“I Get it! Jesus Paid the Fine!” – Southampton Evangelism
It was a beautiful afternoon in Southampton as ten of us gathered to share the good news. The city was busy, but not too busy, as the summer holidays had ended and many were back at school and work.
Richard commenced the preaching by speaking on “The Power of Words.” I am always impressed that this man, now in his eighties, is still proclaiming Christ. He is an example to all Christians of keeping on pressing towards the Saviour.
As I looked around, I noticed that many team members were engaged in gospel conversations. Over at the table, people were stopping; others had received tracts and were now talking about Jesus. It is always encouraging to see the gospel spread in a variety of ways.
I was the next preacher; today, I spoke on “God and Man.” In this talk, I sought to show that God is the Creator, but that we have turned our backs on Him. A few people listened, with four of them taking John’s Gospel afterwards.
Two young men on bicycles were listening, and they wanted to chat. At first, they seemed to want a bit of a laugh, so one of them said, “I’m looking for Jesus!” I replied, “You need Jesus to look for you!” This opened the way for a conversation about how Christ came down from Heaven, seeking to save sinners.
The young men both admitted they weren’t perfect, but they were confident they were good enough for Heaven. Going through the Ten Commandments, we considered how God defines sin, and then we spoke of His justice. The lads acknowledged that they deserved Hell, but they weren’t sure how to be forgiven.
Using the illustration of someone robbing a bank, only to have the bank manager pay the fine in court, the boys began to understand the gospel. As I spoke about someone paying the fine on behalf of the guilty, one of them suddenly exclaimed, “I get it! Jesus paid the fine!”
Both took John’s Gospel and shook my hand. They had gone from wanting to mock to listening seriously to the good news.
Next up to preach was Paul Adams of Open Air Campaigners USA. He did a fine job preaching on “What is Sure?” He explained certain truths that are absolutely certain, and he engaged with common arguments and doubts people often have.
After this, Jeremy preached on “The Message of the Cross.” One lady who listened was quite broken by the message. Through tears, she spoke with one of the team members about the Lord Jesus.
To finish the outreach, Tony preached on the question, “What Will You Do With Jesus?” In a short and clear way, he encouraged everyone to “Behold, the Lamb of God!” (John 1:29).
The Lord was once again kind to the people of Southampton. Please join us in praying for all those who heard the good news.
SDG!
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Josh Williamson is a full-time evangelist with The Open-Air Mission. Since 1853, OAM has been sharing the good news on the streets of the United Kingdom. To stay updated about the work of the Mission, please sign up for the free quarterly magazine and monthly prayer notes.
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