Not long ago, we had a guest speaker skilled in sharing the Gospel winsomely. Jesus conveyed love through His smile, tone of voice, and words. We can have the right words to speak to someone, but without kindness, we can quickly turn people away from the Lord.
Jesus approached the crowds with compassion. Matthew 14:14 Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. [1] Jesus would often heal people as a sign that He was the Messiah and to prepare people’s hearts for the more profound message of faith. While Jesus healed people physically, the true healing was when they placed their faith in Him.
Looking for Ways to Connect to People
Paul was very observant as he entered Athens. He observed all the idols of false gods, which greatly troubled him, but he also saw an idol to an unknown god. In a winsome way, Paul would use something they created and felt was important as an opportunity to tell them about this unknown god.
Acts 17:22 So Paul, standing before the council, addressed them as follows: “Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way, 23 for as I was walking along I saw your many shrines. And one of your altars had this inscription on it: ‘To an Unknown God.’ This God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I’m telling you about. [2] Paul would use this opportunity to tell them about Jesus, who was unknown to them but known to Paul.
How Do I Share the Gospel?
It’s best to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to direct your steps and show you whom to share Jesus with. The Holy Spirit knows who is ready to receive as we listen to His voice. Like Paul, you can share that the Lord is a loving Father who wants a relationship with you. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.[3] Our sin sends us to eternal death, but Jesus came into this world to die for our sins and rose again on the third day to pay the price for our sins. As we place our faith in Jesus, he gives us the gift of eternal life. This gift is only free because of what Jesus did for us on the cross.
As you believe and trust Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes, lives inside you, and works to transform your life. As we draw near to God, He fills our hearts with love. You will be amazed at whom the Lord places in your path to share the saving message of Jesus.
To learn about sharing the Gospel winsomely, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/empowered-far
[1-3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Tyndale House Publishers.