Saturday, September 7, 2013

Taking time to Explain the Gospel

Last Saturday, Shayna, me and Jeff went to Herman Park to see if we could get into some gospel conversation. God brought 3 curious kids over to where I was writing on my whiteboard. And what followed was about an hour long conversation explaining sin according to the law, the wrath of God, the perfect life of Jesus, his substitutionary death, and resurrection from the dead. The kids asked a variety of questions about hell, heaven, the Bible, and good works. 

Towards the end of the conversation I asked them if they were to die tonight and stand before God and he asked "Why should I let you into heaven?" what would you say? Two of the children said because they did good things, the other one said that God shouldn't let him into heaven. It's interesting that even after careful attention in explaining that salvation isn't based on works two of the children still were holding to the false notion that their good deeds will out weigh their bad. So, Jeff, Shayna and I took some more time and explained again why their good deeds cannot make up for their sins. We used various analogies and then I asked Jeff the question if he stood before God and was asked why he should be allowed to enter heaven. Jeff expounded on the one kid's answer that he doesn't deserve to go to heaven and explained that the only reason he would be able to enter heaven is through the grace of Jesus Christ. It's because of Jesus we can enter heaven. Not because of anything we have done. The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all our sins, washes us, and covers us with the righteousness of Christ. Jesus is our only hope. My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus' blood and righteousness. 

We left the children with gospel tracts, New Testaments, and invited them to our church. Pray for them.