“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope that is in you.” (1 Peter 3:15 ESV)
The Rev. Billy Graham tells of a time early in his career when he arrived in a small town to preach a sermon. Wanting to mail a letter, he asked a young boy where the post office was. When the boy had told him, Dr. Graham thanked him, and said, “If you’ll come to the Baptist Church this evening, you can hear me telling everyone how to get to heaven.”
“I don’t think I’ll be there,” the boy said, “You don’t even know your way to the post office.”
The above story is funny, but it does make a serious point about showing someone the way to know God; why would anyone ever ask you for directions to find Him if you don’t seem to know the way yourself?
If you were asked, could you?
If someone handed you a Bible and asked you you to show them what it says about how to become born-again, could you? If not, you’re not alone, most Christians can’t. That’s too bad, because if they could and if they freely shared the way to find Jesus, the world would be a different place.
The great commission is a command to all believers
“He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” (Mark 16:15)
We are to be prepared to share
The following are a few questions you can ask others along with some Bible verses to bring them into a relationship with Jesus.
Questions to ask others
If their answer is “yes” to any of the above questions. Share the following with them.
1. Realize that you have “fallen short” and are departed from God because of your sin.
“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
2. God’s free gift to you is eternal life. It was paid for you by Jesus Christ, when he died on the cross for you.
“For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)
3. Christ died for you, taking your sin penalty upon himself, to bring you to God.
“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God.” (1 Peter 3:18)
4. You need to repent (change your attitude toward sin). Tell God that you are sorry for your sin and turn away from it.
“No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:3)
5. Thank Jesus for dying on the cross for you and ask him to forgive you of your sins.
“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the power to become children of God.” (John 1:12)
“In whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:14)
“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raided him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
6. Pray to receive Christ
Pray like this:
“Dear God, I believe by faith that Jesus, your Son, died on the cross to be my Savior. I believe he arose from the grave to live as my Lord. I turn away from my sin. I ask You, Lord Jesus, to forgive my sin. I trust you as my Savior and receive you as my Lord. Thank you, Jesus for saving me. I pray this in the Name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and savior, Amen.”
7. Assurance - God’s Word assures you that you now have eternal life in His Son, Jesus Christ.
“And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.” (1 John 5:11-13)
Quote:
“The purpose of the Bible is simply to proclaim God’s plan to save His children. It asserts that man is lost and needs to be saved. And it communicates the message that Jesus is the God in the flesh sent to save His children.” - Max Lucado
