Bible Study #6: Sharing Your Faith with Others
How did you get saved?
Think a minute about all the people who told you about Jesus and
salvation. List as many of them as you can below:
(NOTE: if you could not identify any witnesses, remember people like, family members, Sunday School teachers, friends, pastors, etc.)
Read Romans 10:13-15. According to this text what kind of feet did
these people all have?
beautiful feet
Why do these people have beautiful feet (see 10:15)?
Bring glad tidings of good things (i.e., salvation)
Your salvation began by someone telling you about Jesus. According to
Romans 10:14 these people are called preachers. This word actually
refers to a herald . . . a person appointed by the king to proclaim his
message to all the people. Today we call such a person a witness.
Read 1 Corinthians 9:19. How important was being a witness to Paul?
So important Paul made himself slave to all men so he might win some of them
How did Paul seek to win people to Christ through His witness
(see 1 Corinthians 9:20-22)?
Paul made himself all things to all men so that by all means he might save so. He meet people where they were at and used many different ways/methods to share Jesus with them
(NOTE: Paul was flexible with his methods but he never compromised His message)
What caused Paul to feel this way (see Acts 22:14-15; Ephesians 6:19-20)?
God appointed Paul to be a witness of Jesus to all men; Paul was an ambassador for God speaking boldly God’s message about Jesus and His salvation
Just like Paul, God has also appointed each of us who are saved to
proclaim the Gospel . . . to be witnesses. Read the following texts and
write down what God has appointed us to do.
Luke 24:46-48 you are my witnesses to proclaim about Christ
Acts 1:8 You are my witness in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and uttermost parts of the world
Matthew 28:19 we are to go, make disciples of all nations
Mark 16:15 preach the gospel through the world
John 20:21 as Father sent Jesus so Jesus has sent us
2 Corinthians 5:18-20 we have ministry of peace/reconciliation; we are ambassadors for Christ
2 Timothy 2:2 we have been entrusted to teach others
2 Timothy 2:24-26 we are to be able to teach, correcting those who are in opposition
Read Romans 10:13-15. What does this text say must happen for people
to be saved (hint: answer each one of the questions the texts ask you)?
how shall preach unless sent? Witness must be sent; How shall hear without preacher? Witness must proclaim Gospel; How shall believe in whom not heard? Lost people must hear, receive, and understand Gospel; How call upon whom have not believed? lost Must believe Gospel; when lost truly believes, then they call on the name of Jesus and are saved
Who are the sent ones who are to have beautiful feet?
All Christians are called to be witnesses of Gospel
God has commanded you to be a witness, a herald of the Gospel of Jesus.
Read the texts below and write down what it takes to be a witness.
John 15:26-27; Acts 1:8; 5:30-32 Holy Spirit bears witness as I bear witness, I must receive power from God - ie Holy Spirit who dwells in me, I must be filled with the Holy Spirit, yielded totally to Holy Spirit - we need power of the Holy Spirit to be a witness
Acts 22:15; Rom 10:17 we are called to witness to what we have seen and heard - i.e., the message of the Gospel - word of Christ; we need a message to be a witness
1 Peter 3:15 sanctify Jesus as Lord in our hearts to give account of our hope in Jesus; we must make Jesus Lord of our lives; we need to die to self and let Jesus have full control of our lives to be a witness
Which of these are the work of God and which are your work to do?
Power of Holy Spirit is God’s work alone - He gives us the Holy Spirit; message is from God, but I have to learn it, understand it, and be able to share it; make Jesus Lord - all my choice - I must do
Is your work to cause people to be saved or to proclaim, be a witness, to
the Gospel (see 1 Corinthians 3:6-7)?
God gives the increase, He saves people, all I do is be a witness
(NOTE: this scripture gives us great confidence as witness, all I do is make myself available to speak boldly about Jesus - God supplies all power and does all work of saving people.)
Developing a Gospel Presentation
Many ways have been developed to share the Gospel as a faithful witness.
One can witness through a personal testimony, using a memorized
presentation (Romans Road; Faith Sunday School, CWT, etc.), using
tracts, and many more. The following presentation allows you to share the
Gospel with someone in just a few minutes. You will need to memorize this
presentation or one like it. The more confidence you have in knowing the
presentation, the easier you will find it to share your faith.
God’s Purpose: John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have
everlasting life.
Explanation:
God so loved the world – ask person if they are part of world, then show them God loves them (the world) so much He gave Jesus to die on the cross
should not perish – explain the word perish does not mean physical death (we all die a physical death), but eternal death - separation from God for all eternity (1Thess 1:8-9)
have everlasting life – explain everlasting life is the same as being saved, going to heaven, being born again.
Our Problem: Romans 3:23 - for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
Explanation:
have sinned - ask the person if they know what sin is; help them to understand sin is anything that displeases God
for all: help the person to understand everyone sins; include yourself. Ask them if they have sinned. This is critical, especially in witnessing to children. If the individual doesn’t believe they have sinned, they will not feel godly sorrow and need for repentance.
God’s Solution: Romans 5:8 - But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Explanation:
Christ died for us - explain to the person that God provided a solution for our sin. Jesus died on the cross for our sins. Help them understand Jesus is God’s solution for our sins.
Our Response: Romans 10:9 - that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Explanation:
Suggestion - one good way to explain this verse is to first read it, then explain it in reserve order, i.e., you will be saved - believe in your heart - confess Jesus as Lord.
you will be saved - explain this means to have eternal life, go to heaven when die, be born again
believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead - help the person understand they must believe what God has said about Jesus, that He died for our sins and rose again so we could have life. Also explain what it means to believe - a trusting faith that acts (use illustration of airplane,etc).
confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord - Explain this text with questions: What does it mean to confess? To whom does a person confess? What does a person confess to be saved?
What does it mean to confess? Explain confess means to admit something to another person
To whom does a person confess? Explain the only person who can save us is God. A person confesses by talking/praying to God.
What does a person confess to be saved? Explain that a person must confess Jesus is Lord. Also explain what the word Lord means. Help the person understand to confess Jesus as Lord means to give Jesus complete and full control of our lives.
Invitation: Ask the person if what you have talked about has made sense. Then ask them if this is something they might want to do.
If person responds, “No”: Thank them for listening, pray for them, and leave them a salvation tract if you have one.
If the person responds, “Not sure”: Do your best to answer any questions they might have. When you have answered their questions, again ask them if this is something they might want to do.
If the person responds, “Yes”: Instruct the person in what they are to confess/pray to God. Pray for them (short prayer). Then, ask them to pray to God asking Jesus to take control of their lives and give them eternal life.
Celebration and affirmation: Have the person read Rom 10:13. Ask them if they just called on the Lord. Assure them of the promise of this verse - “you will be saved”!
Follow up: Establish the need to learn more about their salvation and their new relationship with God. Let them know you will help them get information that shows what has happened to them and what to do next.
Rewards of Being a Faithful Witness
Read the texts below. Identify the rewards God has for a faithful witness:
Daniel 12:2-3 You will shine brightly as stars forever - faithful witnesses will be clearly identified after the resurrection
John 4:35-36 receive wages; gather fruit to eternal life; rejoicing with other laborers in harvest
1 Corinthians 3:8 everyone will receive his own (personal) reward according to his labors
1 Thessalonians 2:19-20 spiritual children (those we lead to the Lord) become our glory and joy In heaven - even a crown of exultation
Your Accountability as a Witness of the Gospel
Read Ezekiel 33:1-9. Relate this to you as witness seeing the danger of
the lost facing eternal separation from God. What is your accountability?
As watchman, we must warn others of dangers we see - ie lost condition and destiny of eternal punishment from presence of God; If we fail to sound warning - their blood is on our head - we are accountable for those we fail to share the Gospel of salvation with.
How do the texts below affirm your accountability?
Proverbs 24:11-12 God knows whether or not we are faithful witnesses and at judgment will render to us (either rewards or loss of rewards) according to our faithfulness
Acts 20:26-27 Paul, a man in the weakness of the flesh just like us - free from blood of all men - always witnessed when given opportunity by God - reason: Paul never shrunk from declaring the word of Gospel - always was ready to give answer - always available to God to be witness