One Year Anniversary of Tell Someone
LOOKING BACK...
It’s now been one year since over 100 of our church family committed to being a better, more faithful witness for Jesus Christ. Our Tell Someone campaign was designed to re-inform, re-tool, and re-motivate our hearts to grow in our personal and corporate gospel passion, skill, and faithfulness. Here is what we shared last August as we prepared ourselves to become better witnesses for Jesus Christ:
WHY Do You Tell Someone?
It matters to God that you tell someone: His election drives us (2 Tim.2:10). His command drives us (1 Pet. 2:9). His cross work drives us (2 Cor. 5:14-15). His compassion drives us (Ezek. 18:23). His change agents (the gospel & Holy Spirit) drive us to tell someone.
It matters eternally to people that you tell someone: People are helpless without Christ; headed for hell without Christ; need hope in Christ.
It matters to you that someone told you: You and I are forgiven, delivered, rescued, filled with hope today because someone told us about Jesus Christ; so how grateful are we?
WHAT Do You Tell Someone?
In one word, the “gospel.”
We tell them God made the first move: He created everything, wrote the rules for life to love Him and others with all our hearts.
We tell them People made the second move: Instead of worshipping and loving God, we had a problem (rebellion against God) which put us in a predicament (lived a futile life without any ability to get the forgiveness we needed) which brought a penalty (cursed by sin and physical, spiritual, and eternal death).
We tell them Christ made the third move: Jesus Christ, the God-man who was able to forgive sin, came and lived a sinless life we couldn’t and didn’t live so He could be an acceptable sacrifice by His death for our sin.
We tell them it’s now your move: The gospel demands a response of turning from sin and trusting in Jesus Christ alone (Mark 1:15) to receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
HOW Do You Tell Someone?
Pray about telling someone. (Col. 4:2-4; Rom. 10:1)
Personify the message you tell someone: Watch your testimony as you "walk the talk" (1 Thess. 4:12). Watch your timing as you “make the most of the opportunity.” (Col. 4:5)
Proclaim the message you tell someone: Saturate your words with “grace” (Col. 4:6) as you gently and lovingly share the bad news and the good news. Season your words with “salt” (Col. 4:5) as you look for ways to answer their questions.
LOOKING FORWARD...
As you consider this next year, what needs to change in your heart in order for you to become a more faithful and joy-filled witness of Jesus Christ?
Do you need to pray daily for open doors or courage to engage others and plant some gospel seeds?
Do you need to grow in your compassion and love for the lost?
Do you need to brush up on the gospel message so you are ready to share when the opportunity comes?
Read the following testimony we received last week and let it motivate and encourage your heart.
““I thank you for the wonderful sermon you gave us this past Sunday. It was a heart-piercing message and continued to burden my heart for my neighbors. God has already convicted me about having a Bible Study this fall. They are all “little old ladies” like myself, but I don’t think any of them know the Lord (about 6-8). My plan is to invite them to tea, tell them my purpose (to introduce them to Jesus), tell them who God is, and then share my testimony and invite them back to the study. I’m praying for them now that God will have those He wants in attendance. I would covet your prayers. Thanks again for being used by the Holy Spirit in our lives.”
May the Lord raise up many more like this woman to tell the many around us about the only hope for real and eternal life.
Pastor Jeff