Luke 8:32–33, CSB).”
Pigs are considered unclean in Jewish custom. See Leviticus 11:7-8
“The men who tended them ran off and reported it in the town and the countryside, and people went to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and saw the man who had been demon-possessed, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and told about the pigs. Then they began to beg him to leave their region (Mark 5:14–17, CSB).”
The possessed man was clothed. When Adam and Eve sinned, one of the first things we saw God doing was making a sacrifice and clothing them. (Genesis 3:21) It is reversing and covering the shame and guilt of nakedness. It is a sign of adoption. “[To] clothe a man is to adopt him.”4
“As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged him earnestly that he might remain with him. Jesus did not let him but told him, “Go home to your own people, and report to them how much the Lord has done for you and how he has had mercy on you.” So he went out and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and they were all amazed (Mark 5:18–20, CSB).”
Jesus sent the demon-possessed man back to his hometown to share his testimony and point others to Christ.
Plant a seed by asking them questions.
What do you think happens when you die? Where do you go?
Where do morals come from?
Do you go to Church anywhere?
Take some time to brainstorm and come up with a list of questions.
Build a relationship to establish mutual respect and trust with them.
We saved the best for last. The most effective way to share the gospel with someone is to have a relationship with them first. This is not always possible and does not have to happen before sharing, but it is far more effective to take this route. Try to answer the following questions about the person you are sharing the gospel with:
Do they have children?
What about a spouse or significant other?
What is their biggest fear in life?
What is their greatest ambition?
What is their relationship with the Church like?
