The Gospel Agenda: A God Centered Gospel Outline

Based on Will Metzger’s "Tell the Truth"

Written by: Darren R Middleton

www.pressiechurch.org

 

God

Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his;

we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. (Ps 100:3)

 

Man

"for all have sinned & fallen short of the glory of God" Rom 3:23

Christ

 

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Mark 10:45

Response

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Rom 10:9

 

Workshop One: A God Centered Gospel Outline

The Gospel Agenda – Read Matt 28:18-20

In the Great commission there are several things we should note:

 

                    What is our mission amongst the nations?

 

 

How do you make a disciple?

 

 

Who will help us & empower us?

 

 

We are about making disciples (as opposed to adherents or members)

We are about teaching them (discipleship is rooted in obedience to Jesus’ Lordship over us)

We have the promise of his person, power & authority (Jesus has authority & has promised to be with us in this task)

 

Why might we find the great commission scary, embarrassing or too difficult?

Think of three reasons why you might not share the gospel.

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Be rejected by friends; Be thought of as a Bible basher (ooooohhhhh)

Be embarrassed by the gospel; because I’m generally shy; because I don’t know the gospel well enough

Think of three reasons why you might share the gospel.

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Because without the gospel my friends will be lost; because its the best thing I know; because I’m commanded to.

Because I love to talk & what’s better than talking about the gospel.

Have you ever tried telling family, friends, or others about Jesus Christ?

If so, how did it go?

 

 

 

Can you remember any question concerning Christianity that they asked you, particularly difficult ones?

 

 

 

The purpose of our Workshops is to make you familiar with a God centered Gospel outline so that you can naturally witness as the opportunities arise:

    • Teach us what the main points of the gospel are.

    • Teach how to witness through everyday conversations.

    • Teach us to witness to the whole person, incl mind, emotions & will.

 

We want to encourage each of the participants that this is not beyound them, but it will stretch them.

Be mindful that some may not yet be Christians while others will be unsure of their salvation.

Encourage questions, allay fears, and encourage wherever you can.

And please do not forget to pray, commit the workshops & the participants to God.

 

 

Introduction To God - The Holy & Loving Creator

Apparently 72% of Aussies believe in God!

The question is, which or what God?

A god who is cool & like a good buddy?

A god who is everywhere sort of like a force?

A god who would only loves & never judges?

Try to introduce the idea that people might use the same language (God or sin) but not mean the same thing.

Give some examples like those who believe in ‘new age’ or think of God as an uninterested distant god (Deism).

 

Compare Acts 13:16-42 & 17:22-34.

Paul made assumptions about his Jewish hearers ie, their understanding of Scriptures, God & sin (Acts 13).

What were they? 

 

 

 

Because of their Jewish background, Paul assumed they knew the Bible & God’s redemptive plan.

Moreover, his purpose is not to prove God, nor sin [assumed] but to prove that Christ is the Messiah.

In other words, they were looking for a Saviour/Lord, the question was, is Jesus the one?

 

Paul makes assumption about his pagan hearers ie, their understanding of Scriptures, God & sin (Acts 17).

What were they?                               

 

 

 

 

Because of their Pagan background, Paul assumed they knew nothing about the Bible or God’s redemptive plan.

Moreover, his purpose is not to prove Jesus is Christ, but to introduce God as a personal creator.

Man as a creature who has rebelled. God’s plan to save man through his Son Jesus Christ.

In other words, they were not looking for a Saviour/lord, so you need to show why they would need one.

 

As we learn the Gospel outline, we need to remember that we are to use it in conversation creatively, not mechanically.

 

 

God – The Holy & Loving Creator

Main Point: That God is our creator and therefore has an absolute claim on us.

It’s very important that you clearly establish God’s ownership of us in this section.

God’s ownership of us is the basis for regulating our relationship with him. ie similar to parental authority over children

Key verses: Ps 100:3 Matt 5:48

Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. (Ps 100:3)

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matt 5:48)

Personal Creator

 

Discuss why it’s important to establish that God made us (creator – creature relationship)?

 

 

 

 

Sovereign Creator

Discuss why it’s important to establish that God is perfect & what his expectations are of us?

 

 

 

 

Key Passages: Gen 1:26-28; Acts 17:24-31

 

Get the group to practice in small groups summarising the gospel outline as we have learned it so far.

You may need to help with coaching & by giving examples yourself.

 

 

Workshop Two: A God Centered Gospel Outline

Introduction To Man – The Rebellious & Sinful Creature

"We preach to men as if they were conscious they were dying sinners, they are not; they are having a good time."

Oswald Chambers (1874-1917)

What do we need to see about ourselves according to the Bible? (Read Lk 5:27-3)

 

 

 

 

Australian’s can think they are ok.

Not perfect, but no axe murderer (ie we’re not ‘really’ sinful).

We can also become apathetic (unconcerned) concerning spiritual issues, ‘I’ll be right mate’.

 

Consider Jesus’ rebuke of the rich young man for addressing him as "good teacher" & consider why he says, "No one is good except God alone." (Mark 10:17f)

 

 

 

Try & get them to see that since the young man believed Jesus was just a man, Jesus took the opportunity to show that only God is good & by implication men are not good [Jesus uses the Law to show the sin in the young man himself].

BTW, its ok to call people good, Jesus did himself (Matt 5:45) but his interest in this case was to show the young man the human condition of sinfulness.

 

 

Man – The Rebellious & Sinful Creature

Main Point: We deceive ourselves into thinking we are free to live as we want when in fact we are sinful.

Key verses: Jer 17:9; Romans 3:20, 3:23

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? Jer 17:9

"for all have sinned & fallen short of the glory of God" Rom 3:23

 

Rebellious & Sinful

Discuss why it is important to establish that as humans we deceive ourselves if we think we’re ok, instead of realising we are rebels who are guilty of sin & rebellion.

 

 

 

 

The group needs to see that unless we see ourselves as sinful we will never see the need to repent of our rebellion & sin & seek

God’s grace in Jesus Christ for salvation.

Moreover, people may ‘accept’ Christ with a deceptive understanding of man’s sin which devalues & distorts the necessity of the life & death of Jesus Christ.

 

 

 

Consequences of Man’s Rebellion

Man is dead to God by his separation through sin resulting in guilt, purposelessness & condemnation

Man is in danger of eternal separation if he is not reconciled to God.

Discuss the implications of man’s rebellion against God & his ultimate end if he dies a rebellious sinner.

 

 

 

 

Key Passages: Isa 64:6-7; Rom 1:20-25; 3:10-20

 

 

Get the group to practice in small groups summarising the gospel outline as we have learned it so far, ie about God & Man.

You may need to help with coaching & by giving examples yourself.

 

Introduction To Christ – The Redeemer King

Why must we understand God as creator & Man as rebellious & sinful creature before we can understand whom Jesus is & what he came to do?

 

 

 

 

Here it is imperative that the group appreciates a) God as Creator who has the right to rule b) man as creature who has

rebelled & sinned against God’s rule.

These are prerequisites to repenting of our rebellion & sin & trusting Jesus as our Lord (King again over us) & Saviour.

 

Is Jesus just a Saviour? Is the gospel just about our sins being forgiven? Is the gospel more than this?

Discuss how we can often preach a truncated (reduced) gospel message.

 

 

 

 

 

Here is an appropriate time to discuss the issues of ‘easy believersism’, ie Jesus died to make sure you go to heaven.

Jesus died to make sure you don’t go to Hell. Jesus died to make sure you never have a bad day again!

We want the group to see that the gospel message is declaring that God is the king, Man has rebelled & sinned, Christ is the solution, through his life (active obedience) his death (passive obedience) & his resurrection.

Now if you receive Christ as Saviour it is on the understanding he is Lord (King of our life).

 

 

Christ – The Redeemer King

Main Point: Jesus came as a servant so that through his life, death & resurrection he might redeemed us.

It’s very important to establish that the purpose in the life (active obedience) death (passive obedience) & resurrection of Christ is to reconcile us as sinful rebels to God the Father, through God the Son.

In other words, Christ died to be our Saviour & lives to be our Lord.

 

Key verses: Isa 53:5 Mark 10:45; Eph 1:7

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities;

the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isa 53

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Mark 10:45

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace Eph 1:7

 

The Teacher

Discuss why we don’t need further revelation about who God is & what God is like once we have met Jesus ( as revealed through the Scriptures).

             

 

 

 

The Redeemer

Discuss the importance of Jesus’ life, death & resurrection for the Gospel declaration.

             

 

 

 

 

It’s important that you explain that in Jesus’ life he kept the law of God perfectly, in that way, he was righteous.

In his death he died for sin, not his but ours (passive obedience). In that way, Jesus’ death erases our debt & his life in reckoned to us as our righteousness. Therefore, we are not just forgiven (passive obedience) but we are perfectly righteous (active obedience).

Illustration of the Pencil:

Jesus death is the eraser that removes our sin.

Jesus righteous life by which he kept all the commands of God is represented by the lead in the pencil that is then used to give us a mark of righteousness. The eraser removes our sin, & with the pencil a mark of righteousness is written next to our names.

 

The King

Can you receive Jesus as Saviour without receiving him as Lord (King)?

 

 

 

 

Discuss how the often used phrase, "accept Jesus as your personal Saviour" is never used in Scripture.

Explain that it is impossible to divide Christ, if you receive him as Saviour it is because you have seen him & received him as Lord.

The N.T only speaks of his saving work in connection with his Lordship (see Acts 2:36; 9:5; 16:341 etc)

This doesn’t mean that if we struggle in giving over some area of our lives that we are not really Christians. But rather, that the Gospel properly understood anticipates that those whom God regenerates (saves) will receive his Son as the Lord of all their life.

 

Key Passages: Isa 64:6-7; Rom 1:20-25; 3:10-20

 

Get the group to practice in small groups summarising the gospel outline as we have learned it so far, ie God, Man & Christ.

You may need to help with coaching & by giving examples yourself.

 

 

Workshop Three: Our Response To A God Centered Gospel Outline

Introducing The Command To Respond

Part of the Gospel announcement is calling people to respond to the proclamation of the Gospel. However, to repent of sin & trust in Christ is our response to God’s gospel and shouldn’t be confused with the Gospel itself.

Why would people need to repent & what should they believe or trust in?

            

 

 

 

The command of repentance is from the sinner’s rebellion against God’s rule & his sinful life.

The command to believe is in the life, death & resurrection of Christ, which makes him our Lord & Saviour.

 

Read Discuss why it is important that we call people to respond to the Gospel message with BOTH repentance & faith see Acts 17:30 & Rom 10:9-11

                

 

 

 

The Command To Respond

Main Point: Becoming a Christian is predicated (based) upon turning from a sinful, self ruled life, to Jesus Christ as a ransom (payment) for our sin (Saviour). Also in turning to him we understand & commit to being his disciples & thereafter following him (Lord).

 

Key verses: Isa 55:7; Acts 26:20; Rom 10:9-11

Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. Isa 55:7

First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds. Acts 26:20

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Rom 10:9

 

Turn from our Rebellion

Discuss why repentance is more than just saying forgive me & how it engages the whole person.

 

 

 

Here it is important to appreciate that biblical repentance is about the mind, emotions & will.

Repentance born of the Holy Spirit effects, what we think (we are rebellious), how we feel (awful about our rebellion & sin) & how we respond (Turning from it), see how Zacchaeus repented Lk 19:8 (restitution); also see what Paul says about repentance in Acts 26:20 (prove our repentance by our actions).

 

 

 

Turn to our Redeemer

Discuss how faith is more than just believing in God.

       

 

 

 

In James 2:19 we are reminded that even Demons believe in one God.

Faith is about trusting in Jesus Christ in such a way that we rest in his life, death & resurrection on our behalf.

 

Key Passages: Isa 12:1-3; 1 Thess 1:9-10

 

Get the group to practice in small groups summarising the gospel outline as we have learned it.

You may need to help with coaching & by giving examples yourself.

 

 

How To Get Started Witnessing

Now since we know a God centered gospel outline we are ready to engage people in witnessing. Often we never witness because we can never get started, we struggle to bring God’s gospel into our conversations. So we need to understand the dynamics of conversation with direction.

 

Conversation with Direction

Most conversations begin with common interests, that is the safe everyday issues, like how the weather is or the price of footy or what team you barrack for or what movie you have recently seen.

Conversation can engage one, two or all three aspects of a person.

Outside layer of a person

 

The thoughts of a person

 

The heart & soul of a person

 

There are three ways in which we can speak about Christ:

1. Miss & Run approach 2. Hit & Run 3. Raise questions & make point

 

1. Miss & Run approach

Here we speak only of the safe issues & engage the person in conversation at the outer layer. Yet, we never get past that stage.

 

2. Hit & Run

Here we just bludgeon the person without warning with the gospel, perhaps demanding an answer to our questions concerning if they are saved. This is the hit & miss approach. We just get right to the issue of salvation, God can use this approach (after all he has used Asses in the O.T). However, it is probably a case of using this approach in spite of it!

 

3. Raise questions & make point

Here we begin conversation with common interests before seeking to turn the conversation to a person’s values & attitudes & then their personal beliefs. Part of this approach is to begin with secondary or misguided queries & lead the conversation to the primary issues which of course is the issues of how a man might be right with God.

 

Conversation Turners:

Part of getting started in witnessing is turning a conversation from common interests into the area values & attitudes, ie their thoughts on things, issues or ideas.

Situation: Someone complains about horror of Sept 11 & the evil of the terrorists.

Response: "Why do you think people do such terrible things? What do you think God would think of that?"

Situation: Someone you have helped thanks you.

Response: "you’re welcome. I like helping people. My perspective on life was changed a while back."

Situation: You’re given too much change

Response: You know, once I’d of done a runner, but my attitude has changed since I’ve become a Christian."

 

 

Can you think of two conversation turners you could used in certain situations?

Situation:

Response:

Situation:

Response:

 

Arrange people to go off in pairs & practice conversation turners

 

 

Conversation with Direction:

Seeking to establish a conversation that will lead to the inner beliefs of a person. So you start with common interests, turn the conversation to engage the thoughts of a person & exchange conversation that has direction to what we/they believe.

Situation: Someone complains about horror of Sept 11 & the evil of the terrorists.

You: "Why do you think people do such terrible things? What do you think God would think of that?"

Them: "Dunno, perhaps they were born evil or maybe they learned it. I don’t reckon there is a God, & if there is, how come he didn’t stop their terrorism?"

You: "Well the bible says we don’t need to learn evil, we are born sinful. I mean we all sin don’t we?"

Them: "Well I guess I’m not perfect, but I’ve never trashed a building with a Jumbo before, that’s plain evil!"

You: "I agree it’s evil, but how do you know what evil is? Why is it wrong to murder & kill?

And what do you reckon God should do with people who do evil things?"

 

 

Arrange people to go off in pairs & practice conversation with direction

 

For the next workshop read in advance about how Jesus interacted/witnessed to people.

  

 

 

Workshop Four: Witnessing In Our Conversation

How Jesus Interacted/Witnessed With People

Who started the conversation?

In nine cases, Jesus initiated the conversations. Examples:

In 25 instances, it was the other party who started the discussion. Jesus responded to other people’s inquiries. Examples:

Other conversations were triggered by third parties. Examples:

 

Where did the conversation take place?

The majority of Jesus’ interactions occurred in the workplace. Examples:

Many took place in homes. Examples:

Few were in religious settings. Instead, Jesus talked with people about spiritual issues where they were most familiar.

He did not need a special environment or control over the circumstances to discuss things of eternal significance.

 

What was discussed?

Jesus asked questions in more than half of the conversations He had. This is similar to God’s first response to the first sinners in history, when He asked four questions of Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:9, 11, 13). Examples:

Notice how he used conversation turners & it was a conversation with direction.

He connected with people’s thoughts and feelings through common interests & then turned the conversation into the direction of the spiritual things. He understood that new ideas need to be connected with existing frames of reference if they are to last.

He seldom pressed for "closure" or a decision, we need to allow the Holy Spirit to do his work.

Discuss what we can learn about how Jesus witnessed

               

 

 

 

 

Jesus knew how to take initiative.

Jesus responded to the initiatives of others.

Jesus left room in his schedule for interruptions by friends and others enlisting his help.

Jesus usually met people on their own turf.

Jesus was interested in establishing common ground with others.

 

Practice in Pairs engaging in witnessing:

Try to think of a conversation Turner & conversation that has direction in each of these situations.

Situation: A Christian sits next to a woman reading her horoscopes, apparently she’s a Capricorn.

Situation: A guy is reading the papers, the headline says, "Man kills nagging wife"

Situation: A Christian is asked how they are coping with the stress of VCE

Situation: You’re waiting for the bus, its cold, an old lady is shivering & you offer her your coat.

Situation: A Christian is asked by her friend about abortion.

Situation: A [True] Christian (Collingwood supporter) meets a guy at a BBQ in a Carlton jumper who his very obnoxious (aren’t they all?). "G’day, my names Biffa, I hate Collingwood, love Carlton, & live for the footy."

What do you say?

How might you turn the conversation?

In what direction could you take it?

 

General Discussion Time:

Questions, Queries, Hopes, Fears?

 

 

 

 

Who could you begin witnessing to amongst your friends?

Can you list three friends who need to hear & believe the gospel?

 

 

 

 

 

Pray for the group & any questions, situations that have arisen.

Pray that we might practice witnessing in our conversation.