Week 3: Sharing Jesus


1. Sharing Jesus with Non-believers

Written by Jim Johnston
Thoughts

When I visit a good restaurant or watch a good movie, I can't keep myself from sharing it with people. Everyone loves good food or a story with a clever twist and it's great to be the first to find it too. Though when it comes to sharing Christ with others—particularly non-believers—we can convince ourselves that no-one wants to hear about Him, or that people will belittle us and call us weirdos, or that we'll be accused by a mob of spreading hate.

Our imaginations are powerful tools, and left unbridled they will create a story beyond fact. Consider the following a two-part strategy:

1. Would you have wanted to know about Christ if you were them? His restoring love, unfailing friendship, His power in our lives? His forgiveness? Something that no movement in the world has? Is that worth sharing?

2. Listen to the Holy Spirit, be sensitive to His promptings to action. Doing this will render a greater level of relationship with God for yourself.

Whatever the outcome—even if our worst concerns are realised in some part—stretch your sharing muscles and introduce Christ to those in your world. You would have wanted to hear it if it had been you.

Key Scriptures

But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God's very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.1 Peter 2:9 (NLT)

And then he told them, "Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.”Mark 16:15 (NLT)

And don't forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.Hebrews 13:16 (NLT)

Further Scriptures

Philemon 1:6; Luke 6:22; Acts 9:15

Recommended Resources
  • From Zero To Eternity In 60 Seconds, Dr Wendell Smith
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2. Sharing Jesus with Co-workers

Written by Daniel Ndlovu
Thoughts

We spend 34 hours a week on average in the work place, which is more than we spend our church family, friends and, in some cases, our nuclear family. Our place of work should be somewhere we practically demonstrate our faith through consistent godly conduct and praying for an opportunity to share the gospel.

It’s God's desire that we are salt and light when we meet non-believers, therefore our conversations should be God-conscious, not joining in gossip or destructive conversations.

The Bible also encourages us to 'work as unto the Lord' (Colossians 3:23-24). This means when others procrastinate, we are diligent; when there is fear and anxiety, we bring a godly perspective into the situation. Eventually, your co-workers will notice your differing attitude and the conversations can start!

Pray that the Lord goes before us and softens the hearts of our co-workers, and as His vessels, we are Holy Spirit led and ready to proclaim the Good News!

Key Scriptures

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.Colossians 3:23-24 (NLT)

"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. "You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”Matthew 5:13-16 (NLT)

And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.Colossians 3:17 (NLT)

Further Scriptures

1 Corinthians 15:58; Proverbs 11:30; Mark 16:15; 2 Corinthians 5:19-20

Recommended Resources
  • Salt of the Earth (song), Michael Mahendere
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3. Sharing Jesus with Friends

Written by Sinèad Holas
Thoughts

Your friends are the people who confide in you. They are the ones who know you well, spend time with you and see you in everyday life. The way you speak and live therefore matters.

Being a good friend in behaviour, speech and conduct is a great way to share the gospel. It's in the ways we respond to each other, the way we deal with hardships, the way we speak faith in negative situations, the way we give when it doesn't make sense, and the way we show grace and forgiveness when we've been hurt and wronged. One of the most effective ways we can preach the gospel is by the way we live our lives and handle our relationships.

What if your friends don't know Jesus? What if they don't read the Bible or attend church? How could you teach them who Jesus is? How can you signpost them to the cross? How can you be a witness?

God wants to use your friendships to speak Jesus and point to Him. You can be one of the biggest examples of Christ if you live a life that reflects Him.

Key Scriptures

"You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”Matthew 5:13-16 (NLT)

Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.1 Peter 3:15 (NLT)

For you are to be his witness, telling everyone what you have seen and heard.Acts 22:15 (NLT)

Further Scriptures

1 Thessalonians 5:11; 1 Peter 4:8-10; Isaiah 43:10; Philippians 2:15

Recommended Resources
  • Keys To Sharing Your Faith (sermon), Tanya Goffin
  • Honest Evangelism, Rico Tice
  • Real Connections (sermon), Andy Freeman
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4. Sharing Jesus with Family

Written by Neil Gallagher
Thoughts

The good news is that God desires for our families to be saved! It’s a wonderful promise, but it is conditional: our family members must personally respond to Jesus for themselves.

Our natural families don’t always understand our faith in Jesus Christ and they can become the most difficult people to share Jesus with as they are familiar with us and they can be evasive, ridiculing and rejecting what we share with them.

Despite this, we have been given the privilege by the Lord to influence them for Christ through our prayer, connection, conversation—and most importantly through our conduct, which can serve as a living testimony. They knew us before we accepted Jesus and they've seen our new life in Christ.

Key Scriptures

Who desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.1 Timothy 2:4 (NJKV)

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.Acts 16:31 (NJKV)

Jesus said to them "A prophet is not without honour expect in his own town, among his relatives and his own home.”Mark 6:4 (NJKV)

Further Scriptures

Romans 11:14; 1 Peter 3:15; 1 Peter 3:1

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5. Sharing Jesus with Other Religions

Written by Ian Mann
Thoughts

We are surrounded by people from a wide range of different backgrounds, cultures and religions. In the same way that Paul shared Jesus with the Greeks in Athens, we are called to reach out to all people, whatever their religion may be. How can we do this in a way that honours God and respects the people around us?

Firstly, we can be an example of God's love in our community. As Jesus said, ‘Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples’ (John 13:34-35).

Secondly, Paul called us to ‘speak the truth in love’ (Ephesians 4:15). Let's be an example of love to those around us, in our families, our workplaces, and wherever we find ourselves.

Let's pray for godly opportunities to be living demonstrations of God's love, and for moments when our friends will be open to hear the truth of the Gospel boldly shared with them in love, trusting that the Holy Spirit will touch their hearts!

Key Scriptures

So Paul, standing before the council, addressed them as follows: "Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way, for as I was walking along I saw your many shrines. And one of your altars had this inscription on it: 'To an Unknown God.' This God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I'm telling you about.Acts 17:22-23 (NLT)

There may be so-called gods both in heaven and on earth, and some people actually worship many gods and many lords. But for us, there is one God, the Father, by whom all things were created, and for whom we live. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things were created, and through whom we live.1 Corinthians 8:5-6 (NLT)

Further Scriptures

John 13:34-35; 1 John 5:5; 1 Corinthians 2:13-14; John 14:6; Ephesians 4:15

Recommended Resources
  • Handbook Of Today's Religions, Josh McDowell and Don Stewart
  • Now Go Forward, J. David Eshleman
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6. Sharing Jesus with My Actions

Written by Chip Kawalsingh
Thoughts

What we do often has a greater impact than what we say. Our actions should always represent Jesus, no matter the emotions we feel or how difficult things may be. We should be living to represent Jesus—that’s what really matters!

"All things are lawful," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful," but not all things build up. 24 Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.1 Corinthians 10:23-24 (ESV)

The goal is to lay aside our own personal prejudices and hang-ups and build each other up.

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.Romans 14:17 (ESV)

It’s clear that our goal should be to represent the Kingdom of God correctly. In v19, Paul goes on to say, ‘Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.’

What can we do to represent Jesus? Maybe offer to help someone with groceries or drop off a meal for them. Maybe something simple like a random act of kindness when someone least expects it. It’s well within our capability to share Jesus by our everyday actions.

Key Scriptures

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval. Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall. So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves.Romans 14:17-22 (NIV)

So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Don't give offense to Jews or Gentiles or the church of God. I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don't just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved.1 Corinthians 10:31-33 (NLT)

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?James 2:14-25 (NIV)

Further Scriptures

Romans 6:15-23; Acts 17:24-26; Luke 5:18-20

Recommended Resources
  • Wholehearted Service (sermon), Alistair Begg
  • Truth For Life, Alistair Begg
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7. Sharing Jesus with My Words

Written by Sarah Kawalsingh
Thoughts

Our words bear fruit. Scripture is right when it says 'death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit' (Proverbs 18:21). Bearing fruit is mentioned in the Bible many times. John says that Jesus has appointed us that we should go and bear fruit. The fruit that we bear in our words should bring glory to God and be proof that we are His disciples (John 15:6-8).

God knows that we are all a work in progress and there are times when our words don't come out right, but when we choose to learn more about Christ, increase our knowledge of Him and allow Him to work in us, then the change in us will be reflected in our words and actions.

It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the thought of sharing our faith with someone who doesn't know Christ. But think of it this way: we've got to get the Word in us for God to get it out of us. There will be times when you will find yourself sharing your faith with someone and you walk away thinking what on earth happened there! You soon realise that the Bible study you did, or that Scripture you read, or that message you heard, was brought to mind in that moment to help you talk to that person about Christ.

The fruit you bear will come from the time you take to know Christ. By abiding in His presence and learning more about Him, what we speak to others will impact them not just in this life, but in the promise of the life to come.

Key Scriptures

For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.Colossians 1:9-14 (NKJV)

Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.Mark 16:14-20 (NKJV)

Further Scriptures

Psalm 1; John 15:4-5; Jeremiah 15:16; 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12

Recommended Resources
  • In The Presence Of My Enemies, Gracia Burnham
  • My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers
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