“JUMP START YOUR WITNESS!” 1 PETER 31516 15 BUT

“JUMP START YOUR WITNESS!” 1 PETER 31516 15 BUT
CYCLING TERMINOLOGY ATTACH AN AGGRESSIVE “JUMP” TO GET AWAY
LONG BEACH WRAP LESSON TITLE OR TOPIC “JUMPING PEPPER”

“JUMP START YOUR WITNESS

“JUMP START YOUR WITNESS!”

1 Peter 3:15-16

¹⁵ But in your hearts revere 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, ¹⁶ keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

SOME “HOW TO” BASICS TO HELP WITH OUR WITNESS….

JUST KNOW “UP FRONT” THAT MANY QUESTIONS OR CHALLENGES AREN’T “FAIR”….
1. Don’t take it personally
2. Don’t get side tracked by the initial attack or caricature
3. See if there is a “deeper” issue than the surface one
4. Above all, keep your focus….drawing that person to Christ
5. as you draw them to you!!

LISTEN LIKE YOU MEAN IT – If someone were listening to you “say that,” what would you hope they would say in return?

REMEMBER TO CONTINUE TO “EARN THE RIGHT” TO SAY WHAT NEEDS TO BE SAID.
1. Do you really “want” to connect with the people that you’re witnessing to?
2. Are you willing to say/do the things that Jesus says to say or do?

REMEMBER “HOW THE WORD WORKS”…..LAW/GOSPEL
1. WORK THEIR WORLD VIEW – all “meaning of life” worldviews are “religious worldviews” that eventually “fail”….THE CROSS ISN’T A RELIGIOUS SYSTEM, IT’S AN OFFER OF GRACE!
  1. Ask Questions of their propositions
  2. Why is that “issue” or “perspective” so compelling to you?
  3. Do you have an answer to your concerns? Hmm, that’s very interesting, but if you really are concerned about that…what about this? How would you reconcile that?
2. DEMONSTRATE THAT YOU DO “GET WHAT THEY’RE SAYING”
3. TO PREPARE THEM FOR YOU TESTIFYING OF THE GOSPEL AS “GOOD NEWS FROM GOD FOR THEM.”

SPEAK THE “TRUTH IN LOVE.”
1. Relationship key….YOU TO GOD, AND YOU TO OTHERS
2. Gentleness, respect
3. If they were “you” and you were “Jesus”….what would you want Jesus to do at this moment? (See that in Scripture??)….Do that!
SOME ISSUES ARE “TWO KINDGOM” ANSWERS
1. Mutual respect is the foundation for a beneficial witness
2. There are “Floor” issues amidst “personal witness” (It’s hard sometimes to differentiate the two, but you often need to)
3. Public morality issues vs. personal, 100% sinner before God and its impact on personal witness.

LET’S PUT THESE TO WORK……

SCENARIO 01 – “CAN’T WE JUST ALL GET ALONG”

Set up: The Young lady in the video is someone you know quite well. She knows that you are a Christian and a friend. She wants to know why “love can’t just prevail.” Since God is “LOVE” this should be a delightful challenge. What are some things you might say or do?

SCENARIO 02 – “CRISIS – WHY WOULD GOD DO THIS TO US”

Set up: The young lady is in crisis. Again, she is a mutual friend, so you have

some history. She’s wondering why “God would allow this to happen.” What

some things that you can say or do that might help her see things in a

different light?

SCENARIO 03 – “MOST CHRISTIANS ARE HYPOCRITES”

Set up: This is a casual conversation with a person you’ve known for a while.

He has some respect for you, but makes it plain that he doesn’t respect the

church. He accuses Christians of not “living out their faith in their lives.”

How might you “redirect the discussion?”

SCENARIO 04 – “AMIDST DISREPECT…..WITNESS?”

Set up: a fairly typical mother/daughter relationship issue that parents go

through at some time in their lives with their kids. The daughter seems to be

flexing her autonomy, challenging mom, especially when it comes to church

and faith. In a “healthy” family situation, what are some ways a parent can

deal with the “I don’t want to come church because it’s boring” issue?

SCENARIO 05 – “FAITH IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM”

Set up: You are a good friend, but not necessarily “church going, good friends.” Now you are in the emergency room dealing with crisis God questions. What might you say or do?

Ephesians 4:13-15

New International Version (NIV)

¹³ until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

¹⁴ Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. ¹⁵ Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.

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