Our June series is simply entitled, STORY.
We are looking at the Gospel which literally means "Good News."
The Gospel is the STORY of how sinful man can be reconciled to God.
So far we've covered God's Story of Jesus and Our Story with Jesus. We used a four-point outline to aid us in explaining the Gospel to others: Relationships, Ruin, Rescue, and Response

Imagine a team of any sort where one or two of the participants try to play the role and do the responsibilities of the other team members, and do so -uninvited. Words or phrases like usurp, overstep, supersede, supplant, override, and butting in come to mind.
What are some of the possible ramifications or "far-reaching effects" of those decisions and actions?

The Gospel has to do with the salvation God offers to mankind and in that there are three distinct characters.
1. God
2. Christians
3. Those who are Lost
Each character has a specific role to play.

Before we get into the various characters and their specific roles, we need to understand what is meant by salvation.
The Bible paints a very clear picture of mankind and our relationship with a Loving, Holy, and Just God.
Romans 1:18-32 [NLT] - Humanity's rejection of God and the resulting downward spiral of sin. This rejection led God to give them over to destructive desires and a corrupted mind, resulting in widespread immorality and wickedness.
Ephesians 2:1-10 [NLT] - Foundational passage describing God's plan to rescue and transition mankind from spiritual death to life. The Apostle Paul describes how a Holy, Just, and Loving God provides that salvation as The Way to restore mankind into a right relationship with Himself.

Salvation is solely the work of God to which He grants gifts of forgiveness, reconciliation, new birth, His gifts, and eternal life.
Are you a recipient? Are you thankful?
2 Corinthians 5:17-20 [NLT]
Paul writes about the tremendous privilege God has granted us to partner with Him in bringing people to faith.

In the process of telling the Story to those we care about, we must recognize that there are 3 characters involved and each has their own role to play.

#1 - God's Role in Salvation
John 1:12-13; 3:16; 6:44, 65; 16:8

GOD’s Spirit must CONVICT the spiritually lost of their sinful rebellion and disobedience and CONVINCE them of their need for forgiveness and a relationship with HIM.
As a result, GOD the Father will CAUSE people to seek Him and then CONVERT them with a new spiritual birth.

#2 - The Believer's Role in Salvation
Colossians 4:3-4; Acts 28:23-24; 1 Corinthians 9:22

We must be CREATIVELY engaged with those who need JESUS and CLEARLY present the STORY.
As we do, we must CHALLENGE people to respond to what they’ve heard and CONSISTENTLY pray for their salvation.

#3 - Lost Person's Role in Salvation
Mark 1:15; Acts 16:16-34; 20:21; Romans 10:9-13

A person must CONSIDER the evidence provided and CHANGE their heart’s attitude about sin and GOD’s authority over their life.
As an expression of their sincerity, this then is followed by a COMMITMENT to JESUS as both Lord and Savior and a CONFESSION of belief, evidenced by a growing transformation.

To close, we'll look at three different groups of people:

First – Those who know they are sinners and do not have relationship with Jesus.
If there is no guilt of sin, a satisfaction with your current state in life, and no overwhelming sense of uncertainty about the end of you life …You are spiritually dead, separated from God, and simply one breath away from judgment. It’s obvious God is not working in your life. The Lord sees you as a hard-headed and hard-hearted individual and at this point in time, you are contented to live in the arrogance of your indifference.
God loves you, but you have no love for Him. Pray that you will live long enough to change.

Second – You are aware that you are a sinner and do not have relationship with Jesus.
You differ from the first group as you understand you are a sinner, you know that you have no real control over your life or life in general, you understand that God loves you and desires a relationship … and you want to begin that relationship now.

Third – You profess to be a follower of Jesus and desire to reach
someone. You now know how to do so - the question is, WHO’S YOUR ONE?
One family member, one friend, one classmate, one co-worker, one neighbor, one skeptic. To see one chair filled in this auditorium, one broken life made whole, one family restored, one child, one teenager, one woman, one man, one life …. SAVED.