03/02/2018
Unit Introduction
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
John 3:16 is one of the first verses that many Christians memorize. Eventually, it
may roll off a believer’s tongue so quickly that little regard is given to its meaning or
significance. For a moment, though, we will use this familiar verse as a starting point
to talk about one of the most important mandates given to the church—evangelism.
This unit, “Until the Whole World Knows,” has three primary concerns: (1) the
motivation for evangelism, (2) the message in evangelism, and (3) the ministry of
evangelism. John 3:16 speaks to all three of these concerns and serves well as an
outline for the content of this unit.
The Motivation for Evangelism
John 3:16 is part of a narrative that describes one of Jesus’ evangelistic
encounters. Jesus placed great priority on evangelism. As we follow in His footsteps,
we should also note why Christ evangelized. His evangelism brought glory to God. It
was an expression of His love for God and His neighbor. It displayed His
commitment to obey His Father’s every command and His compassionate concern for
the lost who faced eternal damnation apart from faith in Him.
The Message in Evangelism
John 3:16 tells us about God. It assumes the existence of God, as do all of the
Scriptures. Evangelism is a declaration about the God of the Bible. God loves the
world He made. His love for mankind reaches its highest expression in the sacrifice
of His Son.
John 3:16 reveals to us who and what human beings are. Evangelism is a
declaration that human beings are sinful, separated from God, and in need of a Savior.
They are in danger because their hearts, at the very core, are corrupt and in rebellion
against God: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, who
can know it” (Jer 17:9 KJV). The record of every person’s thoughts and actions
shows that we have fallen far short of God’s holy standards, “for all have sinned and
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fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23). Paul summarizes the consequences of sin
in this way: “the wages of sin is death” (Rom 6:23).
When we consider the status of the heart, record, and life of mankind, we begin
to understand the significance of Jesus’ declaration, “For God so loved the world.”1
This statement is striking because, “The point . . . is not that the world is so big that it
takes a great deal of love to embrace it but that the world is so bad that it takes an
exceedingly great kind of love to love it at all.”2 Mankind is in peril, but there is also
great hope in the gospel message.
John 3:16 focuses on the person of Christ. Evangelism is a declaration about
Jesus Christ and the redemption He accomplished on the cross. God the Father gave
His only begotten Son, and Christ willingly came to earth so that no one would
perish. In John 10 we read the words of Jesus, “I lay down My life for the sheep” (Jn
10:15). Christ gave Himself to the agony of death on a cross (Acts 2:23-24) so that
we would have eternal life through faith in Him.
John 3:16 also directs us to the importance of faith. The object of our faith is
Jesus Christ. All of God’s Word points to the fact that Christ’s death on the cross is
the only means of atonement for sin (Isa 53:6; Acts 4:12; 1 Tim 2:5). Saving faith
applies Christ’s redemptive act to the life of the sinner. To place our faith in Christ is
much more than intellectual agreement with the gospel; it is to totally trust Christ
alone for the forgiveness of sins and for eternal life.
Where there is true, saving faith, there will also be sincere repentance of sin.
Jesus states in the gospel of Mark, “the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at
hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mk 1:15). Paul taught Jews and Gentiles
repentance toward God and faith in Christ (Acts 20:21). Since there is a close
relationship between repentance and faith, in evangelism we call people both to
repent and believe.3
The Ministry of Evangelism
John 3:16 also directs us to one of the best examples of how to evangelize
effectively. Jesus was speaking to a man named Nicodemus who was a member of
the Jewish Sanhedrin, a Pharisee, and a ruler of the people. Nicodemus had
ecclesiastical power and extensive theological knowledge. He had already made his
mark in the world and achieved a certain amount of renown. He is presented in the
narrative account as a representative of all the best that mankind could offer. Jesus,
however, was not impressed with Nicodemus’s list of credentials. He knew what was
in the heart of everyone. In essence, Jesus said to him, “Nicodemus, I know who and
what you are. You are sinful and separated from God. You are in spiritual danger.
You need to be born again. You need God to give you a new heart, a new record, and
a new life. You need to believe in Me.”
Unit Introduction 15
Jesus engaged Nicodemus with the core issues. As believers follow Christ’s
example, they will do the same. “Until the Whole World Knows” is designed to equip
students to obey the Savior’s last command before departing this world, “Go into all
the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mk 16:16).4
The results in evangelism must be left in God’s hands. God is sovereign—even in
evangelism. Our responsibility is, however, to take the initiative and present the
gospel of Jesus Christ often and well to the people God brings into our lives.
May this unit help you to evangelize with proper biblical motivation, to present
accurately the gospel message, and to carry out confidently the ministry of
evangelism, remembering the promise of Christ: “And lo, I am with you always, even
to the end of the age” (Mt 28:20).
Unit Description
The six lessons of this unit are designed to encourage you in the fulfillment of
your responsibility to evangelize effectively those around you. Lesson 1 cites five
reasons why we all should be involved in the work of evangelism. Lessons 2-5
discuss topics related to a clear understanding of exactly what the gospel message is.
These issues include: God, sin, Christ, repentance, and faith. The final lesson focuses
on helping you develop some basic skills that are essential in carrying out an effective
ministry of evangelism.
Contributions to Developing
Character
The content of this unit provides you with opportunities to grow in the
understanding of who God is and who humans are. This will encourage you to trust
God more and turn away from sin. Taking time to share the gospel with your nonChristian
friends demonstrates an active love toward God and one’s neighbor. It can
also cause your faith to grow because you are forced to trust God in new situations.
Contributions to Developing
Relationships
Effective communication of the gospel best occurs in the context of relationship.
As you grow in your ability to share the message of salvation with others, you will
also experience progress in your interpersonal skills. Evangelism is all about sharing
personal experiences—your personal experience with God and Jesus Christ, His Son.
Contributions to Acquiring
Ministry Skills
The primary ministry skill in this unit is evangelizing. The essence of this
ministry skill is the ability to present the gospel in a way that people come to a saving
knowledge of Jesus Christ. One who is competent in evangelizing shares the gospel
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clearly and succinctly, keeping the focus on the person and work of Christ and the
need to believe in Him for salvation.
This person is also able to explain truths and answer common questions about the
gospel. He or she can handle typical objections (e.g., what about those who have
never heard the gospel?) correctly but concisely and tactfully, without being diverted
from the gospel presentation. One who is competent in evangelizing shares a personal
testimony in word and also lives it out.
The working definition of “evangelizing” for the purposes of this unit is the
following: The declaration to mankind of the gospel, the good news of Christ’s
substitutionary death on the cross and of His resurrection from the dead to the
end that people might believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved and receive
eternal life.
This unit examines biblical motivation for evangelism, primarily by looking at the
example of Jesus and the Apostle Paul. Faithful application of the biblical principles
presented in the unit will lead to greater concern for the lost and to boldness in
evangelism.
The unit also presents a thorough explanation of the gospel with emphasis on the
dangers of a weak or ineffective evangelistic message. After preparing a gospel
presentation, you will be observed and evaluated by a qualified trainer as you clearly,
accurately, and completely communicate the gospel and a personal testimony to an
unbelieving listener. The listener who understands the content and implications of the
gospel will have an opportunity to put his or her trust in Christ as Savior.
