“strive
not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers”
2 Timothy 2:14
March 6th, 2011 AM
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
I.
Introduction (Acts 26:18)
A.
Our
generation needs soul-winners
1.
People who
can win people over to believing the truth of the Bible
2.
People who
don’t just believe the Bible in their heads, but with all their hearts
3.
People who
will gladly sacrifice anything and everything for the cause of souls
4.
People who
have learned what to say to win the argument against sin
5.
It is not a
simple, “1-2-3, Pray after me” routine.
6.
There is
some serious explaining that we need to do
7.
Just like
they did in the First Century
B.
There are
Five Facts, or Five Truths that every man, woman, and child needs to hear
from the mouth of a soul-winner so that they can become born all over again,
in their heart
C.
Those truths
can be boiled down to single words that can mean the difference between lost
and found, damned or forgiven, religious or saved!
II.
Message – Seven Facts Every
Soul Must Know
A.
The FACT of Sin - Sin is
Serious Stuff
1.
The Sin
Question – What is Sin?
a.
Sin is the
breaking of God’s laws
(1John 3:4) There are some things that are mistakes
b.
But all
disobedience is sin
(Romans 5:19)
c.
Sins
everyone commits include:
1)
Lying
2)
Stealing
3)
Blaspheming
God’s name
4)
Disobedience
towards parents
d.
Those aren’t
up for debate – we all know those are absolute right and wrongs
e.
No matter
how few sins a person is guilty of, they are still a sinner
1)
Just as with
an apple tree – no matter how few fruits there are on the tree, it is still
an apple tree
2)
Even if
there is no fruit yet on the tree, it still is an apple tree
3)
It took only
ONE sin of disobedience for Adam and Eve to lose
4)
How many
acts of disobedience have YOU committed?
2.
Our sins
have gotten us in trouble with God (Heb 9:27)
a.
Even though
we live in a generation that has moved beyond “sin consciousness” – they may
be numb to guilt (or at least they think they are), and reject any reference
to them being at fault! But they are in serious trouble with the Creator of
this universe!
b.
People’s
conscience is seared (1Tim 4:2; Eph 4:19)
c.
People need
to be reminded about what they once knew to be true – that we are all
sinners!
d.
God wrote
that fact in our conscience
e.
That fact
needs to be stirred up by showing them God’s words!
3.
The Sin
Scriptures
a.
Romans
3:10,12
b.
Romans 3:23
c.
Ezek 18:20
“The soul that sinneth, it shall die.”
d.
John 3:18
“He that believeth on
him is not condemned: but he that believeth not
is condemned already, because
he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
B.
The Fact of Hell -
Hell is Righteous – it is God’s Penalty
for Our Sin
1.
God’s
justice demands that sin be paid for. God does not and will not just
“overlook” our sin record, anymore than a judge should overlook the record
of a mugger or a murderer. We wouldn’t respect a god who just “loved”
everybody and just let everyone into His heaven without a change happening
first!
2.
The Sin
Price (Romans 6:23)
a.
Someone has
to pay for sin
b.
In this life
- We reap what we sow
1)
Tickets for
wrong driving
2)
Bills for
constantly buying on credit
3)
Bad health
for smoking and drinking
4)
Lose of our
marriage and family because of pornography and adultery
c.
And for
eternity (Rev 21:8)
3.
The Soul
Question – What Pays for sin?
a.
You, will
live forever – the REAL you!
b.
You have a
soul that was made in the image of God, which will never die
1)
That is the
part of you that will suffer the punishment of your sins for eternity in a
devil’s hell
2)
Eternal
punishment because the sins you committed were against an eternal being –
against God!
3)
Someone was
once quoted, “If we can’t fix this, then there will be hell to pay!”
4)
Folks,
people need to know that beyond a shadow of a doubt, that if they don’t get
their sins forgiven, ALL of them, BEFORE death, then there really WILL be
hell to pay!
c.
Romans 6:23,
“For the wages of sin is death.”
d.
Sin must be
paid for.
4.
What is hell
like? (Luke 16:19-31)
a.
It holds the
souls of sinners
b.
It is a
furnace
c.
It is
dark
d.
It is
tormenting
e.
It is
everlasting
f.
Hell was
created for the devil and his angels (Mt 25:41)
g.
Yet it is
full of souls who never were forgiven! Who never wanted to follow Jesus, and
who thought they would be just fine at the judgment!
5.
Jesus
warned of hell!
a.
Mat 10:28
And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul:
but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
b.
Mat 23:33
Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of
hell?
6.
This
generation had better start believing in HELL again! The more a person
believes in hell, the faster they will flee from it to Jesus!!!
C.
The Condition of Mankind
- Lost - No One Can Save Themselves
1.
Jesus tells
the story of a lost sheep
a.
Could not
find its way home
b.
The good
shepherd went out and found that lost sheep, and in spite of the wolves, and
the dangers in the wilderness, brought that sheep home!
c.
Your family,
your neighbours, this community needs to see themselves as that lost sheep
d.
They can
have church, and prayer meetings – they can give and read their missals –
they can go on pilgrimages
e.
But unless
JESUS finds them and saves them, they will die in their sins!
2.
There are
Three things that cannot save a person
a.
Ignorance
will not save you
1)
Just
ignoring the truth, or taking no notice of it
2)
Pretending
that the Bible is not true, and that Jesus never lived and died, will not
take away the guilt and drop hell’s temperature one degree
b.
Good works
cannot save you
1)
Ephesians
2:8,9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:
it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
c.
Religion
cannot save you
1)
Isaiah 64:6
“all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags”
2)
All the
praying in the world cannot make up for just one sin against God
3)
Try as you
may, all the rosary beads, all the holy water, all the religious
pilgrimages, all the money in the world, all the incense, all put together
cannot pay off one single act of disobedience against the holy God of
heaven!
4)
None of it
will do you any good at all, at all at the judgment!
3.
Jump out of
an airplane with nothing but your naked skin and see if you can save
yourself! You HAVE to have a parachute, or you are doomed!
4.
The same is
true about obtaining forgiveness from God for all your sins
D.
The Fact of Jesus -
There is Only One Hope – One Way to Escape
Hell
1.
It has been
that way from the start
a.
Adam and Eve in the Garden
of
b.
They needed
the SKINS of innocent animals, who willingly died in their place
2.
Jesus Christ
is THE Lamb of God
(John 1:29) – He made full payment for all our sins
a.
He came and
lived a perfect life, died a perfect death, innocent, and without sin, and
then three days later arose from the dead, completely victorious over sin
b.
And He wants
to save you now!
c.
If you will
take Him as he is, He will take you as YOU are!
d.
Jesus is the
Sure Hope – not a guess, or a religious stab in the dark. Not a feeling, or
a wish. He is the means by which an eternal decision is made in heaven!
3.
Remember,
sin has condemned everyone in the world
4.
So, you can
either pay for it yourself or accept Jesus’ payment for it.
5.
Jesus took
upon Himself the sins of the whole world.
6.
And because
of His death, burial and resurrection, he can give forgiveness to anybody as
a gift
7.
Forgiveness
of sins is a GIFT! All you have to do is receive it for it to be yours
forever!
8.
John 14:6 “I
am THE way…”!
9.
Romans 5:8
says, "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us."
E.
The Need to Repent
(Isaiah 55:7)
1.
Isaiah 55:7
“Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and
let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our
God, for he will abundantly pardon.”
2.
Mark 2:17
“When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need
of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous,
but sinners to repentance.”
3.
Be very
ashamed and sorry for your sins and your disobedience against God
4.
Admit you do
not deserve heaven, but do deserve God’s righteous punishment
5.
Repentance
is the first right step of a sinner (2Peter 3:9)
F.
The Ability to Believe
1.
John 3:16
says all we have to do is BELIEVE!
2.
Romans
10:9,10 “BELIEVE in
thine heart…”
3.
Romans 10:13
“For WHOSOEVER shall
call upon the name of the
Lord, shall be saved”
4.
Romans 10:11
“Whosoever believeth on him shall not be
ashamed.”
5.
1John 5:12
“He that hath the Son hath
life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”
6.
1John 5:13
“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of
God; that ye may know
that ye have eternal
life”
7.
Romans
6:23b, "...but the gift of God is
eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
a.
Explain that
God's gift is eternal life.
b.
A gift
doesn't cost the receiver anything, but the giver must pay for it.
Now, let's see what it cost Jesus to give us the gift of eternal life.
8.
Because of
the PROMISE of the God, anybody is allowed to pray, and ask Jesus Christ to
save them, and they then can know for certain, beyond any shadow of a doubt
that they are completely forgiven, and can start to finally live!
G.
The Fact of Now - You
Must Decide Today (2Cor 6:2)
1.
There is no
guarantee of tomorrow – of another chance
2.
You know
enough to believe on Jesus Christ right now
3.
But not with
just a flippant “okay” attitude, but “O God!” attitude
a.
You see, the
devils already believe in God – but they are still doomed
b.
You must go
to God in prayer as guilty, and condemned, and ask Him for Jesus’ sake to
forgive you of all your sins
4.
Receive the
free gift that Jesus has purchased for you
a.
Romans 10:13
b.
Explain that
"whosoever" means "anyone".
It means YOUR NAME! Explain what it means to "call on the name of the
Lord." It means "to call out in order to trust."
5.
Do not let
people die in their sins
a.
Press upon
them the urgency of NOW
b.
Compel them
to “come in” to heaven and find forgiveness
c.
Urge them
that God is waiting – don’t make Him wait any longer!
III.
Conclusion
A.
Seven Words
– That express eternal truths that can convince people of
sin, and that they must be born again!
1.
The Fact of
SIN - Sin is Serious Stuff
2.
The Fact of
HELL - Hell is Righteous – it
is God’s Penalty for Our Sin
3.
The
Condition of Mankind - LOST -
No One Can Save Themselves
4.
The Fact of
JESUS - There is Only One Hope
– One Way to Escape Hell
5.
The Need to
REPENT
6.
The Ability
to BELIEVE
7.
The Fact of
NOW - You Must Decide Today
B.
Work through
those seven thoughts as you talk to people about their soul, and remember
the things that go with each word, and you will plant some serious seed in
the hearts of every hearer!
IV.
Five Rules for the Soul-Winner
A.
Do not be
afraid
1.
People must
meet Christians who are thoroughly convinced of these truths
2.
Ask God for
boldness and courage like the disciples did after Pentecost!
B.
Do not be
hesitant
1.
Go ahead and
be a fool for Christ
2.
Let people
make fun of you
3.
It is YOU
who has the truth, and actually cares enough to take the mockery!
4.
If you don’t
take the persecution, it will only prove that you don’t care enough about
souls!
C.
Do not be
unprepared – learn every Scripture you can so that you are ready
1.
Carry Gospel
Leaflets with you, everywhere
2.
Memorize
Gospel Scriptures
D.
Do not be
unbelieving
1.
Don’t hand
someone a Gospel leaflet and not believe that they can get saved
2.
Don’t start
soul-winning, and then quit when it gets tough
3.
Don’t give
up on people that you get to know and get burdened about – don’t ever quit
trying to open their eyes!
E.
Do not be
too busy!
1.
Someone was
not too busy for YOU!
2.
Someone took
the time to pray for you, and talk to you, and put up with your mockery and
stupidity