Tell It!
Some Good News and Some Good News (Part 2)
April 17-22, 2006

He has appointed me to preach Good News to the poor.

Luke 4:18a (NLT)

People are what the Good News is all about. It.'s about people coming to know Jesus Christ. It's about people seeing their lives changed because of Him. In Luke 4:18a Jesus said he came to preach the Good News. We know as Jesus' disciples we are to follow His example of sharing His example. But often believers feel unsure about telling the Good News. Those who are not yet believers often feel uncomfortable with hearing it or with the way we tell it. Why is that? It's Good News! It's not a sales pitch; it's Good News. How can we keep the Good News good when we're telling it? When it comes to telling Good News there is no better teacher than Jesus. Let's learn from Him. Take a few minutes to read together, from your Bibles, John 1:35-51.

MONDAY

1. GOOD NEWS FOR DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
[Your Objective: Recognize differences in people need to be taken into account when sharing the Good News.]

Andrew and John - People-centered.

Jesus' call: He starts a relationship

How does Jesus respond in John 1:38 to the two disciples when He sees them following Him?

  • How does Jesus' question show that He understands the character of the two disciples?

What is the action that the two disciples take in John 1:39 when Jesus tells them, "Come and you will see"?

  • When we share the Good News with those who are people-centered, what are some of the ways we can establish a relationship?

Peter - Plan-centered.

Jesus' call: He gives a life-challenge

In John 1:40-41, whom did Andrew tell what he had heard, and how exactly did Andrew tell him?

  • What is the response we can expect from someone who is plan-centered rather than people-centered?

In John 1:42, what change does Jesus make in Peter's name?

  • When Jesus changed Peter's name, He challenged him to fulfill his potential. Who do you know with great potential? How could you challenge them to respond to the Good News and fulfill their life purpose?

TUESDAY

Philip - Peace-centered.

Jesus' call: He shows the way

How did Jesus prompt Philip to follow Him in John 1:43?

  • Why do you think Philip responded so easily? What does this say about his personality?

Nathanael - Philosophy-centered.

Jesus' call: He understands

Read John 1:45-51. How does Jesus describe Nathanael's character? How did Philip address Nathanael's opinion about Nazareth?

  • What happened in Nathanael's encounter with Jesus that made him a believer?
  • How might people's feelings about Jesus change once they realize He really understands them and knows what their problems and needs are?

Ministry - Within the body of Christ, we are called to meet one another's needs. How has looking at the way Jesus called His disciples reassured you that God specifically intends to use us as He uniquely created us? If you are not currently involved in ministry, consider the gifts and abilities God has given you as tools. What are you good at that might bless another? Where, how and for whom could your abilities be applied? Consider paying a visit this week to your church's ministry department to discover areas of service for which God might have shaped you. For Lighthouse, click here to find an area of service for you. If you haven't yet been to CLASS 301, that's a great place to start!

WEDNESDAY

2. GOOD NEWS BY DIFFERENT METHODS.
[Your Objective: Realize that God uses a variety of methods to get His message across.]

A Message

In John 1:35-37, what was the message, and how did the disciples respond?

  • What can we learn from John the Baptist's brief sermon to his two disciples?
  • It is not the preacher, but the Holy Spirit who applies the sermon to the hearts of people. How can knowing the Holy Spirit is in charge increase our willingness to share the Good News with others?

A Conversation

Read John 1:40-41. What was the first thing Andrew did after he followed Jesus?

  • Many of us feel we just can't share Christ with others. Why is this so?
  • If any of you have a story of coming to Christ because someone took the time to share the Good News with you, take a few moments to share it.
  • What are some practical ways we can prepare ourselves for sharing Christ with others?

A Personal Encounter

Read John 1:43. What prompted Philip to go with Jesus?

  • Personal encounters with God sometimes happen when a person surrenders to God on their own. How can another believer indirectly influence such an encounter?

THURSDAY

A Faithful Friend

In John 1:45-46, how did Philip tell Nathanael that Jesus is the One?

  • Verse 49 says Nathanael believed in Jesus just because he came to see for himself. How did Philip's persistence contribute, and how can we be like Philip? Discuss ways to be a persistent friend without turning people off to God's message.

Evangelism (Mission) - Helping people understand the Good News is a basic purpose for every follower of Christ. We call sharing the Good News evangelism. Being prepared to share the Good News is a key to our ability to initiate and take opportunities. Commit to write out a three-minute version of your story describing what your life was like before you came to Christ, how you came to Him, and what your life is like now. Don't over-dramatize your past; keep it simple. Then pray for one person for one minute at 1:00 each day this week. Plan when you will invite that person to join you for this week's church services. After the service be available to talk with them about what they heard and saw.

FRIDAY

PERSONAL APPLICATION AND COMMITMENT:
[Your Objective: Recognize that we all come to Jesus out of some kind of need, and He is there to meet it.]

Jesus also came to bring us Good News for Different Needs.

In the sixteen verses from John we looked at in this lesson, there are nine different titles used for Jesus. Each one reveals His ability to reach our deepest needs. Jesus is called:

  • Lamb of God - He is the sacrifice we all need in order to find forgiveness
  • Rabbi - We need someone to teach us how to live the life God made us to live
  • Messiah - He is the Promised One for all who need to know God's promise is real
  • The One Moses and the Prophets wrote about - He assures us we are all part of God's plan
  • Jesus of Nazareth - He is a real person from a real place who lived a real life, shed real blood, really died, and was really resurrected
  • Son of Joseph - This name reminds us of His humanity
  • King of Israel - He is full of awesome power and love
  • Son of Man - He is fully God who willingly became fully man in order to relate to us

What do you need from Jesus? Why not ask Him to meet your need right now? Decide to enjoy the Good News and tell the Good News. Plan to invite someone to church next week. Take time to write your story. Every day this week, pray for one person, for one minute at one o'clock, and ask God to open his or her heart to His message. When it comes to sharing Christ with others, never give up. If you are a Christian today, thank God that He didn't give up on you. If you haven't yet accepted His Good News - don't wait. He is ready to meet you, wherever you are. Be ready to share with your group next week the result of your decision.