2.  This time of year most homeowners are busy making their yard look “nice.”  “adorn”: “to make more pleasing, attractive, impressive; to enhance, beautify; to garnish…”  Satan knows the value of “adornment”: Gen. 3:5- 6; Prov. 23:31-32; 6:25  God expects Christians to “adorn” the gospel, to make it attractive to others: Matt. 5:14-16; Phil. 1:27; 1 Pet. 3:3-4; Rom. 2:24 2

4.  We need to care about the message we are sending the world by our manner of life: 2 Cor. 3:2-3; 1 Pet. 2:12; Matt. 5:16; Eph. 2:10; Titus 2:14  We are to “walk in” “good works”: Eph. 2:10 Share the gospel: Acts 8:4 Share the gospel: Acts 8:4 “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Acts 26:29; Matt. 25:31-46; Jas. 1:27 “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Acts 26:29; Matt. 25:31-46; Jas. 1:27 Our life in general: 1 Pet. 2:12; 2 Cor. 8:21; Phil. 2:14-15 Our life in general: 1 Pet. 2:12; 2 Cor. 8:21; Phil. 2:14-15 4 Adorning the Gospel

5.  Love should totally differentiate Christians from people of the world: Jn. 13:34-35  God uses love to make the gospel attractive: Jn. 3:16; Rom. 5:8; 8:31-32; 2 Cor. 5:14  Hatred and bitterness makes the gospel unattractive: Gal. 5:14-15; Heb. 12:15; Eph. 4:31-32; Num. 14:1ff; Phil. 2:14-15 5 Adorning the Gospel

6.  Our manner of speech is critical! Prov. 18:21; Jas. 3:1- 12 Seasoned: Col. 4:8; Jas. 1:19 Seasoned: Col. 4:8; Jas. 1:19 Wise: Psa. 37:30 Wise: Psa. 37:30 Wholesome: Prov. 15:4 Wholesome: Prov. 15:4 Knowledgeable: Prov. 15:7 Knowledgeable: Prov. 15:7 Fit: Prov. 25:11 Fit: Prov. 25:11 Gracious: Eccl. 10:12-14 Gracious: Eccl. 10:12-14  Our speech reveals our heart: Matt. 12:34-37  Strive to build up with our speech: Eph. 4:29, 32 6 Adorning the Gospel

7.  Jesus prayed for unity: Jn. 17:20-21  Paul pleaded for unity: 1 Cor. 1:10  God gave a plan for unity: Eph. 4:4-6  The Jerusalem church had unity: Acts 4:32  Unity is good and pleasant: Psa. 133:1  Must work at it! It’s important! Eph. 4:3; Jn. 17:21 7 Adorning the Gospel

8.  Everybody seeks peace of mind: “There is no greater wealth in this world than peace of mind.”  Peace of mind should characterize every Christian: Phil. 4:4, 6-7  How do we find it in this crazy world? Matt. 6:33-34; Heb. 13:5-6  Our example is ineffective when we don’t exhibit peace of mind: Rom. 8:31-32; Phil. 4:11 8 Adorning the Gospel

9.  Gentiles were not attracted to Judaism because of the inconsistency of the Jews: Rom. 2:17-24  Some of our common inconsistencies:  Forsake assembly: Acts 2:42; Heb. 10:25  Worship w/bitter heart: Matt. 5:23-24  Fail to love brethren: 1 Jn. 4:20-21  Lack of spirituality: Col. 3:1-3  Nothing more quickly destroys our effectiveness than inconsistencies in our lives. 9 Adorning the Gospel

10.  Paul exemplified consecration and devotion to Christ: Gal. 2:20; 1 Cor. 9:27  No chance for us to attract folks to the gospel if we only make a half-hearted attempt ourselves. 10 Adorning the Gospel

11.  One of the human traits we most admire is “stick-with-it-ness”: 1 Cor. 15:58; 1 Pet. 3:15; 2 Tim. 4:2  Christians who are constant have a big impact on the local work and attract people to the truth. 11 Adorning the Gospel

12.  The world is littered with talented failures! Why? Lack of effort!  Half-hearted Christians will never attract anyone to the gospel.  Lukewarmness made the church at Laodicea unattractive: Rev. 3:14-22  The widow who gave two mites did her best: Mk. 12:41-44  Even though we are imperfect, we can still make the gospel appealing by giving our best. 12 Adorning the Gospel

13.  We have the power to make the gospel attractive to others.  We have the truth! God’s word!  But we can detract or attract others from the truth by our lives.  Which will it be?! 13