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Week 1 Sermon Questions For Groups

April 2, 2017

Reaching People for Christ

Introduction:

One of the greatest blessings of the Christian life is being able to help lead someone to Jesus Christ. It is a real joy to see someone else experience the same things you did when you accepted Jesus into your life. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!” (John 9:25) God tells us that it’s important to share your faith with other people. You know that sharing Christ with your friends is important. But it can also be pretty scary. What do you say? What will they think? We don’t feel we are qualified, or we are concerned that we will come off as pushy. The problem is that if you don’t overcome these obstacles, then you’ll miss out on sharing your faith. This week’s message provides you with three basic practical ideas to share your faith with others even if you’re busy, scared, or don’t know how.

Something To Talk About:

  1. You can use what you have: Christian witnessing is merely sharing our heartfelt faith in Christ – what He’s personally done to change our individual lives. And often that is sharing what God has shared with us. Start with what you have. Do you have a boat? Invite some people out on the lake, get to know them, and share your faith. Do you have season tickets? Share them. Be generous. Develop a genuine relationship—before long you could influence someone in a huge way. Or do you have extra time? You can use your time to invest in relationships. The more you serve the bigger difference you can make in the lives of others. So start by putting to use what you have.
  2. You can invite someone to church: The world is far more ready for an invitation than we are ready to invite. Inviting someone to church is strategic evangelism which is why we put “inviting people to church” so high on our evangelism priorities list. Inviting someone to a church event is easier than inviting them to see Christ in us. So go ahead and invite people to church. But make it one step in a journey of drawing them to Jesus. A journey that usually begins by getting to know them – and inviting them to see a genuine expression of Jesus in us. Still think it may be awkward; consider some facts from LifeWay Research: 67 percent of Americans say a personal invitation from a family member would be very or somewhat effective in getting them to visit a church. 
  3. You can share your story: As a child of God, you have a powerful story to tell. Sharing how you came to Jesus and the difference He’s made in your life can help others discover how they, too, can know God personally. But how do you distill a lifetime of experiences into a few minutes, and communicate the significance of your faith in a way others can understand? This is the challenge. Ask God to give you the wisdom to share your story in a way that will resonate with the other person. Tell the person what your life was like before you trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord? What were your attitudes, needs and problems? Where did you look for security, peace of mind, and happiness? What happened after you trusted Christ? What does Jesus Christ mean to you now? When you share how God has changed your life, it lets people see that you were once in their shoes, but have now been changed by the power of Christ. A changed life is the best evidence of what Jesus can do. And it doesn’t have to be a long speech. You can share the basics of your story and what Christ has done for you in just a minute or two.

Questions:

  1. Have you tried to share the gospel with others? What were the results?
  2. Read Romans 9:1-5: Paul describes his compassion for his unsaved countrymen. In your life, what people are the equivalent of your unsaved countrymen? Describe your concern for them. 
  3. In sharing the Gospel with others, is it important to know all the answers? Where do you go when you don’t have the answers?
  4. How can you live with a greater sense of urgency for God’s mission? How can our small group be more centered on this mission?
  5. Make a list of 5 non-Christians that you know and can speak freely with?
  6. What will you do in response to this message this week?

Take One Thing Home with You:

Actually take two points home with you concerning sharing your faith with others: First, remember that conversion is a process. Most people will not respond to the Gospel the first time they hear it. As Christians, we are all part of the process. Some of us plant seeds of faith. Others encourage a response towards Christ. But in the end, it is God who converts the soul to follow Him. Whatever our role, it is worth it to see others discover His love, acceptance and forgiveness in Christ.

Second, be concerned for those far from the heart of God. Think and pray for other people. Pray for the wisdom and the motivation to use what you have, to invite people to church and to tell people your story. Pray about opportunities to share your faith. And pray that God will use you to further His kingdom.