Do You Know How To Share The Gospel?

Do You Know How To Share The Gospel?

So you profess to be a Christian. What does that mean to you? How does a person go to Heaven? Do you know how to share the Gospel? You may be thinking that’s a silly question, but it isn’t. Jeff and I witnessed downtown last Friday and we talked to many professing Christians. Sadly, we couldn’t find one that could share the Gospel or tell us how a person goes to Heaven. 

The first guy just waved his hand in the air as he walked by and kept going on his way. A woman stopped at the stop sign said that she’s going to Heaven. When Jeff asked her how you get there, she promptly rolled up her window. A young man walked by and when asked about being a Christian, he replied that he goes to church. Yet another man said that he has many Sunday school lessons at home.

Folks, none of these answers were biblical answers on how to share the Gospel. Yes, we live in the Bible Belt and we have a church on about every corner. But going to church does not save you. Being baptized does not save you. Joining the church does not save you. Walking an aisle and repeating a prayer does not save you. Knowing facts about Jesus Christ does not save you. Salvation is found in Christ alone.

What Is The Gospel?

The apostle Paul tells us what the Gospel is in 1 Corinthians 15:1-8: Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also you have received, and wherein you stand; By which also you are saved, if you keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless you 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: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

Jesus Died For Our Sins According To The Scriptures

What is the Gospel? First of all Jesus died for our sins according to the Scriptures. But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him (Psalm 22:6-8).

Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaves to my jaws; and you have brought me into the dust of death.

For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture (Psalm 22:12-18).

The Suffering Servant

In addition to these verses in Psalm 22, Isaiah 53 also predicted the suffering and death of Jesus: He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opens not his mouth.

He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors (Isaiah 53:3-12).

Jesus Died Just As Predicted In The Old Testament

Jesus suffered, bled and died on the cruel cross for guilty sinners, just like the Old Testament had predicted. Why did the sinless Son of God have to die? Because even though God loves us and made us, we have all sinned against God. We’ve all gone astray as it says in Isaiah 53. None of us are righteous. We’ve all rebelled against God. The only way to get back in a right relationship with our Holy, righteous God is through Jesus Christ alone.

He took the punishment for sin that we deserve. We are the liars, thieves, drunkards, sexually immoral, idolaters that have said no to God and yes to our own way. We are the ones who have put ourselves in place of almighty God. You and I are the ones that have loved the darkness rather than light, because our deeds are evil. Because of our sinfulness, there is nothing that you or I can do to save ourselves. We can’t be good enough or sorry enough to wipe out one single sin. Only the shed blood of Jesus can cleanse you from your sins.

God poured His anger out over sin upon His own precious Son. Jesus, who lived a perfect life and never sinned, not one time, took the punishment that we deserve. He died on the old rugged cross. Jesus was buried and rose victoriously from the grave three days later. I don’t follow a dead man. No, I follow the risen Lord. He is risen. Resurrection Sunday is April, 1, 2018, where we celebrate that Jesus Christ is risen.

The Key To The Gospel

The key to the Gospel is not only that Jesus suffered, bled and died on the cross, but that He rose from the dead. By rising again, Jesus defeated sin, death, Hell and Satan. Folks, this is good news. There is hope in the resurrection of Jesus Christ the Lord.

When the women went to put spices on the body of Jesus, the angel told the women that He is not here. Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spoke unto you when he was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

And they remembered his words, And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest. It was Mary Magdalene and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles (Luke 24:1-10).

Jesus Rose Victoriously

Jesus rose victoriously from the grave and He now sits at the right hand of God the Father in Heaven. But He was first seen by the women who went to the tomb (Matthew 28:1-10). The apostle Paul also points out that Jesus was seen by Peter and the rest of the apostles and then He was seen by over 500 people at one time. He continues that some have died, but the majority are still alive. He told the Corinthians that they could go and talk to the eye witnesses if they didn’t believe the apostle Paul.

But then Paul tells us that he even met the risen Lord. Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus. Paul was named Saul at the time and he was going as far as Damascus to capture Christians and bring them back to Jerusalem as prisoners. Jesus met Paul and asked him why he was persecuting Him. After Paul was blind for three days, God restored his sight and Paul spent the rest of his life telling people about the Lord Jesus, whom he personally had met.

Have You Met The Risen Lord?

Oh tonight, have you met the risen Lord? Have you repented from your sins and put your trust in Him? Is Jesus Lord of your life? Have you surrendered your life fully and completely to Jesus Christ? If you have not submitted to the Lordship of Jesus what is holding you back? Today is the day of salvation. This is the day to get right with the Lord.

The Gospel in a nutshell is that God made each and every one of us and we’ve all rebelled against Him. We’ve all gone our own way. Every single human being has sinned against God. There’s nothing that we can do to clean ourselves up. Jesus is the only Savior. The Lord bore the wrath of God over sin as He hung on the cross. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Come To The Lord Jesus And Be Saved

Jesus suffered, bled and died for guilty sinners like us. Then He rose from the dead three days later. God offers eternal life to each and every person that repents from their sins and puts their faith in Jesus. Come to the Lord Jesus and be saved.

Oh, do this tonight. Recognize that you are a sinner. Admit your guilt to God. He already knows it, but confession is good for the soul. We are to confess and forsake our sins. Cry out for God to have mercy upon you. Repent from your sins and surrender your life to Jesus Christ the Lord. Do this today and be saved. Be saved today. Repent and believe the Gospel.

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 believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (Romans 10:9-10). For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:13). Oh, call upon the precious name of Jesus and be saved. Do this tonight, then go, share the glorious Gospel with this lost and dying world. Tell others about the new life that you have in Jesus Christ our Lord.

(This message was proclaimed in downtown Springfield, MO on March 30, 2018)