The Gospel of John (11-18-2012)
Lesson 11 – Jesus’ Method of Sharing the Gospel
Read Jn. 3:31-36 In Jn. 3:36 The Apostle John says that ‘He
that believes on the Son has everlasting life; and he that believes not the Son
shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. What do you think about
this verse? What is it saying? Do you believe it? How is this verse received in
our world today? How does what others think about this verse affect your
confidence in sharing and proclaiming its reality?
It is easy to pass by those that we come in contact with as
we go through our life. But, somehow in a practical way God wants to use our
daily routine of life to encounter those we meet in a more meaningful way that
might make a difference in their life. We pass by people every day that the
Holy Spirit is dealing with and preparing for His Kingdom bring them often
times right by us, but being burdened by the affairs of our life they walk
right past us.
Read Matt. 28:19-20 What is the charge given to us in these
two verses? Go to all nations proclaiming the good news teaching them to
observe all things that Christ has taught them/us. Part of what we are to tell
all nations are to share the truth of the Gospel. Here in chapter 3 and chapter
4 we see Jesus do just that. In chapter 3 we see Jesus witness to Nicodemus sharing
with him the good news and in chapter 4 we see Him share the truth of the
Kingdom with the women at the well. Two different people. Two different
approaches? Same Gospel. Different outcomes.
Have you ever shared your faith? Have you ever shared the
details of the Gospel hoping to give someone enough that they too might receive
the truth and start a new life? How did it go? Do you feel comfortable in doing
so or are you intimidated by the whole process. We are going to take a look at
Jesus’ method of evangelism. How did He connect with those He came to save
sharing with them the truth?
What was the setting for the initial encounter for each of
these examples, Nicodemus and the woman at the well? Nicodemus sought out Jesus
in His initial encounter with Him while the women at the well was essentially
street evangelism. Both examples began with an initial encounter, albeit
different, and ended in different ways having different outcomes. Both seem to be seeking, but also both throw
up resistance putting up smoke screens attempting to dodge the truth. Both come
with their viewpoint of how they think things work. These were obstacles that
Jesus has to address if He is going to be able to share the truth of God with
them.
Before we begin, I think that it is good to look at some
basic truths and principles that Jesus based His discussion on as He shared the
truth. Read Jn. 3:31-36. Here John makes a distinction between God, His
Kingdom, His Realm and real Truth and man’s position, viewpoint and opinion. In
these verses John makes it very clear again at the end of v. 32 that man does
not have the answers to life. We need to hear this message clearly in our day. Many
would say that we are not listening very well in our day.
Everyone has their own
opinion, their opinion of their perception of truth. And, we want to voice our
opinion and be heard. In a world that is so loud and clamorous it is only
natural for us to want to speak up. These
verses are not about never having anything to say that is worth hearing. Jesus
had ordained for us to carry the Truth of God and life to the world being or
becoming His spokesman. Rom. 10:14-21 So, what we say is important. But, the
question here is ‘What are we saying’, what do we believe and who are we
speaking for? What is the foundation or source of what we say we believe?
In these passages John is making a clear foundational
statement for those who are seeking the Truth and wish to speak or share the
same. This is hard for us to swallow, but
there is only one source for real Truth, and it did not come from us. In order
to come to God one must realize and at least begin to admit that God has the
Answers. And, if we are always telling everyone including God what we think,
then we are not listening and especially listening to what God is saying. This is
an important message for a loud and busy world that likes to talk, but does
not like to listen.
What John in is essence saying here is that coming along
side Christ and His work adding what we want to or have to offer to Him from
our earthly perspective is not the basis on which He wants us to join Him. He
has not come to us to recruit us so that He can accomplish His work. But, again
as John will make a theme of in his Gospel, God has come to offer us something
if we will receive it.
This passage relates to and goes in tandem with an earlier
part of this chapter found in John 3:10-12 and 17- 21. This principle is
essential to set as a foundation as we study this or any Gospel passage. We are
the recipients of truth and from man’s earthly perspective we bring nothing of
real value. That is not to say that God has not put in and witnessed to our
heart some real truth having some substance or value. We were originally made
or created for God and His Truth. Rom. 1:19-20 But, here John reminds us that with
our fallen nature it is not natural for us to seek it out or go after it.
John Lennon said it in one of his songs written in 1970,
‘Gimme Some Truth’ being a good example of the problem stated here. Nicodemus
also had this problem and so did the woman at the well found in chapter 4. When
confronted with the truth our initial reaction is almost always a response
justifying our own position and perspective. It seems to me in looking back at
the facts of John Lennon’s life that he was good at pointing out the flaws of
others, but not admitting and seeing his own needs. In other words his life did
not match what he was telling other people they should do.
In v. 9 of chapter 3 we find Nicodemus responding to the
truth of the Gospel that Jesus shares with him by saying ‘How can these things
be?’ To paraphrase Nicodemus’s response he was saying from his perspective
‘That’s impossible’ it does not satisfy man’s reasoning and logic.
But, in noticing Jesus’ witnessing technique Jesus responds
by restating the truth in a little different way packaging it and placing it before
him in a different way so he can plainly examine it again. In v. 10 responding
to v. 9 Jesus kindly but bluntly points out a gaping hole in Nicodemus’s life
and lack of real truth telling him that as a teacher you should know plainly
these things and you just told me that what I just said is a totally foreign
concept to you. Jesus did not stick him with the truth and twist it causing his
inadequacy to make it/him hurt. And He did not gloat with the fact that he had
just won the discussion. But, He did point out the truth of his inadequacy
exposing to him the truth of his need.
In the next few verses Jesus restates the truth to him
sharing with him the basis that He gets His truth from. Man often shares from a
philosophical or theoretical basis. In doing so the outcome is not always
predictable as far as truth is concerned. In doing so sometimes man gets it
right and sometimes he gets it wrong. Actually more times than not he either
gets it wrong or does not get enough right to make it work in life for him.
However, Jesus reminds Nicodemus that He is speaking from
experience saying “I saw these things…at the source…they are real…they are
absolutes…the truth that you are holding does not measure up to truth that I am
sharing with you…what do you think…you might want to compare what your faith is
in and what it is founded on to what I am saying…?” After sharing this with Nicodemus, Nicodemus
is silent on the matter.
Jesus points out in v. 11 that Nicodemus has not as yet
bought into what He is saying not receiving Jesus’ witness. In v. 12 He tells
Nicodemus that these are earthly spiritual truths and that if he understands
and accepts these earthly spiritual truths that there is more. V. 13 He shares
a truth that is not commonly accepted by man, but is a truth all the same and
is an important fact that he needs to consider and receive. In other words, you
may need to reevaluate some of your beliefs, by the way…
He continues to witness to Nicodemus now by sharing with him
the truth of the heart of the Gospel Jn. 3:14-6. Nicodemus continues to listen,
so, Jesus continues to talk. He finishes His presentation with a few more
truths concerning the Gospel and pretty much closes explaining to him that
there are two choices to His message. Those who are looking for the light will
continue their journey letting the Light expose their questions, thoughts and
theories to see how they measure up or one will turn their back on these truths
and seek out excuses and false philosophies founded on spiritually dark
concepts and principles.
Which did Nicodemus choose? We do not know for sure, but
because of the context and his responses in two other passages found in this Gospel
there is a good possibility that he continued his journey hopefully toward God
in the light. Jn. 7:45-52 and 19:38-42
But, for now he does not make an on the spot decision whole heartedly
jumping in. Jesus does not wrestle him to the ground for a decision either, but
instead appears to release him to the Holy Spirit to catch up with him at a
later date. It is important to remember that we should not hit someone over the
head with the Gospel, but we cannot slip it under the door either. Also, there
is a time to encourage a decision and also a time to give the Holy Spirit room
to work.
Another good example of Jesus sharing the Gospel, the
original way of the Master, is found in the next chapter between Jesus and the
woman at the well. Different situation. Different approach.
The first thing that we see Jesus do is to engage the person
He is sharing God’s Gospel message with. In this instance it was asking her to
do something for him. However, this is not the only way to engage one that God
may want you to share the Gospel with. You could buy something, you can ask
directions or some form of information from them, you can borrow something, or
loan something, bump into someone, compliment them, remark something, make
noise, swing by their way…etc, etc, etc.
Some would say that in asking this woman at the well for
water he really was not thirsty, but instead just wanted to strike up a
conversation with her to share the Gospel with her. Others would say He shared
a real need with her that just happened to lead into a conversation with her.
We do not know for sure which is true, but it is a good point to bring out that
one thing that is evident is that Jesus went out of His way to engage people
for the Kingdom’s sake. It is often said that Jesus even going through Samaria
was not the norm.
His encounter with this woman begins with a basic staple of
life. Water. Now there is something that everyone can relate to. A basic
necessity of life. It doesn’t get more basic than that. It is a good time to
stop and take a moment to ask what drove Jesus to go out of His way and take
the time to help someone looking for God to find their way? What did He get out
of it? Was it just that good feeling you get when you help someone out. If this
was it then why did He not just cook a meal and give it to someone, or give
someone a ride, or buy them a pair of shoes, or just meet one of a million
needs that one might have giving Him that good feeling of helping someone else
out. As good as these things are and as helpful as all of these things are at
opening the door to engage someone who may be looking for God, He did not see
them as an end unto themselves. They are however, a means to an end so to
speak, opening the door to something more important than the things associated
with this world…as important as those things can be. Most earthly human
organizations would stop right here at giving or in this case receiving a drink
and stamp the file as ‘job completed’ ‘mission accomplished’, on to the next
need. Not a bad thing right? Right,…but there is more. Jesus sees a deeper and
what He refers to as an even more important need than water.
He asks her for a drink and she is taken back by the fact
that He being a Jew would be kind enough to pay her the time of day asking her
for a drink. This was an act of kindness and respect and it got her attention
and interest. But, after He has her attention He in turn makes an offer to her
that is far more valuable. What did He offer her? Living Water. And, what did
He claim this Living Water would do? Was He being accurate? Was He being open
and honest with her? Of course! What He promised her was accurate, however it
just wasn’t what she was expecting looking at it from her perspective.
His offer sounds too good to be true. Was it? What do we
tell those we witness to that they will receive if they buy our product? A
couple of questions come to mind here. Do we know how to represent our
‘product’ so to speak accurately and how do we demonstrate to someone what our
produce can do for them? It has been said that people are motivated to act by
one of two things, to gain a benefit or to prevent a loss. How do we relate
this to those we are trying to get to receive our message?
So why did Jesus bother to and take the time to share the
Gospel with those that He came in contact with? Because He was focused on the
Kingdom, and He say His real purpose in this life was to head toward the
Kingdom of God and bring as many with Him as would go along.
He had come to this world not only to provide a way back to
God, but to personally escort those that He came to redeem back to His Kingdom.
His mind was really only on one thing, well actually two…the Cross and those
that He came to save. All other things were temporal and therefore of a lesser
value, …a much lesser value. He was looking for those who were looking for the
Light to shine on the path to guide them home.
So what method did He take to win those He wanted to redeem?
Whatever it took. How many approaches should we know? One or many? For some one
will work, but for most it is a good idea to have several methods at your
disposal as one approach may not always fit all. Some can make one approach
work just fine. Do you have at least one approach? In sharing the Gospel with
someone what is our goal, what do we term as success?
Some methods:
Rom. 10:9-10, 13
Romans Road: Rom 3:23 and 6:23
Eph. 2:8-9
Additional supportive verses: Rom. 4:1-8 Gal. 2:21
Did Jesus win in these cases?
The Great Commission. Mt. 28:18-9
Take time to look for and share with those who come your way
that God has prepared to hear His Gospel.
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