“You are the Light of the World”

Chapter Two: The Biblical Basis

By Pastor Stephen Kurtzahn

Why should we spend our precious time in prayer for our unchurched friends and relatives? What is so important about living the God-pleasing life so those around us will take notice? Why does Jesus want us to tell others of His love and forgiveness? Why must we always keep our eyes open for opportunities to witness?

Let's imagine for a moment that you live in a large metropolitan area, such as Los Angeles, Chicago or New York. You discover that a terrorist organization was going to poison the water supply of your city. You are the only person who knows about it. Wouldn't you inform the proper authorities, so that the lives of millions of people could be saved?

Our work of evangelism, or "preaching the Good News," is just as important as the example given above. In fact, it is MORE important than anything else in this whole world. For if people don't have the chance to hear what Jesus did for them, if they don't have the opportunity for the Spirit to work faith in Jesus in their hearts, they will suffer in the eternal torments of hell. There is nothing in hell but weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 25:30; Romans 10:13-17).

People don't like to talk about hell anymore. In fact, a lot of pastors don't mention it in their sermons and a lot of churches fail to write about it in their periodicals and devotionals these days. So how can we dare paint such a gloomy picture for unconverted mankind? The Bible itself speaks of such eternal anguish.

When the almighty Creator placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, He gave them specific orders not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. But being prodded by the devil in the form of a snake, the man and woman both ate of the tree (Genesis 3:1-7). From that moment on man had lost God's image. He became spiritually dead, was doomed to die physically, and, unless redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, would suffer in hell forever both in body and soul (Genesis 2:17; Genesis 5:3).

Many hundreds of years later, after the Garden of Eden incident, the Lord Jehovah gave to His people Israel the Torah, or Law, on Mount Sinai. These are instructions for proper living which the Creator gave to men so we would realize how utterly condemnable we are in His sight. In fact, God demands that we be holy (Leviticus 11:44-45), but that is totally impossible for us.

The disobedience to God's will as it is revealed in the Law is what we commonly call "sin." In the Scriptures, the word "sin" has several different connotations. It may refer to the sinner's "act of rebellion"— just as a child may detest the commands of it parents, so people deliberately do the opposite of what God wants. At other times sin is pictured as a "debt," or a "load of guilt" which must be repaid or removed if the sinner is ever to live in the Lord's presence. And still, at other times, sin is illustrated as a "missing of the mark."

What are the results of such sin, or any sin, for that matter? To put it simply: DEATH. In our natural state of iniquity, we are as walking corpses before God, Ephesians 2:1. As murderers are subject to life in prison or even to the death penalty, even so has the divine Judge demanded payment and retribution for breaking His laws (Galatians 3:10).

Why God planned our salvation, we'll never be able to figure out with our human minds. Why He gave us a way of escape from His eternal wrath is simply too wonderful—too overwhelming—for us to comprehend. But out of a love which knows no limits, the Lord saved us unworthy sinners from eternal punishment. He supplies us with His salvation through His Son. The message of how Jesus saved lost humanity is called the Gospel. This is the Good News which must be preached throughout the far reaches of the globe (Mark 16:15).

On Mount Sinai God not only threatened punishment for disobedience but He also demanded obedience. Jesus took care of both things for us. As our Representative represents us, the voters of his district, in Congress, so Jesus represents the whole human race before His heavenly Father. By His perfect life, His holiness, His sinlessness, His purity, Jesus covered over all our disobedience. Remember— Christ is our Substitute and Representative. So when God looks upon us, He sees Christ. When He sees us, He sees His beloved Son, in whom He is well pleased (Cf. Romans 5:19).

But God is just. Payment had to be made for our sins. As Judge, He simply could not overlook our iniquity, any more than an earthly judge can release a convicted murderer because he promises to be good. But again, Jesus Christ steps into the picture. As our Substitute, Christ endured the divine punishment in our place upon the cross. While He hung there on Calvary, Jesus suffered the very pains of hell which we deserved to suffer in all eternity (Cf. Romans 3:25; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 John 2:2).

It is exactly this message of the Savior which men, women and children need to hear today. There is only one way to heaven, and that is through Jesus Christ our Lord. And there is only one way that faith in the Redeemer can be created in the human heart—through the Means of Grace, the Gospel in Word and Sacraments. Men and women cannot "decide" on their own to believe, for they are dead in their trespasses and sins. The faith which we have in our hearts is the gift of the Holy Spirit, and this Spirit works only through the Means of Grace (Cf. Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 10:17).

So you can see then why "evangelism" is so important. It offers life and salvation to people lost in darkness and death. Just sit back and think about it for a moment—SALVATION! Not only through Christ's life and suffering and death and resurrection are people put in a right relationship with their Maker, but they have life—eternal life. We are not just speaking here of the immortality of the soul—even pagans believe that. But what we are talking about is a resurrected life, when our bodies will be raised from their graves and we will walk and talk and live with Jesus forever. This is the fruit of Christ's redemptive work. This is the result of our Savior's resurrection on Easter. "Because I live, so shall you also live!" If only all people would hear and believe the Good News!

•         Continue to pray for your pastor, your congregation, your church body, and your own evangelism efforts.

•         Continue updating your personal Responsibility List. Pray for these unchurched people regularly.

•         In your conversations with others this week, try to keep your ears open for a cry for help. Despair, a fear of death, a confused outlook on life, and uncertainty about the future are all signs of anguish under a heavy load of guilt.

•         On a sheet of paper, write out for yourself a Law and Gospel presentation. Write out what you yourself would say to a person who did not know Christ by faith. Use your own words, but make sure you show WHY we deserve God's wrath, and HOW Jesus delivered and saved us from that wrath.

Note: This study was prepared by Pastor Steven Kurtzahn and was used at Zion Ev. Lutheran Church, Lawrenceville, Georgia by Pastor Nathanael Mayhew.

If you would like more information about this study,
please contact Pastor Mayhew