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| Date post: | 28-Mar-2015 |
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The Appeal of Christianity
John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”
• Forgiveness of sins
Abundant Life
Jer 31:34 “They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying ‘Know the Lord,’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the Lord, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”
• Forgiveness of sins
Abundant Life
Psalms 103:12 “As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.”
• Forgiveness of sins
Abundant Life
Isa 1:18 “Come now, and let us reason together,” says the Lord, “Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool.”
• Forgiveness of sins
Abundant Life
• Christ as our friend
• Heaven as our homePhil 3:20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
• Forgiveness of sins
Abundant Life
• Christ as our friend
• Heaven as our home
• The church
2 Cor 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.
Col 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
they cannot be duplicated
they are within our reach
What is appealing about these things:
• It is through inviting, teaching and sharing that the kingdom grows
Mark 5:19 And He did not let him, but He said to him, “Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you”
God wants each of us to be busy telling others of Christ
• It is through inviting, teaching and sharing that the kingdom grows
Acts 8:4 Therefore, those who had been scattered went about preaching the word
God wants each of us to be busy telling others of Christ
Jn 4:35 “Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest.”
There are two important aspects of sharing the gospel
1. The most obvious is to teach the Bible: Proclamation
2. The other aspect is our self: Affirmation
Presenting our self as believable and
genuine
Four things that turn people off of
Christ
1 Peter 3:15 “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence”
v. 9 “not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose
that you might inherit a blessing” v. 13 Who is there to harm you if you
prove zealous for what is good?
v. 14 “But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled.”v. 16 “and keep a good conscience so that in the thing which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame”
v. 17 “For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong”
4:12-14 “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.”
4:16 “but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.”4: 19 “Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.”
1 Peter 3:15 “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence”
Four things that turn people
off of Christ1. HYPOCRISY
Nothing hurts the message more than being fake
Jesus knew the affect of hypocrisy
• 15x in Matthew He uses that wordHypocrisy in worship to God
Hypocrisy in the treatment of othersHypocrisy in what they have done to
themselves
Hypocrisy is NOT:A person who changes his mind
A person who sins
A person who struggles with the same sin
Hypocrisy is more a state of the mind than actions
It is about motives attitudes
The word means to pretend what you are not
1 Peter 3:15 “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence”
2 Cor 6:17-18 “Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord. “And do not touch what is unclean; and I will welcome you. And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me,” says the Lord Almighty.1 Pet 2:9 “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a Holy Nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;”
Phil 1:27 “Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel”Eph 4:1 “Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called.”
Col 4:6 “Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.”
Phil 2:15 “so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world.”
honest about yourself
real on the inside
living like you mean it
Genuine
Four things that turn people
off of Christ1. HYPOCRISY
2. HOPELESSNESS
1 Peter 3:15 “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence”
1 Pet 1:3-4 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you”Rom 5:5 hope does not disappoint
Hope is a great motivator
• hope is positive
• hope is attractive
Four things that turn people
off of Christ1. HYPOCRISY
2. HOPELESSNESS
3. HARSHNESS
1 Peter 3:15 “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence”
2 Tim 2:24-26 “The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.”
Instructions are to be gentle not gruff…
meek not mean…
Four things that turn people
off of Christ1. HYPOCRISY
2. HOPELESSNESS
3. HARSHNESS
4. HAUGHTINESS
“The attitude that I am better than you.”
1 Peter 3:15 “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence”
reverence for the word of God
reverence for God
Rom 12:16 “Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.”
