In our daily meditations, we reflect on how to share the Gospel with friends or acquaintances. Many people struggle to bring up the topic of God’s gift of eternal life with their friends or relatives, so asking a question can be an excellent way to start a conversation. We can learn from Philip's discussion with the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:
30Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. 31“How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 33In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.” 34The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus (Acts 8:30-35).
Did you notice how God prepared the situation in advance? Philip arrived just as the Ethiopian was reading Isaiah's prophetic word about the suffering servant in Isaiah 53:7. It is such a joy to see God working ahead of time so that when you arrive, a person is ready for the message. Also, note that Philip asked a question to spark interest based on what the Ethiopian was doing at that moment. Once Philip had the man's attention, he guided him to understand the Scriptures concerning Jesus' substitutionary, sacrificial work on the cross. What kinds of questions can we use to transition the conversation to discuss what Christ did on the cross? I've written a few questions below that you might find useful. For some of them, you may need to know the person well enough to earn the right to ask such personal questions.
1) If someone were to ask you, "What is a true Christian?" what would your answer be?
2) Have you ever considered becoming a genuine Christian?
3) Are you interested in spiritual matters?
4) Have you ever personally encountered Jesus Christ, or are you still exploring the process?
5) Have you ever seriously considered the claims of Christ?
6) Do you believe it is possible to know for certain before you die that you are going to heaven? 7) What do you think is humanity's most significant spiritual need today?
8) Has anyone ever told you about the gift of God?
7) How did you personally give your life to Christ? (To ask a person who says he is a Christian, but you sense he does not have the experience of Christ in his life).
8) If you were to die today, where would you spend eternity?
9) Someday, when you stand before God, if He asks you why He should let you into heaven, what would you say to Him? (Diagnostic question to give you an idea of what the person trusts) in).
10) If you could ask God one question, what would it be?
Some time ago, I had a lunch meeting with a couple who were engaged to be married and wanted a Christ-focused wedding, with me officiating. The woman knew the Lord, but her fiancé was religious, and I wasn't sure what he was trusting in. I find it challenging to lead religious people to Christ because they often rely on their religious traditions and good works to gain entrance into heaven. I began the conversation by simply getting to know them. I felt inspired to engage with both in the same manner. It is wise never to assume that a person is born again (John 3:3); instead, present the gospel and allow the Word of God to work on their inner soul. Let people express what they are trusting in as the conversation unfolds.
After five minutes of chatting about how they had met and discussing some of their history, I began by sharing what I was like before I met Christ, including the fears I had and my uncertainty about eternity. This approach often makes me very vulnerable with them and takes the conversation deeper than surface level. I wanted them to know that even though I am a pastor, I am just like them and need salvation from my previous sinful lifestyle. I then asked for permission to share what I see as a Christian wedding. I explained that, for me to officiate their wedding, it means more than just saying words; I feel a responsibility to help them understand the difference between a Christian marriage and one lacking the Lord as the third strong cord of a healthy marriage (Ecclesiastes 4:11-12).
I earned the right to connect heart-to-heart with them because I had already shown vulnerability. I began by asking if anyone had told them about the gift of God (one of the questions above). My presentation then involved the basic Gospel message that we will cover in tomorrow’s meditation, interspersed with various illustrations and clarifications of specific terms such as repentance and sin. We live in a time when those concepts need clear explanations, especially for young people. The man committed his life to Christ when I extended the invitation. Keith Thomas
Taken from the Discipleship topic, Sharing the Gospel
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