How to Reach Our Culture with The Gospel - Part 2 of 2

Guest (Male): Today, Pastor Greg Laurie points out sometimes believers try to share the gospel with language the other person doesn't speak.
Greg Laurie: What they say is, "Hey, you heathen, let me say something to you. You're a sinner, going to hell. You need to repent. You need to be washed in the blood. Then you need to become a part of the body and be justified and sanctified. Am I making myself clear?" They don't know what you're saying. You're speaking a different language. We need to reach the culture that we're in.
Guest (Male): As believers, sometimes it seems we're living in some kind of weird, upside-down culture where right is wrong, up is down, and sin is to be celebrated. We feel disoriented, like aliens on a strange planet. Well, today on A New Beginning, Pastor Greg Laurie points out sometimes people may feel a bit disoriented when they talk to us. He'll show us ways to find common ground, use common language, and capture their interest with our message of hope.
Greg Laurie: Years ago, we would go to a little restaurant for breakfast, my wife Kathy, myself, and Jonathan. He was very small, a little toddler, probably around two years old, still in a high chair. We'd order our breakfast, and there was this one waitress that really thought Jonathan was just adorable. She would come over, "Oh Jonathan, how are you today? Hello, Jonathan," and she'd pat him on the head and hug him. He looked slightly irritated, but he didn't say anything. He just had this look and he was muttering something under his breath. I thought, "What is he saying?" Finally, she left. I said, "Jonathan, what are you saying when that waitress is hugging you and telling you how wonderful she thinks you are?" He says, "I'm saying bye-bye. Bye-bye." I think sometimes when we start talking, people are thinking, "Bye-bye." We don't want to be that person. So let's take a master class from a master communicator, the Apostle Paul. Let's take a page out of his playbook on how to reach our culture with the gospel. By the way, these are principles that I've been personally using for 50 years plus of preaching. Though given in the first century, they're completely relevant to us today in the 21st century because the answers to the problems of humanity are still the same. In Acts chapter 17, starting in verse 16, we read from the New Living Translation: "While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere in the city. He went to the synagogue to debate with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and spoke daily in the public square to all who happened to be there. He had a debate with some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. Then he told them about Jesus and his resurrection, and they said, 'This babbler has picked up some strange ideas.' Others said, 'He's pushing some foreign religion.' Then they took him to the council of philosophers, also known as the Areopagus, and said, 'Come and tell us more about this new religion. You're saying some rather startling things, and we want to know what it's all about.' It should be explained that the Athenians, as well as the foreigners in Athens, seemed to spend all of their time discussing the latest ideas. So Paul, standing before the council, addressed them as follows: 'Men of Athens, I notice you're very religious.'" If you were to give this statement today, you would say, "People of America, I see that you're into spirituality." That's effectively what he was saying. "And I was walking among your many altars, and one of them had this inscription on it: 'To an unknown God.' You've been worshipping him without knowing who he is, and now I wish to tell you about him." How can we be better communicators in the time in which we live? How can we not be the person that comes down the street and have people say, "Bye-bye"? If you're taking notes, here are six principles on how to bring the gospel to our culture. Point number one: Effective communication begins with a burden. Effective communication begins with a burden. Look at verse 16. While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed that the city was full of idols. He was just grieved to see the absence of the living God and in his place every conceivable substitute. I wonder if you ever feel that way. I know I do. When I look at a news site, it's so frustrating to me to see the evil in the world. But we need to reach the culture that we're in. Paul went into their world. The Areopagus, Mars Hill, was sort of the town square. He went right there in the epicenter of everything and said, "Hey, I was walking around your city, checking things out. I saw that you have all these gods you worship, but there was one altar erected to the unknown God." I think the idea was, "Hey, in case we missed one god, let's just erect this to the god we missed." Paul said, "I want to talk to you about the god you don't know about." This brings me to my second point: Paul was culturally relevant. He was culturally relevant. It's called reading the room. Paul quotes one of their secular philosophers to build a bridge to his audience. That's so important so people know we live in the same world they live in. This is a powerful way to start. Jesus himself did this. Remember with the woman at the well? She was ostracized from her community, had no friends to speak of. She had been married and divorced five times and was living with some guy. She comes to the well to draw water in the heat of the day, and there sits Jesus, a Jew, in Samaria. That was pretty unusual. Then he asked her a question: "Hey, could you give me a drink of water?" She says, "Why would you, a Jew, ask for a drink of water from me, a Samaritan woman? Don't you know Jews have no dealings with Samaritans?" He said, "If you knew who you were talking to, you would ask him and he would give you living water." The conversation began. What was Jesus doing? He was building a bridge. He could have started by saying, "Hey you, immoral woman, harlot, come here." Was she an immoral woman? Yes. But what did Jesus do? He appealed to her inner thirst. "Lady, I know why you're married and divorced five times and living with some guy. I know that you're trying to fill a void in your life with men when really what you need is a relationship with God." He says to her, "If you drink of this water, you'll thirst again." Great way to start. Paul does the same thing. Look at verse 28. He quotes one of their, we'll put it in quotes, "secular" poets. "Hey, you have a poet that says, 'In him we live and move and have our being,' and as one of your own poets said, 'We are his offspring.'" See, here's our problem. We try to talk to a non-believer in a cryptic Christianese language that only we understand. "Well, hey you heathen, let me say something to you. Uncircumcised Philistine, let me tell you something. You're a sinner, going to hell. You need to repent. You need to be washed in the blood. Then you need to become a part of the body and be justified and sanctified. Am I making myself clear?" They don't know what you're saying. You're speaking a different language. You just told them to be washed in blood and be a part of a body. They don't know what that means. That sounds kind of creepy. "Well, Greg, are you suggesting we don't use biblical terminology?" No, I'm suggesting that you not assume that your listener understands the language you're speaking in. So break it down. Speak in a way they'll understand. That's what Paul is doing. Paul is a brilliant intellect, the greatest of theologians. He knew Roman philosophy, Greek philosophy, he knew it all. But he breaks it down in such a simple way. He says, "I want to talk to you about the unknown God." Paul now continues on with this message to these people, telling them how to come into this relationship with God, bringing me to point number four: We must preach a biblical message. Yeah, build a bridge to your audience, connect to them, but ultimately the power is not in a quote from a secular philosopher. The power is in the word of God. That's where the power is. So we've got to get to this. If we don't get to this, we've missed the point. God himself says of scripture in Isaiah 55:11, "So shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth. It will not return unto me void. It will accomplish what I please and prosper in the thing for which I sent it." This book that was given to us from God is sufficient to meet our spiritual need. 2 Timothy 3:15-17 says all scripture is inspired by God and is profitable to teach us what is true, make us realize what's wrong in our lives, straighten us out, and teach us to do what's right. It's God's way of preparing us in every way, equipped for every good thing that God wants us to do. And guess what? People want to hear biblical preaching today. They actually want to hear it. Christianity Today ran an article with the headline: "The hottest thing at church is not your pastor or worship leader." The article goes on to say what people are looking for when they come to church is preaching centered on the Bible. The conclusion was sermons that teach about scripture are the number one reason Americans go to church. The Bible, we want to hear it, don't we? People who were polled recently in another article were asked if they wanted longer or shorter sermons. Their answer? Longer sermons. Not boring sermons, but they want to hear more of the word of God. Listen, my job is not to make the Bible relevant. The Bible is relevant. I just need to let the lion out of the cage and let the word of God do what it does best: change lives. So Paul's message was biblical.
Guest (Male): Pastor Greg Laurie will have the second half of his message in just a moment. You know, I've heard people describe a trip to Israel as seeing the Bible actually come to life. Hi everybody, Greg Laurie here. I've been to Israel many times and I've led a lot of tours, and I have to say that's absolutely true. Listen, when you're walking on the same stones that Jesus himself walked on, well, that's something that's enriching to your faith. It's not just a travel experience; it actually energizes and enhances your study of the Bible. Think of it this way: it's a vacation with a purpose. We're going to be taking a tour of Israel, April 6th to 15th, 2027. You can find out more at israel.harvest.org. Step right into biblical history. Join Pastor Greg for a tour of the Holy Land, April 6th through 15th, 2027. Get details at israel.harvest.org. Well, today, Pastor Greg is offering some important guidelines on sharing the message of the gospel effectively. He continues now.
Greg Laurie: When you're talking to someone one-on-one, and understand the word "preach"—I know we're to go into all the world and preach the gospel—doesn't mean you have to yell. I've seen people yelling when they're talking to someone. "And Jesus said..." Stop that. Just calm down. Lower your voice. Say it conversationally. The word of God is still powerful even without an elevated volume, just because there's power in this word. You build the bridge, you connect to the person. Listen, if you want to win some, be winsome. Be a nice person. Be a friendly person. Be a loving person. Then tell them what the word of God says. And that's what Paul did. Point number five: Our message must focus on Christ crucified and risen. Look at how Paul closes the deal in verse 31. He has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man he has ordained. He's given assurance of this to all of us by raising him from the dead. That's the message. Okay guys, I've built the bridge, I'm giving you the word of God. Here's the bottom line: Jesus is the answer. That was true in the first century; that's true in the 21st century. That's my message. It's Jesus. It's Jesus. Jesus Christ crucified, Jesus Christ risen from the dead, Jesus Christ ascended and coming back again. You need Jesus. That's what we're telling people, and that's what Paul did so powerfully. One last point: After preaching, Paul trusted God for the results. After preaching, he trusted God for the results. Look at verse 32 of chapter 17: "When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, 'We'll hear you again on this matter.' So Paul departed from them. However, some men joined him and believed. Among them, Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them." Now, this is really interesting to me. This is the Apostle Paul. What happens? He preaches to these people and a handful respond. Wait, you're Paul. I mean, don't you always have a lot of people believing? No. Peter had 3,000 on the Day of Pentecost, but look, the response of people is up to God; it's not up to me. I don't believe in trying to manipulate people into believing or arguing them into believing because if they can be argued in, they can be argued out. If they can be manipulated in, they can be manipulated out. Jesus says, "No one comes to me unless the Father draws him." So what I do is I share the gospel. I'll ask a person perhaps if I'm feeling prompted by the Lord, "Would you like to accept Jesus Christ into your life right now?" And if they say no, I don't grab them by the throat. I don't pressure them, "You've got to just pray this prayer with me!" No, I leave it in the hands of God. Sometimes people believe and sometimes they don't. Sometimes God wants me to sow a seed, and that's it. Sometimes God wants me to water a seed that someone else sowed. Other times God gives me the privilege of reaping where others have watered and sown. As Paul said, "One sows, another waters, God gives the increase." It's up to God, not up to me, not up to you. But look at how they reacted. Some mocked; it was a joke to them. The word used here for mocked means they sneered and burst out laughing. Wow. That was an indication they were perishing. The Bible says the preaching of the gospel is to them who are perishing, foolishness. Some will mock. I used to mock Christians. I laughed at them. I thought they were stupid and foolish. I was in the South years ago and I drove by a little town. I saw the sign. The town was called Mocksville. I thought, "I should have been born there," because I've always been a mocker. I make fun of things. I made fun of the Christians, but then I sat down and listened and I stopped mocking and started believing. So some mocked, some delayed. They said, "We'll talk to you about this another time." You'll meet people like this. "Well, I'm interested, but not now. I don't want to do it now. I don't want to go to church with you now. I don't want to pray with you now." Okay. They can have that response. But sometimes you need to press on a little bit more, and you need the Lord to lead you. This was basically my mother's response every time I brought the gospel up to her. She would say, "I don't want to talk about it. I don't want to talk about it. I don't want to talk about it." One day I woke up and I felt so led of the Lord to go talk to my mother about her soul. So I got in my car and drove over. She was kind of surprised. "What are you doing here?" "Mom, I want to talk to you about your soul, your relationship with God." She said, "I don't want to talk about it." I said, "Today we're going to talk about it." And I'm glad I was persistent because that was the day she recommitted her life to the Lord. A month later, she was in heaven. So sometimes people say, "I don't want to talk about it," but they do want to talk about it. You need to be sensitive to the leading of the Lord. And sometimes they say, "I don't want to talk about it," and they really don't want to talk about it. By continuing to push it, you could actually hurt what you're trying to do. Okay, so some delayed, some mocked, and finally some believed. One of them was named Dionysius the Areopagite. He was one of the judges of Athens, an intellectual, a ruler of his day. He became a believer. Another woman named Damaris, she was disillusioned with the emptiness of the worship of false gods and she too believed. So it wasn't what we would call a great response, but hey, it's what it was. We read of the words of Jesus when he says, "Pray that the Lord would send out laborers into his harvest." It's not Greg's harvest; it's not your harvest; it's his harvest. So we say, "Lord, you just reach those people." The Bible says, "As many as were ordained to eternal life believed." So we just say, "Lord, it's in your hands. I'm going to proclaim your gospel. I'm going to do it lovingly. I'm going to do it carefully. I'm going to do it in a way that's understood by the person I'm speaking to, and I'll leave the results in your hands." Let me close with this acronym: SHARE. S-H-A-R-E. Every one of those letters stands for something and it sort of sums up what we've just read. S stands for sensitive. Be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Paul's message began with a burden that God gave him to reach the people of Athens. So be sensitive. H: Honor and respect others. Don't come off as holier than thou. As I said earlier, the objective is to build a bridge, not burn the bridge. So honor and respect others. A: Arouse the interest of your listener. Say something that they might have an interest in. R: Reveal sin. You come to a point where you've said all these things, you've built all your bridges, you've told them God loves them, but you've got to tell them they're a sinner. And you have to define what a sinner is. I always include myself when I call someone a sinner. I'll say, "You're a sinner, I'm a sinner, we're all sinners." Because sin means to miss the mark. You fall short of God's standard. So you have to tell them that as well. Reveal sin. And E: Explain the way of salvation. Tell them how to do it. Tell them how to believe in Jesus. Tell them how to come into a relationship with him. SHARE. S: be sensitive. H: honor and respect others. A: arouse the interest of your listener. R: reveal sin. E: explain the way of salvation. God can use you. God will use you. But will you say, "Lord, here I am, use me"? Let me come back to a point I raised earlier. How do you become a Christian? You admit to God you're a sinner and you ask Jesus Christ to come and live in your heart and life as your savior and Lord. He can do that right now because he stands at the door of your life and he knocks. He says, "If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in." If you've never asked Jesus to come into your life, you can do it right here, right now. Let's pray. Father, speak to every heart. If there's anyone here who doesn't know Jesus yet, let this be the moment they believe. If you want Jesus Christ to come into your life and forgive you of your sin, I want you to just pray this simple prayer after me. Just pray these words: Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner. But I know that you're the savior who died on the cross for my sin and rose again from the dead. I turn from my sin now and I choose to follow you from this moment forward as my savior and Lord, as my God and my friend. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
Guest (Male): Today will mark the day when many first became believers in Jesus Christ. Pastor Greg Laurie praying a prayer with those who are asking Jesus to be their savior today. And if you've just prayed that prayer and you've meant those words sincerely, we want to help you begin to live this new life of faith. Pastor Greg would like to send you his New Believer's Bible. He'll mail it to you at no charge and it'll help answer some of the questions you might have and get you started off right as you walk with the Lord. So ask for it when you call us at 1-800-821-3300. We can take your call anytime. Again, that's 1-800-821-3300. Or just go online to harvest.org and click "Know God." And then let us take a moment to thank you for praying for this ministry and for supporting it through your generous donation. It's an investment in kingdom business. Isn't that right, Pastor Greg?
Greg Laurie: It's really true, Dave. I believe it's so important because the gospel saves lives. It saves eternal lives because when a person believes in Jesus according to scripture, they pass from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to the power of God. And then of course, that changes the course of their future. That impacts their children and their children's children. The gospel changes everything. Thousands and thousands of people respond every single year. Thanks to the Lord, also thanks to you for your investment in this ministry, enabling us to reach people wherever they are. So if this is something you care about, I encourage you to make a financial investment in A New Beginning and Harvest Ministries.
Guest (Male): That's right, and we really do appreciate your support. Thanks for partnering with us today. It can make a real difference not just for today or this week, but for eternity. So get in touch with your support today by calling 1-800-821-3300. That's a 24/7 phone number: 1-800-821-3300. Or go online to harvest.org. Well, next time, we'll see how important it is to run this race of life with our eye on the prize. Join us here on A New Beginning with pastor and Bible teacher Greg Laurie.