PERSONAL
EVANGELISM (Part 8.a)
Memory Verse:
“If you hold to my teaching, you are
really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you
free.” (John 8:31-32).NIV.
LESSON
OBJECTIVE AND FOCUS
We need to acquire
additional skills, which we shall find useful in our person-to-person
evangelism.
LESSON INTRODUCTION
Acts 17:11 describes
the Bereans as being of “more noble character than the Thessalonians.”
o
How did they
demonstrate this?
o
How did they receive
the preaching of the gospel?
o
And what did they do
with the message that they heard?
o
In what ways do we
show we are, or we are not, following the example of the Bereans?
LESSON OUTLINE 1: PERSONAL EVANGELISM IN OPERATION: MORE
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
There are so many
questions and objections which people would normally raise either in sincerity
or simply because they want to retain their independence from the Lord. Some of
them include,
o
“There are too many hypocrites.”
Who is a hypocrite?
Is their existence a surprise, and if not, are there some
warnings in the Scriptures on this matter?
Matt. 23:1-4; 7:1-5.
Remind him the fact
there are so many hypocrites does not mean there are no genuine followers of
the Lord. It is time for each of us to worship the Father in spirit and truth. Why? John 4:23-24.
o
“’Am not so bad.”
The trouble is God is
not going to accept one person and reject the other because one is better than
the other. God uses His own standard in judging men, and His verdict
unfortunately is, no one has measured up to His expectation, Rom 3:23. See also Matt. 22:36-40; James 2:10.
o
“’Am doing my best.”
Here again the
trouble is God says our best isn’t good enough before Him. It may be fine and
admirable before men, but before God it is pretty worth nothing. See Isa. 64:6. Thank God for the free gift of righteousness and eternal
life which He offers us in Christ Jesus. Rom
6:23; 2 Cor. 5:21. These have been freely given to us by the Lord, and not
something we’ve earned or deserved as a result of our efforts.
o
“There are so many religions.”
Many of them teach us
to be good in the hope that we shall by our efforts in this life (and some say,
when we are re-incarnated) be good enough to merit heaven. But here comes One
Man Who says He is The Way, the Truth and The Life, and that we cannot make it
to heaven unless we pass through Him. John
14:6; 10:9.
What do we make of Him?
Either He was
seriously deluded, or a “raving lunatic”.
But look at His life
and teaching, and we are forced to admit He is neither. No wonder one of those
who knew Him intimately made the statement in 1 John 5:12. Receive Him and you will receive more than religion –
you will receive life.
o
“There is too much to give up. In fact the Christian life is
too difficult.”
But is it temporary pleasure, or what is it, we plan to hang
on to at the expense of our soul? Mark 8:36-37.
It is indeed a
difficult life when we go about it based on our “New Year Resolutions”. It is
The Lord Himself that empowers and helps us to live for Him. John
1:12-13; Philippians 2:12-13; 4:13.
o
“I am a Church Member.”
It raises the
question, Which document or ID card are
we to ensure we have with us when we are at the gates of heaven seeking
entrance? The Lord spelt out our entry qualifications into heaven in John 3:3.
o
“Based on all I have heard from you, I believe ‘am too bad for
God.”
The surprising news
is your admission makes you doubly qualified for God to hear you. Just consider
what His word says on this matter in 1
Tim. 1:15; 1 John 1:7-10; Matt. 9:13b.
SUMMARY
We
need to ask for God-given wisdom to be able to answer these and many other
questions those we are witnessing to may wish to throw at us.