Last week at Football Chapel, we had a small group. Not many of the guys worked out in the weight room after school, so we only had three show up. Brad had a lesson planned, but we were quickly taken in a different direction. The meeting started off with us each telling 3 odd facts about ourselves. After we each shared and just enjoyed time getting to know each other better, Brad started the lesson. Before, he could really get going however, one of the football players asked, "What's the different between God and other gods?" As Brad and I looked at each other and prepared to change directions with the talk, but before we opened our mouths, he asked another question. "My mom said something about getting saved... How do you get saved?" Again Brad and I looked at each other surprised, and Brad began explaining the Gospel using John 1:1, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." We then went to John 1:14, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." and then John 1:12, " But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." After talking though these things, and Jesus dying on the Cross for our sins, we discussed how to know for sure Jesus did what he said he did. Brad then asked the student if he believed that, he said yes, and Brad asked him if he would like to invite Jesus into his life. He said he did, and as Brad was about to lead him in a prayer, Brad asked the other guys what they thought about the things we discussed. They said, they weren't saved either and wanted to pray to receive Christ too! So, we prayed with them and they all accepted Christ! We encouraged them, and asked if they would meet up with us the next day to talk further, and they agreed.
Before I move to the next day, I want to give some context to the story. The three guys who prayed to receive Christ had been in our chapels all year, they had heard the Gospel numerous times, but it never really clicked until that moment. All this time, God has been using us to nudge them closer and closer to the edge, and finally that day, they chose to accept Gods gift of eternal life through Jesus!
The next day we got together to assure them of salvation through Christ. We taught them not to act on feelings or to believe they have salvation because they had a feeling, but to trust in faith that God did what He said he would. We then went through 1 John 5:11-13, "11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life. " For this passage Brad asked them 6 questions:
1. What kind of life is this talking about? Eternal
2. What is that life found in? The Son
3. If you have the Son, what else do you have? Eternal Life
4. Do you have the Son? Yes
5. Then, what else do you have? Eternal Life
6. When did that life begin for you? Yesterday
It was awesome to see these guys finally get it! Please be praying for them, that they won't let the worries of this world drag them back in, and pray that we can keep connecting with them and encourage them to grow into Godly young men!
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