In-flight Gospel

After two weeks visit to USA, I was on my way back to India via Dubai. I just boarded a flight and was about to take my seat. Since I wanted to read the Bible on board the flight, I took my big beautiful Bible and placed it on my seat, a window seat, that required a passenger on the aisle to stand. In the process, that passenger, young man, noticed my big beautiful Book. He was curious and asked me what it was. I joyfully told him that it was my Bible. This short and simple conversation opened the door for further conversation.

I say down on my window seat and fastened my seat belt. As he also sat down on his aisle seat, I asked him if he was a Christian to which he replied in the affirmative. Immediately, an impulse in me prompted to continue the conversation, which I did. As I asked him if he ever prayed or read the Bible, he gestured to me the sign of the cross as the Catholic does and said he was a Catholic. But to my question on Bible reading, he honestly replied that he has not been reading for long. This set the tone for gospel preaching.

I shared briefly on how I got saved. I emphasised the matter by using the term "born again" in the human spirit of the Spirit of God. I also made it clear to him that all man were born sinners and differentiat between being from a Christian background and being born again. I then preached a simple and short gospel using the following five Bible verses.

God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truthfulness. (John 4:24, RecVer)

That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; For with the heart there is believing unto righteousness, and with the mouth there is confession unto salvation.” (Romans 10:9-10, RecVer)

For “whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13, RecVer)

And the God of peace Himself sanctify you wholly, and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5:23, RecVer)

He who believes and is baptized shall be saved, but he who does not believe shall be condemned. (Mark 16:16, RecVer)

The Bible speaks by itself and for itself. I simple used the words of the Bible and preached the gospel to him. He was so receptive. Then I asked him if he would like to receive the Lord Jesus Christ. Since he said yes, I led him to pray and receive the Lord Jesus as his personal God and Saviour. 

Then, our flight from Los Angeles took off for Dubai. Later, his mother came and changed his seat for him and his younger brother as the flight has ample number if vacant seats. As he left, he gave me his email for further contact.

By the way, he hails from Lebanon and is planing to study in Poland. From the brief conversation and his appearance, he seemed to be from a wealthy family. May the Lord gain this young man and make him a seed for His testimony in Lebanon!

One thing I realised is that, in gospel preaching, simply exercise your spirit and just preach. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ and Christ is the One we are preaching. Had I waited to settle down before I preached, as it was a fifteen and half hour long flight, I would have missed the opportunity as his seat was changed after the flight was high up in the sky. Thank God, I grasped the opportunity in time. 

Lord, preserve this young man and make me faithful in my gospel service. 

May this in-flight gospel service be a turning point to him for a changed life and to me too, for change in the way I preach the gospel.