Everyday Evangelism: The Romans Road

Everyday Evangelism: The Romans Road

by | Sep 3, 2024 | Equipped, The Pattern

“How do I lead someone to the Lord?”

This is by far one of the most common questions I get asked in my ministry to young believers.

And while this seems like a daunting task, it is actually quite simple. There are so many methods and techniques available to every day believers – and here I will present one of the simplest.

It is called the Romans Road to Salvation.

We have all given directions to somewhere – whether to the post office or the local mall, or even our own home – and we usually rely on landmarks to do so. “Turn left when you get to the big tree, through the red gate and past the old school…” Landmarks make it easy to tell others how to get where they are going.

And just like that we are going to use the book of Romans to guide our listener towards Jesus – guiding them along this road through Romans, the Romans Road, we are going to present our brothers and sisters with some landmarks to help them find their way from lost to found.

With only a handful of verses in your back-pocket you too can become an every day evangelist.

Landmark 1: ”We are all lost…”
Key verses: Romans 3:10, 3:23 and 6:23

The Bible teaches us that no-one is righteous – not even one ((Romans 3:10). All of us have sinned, and continue to sin, falling short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).

This sin is very much a separation between us and God – like a huge wall or a wide chasm. Our sin separates us from God. 

His plan for us, from the very beginning was life. Romans 6:23: tells us that the wages of sin is death – eternal death and separation. Besides this, our sin also has very real consequences for us in our current life. It kills relationships, friendships and marriages – it kills our finances – it can even kill us.

Sin is bad and the consequences are bad.

And we all are guilty – all of us deserve what is coming to us. But there is hope.

Landmark 2: “There is hope in Jesus.”
Key verses: Romans 6:23, Romans 5:8

Romans 6:23 tells us that the wages of sin is death – but it also tells us that the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:8: gives us this wonderful news – that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us! He shed His blood upon the cross, giving His life for us, so that the death warrant of sin would be torn apart!

His blood justifies us! Frees us of the bondage of sin and fear! And calls us to be children of God!

Landmark 3: “Do you want to be free?”
Key verses: Romans 10:9-10, Romans 10:13

This freedom is available to you today. And it will cost you nothing more than a decision. Jesus already paid – it is yours – you just have to collect it!

John 3:16 says that God so loved the world that He sent Jesus to die for us! So that every single person – no matter what they have done or where they have been in life, might be saved if they call on His name! 

And calling on His name is really easy.

Romans 10:9-10: says the following: If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.  (NIV)

Romans 10:13 tells us that everyone who does this – everyone who calls on Jesus will be saved.

You just need a mustard seed of faith in your heart, and just confess it with me today – and you will be saved!

Landmark 4: The Result
Key verses: Romans 5:1-2, Romans 8:1

If you can muster up just that little bit of faith and courage to choose Jesus today something wonderful will happen.

Romans 5:1-2: Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. (NIV)

First of all, you will be justified. This means that all of your sins will be washed away and you will be clean before the Lord. The death warrant against you, the result of sin, will be torn up. You will be made new.

Romans 8:1 tells us that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ.

This justification means that you can step into newness of life – a freshness – you can be renewed and restored today.

Secondly, you will be at peace with God – no longer separated from Him by your sin and shame, but walking with Him, and Him with you.

Lastly, through making peace with God, justified through Christ Jesus, you will be born again into His family – a child of God, and your inheritance will be eternal life. This means that one day, when all is said and done, I will see you there in Heaven!

If you want this today, let’s pray together:

Lord, I know that I am a sinner and that the wages of sin is death. I believe today that You died for me on the cross, so that I might be free of this sin and the death that comes with it. Right now I believe in my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, that He died for my sins, and that through His blood, His death and His resurrection I am saved. Thank you Jesus for Your love, Your grace, Your mercy, peace, and this great gift of eternal life. In Jesus Name. Amen.

NEXT STEPS:

It is important that we don’t just leave the person at this point and move on to the next. Jesus calls us, not just to lead people to Him, but to make disciples! Remember to always provide your brother or sister with a way forward – details for their local church or a number they can call or even text. The person you have led to Jesus is now a newborn Christian, and newborns Christians – just like new born babies, need care and support. Make sure you lead them, not only to Jesus, but also to a place where they can grow in their newfound relationship with God.

 

Tabernacle Typology 8: Oil

Tabernacle Typology 8: Oil

by | Sep 3, 2024 | Bible Studies, Christological Reflections, God in the Details, Tabernacle Typology, Typology

Ex. 27:20-21: (KJV)

“And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always. In the tabernacle of the congregation without the vail, which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before the Lord: it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel.”

The Lord commanded the people of Israel to bring pure, cold-pressed olive oil for the lamps and for the anointing oil (Exodus 30).

To get the oil out of the fruit of the olive tree, the olives were either crushed with a mortar and pestle, or by being trodden with their feet.

The word used here for ‘beaten’ in the Hebrew is ‘Katith’ – which most properly translates as ‘to break into pieces’.

The Encyclopedia Judaicia has the following insights to offer: “The olives were beaten down from the trees with poles (Isa.17:6), and were pounded into pulp in mortars or by the feet (Micah 6:15). The pulp was placed in wicker baskets from which the lightest and finest oil could easily run off This grade of oil, known as beaten oil (Heb. Shenen katit), is mentioned five times in the Bible. It served as fuel for the lamp in the Tabernacle (Exo.27:20; Lev.24:2) and as an element in the obligatory daily meal offerings (Exo.29:40; Num.28:5).”

They used only the finest oil for the lamps. This valuable and labor intensive product was used to keep the lamp burning in the Tabernacle – day and night, night and day – the light never went out.

This meant that the production of oil by the Israelites was an always ongoing process and daily sacrifice.

In the Old Testament, the earliest reference to the olive tree is found in the Noah’s Ark narrative.

Here it represents peace, hope and restoration.

The process through which the oil was procured signifies the sacrifice of Christ – who was bruised – and broken into pieces (‘katith’) for our transgressions. His suffering was the chastisement for our peace.

David speaks about the ‘oil of gladness’ (Psalm 45:7). It is through the beaten oil of Christ that we have much to rejoice about.

The Oil is also representative of the Divinity of Jesus. The fullness of the Godhood within Him – He is the Light of the World stepping down into darkness to illuminate the Way for us – the Way to life.

The oil itself – both in the lamp and the anointing oil – is typical of the Holy Spirit – God within us.

When we turn to Christ as our Lord and Saviour we receive His Spirit – the fire of His presence burning in our hearts.

Much like Aaron and his sons we then have the duty to keep this fire burning through prayer, Bible study and obedience to the Lord and His ways.

Reflect:

1. The production of the oil was a daily sacrifice of time and effort, as was the burning of the lamps. What daily activities should we pursue to keep our lamps burning? What daily sacrifices must we make to make sure there is oil in our spiritual lives?

2. If we make a diligent effort to keep our lamps burning, what will the result be? How does a life full of oil look?

Prayer: Lord, give me oil in my lamp. Keep me burning day and night. Let me be a light to the world around me. Let others see this light and draw near out of the darkness – let them find You Lord. Anoint my lips to speak Your truth. Anoint my hands to pray for people and do good works. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Walking With Jesus Part 5: Fishermen (Mark 1:16-20)

Walking With Jesus Part 5: Fishermen (Mark 1:16-20)

by | Sep 2, 2024 | Articles, Bible Studies, Called, God in the Details, Walking With Jesus

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 

Mark 1:17, NIV

The first disciples are called on the shore of the sea of Galilee – humble fishermen, Andrew and Simon who would later be called Peter, and a little later James and John – the Sons of Thunder.

They were everyday working men.

Where other Rabbi’s and Teachers called disciples from religious schools and places of higher learning, Jesus called the Everyman. Diamonds in the rough, with calloused hands and tough demeanors.

They were not seminary educated. They were not wealthy and had no status in society. They were common men, hard working men – although they might have been respected as small-time business men in their communities, they were often overlooked and underestimated in the other arenas of life – and dismissed altogether when it came to religious, spiritual and more philosophical things.

But Jesus sees deeper. 

Jesus arrives announcing the coming of The Kingdom – He has come with a mission and He needs strong, willing men to help Him establish, proclaim and expand the boundaries of this Kingdom.

Of course the core of His group would consist of fishermen – tough, rugged tenacious men. Courageous men. Hard working men.

Jesus looked at the fishermen and saw team-players (fishermen seldom worked alone) with great courage, stamina, faith, energy and patience – the ability to endure.

The Gospel of Jesus has always been practical.

God does not call the qualified – there were many who were qualified – who knew the scriptures, who understood the prophecies, who were willing and ready to believe – even in Jesus day. We see this in Nicodemus.

Nicodemus was willing to believe – but not willing to endure the hardship that would come with the Cross of Christ.

God qualifies the called. And on this day, by the sea of Galilee, He called four humble men. 

“Follow me… and I will make you fishers of men.”

And the Bible says they left their nets, they left their boats – and they followed.

They simply followed.

The Gospel of Jesus is practical. In training others for the work of ministry I have often found that courses, studies and endless reading lists are not effective – but the concept of ‘journeying’ is. There is power in ‘walking together’.

And this is what Jesus invited them to do. “Come and walk with me, and I will make you fishers of men…”

Jesus, in the book of Mark, teaches primarily through action. His training of the disciples is very much hands on, through demonstration more than discussion. And perhaps, for some of us, this is exactly what is necessary. 

Jesus is still calling fishermen today – not just the seminary student – God doesn’t need a degree to work through us – He only needs a willing heart with a yielded yes.

The biggest impact is not made from behind the pulpit, but through His presence in our daily lives – if He is present in us, and we are present in the lives of others, they will see Jesus! They will see Jesus in us.

As we walk with Jesus, learning from Him – as we do what we see Him doing, and as we live as we see Him living – we will see change, lasting change, not only in our own lives but also in the lives of those around us.

Jesus is calling you today to come and ‘walk’ with Him – and in so doing, to learn from Him – so that you might also become a fisher of men.

How will you answer this call today?

Reflect:

1. Is there anything you would have to leave behind to follow Jesus fully? What people, places or things might you have to leave behind to follow Jesus? How about sin, shame or fear?

2. Are you willing to take up the call of Christ? How can you start learning from Jesus today? What practical next steps can you take?

Prayer: Lord, let me heed Your call to discipleship today. Open the eyes of my heart and my imagination. As I read Your Word, show me what discipleship looks like. As I walk with You, Jesus, show me a better way. Let me learn from You Lord, let Your life speak volumes into my own. And, as I walk with You, let me be transformed – and as I am transformed, to look more like You, let others see You in me and be transformed as well. In Jesus Name. Amen.