Evangelism # 4

The Close

Those who work in any kind of sales environment know that their job is not complete until they have closed the deal by getting our signature on the contract!

When I am doing a large purchase, like a car or a piece of furniture, I watch the sales professional trying to bring me to the point of signing the contract. First, they use the ‘soft sell’ approach that builds on my desire to have the product. They ask questions that let them assess how committed I am to owning whatever it is there in front of me. If they sense I really want to own it, they just hang back and help me to overcome my reservations by offering support.

If they sense I am wavering, they step up with offers, with proof that their product is what I need, etc. If I am getting ready to walk away, they go for the hard sell... “Someone else is coming in to look at that car later today, so you’d better leave a deposit.” “The special discount expires at 6 tonight...and you don’t want to miss out.” I know a close when I see it! It’s part of their work and I don’t resent it until it turns into coercion.

When we are sharing Christ with our friends and family, we must ready for that holy moment when they are ready to make the choice to trust Jesus with their lives. In a real sense, it is very much like a closing a sale, an unquestionable moment of decision! I do not mean to imply that Jesus is a product we market or that we are Heaven’s salesmen! But, we are representatives of God and His kingdom. As such we help people with their response to the Spirit. Peter tells us

"Set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect." (1 Peter 3:15, NIV)

If we have told the story of Jesus Christ well, if we have lived the message with integrity, if we have prepared the soil for the seed- then we ought to expect that the Spirit will also do His work and that the time for leading someone to make the choice of faith will come! God will use you and me as messengers.

What do you say to that person who has been having conversations about God with you for a year,

who has asked about your faith, who now says - “so how do I become a Christian?”

What then?

Too many Believers go silent at that moment, not knowing what to do. Or they say, “Call my pastor and talk with him.” The problem with that answer is that the person trusts you, not me!

In my message today, I want to suggest a way to lead the person to the moment of decision. I am not telling you that this is the way to do it, or that you have to follow each step to the letter. Every situation is different. If you are prayerful and led by the Spirit, you can be effective in leading others to Christ - but there are some tools you

should have prepared for that moment. Knowing how to present the information in an orderly way, along with pointing them to key verses in the Bible, will make you much more effective in helping another person to trust Christ. The Bible reminds us of this saying,

"But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?" (Romans 10:14, NLT) "So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ." (Romans 10:17, NLT)

There are some basic things we need to cover with someone who is an inquirer. Some of these questions will have already been answered during the time we have cultivated a relationship and prepared the soil of their heart for the Gospel. Some of these questions will have been answered by a person’s past spiritual experiences, but each one is important so we need to make sure that each one is answered.

At the moment of leading a person to make a decision for Christ, I find it very helpful to bring out a Bible.

An aside - Now let me encourage you to be wise. As we read from Peter a moment ago, it is important to show courteousness, gentleness, and respect. Our goal is not to embarrass anyone, to browbeat someone, or to force them to make a choice. So be aware of timing, of circumstance, of the person’s need.

If you have a Bible, open it to the book of Romans. Let the other person read the texts you point out, if they are comfortable doing so.

Since so many of us are visual learners, meaning that we understand things better if they are not only explained but illustrated, I find it is helpful to sketch a drawing as the conversation develops. Believe it or not, a prepared printed piece of literature can be effective, but your own sketch can be even more effective! As I present my material this morning, you will see illustrations that you can create in your presentations, just using a pencil and piece of paper.

So, let’s take a look ....

Turn to Romans, in your Pew Bible it is page 1746.

First - who is God?

Key parts of answering this question will include the assurance that He is the Creator of Heaven and Earth! There is no need to attack evolution or launch into long discussions about origins of the universe. Just a simple statement that says, “God made us and the world we are a part of. He wants to know us as our Father.”

People need to know He is a personal and loving God, not a deity who stands at a distance, waiting for us to fail and falter! The Bible teaches that before we even existed, God pre-destined, that means, He planned in advance, a way that we could become members of His family.

Second - who are we?

Despite God’s plans for us, we missed the way! We did our own thing, were enticed by evil. The results are tragic. Death, both literally and spiritually, are products of human disobedience. Our disobedience cuts us off from the source of Life, leaving us to dread the judgment of God.

READ - Romans 6:23

Refer to all of people’s attempts to reclaim the relationship with God. Let the person you’re talking with suggest some of things they have done to try to know God.... Going to church, studying religion, being ‘good,’ serving others, etc.

Reinforce the problem that exists, the gap by referring to Romans 3:23 READ

Listen carefully and don’t rush ahead. Allow the Holy Spirit to bring a person to an awareness of their sinfulness, their hopelessness.

The next verses 24-25 tell us how God answered our spiritual need.

Third - who is Jesus?

Jesus is God’s perfect Son, the One who came to show us God’s love by bridging the gap that our disobedience had created.

Romans 5: 6-8 READ

Jesus was God, born to be with us, so that He could show us who God is and share with us the way of the Lord. He made the claim that He is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life!” A verse that every Believer should be able to recall from memory is found in John 10:10 – "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (NIV)

Because Jesus died and rose again, we are able to pray with confidence, able to face death with confidence, and full of hope. We have the ability to overcome the disobedience of the past and aspire to living in a way that pleases the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:17 promises us that "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" ( NIV)

Fourth - so what can we do?

Romans 10:9 says this - "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." (NIV) Point out that God is looking for faith - both expressed and inward that trusts Him. The emphasis is on accepting God’s grace and love.

Don’t push, don’t rush, don’t make the decision for the other person!

Tell them - Christ is ready to receive you. Ask them - are you ready to receive Him?

Realize this practical matter - many people have no idea how to pray. They might know the Lord’s Prayer or a childhood prayer, but they do not know that prayer is simply talking to the Lord. If you say, “would you like to pray and receive Jesus?” they may well say, “No,” but not because they are refusing Christ’s offer! They might just not understand how to pray and be embarrassed to admit that!

It is better to ask, “would you like for me to pray with you and invite Christ into your life?”

Explain that you will lead them, that they can repeat after you.

It might sound forced or artificial to you, but remember you’re helping another to know the God that you’re on speaking terms with, that you’ve known and trusted for some time. It’s all new to most. If they wish to pray - lead them in a prayer that is simple, heartfelt, and focused on Jesus. You may wish to say something that sums up your presentation:

Dear Father,

I realize that I have disobeyed You, that I am cut off from knowing You. I confess that I have

done things that are wrong and that offend You. I have rejected your love.

Thank you for sending Christ Jesus to close the gap that my sin had created.

Thank you, Jesus, for dying for me, for loving me. Make me new and give me the new life you promise

to those who love you. Help to trust you and to follow you for the rest of my life. Amen.

After you pray, give the person time to talk, to express their feelings. Treat it as a holy moment, for it is!

Remember Jesus called this - ‘new birth.’ They may be a big strong person, but spiritually they are an infant. They need your support, your encouragement. Introduce them to church by inviting them to worship with you. Make sure that they have a Bible in a modern translation - (we have them here if you need one to give away!). Mark the Gospel of John for them and encourage them to read it entirely over the course of two weeks.

And pray, pray, pray for them to be protected against the attacks that will come their way.

_________________________

Does this all sound too canned, too prepared for you? Remember, this is just the basic outline. With God’s help and a little practice you can be prepared to lead another person to know Christ Jesus. I just said “practice” didn’t I? Yes, and I meant it!

If you want to know the joy of introducing others to Jesus - practice this material. Go over it with another Believer.. Let them ask questions.

Memorize the Scriptures so they are available at a moment’s notice.

n addition, develop your own story of coming to know Christ! Get it down to the facts, so you can relate it in just a couple of minutes - keeping the focus on Jesus and how He’s changed your life! Practice this, too. One of the most tools in helping others to come to Christ is our own story of faith! Prepare to use it!

As I close let me direct your attention to one more passage of the Scripture.

John 4 Pew Bible page 1652

Jesus and his disciples were traveling through Samaria. They left him resting next to a well near the village of Sychar and went to find food.

A woman came at mid-day to draw water, a clue that she felt like an outcast and was avoiding others in the village. Jesus spoke to her, an act of acceptance that shocked her as a Samaritan woman. He spoke with her for a few moments and led her to new faith in God!

His joy at being a person who helped another find her relationship with the God who loved her is shown in what he says to his disciples when they returned.

READ - 4: 31-36

"As you look around right now, wouldn’t you say that in about four months it will be time to harvest? Well, I’m telling you to open your eyes and take a good look at what’s right in front of you. These Samaritan fields are ripe. It’s harvest time! “The Harvester isn’t waiting. He’s taking his pay, gathering in this grain that’s ripe for eternal life. Now the Sower is arm in arm with the Harvester, triumphant." (John 4:35-36, The Message) Amen

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