It comes in flavors like mango, raspberry, and lemonade, cool sweetness to refresh the sweaty crowd outside the

shop. The Italian Ice store, where my daughter JoHanna works, wants people to know they have what they need. They need to be shown and told, so the owner sends Jo out with a tray full of samples, knowing the thirsty people will look at and listen to someone who knows what it is to have the heat quenched. Walking among the people of all ages, she offers cups of frosty goodness to the hot and thirsty. At first some seem uninterested, until they see the tray of cups filled with icy peaks, carried by my own Jo who knows the power of the treats she carries. One by one they reach out to sample her gift. Smiling and speaking first, she invites the perspiring people to savor the taste, telling them about her favorite flavors and how she knows from experience that it will quench their thirst and cool the heat. While their taste buds start to wake up to the goodness theyve received, people see her sincerity and hear her experience, and they want to taste more. Having gone out into the sweltering square to show and share her treasure, she comes back into the store, followed by the new believers thirsty for more. Once we show Gods love to people, its time to tell them how Jesus has quenched our thirst and how weve experienced Gods love. Its time to speak.

Week # 6 - How can I tell Gods love to people? To reach people we have to be ready to tell them what God has done for us and for them. We want to know how to tell of His love, because we have experienced life change.

Telling Gods love begins in the heart

Read 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the
new has come.

Our old heart wouldnt care about helping the thirsty find Living Water, but if were in Christ, we are a
________________________________.

Our heart and our thoughts have changed, so we will see and care about the needy. When speaking about the transformation required to be one of Gods people, look at what the Bible says about the condition of the heart.

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26). o God wants to give us a ____________ heart that results in wanting to share his love.

Telling Gods love takes skill

Once we experience His love, what is the new task or responsibility that God gives to us? Find out in the next verse of 2 Corinthians 5.
All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation... (v.18).

If we have a relationship with Jesus Christ, then God wants us to have the ____________________ of
reconciliation. Reconciliation joins what was once separated, bringing it back to what it should be, making what was offensive acceptable and creating peace. If we are a _________ creation, we know what it is to be _______________ to Jesus. God has given each of His own a gift to use in sharing His love to the world. Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good (1 Corinthians 12:4-7).

o o o o

Who is responsible to give gifts to be used? Who empowers a gift? How many people receive a gift to use? What are the gifts for?

God gives us a ministry of ________________________________ (describe reconciliation in your own words)

and He gives us the skill to help get the message out.

Telling Gods love takes speech

As those who know what restoration is like, we have a job to do. An ambassador is one who represents and speaks on behalf of another. Read 2 Corinthians 5:19-20 to discover how God wants us to take the message to people.
in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself... 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God (2 Cor. 5:19-20).

We are Gods _______________________ for _______________, delivering his ____________ to the world. Look back to the beginning of verse 20. Whats the first word? ______________________ o That means because what I just said is true, the obvious next thing to do is this. o Since we have the ministry of (look before therefore) ___________________, the obvious thing to do is to act like an (look after the therefore) _________________________ for Christ. Once weve shown what God is like, we need to tell about the love weve experienced.

 How we talk reflects on the message we carry to people. What should our speech be like? o o o o o
Proverbs 8:13 What kind of speech does God hate? ________________________ Proverbs 22:11 What kind of speech makes people listen? _________________________ 1 Corinthians 2:3-5 Who should be exalted in our speech? _________________________

2 Timothy 4:12 Who is expected to have excellent speech? __________________ Titus 2:7-8 What does good speech do? _________________________________

What would people think about God if they just listened to the way you talk? How can we practice the kind of speech that will show and tell Gods message to the world?
Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person (Colossians 4:5-6).

Walking refers to our manner of life. How should we be living? ________________

Who should we consider in special way? _____________________________ What 2 adjectives describe the kind of speech God loves? How often should our speech be this way? To be making the best use of the time means we make the most of every opportunity. So that introduces the REASON for practicing wise, gracious, salty speech. What is it?

Salt seasons and flavors what it is added to. Ambassadors of God season the world with His love. Salt preserves. Ambassadors of God help to preserve life and truth. Read Matthew 5:13 to find out: o Who is the seasoning of the earth? o Is it possible to stop seasoning the world around us?
You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.

If we have a new heart, we have been given the skill to speak as ambassadors for Christ.
What to share: Gods story Share the basic story of who God is, how He made man to be worship Him and know Him, how our friendship was broken, and how He has provided a way for us to be restored. o Memorize 2 Corinthians 5:21 to share the gospel in a single sentence. o Memorize a tool like the Romans Road, so that you are equipped and ready to explain Gods Story. See the suggested resources.

o Practice using a visual like the Bridge illustration or the EvangeCube to use in sharing the story of reconciliation. Stories of the Bible The stories of real people with real problems give us glimpses into how man has lived away from God and how God has reached out to man. o Be a story teller of people who didnt deserve Gods love but whose sin was covered by Jesus. o Tell how characters throughout history have been changed from old to new. o A few stories you can share: Eve, Noah, David, Jonah, Ruth, Paul, Matthew, Peter, Zaccheus, the Woman at the Well, Mary Magdalene. Your story Thirsty people want to hear your first-hand experience of receiving Jesus, the Living Water. o Tell what it was like to be old or what you WOULD have been like, if it wasnt for having Jesus reach out to you in your lost condition and change your life. o Let people hear that you believe in what you share. o Share about one particular scripture truth God used to bring you to Him, or share about one person God used to come to you with His message.

Thirsty people need to hear of the Living Water Who can satisfy their thirst. With a new heart and new skill, we can go out boldly as ambassadors for Christ.
How can I show Gods love to people? Telling Gods love begins in the heart Telling Gods love takes skill Telling Gods love takes speech Next week well ask: Who do I need to be to share Gods love? Questions to ready yourself: How would you describe the way Gods love satisfies your needs? What can you say about Who Jesus Christ is to you? Give a short description of what Gods story is. What Bible character stands out to you as a life changed? Describe what your life would be like now without Jesus. What skill has God given or developed in you that you could use to share His message? How do you think those who know you best would describe your speech patterns?

(You might want to reflect on these in a journal, discuss them with a team youre a part of, or share them with a friend.)

A Prayer to set your heart: Lord of my words, Thank You for taking away my old heart and making me new. Thank You for giving me a special purpose in life, to share the gift of reconciliation through Jesus with others. Thank You for giving me skill to use. Please remove inhibitions I have to use my skills or to talk about the hope in me. Help me to have gracious words, always ready to season the world around me and share the Living Water Ive found. I want to represent you well, Lord, so fill my heart, steer my actions, and control my tongue. Use me to bring refreshment to those who need to hear about You. Other verses to learn more about what all people share: 2 Corinthians 5:21 Proverbs 25:25 John 4:7-11, 13-15 John 7:37-39 Resources:
The Bridge

http://www.navigators.org/us/resources/illustrations/items/The%20Bridge%20to%20Life http://www.billygrahamlibrary.org/PGView.aspx?pid=13 http://www.intervarsity.org/evangelism (Click on Training Tools to find the Bridge and many other resources. )
The Romans Road http://www.davidjeremiah.org/site/about/becoming_a_christian.aspx

http://www.teenmissions.org/resources/roman-road-to-salvation/ EvangeCube http://www.evangecube.co.za/