Many of you shared how it can feel uncomfortable and even nerve-wracking to share the gospel with someone. The truth is, it can be a scary thing to do! So to help with some of those fears, we’re going to not only be taking a look at what Paul says, but also learning a really cool way we can talk about the gospel!

We know that one of the best ways to share the story of Jesus is to use our own testimony and story with how Jesus saved us! This helps because we don’t have to worry about memorizing a story or a certain way to say it, we just talk about how we met Jesus and how he saved us. There can be a lot of stress though that maybe they won’t respond well or even respond negatively. Paul struggled with a lot of the same things and he was persecuted a whole lot because of what he believed and what he did. We probably have a lot more in common with Paul than we think because Paul’s ministry didn’t start until after Jesus had ascended into heaven.

So what did Paul say about the feelings he felt? What should we do if we feel that fear? Paul writes in 2 Timothy 1:8-12 about this very thing! Paul knew the importance of what he was trying to share, even if not everyone liked it. Paul trusted and believed that he would be guarded and protected by God for being faithful. Even in the few verses after this section, Paul talks about how we must remain faithful and loyal to the faith.

Now to the really cool thing that Paul did for us to be able to share the gospel! There is something Paul wrote in Romans that we can use today to help explain the story of Christ and the predicament that we find ourselves in. It’s known as the Romans Road to Salvation. Throughout the book of Romans, there are certain verses that perfectly sum up the story of humanity and why Jesus had to come to do what He did. So let’s dive right into it!

Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”

• Sin is a sad reality that we need to hear if we are going to understand the gospel. Everybody is a sinner and that means we’re separated from having a relationship with a holy and perfect God

Romans 5:8 “But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us”

• This is where Jesus comes into the equation. God didn’t wait for us to be cleaned up and better, He sent Jesus so we could be saved from the penalty of our sins.

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

• What is that penalty that we earn and deserve from our sins? Death. God gave us a gift though. A gift we don’t have to earn, Jesus Christ.

Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus”

• This is really good news! Anyone “in Christ” is not going to be condemned for their sin and sent to hell. What does “in Christ” mean though? It’s simply once you’ve put your faith in Jesus!

Romans 10:9 “ 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.”

• And how do we accept Jesus and put our faith in Him? It’s simple! We say it and believe it. No cleaning up beforehand required!

There it is, the story of the world summed up in just a few verses! The Romans Road is a really cool way to be able to tell someone about Jesus and about why it’s so important to accept Him! So when you go out and tell people about Jesus, a really cool way is to use the Roman Road to Salvation and tie it into your life and how Jesus impacted you in each of the ways talked about!

Questions:

In reading 2 Timothy 1:8-12, what do you think Paul was talking about when he mentions he had to suffer for what he said and did? 

What are the “sufferings” you’re afraid of when it comes to sharing the gospel?

Weekly Challenge:

Find someone you trust to ask how they share the gospel, or if they have any tips for you! Ask them if they are ever scared or afraid too and see if they have ways to move past that! Record any of their answers and write down how you think you will implement their advice.