Bob Josey - Thriving in Jesus  - Lesson 3B- Where  It All Begins- Sep 19, 2021

Thriving in Jesus

3B – Where it all begins - 

Gospel Presentations 

Thirty years ago, before GPS, a family planned a trip to California.  They decided to drive to see the scenery of the great Southwest. To see some of the sights, they were going to have to get off the interstate. All they had was a map of the United States. After visiting several of national parks, they wanted to get to the interstate without having to backtrack, but the map was not clear. When they stopped for lunch, they asked the owner of the restaurant for directions to the interstate. The owner wrote down the directions. After driving well over an hour, they decided that the directions the owner of the restaurant gave they were incorrect. If they had continued to follow his directions, they would have ended up in Utah, not California. 

Clear and correct directions to get to a location is important. We have all given and received unclear and incorrect directions. If one does not have the correct directions to a location, they may never get there or it may take much longer to get there. There are denominations, churches, para-church organizations, and other people, some who are Christians and some who are not, who are giving unclear and/or incorrect directions on how receive enteral life and how to get to heaven. Some people will not receive eternal life and will not go to heaven at death because they were given unclear and incorrect directions.  When it comes to giving directions on how to have our sins removed so we can receive eternal life and go to heaven when we die, it behooves all of us to strive to give directions that are clear and correct because someone’s eternal life may depend on it. In today’s lesson, we are going to discuss how to make a clear presentation of the Gospel. 

In our last lesson we discussed what the three important and vital elements that make up the Gospel of Christ are. The three vital and important elements of the Gospel that must be part of a Gospel presentations are:

1. The death of Jesus

2. The burial of Jesus

3. The resurrection of Jesus 

The death of Jesus the Messiah was prophesied in the Old Testament and seen by many brings forgiveness of sin to an unbeliever. The burial of Jesus the Messiah was prophesied in the Old Testament and seen by people demonstrates that He died on the cross. The resurrection of Jesus the Messiah was prophesied in the Old Testament and seen by hundreds of people demonstrates that the God the Father accepted Jesus’ sacrifice for the sins of the world. Also, believers in Jesus have access to the power of the resurrection of Jesus through the Holy Spirit. 

Today, because of the importance of presenting a clear and correct Gospel message, we are going to begin discussing what a clear and correct presentation of the Gospel is and what it is not. Basically, we are going to answer the question that the Philippian Jailer asked Paul and Silas, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved.” After presenting the good news to someone, what should we say to them concerning how to receive forgiveness of sin, the free gift of eternal life, and how to get to heaven after death? 

In business this would be called “sealing the deal” or “closing the deal.” So, to put the above question another way, after you presented the good news of Jesus’ death. burial, and resurrection to someone, how would you “seal the deal” or “close the deal?”  

Imagine that you were walking down the street and witnessed a hit and run automobile accident. Aa a man was crossing the street, a car speeding down the street hit a man, and then sped off. Then imagine that you ran up to help the man as he lay injured and bleeding in the street.  As you get near to him, it becomes obvious that his injuries are so severe that he is probably going to die before the ambulance arrives. As you kneeled down to comfort him, he looks up at you and says, “I am going to die and I want to go to heaven when I do.  What must I do so I can go to heaven? What would you say to this dying man about how he can get to heaven? 

We are all separated from God because we are sinners. Our sins must be forgiven before we can enter heaven. Jesus died for our sins on the cross, was buried, and was resurrected from the grave 2000 years ago so our sins can be forgiven. After presenting the Good News to the dying man, what would you tell him concerning how to be saved or how to have his sins forgiven so he can enter heaven at his death?  To put it another way, how would you try “to seal the deal” or “close the deal.” to assure he receives eternal life?  Exactly what would you tell him to do to have his sins forgiven, receive eternal life, and enter heaven at death. Please take the piece of paper or note card and write down your answer. 

Now that you have written down what you would tell the dying man about how to have sins forgiven, receive eternal life, and enter heaven at death, let discuss what you have written and what others have said and written over the years about this important question and compare them to Scripture. We are going to discuss proper and improper closings.  

A. A Proper Closing  

Let’s first talk about a proper closing before we discuss improper closings? 

Closing the presentation is also called landing the plane. The Bible clearly reveals what the message of the Good News is and what man's responsibility is in view of the message of the Good News.  After understanding what the Good News is, what must one do to be saved? To put it another way, what must one to have their sins forgiven so they can receive eternal life? Let’s look at a few Scriptures.

John 3:16 - “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

Acts 4:4 - But many of those who had heard the message believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.

Acts 16:31 They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

Romans 4:3-5 

3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

4 Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due.

5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness,

1 Timothy 1:16 - Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.

John 20:33-31 – In these two verses, we find the purpose of John writing his’ epistle.

30 Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;

31 but these have been written so that (Purpose) you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that (result) believing you may have life in His name.

So, John 3:31 could be translated like this: “but these miracles have been written about for the purpose so that you might believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and believing will result in you having eternal life in His’ name.

The Greek word translated believe is found 243 times in the New Testament. In each case it has the meaning of to believe, to trust, to entrust, and to have faith in. They have the idea of "reliance on" or "dependence on." These synonyms show that there is nothing man can do to receive forgiveness of sin and eternal life but believe or to trust in the finished work of Jesus on the Cross. Therefore, the responsibility imposed on the sinner is that of believing or trusting in or on Jesus Christ to remove their sins.  Salvation from the guilt and penalty of sin is wrought for us the minute we believe. Believing, trusting, having faith in are the opposite of doing anything, making anything, or giving anything.  Faith or trust always has to have an object. In this case the object is Jesus. To believe in or on Jesus is to have faith in or trust in the all-sufficiency of His saving grace because of His’ sacrificial and substitutionary death on the cross.  

Also remember that faith, believing, and trusting does not save and individual. Jesus is the one that saves an individual.  Faith, believing, and trusting are the instruments that God uses to bring forgiveness of sin and eternal life to a sinner. When one drinks milk from a glass with a straw, is it the straw that provide nourishment to the individual? No, it is the milk that provides the nourishment. The straw is only the instrument that we use to get or transfer the milk from the glass to our mouth. It is the same with faith, trust, and belief. It is Jesus that gives forgiveness of sin and eternal life. Faith, trust, and belief are the instruments that God uses to bring forgiveness of sin and eternal life to a sinner. 

500 years ago, a group of people in Europe protested the doctrines and practices the Roman Catholic Church. They separated themselves from it. Since they protested against their doctrines and practices, they became known as Protestants. They were persecuted and some even died for these biblical beliefs. These protesters were persecuted and even died for the following important basic beliefs that can be summarized with five statements:

• Sola scriptura - Scripture alone

• Sola fide- Faith alone

• Sola gratia - Grace alone

• Solus Christ - Christ alone

• Soli Dei Glori a-To the glory of God alone?

Many times, you have heard me say when it comes to salvation the following statement: Salvation is by Grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. A clear gospel presentation must be built on these important points. 

Questions and Comments

B. Improper Closings  

Let’s now evaluate and discuss some closing gospel presentations that are commonly used today to see if they are biblical. 

 1.  "Ask Jesus/Christ into your heart" – Is the biblical issue of trusting or believing in Jesus who died for our sins being communicated here? Would this not be confusing to a child who thinks in terms of concrete ideas instead of abstract ideas?  How does asking Jesus into your heart convey the biblical message? 

A ten-year old girl once asked her mother what she would have to do to go to heaven when she died. The mother replied that she needed to ask Jesus into her heart.  The daughter then asked her mother if it would hurt when Jesus came into her heart. 

Let’s look at two verses that deal with salvation and the heart,

Acts 8:37 - And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”

Galatians 4:6 Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into

our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”

The Spirit of His Son is probably referring to the Holy Spirit, not Jesus.  But

even if it were referring to Jesus being sent into the heart of believers, there is a

problem in relation to salvation. Notice the Spirit is being sent into people who are already believers – “Because you are sons.” So, becoming a believer precedes the Spirit of Jesus being sent. Question. Do we have to ask for the Holy Spirit to come into our lives to indwell us. No! So. precisely when does He come in to indwell us? 

Let me summarize why an unbeliever should not ask Jesus into their hearts to be saved. 

1. Don’t ask Jesus into your heart because there is nowhere in the New Testament that instructs someone to ask Jesus into their hearts to be saved. There is also nowhere in Scripture where anyone did that to be saved.

2. Don’t ask Jesus into your heart because asking Jesus into one’s heart is not how one is saved. A sinner is saved by trusting, believing, or having faith in Jesus because of His death, burial, and resurrection from the grave for our sins. 

3. Don’t ask Jesus into your heart because it confuses the means of salvation with the results of salvation. 

4. Don’t ask Jesus into your heart because it can either result in no assurance of salvation or being a false assurance of salvation. 

This does not mean that there are people who asked Jesus into their hearts are not saved. But if they are, it’s because someone explained to them and they were award of how one is really saved or sometime after they asked Jesus into their hearts, they learned the truth about how one is really saved and trusted in Christ as their Savior. 

5. Lastly, don’t ask Jesus into your heart because it does not clarify the condition of salvation as Scripture presents it. It confuses rather than clarifying the issue, especially with children. 

Several weeks ago, we discussed in 1 Corinthians 15 Paul’s outlining of what the Gospel is.  In verses 1-2 we read, “Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. The word vain means to no avail, with no result. These people just went through the motions but were not saved. I talked about kids who make a profession of faith, but some when they enter High School or go to college demonstrate that they went through the motions as kids but were not saved. I believe some of these kids were not saved because they were not given a clear and correct presentation of the Gospel such as ask Jesus into your heart.  

Make It Clear! 

Questions and Comments

During our next lesson, we will conclude discussing improper Gospel presentations,