What was Apostle Paul's outline he used when first presenting the Gospel

[Fred Akers]

I mean . . . what did he say? We know the topic . . . 1 Cor 2:2 he resolved to know nothing while he was with people but Jesus and him crucified, and Phil 3:4b-9 summarized that he counted knowing everything as a loss compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

So just exactly what did he say to people who did not have the New Testament, did not necessarily believe the Old Testament (Gentiles), and Old Testaments were not in a convenient format to necessarily easily carry around.

What was the Apostle Paul's outline when first sharing the Gospel?

 

[Wynona]

A good example I think would be Acts 17:22-34.

The speech Paul gave at Mars Hill to non believing Greeks and Romans.

 

[Fred Akers]

Ok, thank you, let me look at that

 

[Fred Akers]

Ok, thank you, have reviewed Acts 17:22-34 . . . here it is for discussion purposes (New version of the NIV):


22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.

24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.

29 “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. 30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”

32 When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” 33 At that, Paul left the Council. 34 Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.

Ok, I think maybe some other things might have been shared . . . I mean, it says in 34 that some of the people became followers of Paul and believed . . . If I took this same message to people in my town square, I don't think I could get anyone to believe just repeating what Paul said . . . I think there must be more meat on the bone of the Gospel that he shared that is not mentioned here. All I have is practical theology here . . . just parroting what Paul says here I don't think will sway anyone. For kicks though, I might try to repeat it to see if anyone responds . . . which leads me to another question . . .

Has anyone ever parroted Paul's sermon in Athens to others with any success? Thank you.

 

[Wynona]

@Fred Akers

Are you talking about reaching people today for Christ using logic and reason?

There's a word for that: Apologetics. It's a reasonable defense of the Christian faith.

If you're interested, I have some websites you can check out.

Are you thinking about street preaching?

Consider Torch of Christ Ministries YouTube channel. I really think his approach is effective. If you parrot him, I definitely think you'd get people's attention.

It's the Holy Spirit who converts, our job is simply to be faithful in getting the message of the gospel out there.

 

[Wynona]

Here's an example of Torch of Christ ministries' Phillip Blair preaching the gospel.

 

[Fred Akers]

@Fred Akers

Are you talking about reaching people today for Christ using logic and reason?

There's a word for that: Apologetics. It's a reasonable defense of the Christian faith.

If you're interested, I have some websites you can check out.

Are you thinking about street preaching?

Consider Torch of Christ Ministries YouTube channel. I really think his approach is effective. If you parrot him, I definitely think you'd get people's attention.

It's the Holy Spirit who converts, our job is simply to be faithful in getting the message of the gospel out there.

Yes, I agree it is the Holy Spirit who converts . . . and I agree we need to be faithful in getting the message of the gospel out . . . that isn't my question however. My question is, what is the gospel message literally spoken that needs to get out? What were the Apostle Paul's outline to get people not only to believe Jesus, but to get them to know him and to love him? 1 John 4:7-8 seems to suggest that knowing Jesus, loving Jesus, and being born again all happen simultaneously . . . I want to know what Paul shared to get people to belief, knowing, and loving Jesus.

 

[Fred Akers]

Here's an example of Torch of Christ ministries' Phillip Blair preaching the gospel.

Thank you, I will look at that, looks interesting.

 

[TEXBOW]

I also think it's difficult to compare the Mars Hill sermon to an effective sermon today due to the vastly different cultures and knowledge. Unbelievers are not standing in the same shoes of those in the 1st century.

 

[Enoch111]

I mean . . . what did he say?

Here's what he said right after his conversion (Acts 9:20,22): And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God... But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.

So his "outline" would have been very extensive, going into all the OT prophecies regarding Christ.

 

[Curtis]

Ok, thank you, have reviewed Acts 17:22-34 . . . here it is for discussion purposes (New version of the NIV):


22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.

24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.

29 “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. 30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”

32 When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” 33 At that, Paul left the Council. 34 Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.

Ok, I think maybe some other things might have been shared . . . I mean, it says in 34 that some of the people became followers of Paul and believed . . . If I took this same message to people in my town square, I don't think I could get anyone to believe just repeating what Paul said . . . I think there must be more meat on the bone of the Gospel that he shared that is not mentioned here. All I have is practical theology here . . . just parroting what Paul says here I don't think will sway anyone. For kicks though, I might try to repeat it to see if anyone responds . . . which leads me to another question . . .

Has anyone ever parroted Paul's sermon in Athens to others with any success? Thank you.

When Paul preached to the Jews in the synagogues, he used all the Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah that Jesus fulfilled, like the 92 messianic prophecies in the Psalms - yes, the psalms- and Isaiah 53, and the other Isaiah messianic prophecies like in Isaiah 61 that Jesus read in the synagogue and said He had fulfilled.

Maranatha

 

[farouk]

@Fred Akers

Are you talking about reaching people today for Christ using logic and reason?

There's a word for that: Apologetics. It's a reasonable defense of the Christian faith.

If you're interested, I have some websites you can check out.

Are you thinking about street preaching?

Consider Torch of Christ Ministries YouTube channel. I really think his approach is effective. If you parrot him, I definitely think you'd get people's attention.

It's the Holy Spirit who converts, our job is simply to be faithful in getting the message of the gospel out there.

@Wynona Logic can be helpful but it's really good to get the reasoning process directly from Scripture; and as you rightly say it's the Holy Spirit that coverts (1 Peter 1).

 

[Davy]

Ok, I think maybe some other things might have been shared . . . I mean, it says in 34 that some of the people became followers of Paul and believed . . . If I took this same message to people in my town square, I don't think I could get anyone to believe just repeating what Paul said . . . I think there must be more meat on the bone of the Gospel that he shared that is not mentioned here. All I have is practical theology here . . . just parroting what Paul says here I don't think will sway anyone. For kicks though, I might try to repeat it to see if anyone responds . . . which leads me to another question . . .

Has anyone ever parroted Paul's sermon in Athens to others with any success? Thank you.

Based on what you said above, that appears like you don't believe preaching The Gospel Message in simplicity is effective anymore. Actually it still very much is, for those who have yet to have their chance to 'hear' The Gospel of Jesus Christ, especially in nations where The Gospel is seldom preached.

But in the traditional Christian West, just about everyone has heard The Gospel basics. And many Christian brethren have been going to their Church for many, many years, hearing The Gospel over and over again. So maybe that's why you seem to think preaching The Gospel in simplicity is not effective anymore. It still is, maybe you're just not seeing how effective it is in backward poor countries.

But for brethren that have already heard and believed, per Apostle Paul in Hebrews 5, we should eventually become teachers, no longer on the "milk", but on the "strong meat" of God's Word.

However, the "strong meat" will not be effective with those who still reject Jesus Christ. Yet I believe there are still many in today's world that are seeing the Signs of the end of this world, and are asking theirselves what's going on. In that case, being in the "strong meat" of God's Word makes the teacher able to relate to those, and show those Signs from God's Word to them, and then explain The Gospel of Jesus Christ to them that was ordained from the foundation of the world.

 

[Lambano]

Fred, I love the question.

I find it interesting contrasting Paul’s objectives when preaching to different audiences. Taking the Areopagus speech, his goal for a Gentile audience seems to be to turn them away from the idols and the pagan gods they represented, and turn them to haShem, the God of Israel. Raising Jesus from the dead both proved that the God of Israel was the true god, and that Jesus was the designated judge of the world. But to the Jewish audience in the Damascus synagogue, (who of course already recognized יְהֹוָה as the true God), his objective was to prove that Jesus was Messiah (the anointed King) and the Son of God. The logical premises and arguments (What’s the point in arguing Torah with pagans?) were accordingly different too.

What is “The Gospel”? Is it what we think it is?

 

[Ferris Bueller]

What was the Apostle Paul's outline when first sharing the Gospel?

Well, in Romans he first establishes the fact that everyone is a sinner and stands condemned before God. Living Waters Ministry (Ray Comfort) uses this method very effectively.

 

[Stumpmaster]

So just exactly what did he say to people

Everything recorded by Luke in the Book of Acts, and preserved in various epistles of the New Testament. Many scholars have published summaries of these which are available online.

 

[Rita]

I have always looked at Paul’s letters ect from the cultural aspect, he knew who his audience was when he conveyed the truth. He didn’t rush in and just preach, he looked around, observed, he made the conversational opener relevant and respectful.
How many people are turned off by preachers who just condemn the listeners for the wrong in their lives, the gospel is suppose to be good news. By showing some respect, which is not the same as agreeing with everything someone does, you perhaps open the door to be heard and listened to.

 

[Stumpmaster]

I have always looked at Paul’s letters ect from the cultural aspect, he knew who his audience was when he conveyed the truth. He didn’t rush in and just preach, he looked around, observed, he made the conversational opener relevant and respectful.
How many people are turned off by preachers who just condemn the listeners for the wrong in their lives, the gospel is suppose to be good news. By showing some respect, which is not the same as agreeing with everything someone does, you perhaps open the door to be heard and listened to.

I've always appreciated the phrasing in these verses:

• Paul's manner of going to the synagogue
• His reasoning with them out of the Scriptures
• His opening and alleging (explaining and demonstrating) the person of Christ.

Act 17:1-4 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: (2) And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, (3) Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. (4) And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.

 

[quietthinker]

Here's an example of Torch of Christ ministries' Phillip Blair preaching the gospel.

Paul had an audience that willingly listened to him....he talked to them...although they might have had different views.
Talking at people does a disservice to the gospel under the guise of it being a witness for him.....be they ever so sincere.

Today people in the western world are saturated with 'christianity' so the approach that drew an audience in times gone by today pushes them away.
We are to be fishers of men....and a fisher uses bait to attract his object. He doesn't flail the water in the hope of catching fish. That very process would drive the fish away.

The idea of being shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves needs to be given more thought.

 

[Lambano]

How does 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 fit into this outline?

1 Now I make known to you, brothers and sisters, the gospel which I preached to you, which you also received, in which you also stand,
2 by which you also are saved, if you hold firmly to the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.
3 For I handed down to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,…