| Citytaker evangelistic tip of the day-11/19/07-The 4 Bases |
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Good morning-
Last week we spent the whole week talking about some tips on How do I start sharing my faith. You can read last week's blogs to get caught up and begin to use some of the tips to help you get started sharing the gospel with your friends, family members, work associates, and strangers. I am now going to help you know where to go once you have opened up a spiritual conversation with someone you have identified is lost. I have made this real easy for you to remember. It's called;
The 4 Bases
1st Base - Sin, guilt, and judgment
2nd Base - Jesus, the cross and the resurrection
3rd Base - repentance and faith
Home Base - grow and multiply through evangelism
Just like in baseball to hit a homerun, you have to touch all the bases. Once you have hit a homerun(rounded all the bases yourself), the goal is to help as many people as possible do the same. Here is a visual you can print out that will help you see where to go when sharing the gospel.
http://www.citytaker.com/tools/4-bases.pdf
I want to share a couple quick facts with you and then we will begin to talk about 1st Base today.
I have been sharing the gospel fairly consistently now on the streets of America for over a decade so I feel I can give some good insight as to what is out there.
1. Most people when asked "Why should God let you into heaven?" will say because they are good.
20:6 Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?
Most people feel compared to Sudam Husein, Osama Ben Ladin, or Charles Manson they are pretty good.
2. Most Americans feel if there is a heaven they would go.
3. Most Americans feel if there is a hell those really bad people are the ones who would go there.
4. Most Americans think they are good and they have believed what I have called the
Great American Myth.
They believe the opposite of what Jesus said. They believe that wide is the gate that leads to heaven and many or most will find it and narrow is the road that leads to hell and only a few real bad people will find it.
7:13 "Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 7:14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
A myth like Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny is where we believe something is true but in reality it is a lie. America has believed a lie. This now answers the statistic of why only 2-3% of the body of Christ is actively sharing their faith says Barna Research. The institute of Church Growth says that 85-90% of the people that are making a committment to Christ fall way. Let me put the jelly on the shelf where you can reach it. Why would someone who has come to Christ to get blessed ever warn sinners of the wrath to come when they have never seen the sorrow of their sins in the first place?
Many people when they begin to share the gospel either gloss over sin with a "all have sinned and fallen short..." or they skip right to 2nd Base-Jesus or maybe just try to get someone to say a prayer. People must see themselves lost before they run to the Savior.
1st Base- You have sinned against God and stand guilty before Him deserving the judgment of an eternity in hell. (Rom 3:23, Ezek 34:6, Rev 20:15)
We use the law or the 10 commandments like a mirror to show them how dirty they really are.
19:7- The law of the LORD [is] perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD [is] sure, making wise the simple.
When a little boy who says he hasn't broken into the cookie jar glances into the mirror and sees chocolate all over his face, he can do nothing but admit his guilt of transgressing Mom's law. When I get ready to shave in the morning, I look in the mirror and it gives me a realistic view of my situation. That is what the law does. It shows a sinner the reality of his situation. He has lied, stolen, lusted, blasphemed, committed adultery, and so much more against a God who knows and sees all. Let me leave you today with a couple scriptures and we will pick it back up tomorrow.
3:4 Every one who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.
So as you begin to talk to your listener, ask then if they have ever lied? What does that make you? Eventually they will say, "a liar I guess". Have you ever stolen something even something small in your youth. Time doesn't forgive sin. Some will say yes. What does that make you? A thief I guess. Jesus said if you look at a woman with lust you have already committed adultery with her, have you ever done that? Most will say yes again. Well Bob or Sally, by your own admission, you are a lying, thieving, adulterer and that is only a few of the commandments and you have to stand before the all Knowing God on judgment day!
You can see that just like the scripture above states, " the law is perfect converting the soul." The law lets them see that they have broken God's law and prepares them for Christ. Lots more to share but just remember this, Law to the proud, grace to the humble.
You can go to www.citytaker.com and learn more on how to be an effective witness and you can Join our group, Soulwinning Outreach Stories and share what the Lord is doing through you in the area of evangelism.
Do you think Jesus or the apostles ever used the law in their evangelism?
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