I want to begin this morning by reading part of an article written by Bob Greene, a nationally syndicated columnist. […]
Text: 1 Peter 3:18; John 1:12Some people, like the Samaritan woman, are very good at using the invitational approach. They might not be able to give a complete explanation of everything that Christ has done, but they can say, “Come, see a man…could this be the Christ?” Others, like Dorcas, point people to the Savior by their service.
Text: John 4:1-42; Acts 9:36-42If you are not confrontational, or struggle with the intellectual style, perhaps you are more comfortable giving your testimony or focusing on the friends God has placed in your life. When the blind man was asked who Jesus was, he simply gave a testimony to what the Savior had done in his life. Matthew, on the other hand, liked to throw parties and focused on his interpersonal skills.
Text: John 9:1-41; Luke 5:27-31One of the keys to participating in evangelism is to figure out how God can use your personality and gifts to make an impact in the lives of others. While Peter was quite confrontational in his approach, Paul utilized a more intellectual line of reasoning. Do either of these styles describe your preferred approach? If so, don’t hold back!
Text: Acts 2:14-38; 17:16-31Since we are God’s method, we need to be aware of God’s process. Sometimes He uses us to cultivate the soil of people’s lives. Other times, we have the opportunity to sow by sharing the gospel message. And, on occasion, we have the privilege of participating in the harvest! In whatever stage God chooses to use us, we are part of the redemptive process. Is there anything more exciting than that?
Text: Matthew 13:1-23Jesus uses two metaphors to describe our influence in the world today. As salt, we are to make people thirsty for Jesus. As light, we have the privilege of pointing people to the true light of the world. Our challenge is to make sure we are “out of the saltshaker” and that we don’t hide what we have from others.
Text: Matthew 5:13-16The key in becoming infectious in our faith is to make sure that we have set apart Christ as Lord in our lives. When we are striving to live under the control of Christ, people will notice and will then ask us to explain the reason for the hope that we have. We need to be ready with some answers.
Text: 1 Peter 3:15Do we value the same things that Jesus places a value on? While people are eternally lost apart from Christ, these same people are of tremendous worth in God’s eyes. Amazingly, God chooses us to be involved in redemptive relationships in such a way that we will do whatever it takes to point them to the Savior.
Text: John 20:21