Are You Ready? (Part 2)

My previous post asked what you might say to share the gospel at a funeral. But in thinking about this post, not much changes for other situations. Why? Because when sharing the gospel, God doesn't need your wisdom added to His gospel. You do, however, need to show love toward your audience. This may require some discretion in how you choose your words.

What would you say if given the opportunity to share the gospel? Would you talk only of God's love? Would you talk of peace and prosperity? Would you share scripture about blessings and long life, or trials and persecution?

I believe the right thing to do is rely upon scripture for the answers, and a great place to start is in learning how Christ shared the truth with those He encountered. One example is found in John 4:7-26. This is probably one of the best known examples on one-on-one evangelism. As you scan the passage, notice several things.

1. The passage describes Christ having a normal conversation with a woman at a public gathering place.


2. In verse 7 He turned the conversation to spiritual topics by relating the natural world to the spiritual world.


3. In verses 16-18, He shared the truth of her fallen state with her by using the Law (the Ten Commandments).


4. When she recognized her hopelessness, He revealed grace to her (v26).

As you study the New Testament, you find that this is the approach used repeatedly by the disciples and by Christ (see, for example, Acts 5 and Acts 17). It's clear this is the same approach we should use when sharing the gospel.

What about prosperity, love, and a better life? First of all, not everyone experiences prosperity, love, and a better life as a Christian. In addition, what do you say to someone who surrenders to Christ, then experiences serious illness or the loss of a job? Where's the prosperity, love and better life? Chances are that person did not surrender to Christ, they desired a better life now. More stuff. More leasure. Fewer worries. That's feeding pride, not surrendering to the Savior.

If you can't share the gospel without talking about prosperity, then you're not teaching a Biblical gospel message. Look what the disciples went through. Persecution, hard life, confrontation, and martyrdom. But, too many Christians today want to talk all about love and prosperity. It's simply not Biblical. Besides, what would you say to someone on their death bed, or on death row? That, "the sun will come out tomorrow!"? As Mark Cahill says, "If it doesn't preach on death row, don't preach it."

In addition, scripture promises that Christians are to be set apart from the world. In the words of Chris Walker, pastor of Hamilton Baptist Church in Hamilton, Virginia, "Conversion is a declaration of war against the flesh, the world, and the devil." In other words, you're in for a bumpy ride. It's a ride where you have the best pilot ever, but it will not be uneventful.

With all that as background, let's get you in front of your funeral audience. What do you say? If you haven't decided yet, allow me to share what I said.

I began by talking about the life of Mrs. Duncan. I noted one of her favorite songs, Amazing Grace, and read a few lyrics from the updated version by Chris Tomlin. Those lyrics are: "My chains are gone, I've been set free, My God my Savior has ransomed me."

I then asked what terms like chains, freedom, ransom... terms frequently used when discussing slavery, have to do with us? Then I turned to scripture, specifically, John 8:34-36, which reads, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.... if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed."

I then spent time talking about what sin is, examples of sin (by walking through a few of the Ten Commandments), the price for sinning against a Holy God, and our only hope for redemption... our only hope for a ransom that can free us from the chains of sin that hold us in bondage to sin (repentance and surrender).

If you find yourself asked to share the gospel at a funeral, or if you get an opportunity to share the gospel with a co-worker, friend, family member, or stranger, follow the model that Christ and the disciples gave to us:

1. Talk about the natural world.


2. Turn the conversation to the spiritual.


3. Explain sin by using the Ten Commandments.


4. Explain that without repentance and surrender to Christ, there is no redemption from the slavery of sin.

Until next time: Be ready. Then be bold!

Are You Ready?

Mozelle Duncan passed away December 15th, just twelve days shy of her ninety-ninth birthday. Two days later, my wife and I were asked to speak at her funeral.

If you received this call, what would you say? I don't mean how would you answer the initial question. Of course you agree to speak. My question is, what would you say at the funeral service?

As you think about that question, let's talk for a minute about training.

In small and large communities across the country young people participate in competitive sports. When you talk to these young men and women, you eventually learn two interesting facts:

1. Training is hard work, and they would frequently prefer to skip it.
2. In competition you may face only a few critical moments, but without all the training, you will fall short.

In the same way, many Christians prefer to skip the hard work of daily Bible study, prayer, and learning all they can about their faith. But there is nothing like a sudden confrontation with life to make you realize that obedience to scripture is one way God prepares us for trials and challenges.

First Peter 3:15, for example, commands Christians to always be ready to explain their faith to others. It reads:

"...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"

To sanctify is to set apart, or to place in a unique (in this case, Holy) position. Christ should be the most important part of every Christian's life. Set time aside, set energy aside, so that you are always prepared to defend your faith and explain the gospel. Do this in concert with the Holy Spirit so that you can do so with love, gentleness, respect.

Is that what you do, Christian? Do you set Christ above your busy schedule? Do you prioritize reading His Word above other activities in your life? Do you study the common objections to your faith?

Or, like most people, do you base your theology on what you remember from Sunday School lessons, or the occasional sermon that you agree with? Do you spend more time watching TV or YouTube than studying God's Word? Do you talk to people at the office more than you talk to the Lord? If so, how can you be obedient to scripture such as 1 Peter 3:15?

Too often I am disobedient, and allow the activities of the day to consume my time and energy. Then, I was confronted with the phone call asking me to speak at a funeral. It was yet another reminder of why God's Word is vastly more wise than my best day-planner habits.

As my wife and I prayed about and discussed what do say, we soon decided that she would speak about memories of her grandmother, focusing on how her love of the Lord enabled so much of her love toward her children and others. Then, I would give a gospel message.

What would you do in this situation? Would you know what to say? Would you spend all your time talking about God's love, ignoring the persistent persecution documented in the New Testament? Would you talk about how God can make your life better, knowing that everyone struggles? What scripture would you choose if you have only one opportunity to share with a room full of people, many of whom you will never see again?

Next time, I will tell you some of the answers I have discovered to these questions. In the meantime, spend some time considering how you would share the hope that is within you if you were to stand behind the podium of a dear relative's funeral.