How many of you have seen this guy?
He was creative in being seen in big sporting events holding a sign with John 3:16 written on it. Many wondered what John 3:16 was! Many still do!
What other fancy ways have you seen the Gospel shared today?????
Here’s a clever one from a business…………..
What’s the best way to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
Where do we find the right answers?
– through the Word of God! Please open your Bibles to 1 Corinthians Chapter 1, page………..
As Rob Hamby comes forward to read for us, let us pray our commitment to God’s Word………….
What was God telling the Christians in Corinth?
In v7, Paul didn’t preach the Gospel with words of human wisdom. Because what happens when the Gospel is preached in words of man’s wisdom? The power of Jesus’ Cross is emptied when human wisdom is used!
In v8 we note, the Cross is foolishness to those perishing. In other words, those who believe that Jesus dying on a cross for man’s sin is foolishness are perishing. The word perishing here denotes a process of people on their way to total destruction. Unbelievers of the Cross of Christ are on their way to total destruction.
But look again at the last part of v8…………..
Those being saved are people who believe in the Cross of Christ and they are already saved from destruction. Remember this chart.
The opposite of the process of destruction is the process of salvation. Explain diagram………..
The cross of Christ is the power of God! Christians can not have the power of God without the Cross of Christ.
Now, let me ask a question. Do we live in a perfect, beautiful world where every person is good???
Was the world ever perfect? The world was perfect when God walked the earth and man and woman had no sin. There was at one time a Garden of Eden, Paradise on earth. But what happened after man and woman disobeyed God? The first man and woman sinned against God; we read this in Genesis Chapter 3. And in the very next chapter, Genesis 4 records for us the first murder of a human being. And ever since that time, there have been numerous murders, including complete genocides! Not only are people in this world killing each other, we have thieves, rapists, bullies, cheaters, and all sorts of other evil. Ever since the Fall of Man, sinning against God, people are hurting other people. What happened at VT reminds us of this truth.
You see, many in this world are perishing and sadly many of them don’t realize it. And in verses 20-21, God makes an important point. God is saying, “The world has a major problem and no person has come up with an answer!”
Only God, through Jesus Christ, has the answer to the world’s problem!
Christ crucified is the power and wisdom of God available to all who receives it!
And isn’t the last part of v21 awesome?
A person doesn’t have to be an eloquent speaker. God is pleased with anyone who preaches Christ crucified even if the world calls this person a fool.
And in v26-31, God is saying “every Christian at one point in time has been a fool or has been very weak.” But through them, God reveals his power and wisdom. Look again at v30….. If a person is a believer of Jesus Christ, that person is in Christ because God made it possible. God is the only one who makes Christians righteous, holy, and redeemed. There is no one who can boast about being righteous, holy, and redeemed, for it is a gift from God, through Jesus Christ crucified.
And we read in 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, the Apostle Paul was an example of how to share the Gospel. Look with me again at v2 of 1 Corinthians chapter 2……………..
The only thing that Paul shared was Christ crucified! This is where the power of God is. And we note in v5, true faith rests on God’s power not on men.
And so, what about us today?
With all the technology and resources we have today, how are we going to share the Gospel?
1st of all, are we really convinced that the only solution to man’s problem is Christ crucified?
Or will we compromise?
There are many religions and lifestyles out there in the world that seem good. But without the foundation of Christ crucified, no religion, no faith, no lifestyle can answer the problem of man’s sin. Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the religious? Where is the do-gooder? Where is the philosopher of this age? All of them are fools to God and are bound for destruction without the belief in Christ crucified!
2ndly, Are we really grieving for people who don’t believe in Christ? Are we really convinced that every person in this world is a sinner and is perishing if that person doesn’t believe in Jesus Christ?
God Himself tells us in the Book of Romans, “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. And the penalty for sin is death.”
3rdly, if we believe in Christ crucified for us, we have the power and wisdom of God! Remember, as a Christian, the world will mock you. People will think you’re a fool to believe in Jesus. How truly committed are you to the Son of God? Do you truly understand the sacrifice God made for you? God truly loves you! Jesus Christ the Son of God suffered horribly and died so you and I can truly live! You can not have the power of God without the cross of Christ. If you want to have God’s power in your life, always keep the Cross of Christ in your life. Always think of the amazing love God has given you!
And finally, we need to be careful how we share the Gospel.
We can get so caught up with creative and fancy ways to share the Gospel that it does nothing!
It’s like this (picture)......
In the same thought, we can put so much lights and glitter to the Gospel that no one can even see Jesus Christ anymore.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ crucified is to be like dynamite with power! The mighty power of the cross will only be realized through God’s way, not man’s.
The Apostle Paul is our example. Paul chose to know nothing else but Christ crucified when he first talked to the Corinthians. Paul also had a humble spirit. We must proclaim the Gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit, who is loving, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle and self-controlled. How are you sharing the message of the Cross?
The message of Christ crucified is dynamite! But if you share it exploding in someone’s face, are you really sharing the love of God? Yield to the Holy Spirit and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ the way of the loving Father.
Please take some time now to pray quietly to God.
Pray about accepting this simple but powerful gospel.
Pray about sharing this simple but powerful gospel.
Commit to praying everyday for opportunities to share.
Pray about to whom and how you are going to share.
