RCCG YAYA SUNDAY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ MANUAL SUNDAY 6TH OF AUGUST, 2023; RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

[1]“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

[2]To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn,

[3]To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”

MEMORY VERSE: “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you.” Jonah 3:2 (NKJV).

INTRODUCTION: Evangelism is the faithful proclamation of the truth of the Scriptures while living our lives as true followers of Jesus. Evangelism can be pretty hard or awkward when we have to confront a family member, a friend, schoolmate, acquaintance, or even a stranger who is not a Christian. Some people may get offended when they hear the gospel but there is no reason to give up. This is why it is expedient for every believer to know the rules of engagement when reaching out to sinners with the gospel.

The Bible says everyone has sinned (Rom. 3:23). It says sinners will die because of their sin (Ezek.18:20; Rom.6:23). However, God’s good news is amazing. He loves the world so much that He sent Jesus to die for the sins of sinners (Jn.3:16). Jesus is the only person who has never sinned (1 Pet.2:22; 1Jn.3:5), so He is the only person who could take the punishment for our sins (Rom.5:8). He rose from the dead to show us His power (1 Cor.15:4). Jesus is the only path to heaven (Jn. 14:6). This is why believers need to share the gospel of Jesus to save the sinful world from destruction. However, such believers should be sure of their salvation (Jn.3:3; 1Pet.1:23); live a pure life (1Jn.3:3); be kind and patient (Eph.4:32); be prayerful (1Thess.5:17); study the word of God (2Tim.2:15); get wisdom (Prov.4:7) and exhibit other good and godly virtues (Phil.4:8). The Bible also says we are to share the gospel with no excuses (Matt.28:19-20; Acts 1:8; 1 Pet. 3:15).

CLASS ACTIVITY 1: Students should discuss their first experience during evangelism.

2.PREACHING THE GOSPEL: There are lots of reasons believers should share their faith wherever they go. Be encouraged that there is no “right” or “wrong” way to share the gospel (Eph.4:11-16). Some believers have a very easy time talking about Jesus to others. Believers can, however, follow these procedures: Seek and pray for opportunities to preach to someone (2 Pet.1:11); be cheerful and present your facts about salvation in a very simple way using simple language (Acts 17:23); share the testimony of your own salvation (Acts 22:6-9); tell the person to confess his/her sins and accept Jesus as his/her Lord and Saviour (Rom.10:9-10); Remember to pray for the person you have preached to (Eph.1:15-16).

In this era of technological advancement and social media proliferation, many souls can be reached for Christ via the various platforms available (Facebook, Whatsapp, telegram, Tik-Tok, Twitter, Instagram, etc.). Do not be ashamed of sharing the gospel of our Lord Jesus with friends, families, old schoolmates (Rom.1:16). This act is our obligation as followers of Christ and it carries the power and backing of God for the salvation of souls that are perishing (Jn.14:12; Matt.28:19-20; Mk.16:15-18). Do not just be a social influencer, be a kingdom/gospel influencer (Tit.2:7).

CLASS ACTIVITY 2:.How can we preach the gospel using the social media?

CONCLUSION: Anyone who wins souls to the kingdom of God is wise. Join the train now. It is highly rewarding.

QUESTIONS:

* Explain what the concept of the gospel is.

* How can you preach the gospel?

FURTHER READING: MON: Matt.28:19-20; TUE: Prov.11:30; WED: Rom.10:9-11; THUR: Isa.52:7; FRI: Rom.10:15; SAT: 1Cor.1:23; SUN:Rom.6:23.

ASSIGNMENT: Make a plan to witness to at least five people this week. Write down their names and phone contacts (2×5=10 marks).