How to Lead Others to Christ (continued)
In the previous two messages, as we have examined the evangelistic techniques of Philip in Acts chapter eight, we have highlighted several basic principles that will enable us to more effectively share our faith:
- We must have a God-given compassion for the lost.
- We must go to those who need Christ.
- We must be open and available to the leading of God’s Holy Spirit.
- We must be obedient to God’s calling.
- We must be tactful and clear.
Returning to Acts 8:26-40, we see two more important principles for effective evangelism:
Principle #6: We Must Adapt to the Situation
God leads Philip to this visiting dignitary from Ethiopia who had actually come to Jerusalem searching for God and is now reading from the book of Isaiah. You could call it a divine set-up.
Philip assesses the situation by asking the man about his reading material (v. 30). When he finds out that the man was reading from Isaiah chapter 53 (a chapter that speaks prophetically of Jesus), he adapted his message accordingly: “Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus” (v. 35).
Philip found some common ground upon which to build his message. The Apostle Paul spoke of this in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 (NLT):
“I have become a servant of everyone so that I can bring them to Christ. When I am with the Jews, I become one of them so that I can bring them to Christ. When I am with those who follow the Jewish laws, I do the same, even though I am not subject to the law, so that I can bring them to Christ. When I am with the Gentiles who do not have the Jewish law, I fit in with them as much as I can. In this way, I gain their confidence and bring them to Christ. But I do not discard the law of God; I obey the law of Christ. When I am with those who are oppressed, I share their oppression so that I might bring them to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone so that I might bring them to Christ. I do all this to spread the Good News, and in doing so I enjoy its blessings.”
Jesus said:
“Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19).
A more literal translation of that verse is, “I will make you catch men alive.” This Greek verb is unique, and it is used in only one other place in the Bible. In speaking of the unbeliever, 2 Timothy 2:26 says:
“ . . . that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive (caught alive) to do his will.”
In other words, according to these two passages of Scripture, we can catch men alive, or the Devil will catch men alive.
Finding the Right Bait Just as experienced fishermen use specific baits and lures to catch certain fish, we need to use different bait as we go fishing to catch men alive in the sea of life. Jesus gives us the perfect example in this regard. Throughout the gospels, He never deals with any two people in exactly the same way.
- To a woman who had spent a lifetime trying to fill a void in her life with failed relationships with men, Jesus spoke of the deepest spiritual thirst (see John 4:5-29).
- To a man of tremendous intellect who was an expert in theology, Jesus spoke in almost childlike terms about the need to be “born again” (see John 3:1-21).
- To a lonely, friendless outcast perched on a tree to simply catch a glimpse of Jesus in the crowd, Jesus offered friendship, calling him down to have a meal together (see Luke 19:1-10).
- To a woman actually caught in the act of adultery, Jesus spoke of mercy (see John 8:3-11).
Like Jesus, we need to recognize the specific needs of individuals as we present the gospel. God is looking for responsible sharpshooters, not haphazard machine gunners.
Billy Graham has said:
“Time and time again in my ministry, I have quoted a Bible verse in a sermon—sometimes without planning to do so in advance—and had someone tell me afterward that it was that verse which the Holy Spirit used to bring conviction of faith to him. ‘Is not my word like a fire . . . and like a hammer that shatters a rock?'"
Our Simple Message God has given us a simple yet profound message to deliver: the gospel. We don’t need to candy-coat it, gloss it over, add or subtract anything from it. We must present it as God presents it in His Word.
A technical definition of the word “gospel” is “good news.” Yet, to truly appreciate the good news of God’s love and forgiveness in Jesus Christ, one must first understand the “bad news” about sin and judgment.
The bad news is that we all stand as sinners before a Holy God. No matter who we are, we have all sinned—sometimes in ignorance, but often on purpose. For that reason, we are condemned:
“For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10).
Seeing our complete weakness and inability to do anything to alleviate our wretched condition, God did the ultimate for us:
“While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
Paul gives a summation of the Gospel message in 1 Corinthians 15:1-5:
“Now brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you have received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures . . . ”
The cornerstone of the gospel message is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The Apostle Paul was a brilliant orator and communicator. He was deeply schooled in biblical law, as well as in the wisdom of Greece. Yet, he never leaned upon his intellect in his preaching. Instead, he stuck to the basics of the gospel message. He tells the Corinthians:
“When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:1-2).
Paul also writes:
“For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power” (1 Corinthians 1:17).
The Power of a Personal Testimony
Another interesting thing about Paul’s preaching of the gospel was his use of his personal testimony. As you read the accounts in the book of Acts where Paul would share the gospel message with powerful government leaders, he would often begin with his personal testimony. Then, he would always key in on what happened when Jesus died on the cross.
We should follow the same pattern. We all have a testimony of how Christ has changed our life. In sharing it with others, however, we should keep from exaggerating or glorifying the past. Instead, we should focus upon what God has done for us.
Your testimony is one way to build a bridge of communication with an unbeliever. And it is an excellent way to return to the source of our hope and power: Christ and the cross. Like Philip, as you follow these essential principles of evangelism, God may use you to lead a searching man or woman to Jesus.
Part XII
