Telling Others About Jesus

When we read the Great Commission (Matt 28:19-20) it is obvious that God is calling every one of us to play a part in sharing our faith with others. This is how we can best be Disciples who multiply. To have a heart and a desire to share our faith, we need to allow God to break our heart for what breaks his heart, and to be willing to be obedient to what God is calling us to do. We also need to find a culturally relevant way to share the hope that we have in Jesus with others. This is not always an easy or comfortable part of our Christian faith, but is the most rewarding aspect of our faith, with the reward of seeing another person life changed now, and to see their eternal destiny permanently realigned with God.

Read Acts 16:6-10, Phil 4:6-7, 1 Peter 3:15

Discuss

1. Share a time when you had hoped to share your faith with someone, and it did not go as you had planned? What would you do differently if you had this opportunity again?
2. Read Acts 16:6-10. What is the most important lesson that we can learn from these verses about how to share our faith with others? Why is this important?
3. Read 1 Peter 3:15. How can we be prepared ahead of time to give an answer when asked for the Hope that you have in Jesus? How can you do this with gentleness and respect? If your Person of Peace (those who like you, listen to you and serve you) came to you tomorrow and asked this Question, how would you respond?
4. Tensions, trauma and transitions in people’s lives are three stages when they are often more open to hear the good news about Jesus. Why might this be? How can we be prepared for such moments?
5. Are there any cultural norms or values that are particularly difficult to reconcile with your own beliefs and values when sharing your faith with someone else from a distinct cultural or religious background? What can we do when faced with this challenge?
6. How can we ensure that we are always approaching conversations about spiritual matters from a place of love and respect rather than judgement or criticism towards other cultures or beliefs systems?
7. Read Phil 4:6-7. What role does prayer play in helping us prepare ourselves mentally and spiritually before entering conversations about spiritual matters with someone else who may hold different spiritual beliefs than ourselves? Why might we resist doing this?

Respond

God is always at work in people around us to show himself to them. Our part is to recognize where God is already at work, and what part he is calling us to play in the journey for another person. Our responsibility is to be obedient and allow God to use us to share our faith with others. We can also sow the seeds with our people of peace by starting spiritual conversations where appropriate. Who is one person of peace that God has placed in your life? What is one step that you can take in your relationship with this person, to partner with God in helping them journey closer to Him? Commit to taking this step this week.