28 May 2023 AM – John 3:16 – Witnessing – Scott Childs
Introduction: One of the most frightening things for a Christian to do is to share the Gospel with others. We fear rejection. We fear not knowing what to say. We fear that we will make fools of ourselves. The bottom line is that we fear men rather than God. I, too, am guilty. As a result, one of our most common sins is the sin of silence.
Transition: This morning, I am going to show you a simple way to share the gospel with unbelievers to help you overcome your silence. I got the basic idea for the Gospel Hand from “Sharing Jesus Fearlessly” by Donnie Anthony.
1. The Opening
a. Ask God to give you opportunities to witness.
1) Be sure your heart is right with God.
2) Each day, ask God to lead you to someone with whom you can share the gospel.
b. Opening the gospel subject
1) Be friendly.
2) Lead the conversation to something concerning (i.e., world events, an accident, dangers, burdens, etc.).
3) Ask the following questions, but do not respond to their answers. Question ideas from Bill Fay, Share Jesus Without Fear.
a) Do you have any kind of spiritual beliefs?
b) Do you think there is a heaven or hell?
c) If you were to die today, where would you go?
(1) If they say “heaven” ask, “Why would God let you into heaven?”
(2) If they say anything else, just move on.
d) If what you believe were not true, would you want to know the truth?
(1) If they say, “No”, the conversation may be over.
(2) If they say, “Yes”, you say, “Could I share with you what the Bible says about these things?”
2. The Gospel Hand
a. Memorise the basics
1) Memorise the topic for each finger.
2) Memorise the verses for each point. Say the verses clearly and slowly. God uses His Word to convict.
b. Practice using the Gospel Hand
1) Practice it as you are going to sleep. Practice it as you are waking up. Practice it as you exercise.
2) Practice going through it with a Christian friend.
3) **When you ask the person what a verse means, if he gives you an incorrect answer, quote the verse again and ask him again what it means. Let him say it in his own words. He needs to understand.
c. Using the Gospel Hand
As a visual aid, I want to use my hand to describe what the Bible says about going to heaven.
1) A thumbs up is a good symbol. Therefore, the thumb reminds me that God is good and that He loves us. God loves us so much that he came to earth to pay for our sin. In John 3:16, the Bible says, “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.” For God so loved the world. “What does that tell us?” __ God created humans to live eternally and to have fellowship with Him.
2) My first finger is another reminder. Pointing at people is generally a bad thing to do. This reminds me that we are sinners. The Bible says in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” “What do you think that means?” __ No one taught us to sin. We were born sinners. We have also chosen to sin many times. Though we may not be as bad as someone else, we are still far from God’s perfection. The Bible states in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” When the Bible contrasts “death” and “eternal life,” it is speaking of eternal death in hell. Quote it again, and then ask, “What does that verse tell you?” __
3) My centre finger is in the middle of my hand, and it reminds me of the central theme of the Bible found in John 3:16. God gave His Son, Jesus, to die in our place and to raise to life again. The Bible tells us in Romans 5:8, “But God commendeth [demonstrated] his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” “How did God show His love for you?” __ Jesus Christ died in our place so that He could forgive our sin.
4) The fourth finger is my ring finger. This reminds me of marriage. Marriage is a surrender. It is forsaking all others and being faithful to one spouse. John 14:6 states, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” “What does this verse tell us?” __ We have been living for sin and for self. God wants us to live for Him. He wants us to be willing to turn from our sin and trust Him alone to save us from hell. The Bible says, (Acts 3:19) “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out…” To repent is to change your mind about your sin. To repent is also to change your mind about the way to heaven (cf., Ephesians 2:8-9). To be converted is to turn to God for a changed life.
5) The last little finger reminds me that the last thing we must do to receive God’s forgiveness and eternal life is to receive it by faith. (John 1:12) “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” “What does this verse mean to you?” __ Jesus is offering you a gift of forgiveness and eternal life, but you must receive it. (Romans 10:9) “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.” “What does this verse mean to you?” __ You may receive Jesus’ gift by believing Him and asking for it. It is that simple.
3. The Closing
a. Now that you know what God said…
1) Do you believe that God loves you and came to earth to pay for your sin? (John 3:16)
2) Do you agree with God that you are a sinner, (Romans 3:23) and that your sin condemns you to eternal death in hell? (Romans 6:23)
3) Do you believe Jesus died on the cross and rose again so that He could forgive your sin? (Romans 5:8)
4) Are you willing to surrender to Jesus by believing that He is the way, truth and life (John 14:6) and by repenting of your sin and allowing Him change your life? (Acts 3:19)
5) If you believe what God said in these verses, are you ready to pray to receive Jesus’ gift (John 1:12) and to trust Him to save your soul from hell? (Romans 10:9) (Wait silently for him or her to think and respond).
a) If “no”, ask why.
b) If “yes”, proceed to prayer.
b. Pray together
1) Tell her what to include in her prayer (the review closing questions).
2) Pray first, and then have her pray.
## If there is time, do a practice with a volunteer as the “unbeliever”.
Conclusion: Sharing the gospel is not that difficult. You CAN do it with God’s help. It is not a sin if you do not explain the Gospel perfectly. It is a sin if you say nothing when God gives you an opportunity. God can use your clumsy speech. He cannot use your silence.
Take the material I have given you and memorise it, practice it, and then with God’s help, use it. You can download my full set of notes from our website.
The Gospel Hand is just one of multitudes of ways you can share the Gospel. Lord willing, next week I will share another method.
