Gospel Presentation

Black: Main presentation, dark blue: illustrations, light blue: Transitions

Testimony (Church and Personal)

Transition: May I ask you a question?

Two Diagnostic Questions

#l Have you come to the place in your spiritual life where you know for certain that if you were to die today you would go to heaven, or is that something you would say you're still working on?

The Bible says they we can know that we have eternal life, l John 5:13 These things I have written …to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, …so that you may know that you have eternal life.

May I share with you how I came to know for certain that I have eternal life and how you can know also?

Before I share with you, let me ask you another question?

#2 Suppose you were to die today and stand before God and He were to say to you, "Why should I let you into My heaven?" what would you say?

Repeat and confirm answer.

Diagnosis:
Question #1 Question#2 Diagnosis Treatment
1. YES Trust Christ Christian Listen to their testimony
2. NO Trust self Non Christian Share the Gospel
3. YES Trust Self Self Righteous Share the Gospel
4. NO Trust Christ Lacks Assurance Share the Gospel

Transition: When you answered that first question, I thought I had some really good news for you. But after hearing your answer to the second question, know that I have the greatest news you have ever heard.

GRACE

Heaven is a free gift
Romans 6.23: For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

lt is not earned or deserved
Ephesians 2:8,9: For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Friend's Gift Illustration

No amount of personal effort, good works, or religious deeds can earn a place in heaven for you because eternal life, like any genuine gift, is free.Suppose your best friend were to surprise you with an expensive gift and let's suppose your response would be that of immediately digging into your purse or wallet for a couple of bills to help pay for the gift. What an insult that would be! You must accept gifts freely. If you pay even a penny, it is no longer a gift.

It is the same with eternal life.

Transition: This can be seen more clearly when we understand what the Bible says about man.

MAN

Man is a sinner
Romans 3:23: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Sin Defined
When we think of sin many times we think only of robbery, murder, adultery, etc. The Bible tells us that sin is anything that doesn't please God or is a transgression of his law. Anything we do that we shouldn't, like losing our temper or stealing - these are sins of commission. Anything we should do but don't, like failing to pray or read the Bible or to truly love our neighbor - these are sins of omission. There are not only sins in deed, but also sins in word and thought like lying, cursing, lust, pride, and hatred. The Bible says these are all sins.

Three Sins a Day
Suppose I sinned only ten times a day, or even five, or even just three. Why, I would be practically a walking angel. Imagine if no more than three times a day did I think unkind thoughts, or lose my temper, or fail to do what I ought towards God and man - I would be a pretty fine person, would I not?

Even if I were this good, I would still have over 1,000 transgressions a year! If I lived to be the age of 70, I would have 70,000 violations of the law of God on my record. Think what would happen to an habitual offender in a criminal court with 70,000 transgressions on his record.

This illustrates that not only am I a sinner, but also that my sin is a very serious issue.

Cannot save himself

Matthew 5:48: Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Omelet with Bad Egg
If l were to prepare an omelet with five good eggs and one rotten egg, I could not serve it to company and expect it to be acceptable.

Even less can we serve up our lives to God, which may have many things in them that men would call good, and yet are filled with deeds and thoughts that are rotten, and expect them to be acceptable to God.

If we want to get into heaven by our good works, then all we have to do is to be perfect (quote Matthew 5:48). God's standard is complete obedience to Him in all things and at all times. We all fall short of this.

Do you see now why it is impossible for anyone to get into heaven by their good works?

Transition: This comes into sharper focus when we look at what the Bible says about God

GOD

God is merciful -- & does not want to punish us.
1 John 4:8b: God is love.

God is just -- therefore must punish sin.
Exodus 34:7b: he does not leave the guilty unpunished

Transition: God solved this problem in the Person of Jesus Christ.

CHRIST

Who He is -- the infinite God -Man
John 1:1, 14: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
v.14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

What He did - He died on the cross and rose from the dead to pay the penalty for our sins and to purchase a place in heaven for us

Record Book of Sin
Let's imagine in my right hand is a minutely detailed account of my life. Each page details the sin of a particular day-every word l have spoken, every thought that ever crossed my mind, every deed I've ever done.

Here then (hold up the book) is the problem-my sin (place book in palm of left hand). God loves me (point to your left hand) but He hates my sin (point at the book on top of your left hand) and must punish it.

To solve this problem, He sent His Son into the world (lift up the right hand parallel to the left hand). The Scripture says (quote Isaiah 53:6 - as you say the words "laid on Him" transfer the book in one distinct motion from your left hand to your right hand and leave it in the right hand). All of my sin which God hates has been placed on Jesus Christ.

Finally, when the last sin had been paid for, Jesus said, "It is finished!" This is an interesting word in the original text. It is TETELESTAI, a commercial word which means, "It is paid, the debt is paid." When He died, He was buried in a grave for three days (put the book on your lap); but He rose from the dead and went to heaven to prepare a place for you and me. Now He offers heaven -eternal life--to you and me as a gift.

Isaiah 53:6: We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Transition: This gift is received by faith.

FAITH

Key to Heaven

Faith is the Key that opens the door to heaven. On this key ring (hold up your key ring) there are many keys. Some even look somewhat alike. Yet, when I go to unlock my front door tonight, I could try all of these keys except the right one and l could not unlock the door. It does not matter how sincere I am in exercising my belief that a different key will open the door. The fact is that only the right key will open the door.

The right key to heaven is saving faith. Before we talk about saving faith the only key that will open heaven's door --I want to talk about two other keys that people often think will open the door to heaven.

Those keys are head knowledge and temporal faith.

What it is not

Mere Head Knowledge
Many people know certain historical facts about Jesus. They believe in Jesus the same way they believe in Napoleon or George Washington. They believe He actually existed. They believe He was a real person in history, but they are not trusting Him to do anything for them now.

The Bible says the devil believes in God (quote James 2:19). So believing in God's existence is not what the Bible means by saving faith.

James 2:19: You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

Mere Temporal Faith
Temporal faith is another thing that people often mistake for saving faith. When a person trusts in the Lord for finances, you could call that financial-faith. A person may pray and trust the Lord to take care of his family. You could call this family-faith. Many have prayed for a safe trip. You could call that traveling-faith. There is one thing that all of these have in common. They are temporary. For instance, once you reach your destination, you don't need to trust the Lord for traveling-faith.

All the things of this world will pass away. They are temporary. But saving faith is trusting in Jesus Christ alone for eternal life.

What it is - Trusting in Jesus Christ alone for eternal life.
Acts 16.31: "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household."

The Chair
You do believe this chair exists, don't you (point to empty chair)? Do you believe this chair would support me if I were to sit on it? But you see it's not holding me up for one simple reason: I'm not sitting on it.

For the sake of making my point, let the chair I'm sitting in represent me and this empty chair represent Christ. For a long time I believed He existed and He could help me. However, I did not have eternal life because I was trusting in my own good works to get me into heaven. Years ago I repented of my sins and transferred my trust from myself to Jesus Christ…from what I had been doing for God to what He has done for me on the cross (move to the empty chair). By a simple act of faith I transferred my trust from what I had done to what Christ has done for me.

When I sat in my chair I did a lot of good things but I did them to gain God’s favor. Now that I’m sitting in the Christ chair I still do many of the same things but I do the out of gratitude for what God’s done for me.

When I asked you earlier what you would say to God if he were to ask you, "Why should I let you into My Heaven?" you said, "I try to be good. I try to live a good life. I have been a pretty good person." Who is the only person referred to in your answer?

To receive eternal life you must transfer your trust from yourself to Jesus Christ alone for eternal life.

Transition – does this make sense to you?

Commitment – would you like to receive the gift of eternal life?

Clarification

Let me clarify what this involves:
Transfer trust
Receive the resurrected and living Christ as Savior

Revelation 3:20: Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

Receive Christ as Lord

Repent

Prayer

If this is what you really want, I can lead us in prayer and we can tell God what you just now told me.Pray for them that God would give them faith and repentance.

Pray with them - in short phrases of the Gospel Outline, allowing them to repeat after youPray for them - that the Holy Spirit will grant them assurance.

Assurance

I would like you to read something Jesus says about what you have just done
John 6:47: I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life.Two diagnostic questions – again

Welcome to the family of God

Partners in Growing
Read and sign "My Spiritual Birth Certificate"

Five Means of Growth
Bible (7 day call back)
Prayer
Worship
Fellowship
Witness

Appointment for church