The good news of Jesus Christ is good news for people of all nations. Tragically, billions of people have never heard of Jesus. We must tell them that God has provided the way for them to be forgiven of their sin, to be changed into a new person spiritually, and to be guaranteed a home in heaven. We must be ready to share the good news.
We must do something. Don’t do nothing.
1 Peter 3:15-16
15 But honor the Messiah as Lord in your heart. Always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. 16 However, do this with gentleness and respect…
From the verses above, we can ask four powerful questions.
Is Jesus the Lord of your HEART? As a follower of Jesus, if I asked you if Jesus is the Lord of your life, you would say, “Yes!” But I wonder if He is truly the Lord of your heart? Does your heart beat for the things that His beats for? The Bible tells us that God does not want anyone to die eternally but rather He wants everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). So, if Jesus is the Lord of your heart, your heart will break for those who do not know Jesus.
1 Peter 3:15
15 …honor the Messiah as Lord in your heart…
Perhaps you need to turn this into a prayer to the Lord. Something like, “Jesus, give me a heart like yours. Let my heart break for the people who do not know you, compelling me to share the good news of Jesus with them when I have the opportunity.”
Can people see that you have HOPE? When you look at the problems of the world and the difficulties of life, do you have despair or do you have hope? If Jesus is your Lord, you will have hope! You will have hope for this life and for the life to come. When people read your social media posts, can they tell that you are full of hope?
If people see you have hope, they may just ask you why. This is the opportunity you have been waiting for.
1 Peter 3:15
15 …Always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you…
Are you READY to share the gospel? If the Lord opens the door for a spiritual conversation with someone, will you be ready to share the gospel of Jesus Christ? Be ready to listen to them, taking the time to hear what is on their mind and heart. Be ready to answer their questions to the best of your ability, pointing them to answers in God’s Word. (For help on questions that have you stumped, go to gotquestions.org for solid, succinct Bible answers to important questions.)
Also, be ready to share your story of faith in Jesus along with Scriptures that correlate with your story. Here’s a simple outline to use as you consider how to share your story, along with a verse or two of Scriptures to read and share with them.
This was my life before following Jesus. (Romans 3:23)
Then I realized I needed Jesus. This is how it came about. (Romans 5:8 and Romans 6:23)
This is how I was saved from my sin and became a follower of Jesus. (Romans 10:9-10,13 and Romans 5:1)
My life is different now, as a follower of Jesus. Let me explain. (Romans 6:22)
Take some time to think about how you would explain your story using an outline similar to the one above. You may even want to write down a few notes so that you will be prepared when the Lord gives you an opportunity to share your story. If you would like to download the outline, you may do so HERE.
The more you share your story, the more natural it will feel to share it. Practice on your family members, close friends, or neighbors. God will use your story with Scriptures to impact lives for Christ.
1 Peter 3:15
15 …Always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you…
Will you show gentleness and RESPECT to all people? Jesus showed respect to all people: men, women, children, people who accepted His message and people who rejected Him, people from all nations. We should follow His example and show respect to all people. Treat all people with gentleness and respect. Respect them because they are made in God’s image.
1 Peter 3:16
16 However, do this with gentleness and respect…
Even if they reject the good news of Jesus, show them respect. Assure them that you care about them which is why you wanted to share with them and let them know that you will be praying for them. Keep the door open for the next time you or someone else has the opportunity to talk to them about Jesus.
Allow Jesus to be the Lord of your heart. Let people see the hope that you have. Always be ready to share the gospel of Jesus. Do this with gentleness and respect.
Be ready.