Simple Gospel Presentation

I would like to share with you today, friends, a simple gospel presentation, which I learned from my homiletical mentor, Dr. Stephen F. Olford. It's an effective way to share the gospel with this generation of lost sinners who seem heedless to their great danger of dying in their sins, and who are climbing over each other's backs on a mad rush to hell and its terrors. The basic outline is Stephen Olford's with my own touches added to it.

I want to first share two stories about D.L. Moody, which I hope will shame us and convict us of our great lack of personal evangelism in your day and mine. There was a time, not so long ago, when gospel workers weren't afraid to go knock on folks' doors and ring doorbells to share the gospel. But now so many Christians are afraid of making false converts that they don't bother to do any personal evangelism at all, or they excuse themselves for some other reason.

But the fact remains, as believers, we are commanded to be participants in the Great Commission and not observers only, and to reach our generation with the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Let me ask you a question, friend. How can you call yourself a Christian if you do not share your faith with others on a regular basis? What will be your excuse on that day to the Lord Jesus Christ when you stand before him in eternity and your life is reviewed at the Bema seat? What will be your excuse for your laziness and disobedience then? I want to share a story with you about D.L. Moody, and my purpose in relating this story is to stir your heart to do more personal evangelism.

It's already stirred my own heart and relit the flame of personal evangelism in me, and it is my prayer that it'll do likewise for you as well. And after I relate this story about Moody, I will share one other story about Moody with you, which will stir you even more. And then after that, I'll give you this simple gospel presentation, which is so easy to memorize, you'll never forget it.

So stick around, friends, and you'll be glad you did. D.L. Moody maintained a day-by-day personal witness all his life. He'd often testify that not a day had passed but he had spoken to someone about his soul, for Moody had made a vow to God that not a day would go by without his speaking to someone about his eternal welfare.

Moody promised God he would not go to bed at night without having spoken to someone about their soul. One night as he was preparing for bed, he realized he had not fulfilled his promise, and he hurriedly dressed and went out to the streets of Chicago, and he found a man leaning by a lamppost. Moody asked the man his standard question, are you a Christian? The man flew into a rage, clenched his fists, and threatened to knock Moody into the gutter.

Allow me to pick up the story in Moody's own words as he described that night. I didn't know that he knew me, and I went on talking to him. He went to a friend of mine, an elder in the church, and said, do you know that man Moody is doing more harm in Chicago than any ten men are doing good? He said, I was an impudent fellow to stop a man on the street and ask about his soul.

The elder came to see me and rebuked me. He said, Moody, you are too zealous. You do more harm than good.

There's such a thing as having zeal without knowledge. Well, about three months later, one bitterly cold morning and winter night at daybreak, I heard someone knocking at the door. I answered it.

Who is there? A stranger. What do you want? I want to talk to you about my soul. I opened the door, and there to my astonishment was the man who had cursed me for speaking to him as he leaned against the lamppost.

He was very pale and trembled all over. He said, do you remember stopping a man some months ago on Lake Street, and he got angry and cursed you? I do. Well, I am that man.

I'm very sorry. I have had no peace for three months. Your words have haunted me.

I could not sleep last night, and I've come to ask you to pray for me. I want to become a Christian. That man accepted Christ, and the moment he had done so, he asked, can I do something for Christ? Won't you give me some work to do for him? I took him over to my Sunday school.

He went hard at work with a class of rough boys and taught them until the Civil War broke out. When he enlisted in the army, he was one of the first to fall in battle, but not before he had given a ringing testimony for God. I like that story, friends, don't you? It stirs my own heart and convicts me of my lack.

If that story hasn't made your icy heart thaw out, perhaps the next one will. Moody carried on a daily personal witness for 42 years. In that time, he spoke to a minimum of 15,000 people about their souls on a one-on-one basis.

Of course, that number is much higher. I just took 42 years and did the math. If he witnessed to one person a day, that added up to 15,330 people to he personally shared his faith with.

Later in life, D.L. Moody had a personal associate who traveled with him by the name of Peter Bilhorn. Well, one day, Bilhorn decided to test the evangelist's record of witnessing to a person a day while they were in meetings in Buffalo, New York. Here now are Peter Bilhorn's words.

One stormy Monday morning, after reading and prayer, I ventured to ask him wherein his power lay. He said, Bilhorn, I will tell you this much. I made a promise to God and the rule of my life that I would speak to at least one man every day about his soul's salvation.

I said, but Mr. Moody, the opportunity does not always present itself. He quickly replied, it will if you keep in touch with God and keep your eyes open for the opportunity. I was anxious to see just how he approached men on the subject of salvation.

So watching him closely from morning till evening, I was sure that no one had called that rainy day to see him. I knew that the elevator man was a Christian, also the clerk and the man who waited on the table. The storm which had been gathering grew more severe and at about time to get ready for the meeting, it seemed to be at its worst.

I said to Moody, I guess there won't be many out tonight in this storm. With sort of a grunt, he said, there'll be a house full if you believe there will. We left the hotel and went out into the stormy night and I held the umbrella over Moody and urged him to get into the waiting carriage first.

But no, he pushed me in and then stepped in. He'd hardly closed the door of the carriage when he opened it again and stuck his head out and shouted to the driver, drive close to the curbing. Water was running down the street like a river and almost reached the stepping board.

Every few minutes he would open the door and stick his head out to the storm. Soon he called to the driver to stop. He stepped out of the carriage into the rain and stood there a moment.

Soon a man came along pushing his way against the storm with an umbrella. Mr. Moody stopped him and said, where are you going? I'm going to the opera house to hear Moody preach. So am I. Step in and ride.

He literally lifted the man in, hardly had the man seated himself when Mr. Moody said to him, are you a Christian? No, I am not. Would you like to be? The man shaking the water from his hat and collar said, you don't think I'd be coming out in this storm to hear Moody preach if I wasn't thinking that way, would you? Then Mr. Moody said to me, Billhorn, you pray for this man. Both Moody and I prayed.

Then Moody put the question. The man accepted. Yes, yes, I do.

I do. And before long was ushered by Billhorn to the front row of the auditorium where Moody was preaching. Still unaware was Moody who had been talking to him.

Soon he knew, as the bulky evangelist appeared, preached, and concluded with an invitation. With many others, the new convert arose, pointing to him. Moody asked, are you a Christian? I was saved in a carriage tonight coming here, the man called out.

A man prayed for me. I guess that was you, mister. Well, friends, if that story hasn't thawed out your icy heart, I don't know what will.

Personal evangelism's not reserved only for evangelists. Every follower of Christ must be a personal witness for him. Where would you be, friend, if someone had not spoken to you about your soul? I want to go now to our simple gospel presentation.

Turn in your Bibles to the Gospel of John to chapter 14. We will be in verse 6. Then write in the margin of your Bibles, friends, the following verses as well. John chapter 6 and verses 35 and 37.

You can jot this outline down as we proceed. I want you to commit this simple gospel outline to memory, friends, and I promise you if you do, you will never regret it, for it will always give you a word and season to speak to someone about their soul. And if you will make a vow to God that you too will witness to someone each day about their soul, I promise you that he will place people in your path for that very purpose.

Get some gospel tracts that you like and hand them out. A gospel tract is a effective tool in sharing with poor sinners about the one who came down here so we can go up there. Here now is that simple gospel presentation which I promised you at the start of this message.

In John 14 6, Jesus declares, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me. Here Jesus answers the three greatest questions of the human heart.

How can I be saved? Jesus said, I am the way. How can I be sure? Jesus said, I am the truth. How can I be satisfied? Jesus said, I am the life.

And in John's gospel in chapter 6 and verse 35, it reads, and Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life. He that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. Listen friend, the gospel is for the hungry, the weary, and the thirsty.

Let me ask you a question. Are you hungry for God? Are you weary of your sins? Are you thirsty for Christ? Christ is the bread of life. He invites poor sinners to come to him and believe on him.

The duty required is to come to Christ, and he has a pure gospel promise to all who come. This is seen in verse 37, and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. Well I hope this simple little outline friends has helped you.

I hope you'll commit it to memory as I have and use it and further the gospel in our generation. Let us pray.