Christian and Larry Lovelust
Topic: Preacher's Progress
Scene setting: Christian and Larry are neighbors who bump into each other at the post offfice.

Christian: "Hey Larry. Good to see you again."

Larry Lovelust: "Hey, Christian. What's up?

Christian: "Heaven. Do you still think you will be going there?"

Larry Lovelust: "Sure, I told you, I'm as good as any Christian."

Christian: "That wasn't the case the last time we spoke. Have you forgotten how you had broken all those Commandments we went through? Are you still lusting after women?"

Larry Lovelust: "Absolutely. I love it. What you see as lust, I see as pleasure. There's nothing wrong with looking at a woman and thinking she's gorgeous."

Christian: "That's right. There's nothing wrong with that. But remember what I told you. God says that there is something wrong with lusting after her. He calls it adultery of the heart."

Larry Lovelust:"So, how do you know the difference?"

Christian: "Your conscience. It will tell you when 'look' changes to 'lust,' if you listen to it."

Larry Lovelust: "Well, like I said, it sure gives me a lot of pleasure."

Christian:"Just because it gives you pleasure doesn't mean it's right. Lots of things can give a person pleasure-like arson, or an exciting bank robbery. It can be an adrenaline rush for some people, with a big reward at the end if you can outwit the police. Did you know that Jesus said if your eye causes you to sin, it would be better to pluck it out rather than let that sin take you to hell?"

Larry Lovelust: "I don't think God will send me to hell for just looking at a women. Wow-look at that one. #!@&*!"

Christian: "Larry. Look at me for a minute. God won't send you to hell for just looking at women, but He will send you to hell for lusting after them, committing adultery with them in your heart. Listen, I hate to end our conversation like this, but I've got to go. Here my card with phone number on it. Give me a call the day you're going to die. Then we can talk more about eternity."

Larry Lovelust: "Huh? I don't know when I'm going to die."

Christian: "Exactly. Thanks for talking with me. Bye."

Be sensitive about when to end a conversation. If Larry wants to talk further, make sure you do so, but don't give him the message of God's forgiveness unless he begins to show some concern about his salvation. Lust is such a blinding and powerful sin, and a man will not want to let it go unless he becomes convinced that it's in his best interest to do so. Hell's a very good reason to do so.

Use the analogy of lust being like a sparkling stick of dynamite in a child's hand. He loves the sparkle and holds it with delight in front of his face, not realizing that it will kill him. Lust sparkles before the face of the unsaved, but it brings terrible destruction. The Bible says that "when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death" (James 1:15). Try to awaken your hearers with the Law and turn them to the Savior with boldness and compassion.

Christian and Larry Lovelust
Topic: Preacher's Progress
Scene setting: Christian and Larry are neighbors who bump into each other at the post offfice.

Christian: "Hey Larry. Good to see you again."

Larry Lovelust: "Hey, Christian. What's up?

Christian: "Heaven. Do you still think you will be going there?"

Larry Lovelust: "Sure, I told you, I'm as good as any Christian."

Christian: "That wasn't the case the last time we spoke. Have you forgotten how you had broken all those Commandments we went through? Are you still lusting after women?"

Larry Lovelust: "Absolutely. I love it. What you see as lust, I see as pleasure. There's nothing wrong with looking at a woman and thinking she's gorgeous."

Christian: "That's right. There's nothing wrong with that. But remember what I told you. God says that there is something wrong with lusting after her. He calls it adultery of the heart."

Larry Lovelust:"So, how do you know the difference?"

Christian: "Your conscience. It will tell you when 'look' changes to 'lust,' if you listen to it."

Larry Lovelust: "Well, like I said, it sure gives me a lot of pleasure."

Christian:"Just because it gives you pleasure doesn't mean it's right. Lots of things can give a person pleasure-like arson, or an exciting bank robbery. It can be an adrenaline rush for some people, with a big reward at the end if you can outwit the police. Did you know that Jesus said if your eye causes you to sin, it would be better to pluck it out rather than let that sin take you to hell?"

Larry Lovelust: "I don't think God will send me to hell for just looking at a women. Wow-look at that one. #!@&*!"

Christian: "Larry. Look at me for a minute. God won't send you to hell for just looking at women, but He will send you to hell for lusting after them, committing adultery with them in your heart. Listen, I hate to end our conversation like this, but I've got to go. Here my card with phone number on it. Give me a call the day you're going to die. Then we can talk more about eternity."

Larry Lovelust: "Huh? I don't know when I'm going to die."

Christian: "Exactly. Thanks for talking with me. Bye."

Be sensitive about when to end a conversation. If Larry wants to talk further, make sure you do so, but don't give him the message of God's forgiveness unless he begins to show some concern about his salvation. Lust is such a blinding and powerful sin, and a man will not want to let it go unless he becomes convinced that it's in his best interest to do so. Hell's a very good reason to do so.

Use the analogy of lust being like a sparkling stick of dynamite in a child's hand. He loves the sparkle and holds it with delight in front of his face, not realizing that it will kill him. Lust sparkles before the face of the unsaved, but it brings terrible destruction. The Bible says that "when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death" (James 1:15). Try to awaken your hearers with the Law and turn them to the Savior with boldness and compassion.

Preacher's Progress;Christian and Mrs. Smith
Topic: Preacher's Progress
The characters: Christian and Mrs. Smith
Scene setting: Christian goes to his friend Erik's workplace, and greets the receptionist, Mrs. Smith.

Christian: "Hi Mrs. Smith. How are you doing? I'm here to see Erik."

Mrs Smith: "Are you two having lunch again? I havn't seen him come through the lobby today. He came into work last week with a bad hangover. Proably the same thing has happened today. How was Church?"

Christian: "It was really good. We had Brother Don Waterdowns come in and do a series of miracle meetings. Hundreds gave their hearts to the Lord. I'm in charge of the follow-up program. Man, I didn't realize how easy it is to get people saved! Lots were getting blessed and people were coming to the alter without even being preached to,"

Mrs Smith: "What a blessing. We had him at our church too. He advocates 'non-comfrontational friendship evangelism."

Christian: "Yes. I like that. It's what I've been using with Erik. We've become good buddies over the years."

Mrs. Smith: "I like that approach too. It's so much better than shoving the gospel down people's throats."

Christian: "True. That can alienate them. I'm waiting for the right time to bring up the subject of God with Erik. It's been two years now. I don't want to make him feel uncomfortable. Erik came to one of the meetings, and he really seemed to enjoy it. That's the good thing about non-comfrontational evangelism. Maybe today he will bring up the subject. I never do, because I don't want to offend him. I'm just a good friend, and I think that's the right approach."

Mrs. Smith: "I agree. I'll call his secretary. Perhaps she will know why he's late."

Christian: "Okay, Thanks."

Mrs. Smith: "Jeannie, Rose Smith here. Is Erik in? Christian Loveless is here to see...."

Christian: "What's wrong? Your face has turned pale!"

Mrs. Smith: "I...I'm afraid Erik died during the night. He had an aneurysm in his sleep and was pronounced dead at 8:17 this morning..."

Friendship evangelism that doesn't seek a way to quickly tell people about their eternal fate is the ultimate betrayal of trust. How can we call ourselves a friend of someone we don't bother to warn of terrible danger? Friends don't let friends go to hell.