April 18 - May 2, 2021
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a Family Affair
Grab hold of your Bible and take a look at Acts 16:25-33. The Apostle Paul and Silas were grossly persecuted and imprisoned by their Roman jailors, and in the midnight hour, they boldly and loudly prayed and sang praises to God. Suddenly, there was a mighty earthquake that shook the very foundations of the prison, and the doors to the prison were open and the bands of all the prisoners were loosened.
This awesome display of the power of God, led the jailor who was charged with keeping watch over the prisoners, to fall down on his knees and ask Paul and Silas, “What must I do to be saved?” They told the jailor to believe on Jesus Christ, and promised him that he and his family would be saved if he did so. Thereafter, the jailor escorted Paul and Silas to his home, where they preached Jesus Christ to the jailor and his family, and the entire family received Jesus Christ as Lord, and were baptized in the Holy Ghost. The jailor washed the many stripes of Paul and Silas, fed them, and rejoiced “believing in God with all of his house.”
This is exactly what God wants to happen for every family on earth—to receive Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
We are starting a new module entitled, “The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a Family Affair.” The module consist of three parts:
*Part 1: The Three Basic Questions Every Christian Must Be Ready to Answer Every Person.
*Part 2: How to Effectively and Efficiently Preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Lost?
*Part 3: The Deeper Truth about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to the lost is the single most important service we can render unto God. Jesus’ last commandment to the Apostles were to go and preach the gospel to every person on earth. (Mark 16:15) Moreover, Jesus exclaimed that after the gospel is preached in all parts of the world, as a witness to all nations, then the end of this world will come. (Matt. 24:14)
Millions of people in the United States and around the world have either not yet heard and/or believed on the name of Jesus Christ and received salvation. As the end of this world draws near, the hearts of the people of this world have grown grossly cold towards God because of iniquity--idolatry, sexual immorality, and hatred for one another. (Matt.24:12) Iniquity in the heart of mankind has the entire world, both literally and figuratively, on “fire.”
Like never before as Christians, we must step to the forefront and work to take back the nations and families of the earth, with the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our hearts must be set apart (sanctified) with the truth, and ready to give an answer to every sinner that would ask us questions about our beliefs in Jesus Christ. (I Pet. 3:15) I have spent many years ministering on the streets to the lost, and have learned that we must be ready to answer three basic questions sinners would ask of us. They are as follows: (1) Why are you a Christian? (2) Why should I become a Christian? (3) How do I become a Christian?
I am amazed at the number of Christians I have encountered who cannot even give an answer to the first question—WHY ARE YOU A CHRISTIAN?
If we learn the answers to these three questions, we can not only intelligently answer the questions of the lost, but also use them proactively to preach the gospel and win the lost to Christ. Let’s answer each one. The answers will most likely not be surprising to you. In fact, most Christians are very familiar with some of the answers, but they almost never participate in preaching the gospel to others, so they are not ready with the answers if asked. Also, by no means are the answers I give to these questions the only way to address the questions, but they do provide effective and efficient responses that will never make you ashamed, and will release the power of God to make salvation available to any person who will believe in Jesus Christ.
Question 1: Why are you a Christian?
Short Answer: I am a Christian because Jesus Christ is Lord. God has highly exalted Him above all things, in all places, for all times, and I worship and serve Him alone.
Detail Explanation:
I am a Christian because Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, is Lord. God has highly exalted Him above all things, in all places, for all times, and I worship and serve Him alone. (Php. 2:9-11, Col. 1:16-19, Psalm 95:6-7)
I owe Jesus Christ my life because He brought me to God and now I have eternal life—an intimate relationship with God and Jesus forever. (I Peter 3:18, John 17:3, & I John 5:11-13) But for His great sacrifice, grace, and mercy, as a sinner, I would have died and gone to hell for all eternity. (Eph. 2:1-7) All hail to the mighty name of Jesus Christ! (Acts 4:12)
It was Jesus Christ who bore all my sins, sicknesses, griefs, and sorrows in His own body on the cross. And, with His resurrection from the dead; defeated death, hell, and the grave. (Is. 53:4-9, II Tim.1:9-10, & Rev. 1:17-18) As a result, I no longer fear death, sickness and disease, and poverty. Jesus has made me free from sin, healed my body, and made me abundantly rich! (I Pet. 2:24 & II Cor. 8:9)
When I take my last breath on earth, in an instant, I will be present with the Lord in Heaven. (John 5:24, 11:26, II Cor. 5:7-8) But I have even more good news. Jesus Christ is coming again in the clouds to rapture His church—comprised of all those who have received Him as their Lord, called Christians—and we all will receive glorified bodies like unto His body, and we will be with Lord forever. (Rom. 8:11 & I Thess. 4:14-17) No one knows the day of His return, it could be any time now, so I go about doing the Lord’s business. (Matt. 24:35-47)
Finally, by God’s great grace and mercy, He has given to me the same Holy Spirit that resides in Jesus Christ. I have the same mind, love, peace, power, joy, and so much more that Jesus has. (II Cor. 5:17, Rom. 8:9, & Col. 2:9-10) I have been called to bear witness of Christ to all the people of the world so that they may also come to know Jesus Christ, our blessed Savior. (Acts 1:8, Mark 16:15-18 & John 4: 35-38)
YES, I AM A CHRISTIAN AND MIGHTY PROUD OF IT! (Psalm 34:1-2)
Question 2: Why should I become a Christian?
Short Answer: You are a sinner and separated from God due to the sin of the first man Adam. Except you believe on Jesus Christ, who died for the sins of the World, you will die in your sins, and spend all eternity in hell.
Detail Explanation: You should become a Christian because you are a sinner and separated from God. By no fault of your own, you were born and shaped in iniquity from the womb of your mother. (Ps. 51:5) The first man Adam sinned against God in the Garden of Eden. Adam’s rebellion separated us from God and brought sin, death, hell, and destruction on every person born into the earth. (Gen. 2:15-17 & Rom. 6:23)
But because God so loved the world, He gave to us Jesus Christ so that anyone who would believe on Him should not perish but have ever lasting life. (John 3:16) Look at the love God has toward us all, that even while we were all trapped in sin, He sent Jesus to die for us all. (Rom. 5:8) There is no other way to God, but through His son Jesus Christ. (John 14:6)
For by one man’s (Adam’s) disobedience death came on all of us, so by the obedience of Jesus Christ came righteousness on all of us. (Rom. 5:17-19)
God does not want you, your family, nor any other person on the earth to die without believing on His Son Jesus and coming into relationship with Him. Sin does not guarantee a person an eternity in hell, rather refusing to believe on the name of Jesus Christ guarantees eternal damnation. (John 3:17-18) This is why God has been calling you and so patiently waiting for you to come to Him through Jesus. The end of this world is coming and God does not want anyone to perish. (II Pet. 3:9)
CAN YOU HEAR JESUS KNOCKING ON THE DOOR OF YOUR HEART, CALLING YOU TO HIM? (REV. 3:20)
Question 3: How do I become a Christian?
Short Answer: To become a Christian you must believe on Jesus Christ and be willing to surrender your life completely to Him. This requires you to repent of your sins, confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and God has raised Him from the dead. Ask Jesus to forgive you for your sins and to come into your heart and live forever, and you shall be saved.
Detail Explanation: To become a Christian you must believe on Jesus Christ and be willing to surrender your life completely to Him. (John 1: 10-12 & Luke 9:23) Right now, search your heart and examine your life and your ways. Recognize and acknowledge that you are sinner, and in need of Jesus Christ to come into your life. Repent of your sins. Confess from your heart and with your mouth that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that God has raised Him from the dead. (Acts 2:38-39, Rom. 10: 8-12). Invite Jesus to come into your heart and live in you forever, and you will be saved.
Ask the Lord to fill you with His Spirit (the Holy Ghost), and you will be born-again and reconciled unto God. Next, receive water baptism, which symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. (John 3:5) Just as Jesus has saved you, He also desires salvation to come to your entire family. Go and tell your family about the marvelous things that Jesus Christ has done for you, and commit to bringing your family with you to church to learn more about the teachings of Jesus Christ. Enjoy your new life in Christ.
IT IS GOOD TO KNOW THE LORD! (Psalm 34:8-9)