TREASURE HUNT: MOTIVATED BY LOVE
Everywhere we go we’re to be listening for the Lord’s encouragement to share our faith with people who cross our paths. People are God’s treasures on this earth and sometimes the only way they’ll learn this truth is from you! This document is a resource to help equip you to courageously talk to strangers about God’s love for them, and the Kingdom of God. The enemy’s biggest tactic to keep you from sharing with strangers is fear of rejection. Don’t buy into the lie. More often than not people are open to receiving prayer from a stranger and hearing the good news of God’s love for them. If they’re not, then realize that when you’re rejected you’re in good company. Jesus, too, was rejected by men. (Isaiah 53:3)
Things to remember: If we will love – God will save, heal and deliver. It’s not a numbers game, or your job to save people. It’s the Holy Spirit’s job to save people. The part that we play flows out of our love for them and God’s love for them.
As children of God we imitate God and give…What do we give?
Seeds of eternal life (the Word of God) (Luke 8:11)
Our lives – our time (we are living sacrifices to God) (Romans 12:1)
The truth in love (our words – our testimonies and the proclamation of God’s Word) (Eph. 4:15)
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Ephesians 5:1-2)
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. (Eph. 4:11-16)
What is the truth?
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment. (John 16:7-8)
What did Yeshua/Jesus preach? He’s our role model and example.
And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. (Matt. 9:35-36)
And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. (Luke 9:1-2)
Where did Yeshua’s message come from? Remember that the Holy Spirit will give you words to speak. Ask Him!
For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.” (John 12:49-50)
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. (John 10:27)
What is the Gospel (good news)? Preach the gospel!
The Bible tells us what the gospel is in 1 Cor. 15:1-4, “Now I make known to you brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Messiah died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures . . . ”
The Bible says that we are all sinners (Rom. 3:23). This means that we have all offended God. We have all broken His law. Therefore, we are guilty of having sinned. Because of this, we are separated from God (Isaiah 59:2), are dead in our sins (Rom. 6:23, Eph. 2:3), cannot please God (Rom. 3:10-11), and will suffer damnation (2 Thess. 1:9). The only way to escape this judgment is by receiving Christ–by trusting in what Jesus did on the cross (John 14:6, Acts 4:12, 1 Pet. 2:24).
The Gospel: Jesus is coming as the King and He’s not running for office. God loves us. He sent His own son to die on a cross to pay the penalty for our sins. He rose again from the dead. He’s coming back and wants to adopt us into His family. This is the good news.
Part of love is telling the truth, so that people who don’t understand how much danger they’re in, do understand.
If people don’t understand the risk their souls are in we need to help them understand.
Counting the Cost – Help people understand that there’s a cost involved with accepting Jesus in their lives.
Jesus first came to bring peace between people and God, and sadly at times that divides families, friends and neighbors. People must be willing to make Jesus/Yeshua their Lord and Master, surrendering their lives to Him. Being saved isn’t about saying some magic prayer that assures you a spot in heaven. To truly be saved from eternal damnation people must turn from sin and commit their lives to God. This is a lifelong process that requires that we count the cost. Yeshua said, “For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it?” (Luke 14:28) Committing your life to God means that you begin to learn about God and His ways through the reading and application of His Word (the Bible). It means that you connect with other people of faith who have made God the Master of their lives. As God shows you things that are sinful in your life, you look to God to help you turn away and abandon those things.
A sample prayer – This is not a formula, but it represents what it means to trust in Jesus/Yeshua as Lord and Savior/Messiah:
“God, I come to you and confess that I am a sinner. I have lied, thought evil in my heart, and broken your law. Please forgive me of my sins. I trust in what you have done on the cross, and I receive your forgiveness and healing. I believe that Jesus/Yeshua/Messiah died on the cross, was buried, and rose from the dead for my sins. Please cleanse me of my sin and be the Lord of my life. I choose to turn away from my sin and turn toward you. Jesus, I make you Lord of my life. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and save me, as I receive you. I believe what you did on the cross is the only way to be saved from the righteous judgment of God. Use my life for your honor, glory and the furtherance of Your Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.”
If someone is willing to pray that prayer with you, your next step is to lead them to Mission Discipleship and begin to go through some of the foundation lessons with them. That’s what it’s all about!
…go and make disciples of all nations…
