1. Bad News First, Then Good News If I were a physician and knew you had a terrible disease, it would be unwise to give you a cure without first carefully explaining to you that you have a disease in the first place. Not only would I tell you. I would let your fear work for you and show you the 10 X-Rays (Law). Then and only then are you ready for the cure (Gospel) and are interested in the cure enough to take it.
2. “I do not believe that any man can preach the gospel who does not preach the Law . . . Lower the Law and you dim the light by which man perceives his guilt; this is a very serious loss to the sinner rather than a gain; for it lessens the likelihood of his conviction and conversion. I say you have deprived the gospel of its ablest auxiliary [its most powerful weapon] when you have set aside the Law. You have taken away from it the schoolmaster that is to bring men to Christ. . . They will never accept grace till they tremble before a just and holy Law. Therefore the Law serves a most necessary purpose, and it must not be removed from its place. .” – Charles H. Spurgeon (19th Century British preacher)
3. God looks for Humility, Surrender, and a Broken Heart Micah 6:8 He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Isaiah 57:15 For this is what the high and lofty One says—He who lives forever, whose name is holy: "I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite." Psalm 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
4. How to Share the Bad News Compare our lack of goodness with God’s Righteousness (Sinful vs. Perfect). Just like the natural law comes after lawbreakers, God the Righteous Judge will come to judge His Law-breakers. Just like there is punishment for breaking natural laws, so there is eternal punishment for offending an eternal God and His Law. God didn’t create Hell for people, He created it for fallen angels (Satan and his demons). Tone: talk with people like a loving doctor, not a prosecuting attorney. Sharing God’s Standards (The Ten Commandments) puts you on the same level with those you are reaching. We are all judged by the same standard (God’s Law). Avoid the intellect (the place of argument), Aim for the conscience (the place of the knowledge of right and wrong).
8. Watch for Signs of Humility Mouth stopped from self-justification and self-proclaimed goodness. Tears or quivering lip. Loss of eye-contact or lowered head. 1 Peter 5:5b “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
9. Steps for a Good Harvest Break up Hard Ground (Use the Law to break up Proud, Self-Righteous Heart) Plant Seed (Give the Gospel “The Good News”) Water (Leave a tract and Pray with them now and for them later) Wait for the Fruit or Growth from the Seed (Let God do the saving)
10. More Information Handouts and an easy homework assignment are available and necessary to prepare for next week’s lesson Handouts from last week are available Pray for MWOA (its leaders and members) and Salem High School Pray for those you know need Christ as Savior
11. “Step out in faith, tell someone about Jesus—the only way to heaven—and you just might be an answer to prayer!” – Mark Cahill (evangelist from Stone Mountain, GA)
![“I do not believe that any man can preach the gospel who does not preach the Law . . . Lower the Law and you dim the light by which man perceives his guilt; this is a very serious loss to the sinner rather than a gain; for it lessens the likelihood of his conviction and conversion. I say you have deprived the gospel of its ablest auxiliary [its most powerful weapon] when you have set aside the Law. You have taken away from it the schoolmaster that is to bring men to Christ. . . They will never accept grace till they tremble before a just and holy Law. Therefore the Law serves a most necessary purpose, and it must not be removed from its place. .” – Charles H. Spurgeon (19th Century British preacher)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)