How to Lead Others to Jesus | Practical Tips for Sharing the Gospel

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Sign up at harvest.org. What is wrong with this person? They're so far from God. Are they?

Or are they closer than you realize? This is the day when the lost are found. This is the day for a new beginning. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound. Again you hear all the angels are singing. This is the day, the day when life begins. The Lord is clear.

He doesn't want anyone to perish, but wants everyone to come to repentance. This includes everyone in your household, everyone in your neighbor's home, everyone at your place of work. Well, fine.

How does that happen? Well, that's where you and I come in. Today on A New Beginning, Pastor Greg Laurie points out some biblical steps toward sharing the message that saved our lives. It's not as daunting or intimidating as it seems. Pastor Greg has practical help today.

This is the day, the day when life begins. I read about a fisherman who was testing his outboard propeller in a lake in Ohio. And there in this cove he saw a giant muskellunge fish near the surface. And this guy, you know, he cast his line in and the fish didn't bite and so he left. He didn't know where it went and he came back a little bit later looking for it and it was back. And so he trolled toward it and he realized, what if I just reached out and grabbed this thing? So he puts on this big leather glove and he reaches on and grabs this massive fish and starts to pull it out of the water. It's so big he can't handle it.

Another guy in a boat comes over and helps him muscle this giant muskie into his boat. And the fact is this thing weighed over 50 pounds. In fact if he had caught it with a proper rod and reel it would have been a record but he did it by hand. So it actually became a newspaper article and they interviewed him and asked him about it. How did you catch this by hand? And he said, quote, I was at the right place at the right time and I was full enough to grab it.

I thought, hmmm. That sort of applies to evangelism. At the right place at the right time and be full enough to grab it. Jesus said, follow me and I'll make you fishers of men. And so we go fishing for people and sometimes you just grab it. You just go for it.

You never know when that moment will come. So I want to talk to you about how to lead others to Jesus. And here's my first point if you're taking notes. Number one, telling your story that is your personal testimony is a powerful bridge for the gospel message. Everybody has a testimony including you. And when you tell your story it's not about you it's about him. You see your story is just a bridge to get to the most important story.

And the most important story is a story of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Now every generation needs to hear the gospel. My generation, the baby boomers need to hear it. And then of course there's the millennials. And so much is said about baby boomers and millennials. People from gen x are feeling left out. Sorry gen x.

You need the gospel too. But now we hear so much about generation z, gen z, right? And they've been described as the hopeless generation.

They need to hear the gospel as well. And now on the heels of gen z is what is called the alpha generation. Generation alpha. I don't care if it's baby boomers or millennials or busters or gen z or alpha or whatever else they're going to come up with.

The answer for every generation is the same. It's the gospel of Jesus Christ. It never changes.

Ever. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. And Psalm 145 says, Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts.

Let them proclaim your power. The same message that changed the world of the first century is the same message that will change the world of the 21st century. Paul said in Romans 1 16, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes. There's power in the message of the gospel. But here's the heartbeat of the gospel. It's the cross of Jesus Christ.

That's where the power is. Sometimes in our attempts to cross over, we don't bring the cross over. And a crossless message is not the gospel. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2 when I came to you brothers, I didn't come with eloquence or superior wisdom for I am resolved to know nothing else among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And then Paul said in 1 Corinthians 1 17, Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel. Listen, not with words of human wisdom lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. If I don't give this message as God gives it in scripture, you have a powerless message. Paul said the message of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness but to us who believe it is the power of God. Listen to what I'm saying to you right now.

What I've shared with you in this message and I'm sure you've heard these things before but what I've shared with you, if you will take these truths and implement them you are already armed and dangerous in a good way. To use these truths to share with others. Now how do you close the deal? How do you get from A to B?

How do you land the plane? How do you actually lead a person to Jesus Christ? Listen, it's not as hard as you think. You've got to pop the question. And what is that question? Let me ask you something.

Would you like to ask Jesus Christ to come into your life right now? We're very reluctant to do that. Why? Because we're afraid they'll say no.

And they may. Would you like to accept Jesus Christ right now? No. Okay. Well I'll pray for you.

And just know that wherever you are you can call him the name of the Lord. But what if they say yes? Are we really afraid of failure or are we afraid of success? Like what do I do now if the person says yes? It's sort of like popping the question when you get married. There's a lot of creative ways that people propose.

Some people might you know have a plane pull a little banner. Will you marry me? I have a friend who proposed to his girlfriend underwater. They were scuba diving.

He had one of those underwater tablets. Will you marry me? Or it was more like. Right. And she said yes.

My wife says I never properly proposed to her. You say but no Greg in the Jesus Revolution movie you did. That's not exactly the way it happened. You know the sad thing is people will come to me and say I love this scene from the Jesus Revolution movie.

Is that exactly how it was? And they always pick the scenes that are a little different than the way it really happened. Because in a movie and you'll find this in all movies you know they'll take something that happened here and put it over there and compress time and so in the movie of course I arrive at Kathy's parents house and I'm wet from baptizing people and I'm wearing my groovy bell bottoms and I admit to Kathy I've been an idiot and then I'm telling her I want to spend the rest of my life with her and she says is this your way of saying you want to marry me?

And then movie Greg says what if it was? And then Kathy says well if you ever get in the way of me and my relationship with God it's over and then finally Greg proposes and Kathy says yes and the actress who plays Kathy Anna Grace Barlow very talented actress one tear comes out of her eye. And John Irwin the director told me we did that take over and over and every time the tear came out of her eye. So I ask Anna I go how do you do that? She says I'm an actress I can cry at will. I thought I'd hate to be your boyfriend. You say to the guy hey why didn't you buy me that dress on you tear.

You want to get a guy to do what you want him to do bring that tear girl I'm telling you it works. Amazing. So what really happened it's not this would not be interesting in a film. This would not be a great scene in a movie.

In real life I'm sitting at a table we're having a meal and I turn to Kathy and say well I guess we're getting married. Huh. That's it. You want to see that in a movie?

I don't think so. But thankfully she said yes anyway. All that matters is we pop the question.

It's like that guy with a muskellunge fish. He reached out and grabbed it. And of course if a person says yes I just lead him in a prayer. There's no magical prayer by the way. I've had people come and say tell me the sinner's prayer.

What is it again? It's not really an exact prayer. It's just based on principles of scripture right. So I'll pray something like pray this after me. Lord Jesus I know I'm a sinner. I know you're the savior that died on the cross for my sin. I'm sorry for my sin. I repent of my sin. I ask you to come into my life right now and forgive me. You know you've heard this prayer before.

And it is such a joy to pray that with a person. I'm going to close with a story. Of a neighbor I used to have named Roy. So Roy lived in my neighborhood.

He had a serious heart ailment and had been discharged from the hospital and was literally sent home to die. So my neighbor came to me another neighbor and said there's a guy named Roy. You'll see him walking around a lot. And he went to one of your crusades.

You might want to have a conversation with him because he's going to die really soon. So sure enough I saw Roy out there walking. I walked up and said hi Roy. I'm Greg Laurie. He goes I know who you are.

Right. Well nice to meet you Roy. I heard that you went to one of our crusades.

Yeah I went to one. And I have a lot of questions. Okay. So he fires all these questions at me and my wife is there. Okay and then I don't know if he was happy with the answers but then I see him the next day. I have more questions.

Okay. He gives us all these questions. We try to answer them. So I get a copy of a book I wrote called Life Any Questions and I gave it to Roy. Roy why don't you read this book. The next day I see him he says I read the whole book and I have more questions. So on and on this goes.

And I feel like I'm making no progress with old Roy. And I'm beginning to wonder what's even going to happen. And so one day we're sitting in the house.

This has gone on for a couple of weeks if not longer. And we're sitting at our table. We're having breakfast. We're actually having a little devotion together. And I look out my window and right in front of my window there's Roy just standing there. Standing there looking around.

I thought is he standing there on purpose so I'll see him or is this just the moment. And I felt directed by the Lord. This is Roy's day. So I walked out.

Walked across the street. I said hey Roy how you doing? And he said yeah I'm good. I said Roy let's talk a little bit more.

And we did. And I said Roy I think it's time to settle this right now. Would you like to accept Jesus Christ into your life? Roy said yes. And we prayed together. The next day I see Roy. He's a different man.

He has a big smile on his face. He says I was just singing Jesus loves me. I learned that when I was in Sunday school years ago. I found out that Roy went to his entire family. Gathered them all and said you're looking at a brand new Christian. His family could not believe the radical and immediate transformation that had taken place in his life. So glorious. So I didn't see Roy for a while.

Isn't that great? So I didn't see Roy for a while. And then one day actually it was the evening. I got a knock at my door. It was that neighbor that originally told me to talk to Roy. Says I have some sad news. Roy died last night. But hey he went home to heaven. And I was able to see that happen.

But he sure got in under the wire didn't he? Boy he pushed that. There's lots of people like Roy out there.

Aren't there? You know Roy. It's your grandfather. Your dad. Your mom. That grumpy neighbor. That coworker. They always have the questions.

Always with the challenges. Always with the arguments. And you're thinking what is wrong with this person? They're so far from God. Are they? Or are they closer than you realize? We often think the pleasant people that politely decline our invitations might be closer than the argumentative people.

But in reality it may be the very opposite of that. You invite a person to the crusade. Come to the crusade. Oh I'd love to but we're busy that weekend.

Oh okay. Want to come to church the next Sunday with me? We're busy that Sunday too. What about the next Sunday? We're busy.

What about busy? Okay. But they're nice. They're nice. I can see it's helped you. I can see you're a happier person. We think oh they're so close.

I don't know how close they are. Then there's the person with the arguments. There's the person with the questions. And it doesn't stop.

Could it be that they're under the conviction of the Holy Spirit? You know it's been said that when you throw a rock into a pack of dogs the one that barks the loudest is the one that got hit. Try it after church. Throw a rock at a bunch of dogs. No don't.

It's just an illustration. Don't throw rocks at dogs. But cats maybe.

No don't. But the idea of throwing a rock into a pack of dogs. The barking is the idea of they're fighting with you.

But maybe God's working in their heart. You might be shocked if you just said would you like to accept Jesus Christ right now? Yes. You never know.

You never know until you pop the question. So I've got a challenge for all you guys this week. I want you to intentionally engage in gospel conversations with people.

Every one of you. And start with your testimony. Just tell them what Jesus has done for you. Then you beat a quick path to the story of Jesus. His death on the cross.

How he died for their sin. Then you extend that invitation. And what a great joy it's going to be for you. You can do this.

You really can. I know God's will for your life. You're always wondering what's God's will for my life? I know God's will for your life right now. God's will for you. For me.

For us. Is to go into all the world and preach the gospel. By the way that word that Jesus uses there in Matthew 28 in Mark 16.

It's a command. He says I command you to go into all the world and preach the gospel. You say but Greg how do you know that's God's will? Because the Bible says God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. God wants people to be saved and the way he reaches them is through people. How are they here unless someone tells them Paul asks in the book of Romans.

And how will they tell them unless they've been sent. How beautiful are the feet of those that bring glad tidings of good things. You're commanded to go. Let's do it. But let me say this. It's a joyful thing to share your faith. As I pointed out earlier it's life giving to you to tell others about Jesus.

As well as life giving to the person who is hearing it. God wants to use us. But let me close by saying this. Maybe I'm talking to a Roy. Maybe literally a Roy.

I don't know. But someone that doesn't know Jesus yet. And you're kind of like Roy with all the questions but you're just waiting for someone to ask you would you like to accept Jesus Christ right now. And I want to ask you that. Is there somebody listening watching me right now wherever you are. You're just waiting for someone to pop the question if you will.

Well I'm popping it. Would you like to accept Jesus Christ right now. Would you like your sin forgiven. Would you like to know that when you die you will go to heaven instead of hell.

It can happen for you because Jesus who died on that cross and rose again from the dead stands at the door of your life and he knocks and he says if you'll hear his voice and open the door he will come in. So in a moment we're going to bow our heads and we're going to pray. And I'm going to extend an invitation for anyone here anyone watching wherever you are to ask Christ to come into your life.

If you need to do this if you want to do this you can do it right here right now. Let's pray. Father I pray that you'll speak to anyone here who does not yet know you.

Help them to see their need for you. Help them to come to you and believe we pray. Now when our heads are bowed and our eyes are closed and we're praying together maybe there's someone here that wants Jesus. You want him to forgive you of your sin. You want to go to heaven when you die. You want that big hole in your heart filled.

It can happen right now. If you're ready to say yes to Jesus pray this prayer out loud after me. Again as I pray pray this out loud after me. Pray this if you would.

Lord Jesus I know that I'm a sinner but I know you're the Savior who died on the cross for my sin and rose again from the dead. I turn from my sin now and I choose to follow you from this moment forward as my Savior and Lord is my God and friend. Thank you for hearing this prayer Lord. In Jesus name I pray Amen.

Such an important prayer. Pastor Greg Laurie leading people in making a change in their relationship with the Lord today here on A New Beginning. If you've just made that change, if you've just prayed with Pastor Greg and have meant those words from your heart, well first of all we want to welcome you into the family of God. And then we also want to help you get started as a believer. Pastor Greg would like to send you his New Believers Bible. It's full of practical study helps for new believers.

It'll help you get started on the right foot. We'll send you the New Believers Bible when you call us at 1-800-821-3300. Call any time day or night at 1-800-821-3300.

Or write A New Beginning Box 4000 Riverside, CA 92514. Or go online to harvest.org and click Know God. Well Pastor Greg we're excited about your new book.

It's a Christmas devotional book brand new called Heaven's Light Breaking. And you know about the holidays I've always found it quite ironic that we celebrate Jesus' birthday by giving presents to each other and then people often completely forget it's Jesus' birthday. This is a strange thought but if we could get Jesus on the phone and we asked him how he wants us to celebrate his birthday, what do you think he would say? Well you know it's sort of like when you get older and you become a grandparent and your grandchildren say you know what can we get you for Christmas?

And what I say is I just want you I want to spend time with you. If you want to make me a little card that's great cause I'll keep every one of those cards Dave. I have boxes filled with cards for my children and grandchildren.

They're treasures to me. And I think the Lord would effectively say the same thing. I mean what do you get for the God who is everything right? There's nothing you can give him that he doesn't effectively own already but here's what God wants. He wants us to voluntarily give our love to him. The apostle Paul put it this way in Romans 12 I urge you therefore brothers by the mercies of God to present yourselves to him as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable which is your reasonable service.

Don't be transformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. God wants you. He wants your time. He wants your attention. He wants you to give in ear to what he has to say and he wants to show his love to you. He wants to embrace you. He wants to guide you. He wants to provide for you. He wants to bless you. So I would encourage you to just give yourself to the Lord in this Christmas season.

Give your time to him. In fact what a great way to start your day by reading a Christmas devotional and I've got a resource for you. It's a brand new Christmas devotional from us here at Harvest that's called Heaven's Light Breaking. 25 devotions for every day of the month of December that you can read or you can read with friends or family members to get you on the right track where you're thinking about the real message and the real meaning of Christmas. So we'll send you this brand new devotional called Heaven's Light Breaking for your gift of any size to us here at Harvest Ministries and you see we'll use those resources you send to continue to bring you this radio ministry and yes it is a ministry because I hear from you. You write me letters and you comment on my social media posts and you talk to me when I run into you here there and everywhere and you tell me how God has used this broadcast to bring you to Christ or to help you through tough times or to use as a tool to share the gospel with someone so we're thankful we can be on the air and we want to continue to do so and with your help that will happen. So order your copy of our brand new Christmas devotional that we're calling Heaven's Light Breaking for your gift of any size.

In advance let me say thank you and Merry Christmas. And you can make those arrangements right now. Call any time 24-7 1-800-821-3300. Again that's 1-800-821-3300. Or just request Heaven's Light Breaking when you send your donation to A New Beginning, Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514.

Or go online to faith.org. Well Pastor Greg Harvest Ministries is celebrating 50 years of ministry. And hearing this month of thankfulness what are the things that make this thanksgiving season particularly profound for you? Well I would say the faithfulness of God. You know we've had our twists and turns we've had our storms we've had our challenges along with our blessings.

And one thing I can say is God has always been faithful and I have found his word is true. And I think that we should never rest on our laurels and we should never settle for mediocrity. If you see anything that's working anywhere if there's a restaurant you'd love to go to or you have some other place you'd like to visit and you're always so impressed by it that's because they're working at it.

When you take your hand up the wheel it defaults to mediocrity. So we're always trying to innovate we're trying to be creative. Our objective is to reach unexpected people in unexpected places with an unexpected message. Just know this when you support our ministry and I thank God for all of you that are Harvest partners and those that give to us faithfully on a regular basis I want to say thank you and assure you that we will always do our best to not default to mediocrity but to continue to find new ways to reach new people in new places with the unexpected message of the gospel. Yeah that's right and keep this outreach in prayer as we move into the new year that God would use it in the future as he's done in the past. You can connect with us at Harvest.org. Find out about becoming a Harvest partner there at Harvest.org. Well next time as Pastor Gray continues his series called Timeless we'll consider the important privilege of discipleship. Join us here on a new beginning with pastor and Bible teacher Greg Laurie. This is the day, the day when life begins The preceding podcast was made possible by Harvest Partners helping people everywhere know God. Learn how to become a Harvest partner sign up for daily devotions and find resources to help you grow your faith at Harvest.org.