June 13, 2021
Theme: “The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a Family Affair.”
Lesson 3 is our final lesson in the School of Evangelism. In this lesson we will examine two very deep and profound truths about the Gospel of Jesus Christ that are very rarely taught in Christian circles and need to be broadcasted throughout the world.
Most Christians have a very limited understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Essentially, when they hear the word, “Gospel” they immediately think about the good news that Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world and was resurrected from the dead, so that everyone who believes on Him will go to even upon their death. Indeed, these things are true, but there are far deeper truths about the Gospel of Jesus Christ that every Christian should know, be living in, and making a vital part of their preaching of the gospel to win the lost to Christ.
The first of the two truths I will share with you now, and here it is:
Jesus Christ died on the cross, and rose again from the dead so that every person (family) on earth might be made rich! I am talking money, wealth, and substance rich—does this offend you?
Hear me now, as born-again Christian Reapers, we are to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the lost, so that all families of the earth may be blessed, with the same blessing that God placed on Abraham. If you believe in Jesus Christ and His finished works on the cross, the blessing of Abraham is resting on you now and forever, and God desires for the blessing to rest on your entire family as well! (Gal. 3:6-9, Gen. 12:1-3, 13:1-2, 6 & 24:1) As I have taught in past lessons, Abraham’s walk with God for many years was far from perfect, and yet the blessing God placed on him increased his wealth portfolio without ceasing throughout his life.
Every person and family member who believes on Jesus Christ, through the hearing of the gospel, shall be made “rich”—abundantly supplied with wealth, money, and possessions. I know this sounds almost too good to be true, but the truth is anyone who calls on the name of Jesus Christ, from the integrity of their heart and mouth, is made rich by God. (Rom. 10:8-12) Making all families of the earth rich is a vitally important part of God’s plan of salvation.
I first discovered this truth about 20 years ago while reading the account of John Baptist’s imprisonment by King Herod Antipas. (Matt.11:1-6) Look closely at verse 5. On behalf of John the Baptist, his disciples had asked Jesus whether He was the Christ. Jesus told John’s disciples to go and tell John again about the miraculous things they had heard and seen Jesus do—not just once but twice. Specifically, Jesus told John’s disciples:
The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are
raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
Did you catch the part where Jesus said, the poor have the gospel preached to them? Just as the people who were blind, lame, lepers, deaf, and dead were miraculously healed and raised to life through their belief in Jesus—the people who were poor and heard the gospel preached and believed were miraculously made rich! Tell me, what would be the gospel (good news) to people who are poor—those that are without money, shelter, food, and clothing? The answer is, that they (the poor) don’t have to be broke anymore, but are made rich through Jesus Christ!
The poor have a very special place in the heart of God. In fact, at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, He stood up and read from the book of Isaiah saying in part, that God had anointed Him to “preach the gospel to the poor.” (Luke 4:18-21) The truth is every man without Jesus Christ is poor—no matter how much material wealth they may have in the world. For no man on earth has the wealth of heaven—all can be made richer! Further, the wealth that comes from Jesus is wealth with integrity and honor, and without greed or lust. (Prov. 10:22) The blessing of the Lord, causes those who believe on Jesus to become rich. The word rich in the Hebrew language is “ashar,” and carries the meaning to grow and accumulate material wealth.
Examine Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount where He announced and released eight blessings upon the multitudes of people who came to hear Him. The first blessing was on the poor; promising that theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matt. 5:3) The kingdom of heaven coming on earth is what Jesus told his disciples to pray to God for. (Matt. 6:9-10, John 14:1-2) Well, in the kingdom of heaven, there are untold riches, there are massive and very fine mansions on streets made of gold—so let it also be on earth for every person who believes in Jesus Christ!
The Lord makes his people to lie down in green pastors, which are beautiful homes. (Psalm 23:1-2) The promise to the poor (all people) of being made rich was fulfilled when Jesus died on the cross. (II Cor. 8:9 and Gal. 3:13-14) The word “rich” in the Greek translation, is “plouteo,” meaning to make wealthy, abundantly increased in money and possessions.
When Jesus Christ bore our sins on the cross, He exchanged His riches for our poverty—so that the blessing of Abraham of material wealth, money, and possessions may come on every person who would believe on Jesus and receive the Holy Ghost by faith. Wow, that’s right! When people hear the gospel preached, repent of their sins, receive Jesus as Lord, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost—they inherit the blessing of Abraham in their born-again spirits, which makes them rich! Not only individually, but this promise is also made to every family that would believe on Jesus. (Acts 2:38-39)
When a person becomes a born-again Christian, immediately thereafter, they should begin to confess with their mouths and from their hearts—that “Jesus Christ has made me rich.” (Heb. 10:23 & Ph. 6) If the new convert will maintain their confession of being made rich without wavering, the blessing of Abraham will go to work to increase them more and more in money and possessions. (Ps. 115:12-16)
I must caution, however, that in preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we must not allow ourselves, nor the people we are ministering to, to misunderstand the purpose of God blessing us with money and possessions. God does not give us money to hoard, worship, and become self-indulgent. (Mark 4:14 &19 & I Tim. 6:10) Focusing on money will choke the Word of God and cause it not to bear its intended fruit. A wrong relationship with money and possessions can deceive and lead a person down a path of destruction.
God has a divine purpose in mind for placing wealth in the hands of His people. He wants us to always remember that God is our source and gives us the power to get wealth to establish His covenant in the earth, which He first made with Abraham. (Deut. 8:18, Matt. 6:33) God expects us to be a blessing with money and possessions, to share liberally with the Church of Jesus Christ, and every family on earth, so that none lack. (I Tim. 6:17-19) When we give liberally to others to meet their needs, God will cause money and resources to flow into our hands from individuals and entities. (Luke 6:38)
So now we understand that the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a family affair—that God wants every family reconciled to Himself through Jesus Christ, and to make all families of the earth exceedingly wealthy. This aspect of the gospel message is rarely preached in our churches and around the world, but we must start preaching the good news everywhere we go.
Throughout all the ages to come, riches (wealth, money and possessions) have been made available by God for all of mankind to receive through faith alone in Jesus Christ. (Eph.2:4-7) As such, Jesus Christ has commanded us to go into the streets, communities, and highways to invite everyone to come into His House—the church.
We are specifically charged to go and bring the poor and disabled—those who are struggling with poverty, sickness, and disease to church. (Luke 14:16-24) The Lord’s House is the “House of Prayer” for all nations (families) where all the needs of every person are met and exceeded. (Mark 11:17). All people are to come into the Lord’s House and receive the great turnaround in their lives that only God can provide!
On several occasions, when I preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to people in the community, I am led by the Spirit of God to present the gospel to unbelievers in the following manner:
Example #3: Presentation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Focusing on Jesus Christ Has Made All Men Rich!
Good day kind Sir/Madam, my name is Darryl Joyce, and I am a Christian who serves at the pleasure of the Lord Jesus Christ, The Anointed One and His Anointing.
May I have a moment of your time to talk to you about Jesus Christ? May I ask whether Jesus Christ is Savior and Lord of your life? (If the reply is no.)
My friend, I have amazing news for you! Jesus Christ, the Son of God, bore all of your sins on His cross, and rose from the dead on the third day—so that you and your family might have an intimate relationship with Jesus and God for all eternity.
If you will repent of your sins being godly sorry for them, and confess that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world that died for your sins, Jesus will come into your heart and fill you with the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost contains the blessing of Abraham, which will make you rich in money and possessions without the sorrows of this world added to it.
When you receive this new life in Jesus Christ, your hunger and desire will change from the evil desires of this world, to a hunger and desire to seek after God and to learn more about His Word. In this way, you will be free from the love and lust of money which leads people down wrong paths to have it.
You will find as you chase after God, money and possessions will chase after you! As you grow in your relationship with Jesus Christ, and work with honest labor, God will increase you and your family more and more in money and possessions.
Tell me who has the better plan for your life, you or God? Who knows better on how to make you healthy and wealthy than Jesus Christ?
God wants you to have an abundance of wealth so you can be a blessing to the Church of Jesus Christ, and to people in need. From time to time haven’t you noticed a yearning in your heart to get closer God and know Him? Have you also noticed a desire in you to do good things and make life better for others?
This is because Jesus Christ has been standing at the door of your heart knocking and calling you to Himself—calling you into His service. Would you like to receive Jesus as your Savior and Lord, right now? Would you like to receive the Blessing of Abraham now, and for the blessing to come on your family?
If the answer is yes, repeat this prayer out-loud from your heart after me, believing on the name of Jesus Christ.
“Lord Jesus, I am a sinner. I am sorry for my sins and the life I have lived in this ungodly world. I ask you now to forgive me of all of my sins. I invite you to come and live in my heart. I believe you shed your blood on your cross at Calvary, died, and arose again for me. I confess you as my Savior and Lord. Fill me with the precious gift of the Holy Ghost. I surrender by life in service to you forever.”
Then I have the convert say, “Thank you Lord that I am now a son of God, and heir of God and joint heir with Jesus Christ. I am walking in the blessing of Abraham. Jesus Christ has made me rich in wealth, money, and possessions. I will go now and share the good news with my family, friends, and anyone else who will listen to me. Amen.
Last, I always invite the new convert and their family to attend our next church service to learn more about the teachings of Jesus Christ, and to help them grow-up in the Word of God to become true and mature disciples of Christ.