Acts 5:42
DATE: 4 Mar, 2001
PM
PLACE: BBC Blarney
I.
Introduction (Acts 5:41-6:1)
A.
I am not against inviting people to church. I am not against membership
campaigns that churches may carry out. However, I do want you to notice that
Bible does not say that the early church endeavored to multiply the number of
the disciples. What it does say that every day, publicly and privately, they
told people about Jesus Christ. The result, as we find from the next verse, was
that "the number of the disciples was multiplied."
B.
One of the mistakes of church building is that church growth should not
be the primary goal. We should not wait until we get enough good workers to
start a soul-winning program. We should be winning souls no matter how many
people we have in our churches.
C.
There are a number of other wrong ideas people have when the subject of
soul-winning comes to mind. Let me give some truths about soul-winning this
morning that will correct some of those misconceptions.
II.
Message
A.
Soul-Winning Is A Command, Not A Spiritual Gift (Mt 28:19,20)
1.
We should carry out the command
a.
It is not a suggestion to consider; it's a
command!
b.
You don't need to pray about whether or not you
should do it. You just DO it!
2.
We should coach our converts
a.
Look at Matt. 28:20 -- teaching THEM to observe
ALL things whatsoever I have commanded YOU -- that includes Matt. 28:19-20!
b.
A pastor in North Carolina told me in an email
this morning that his people had NEVER had any training in soul-winning. Thank
God, they are implementing our soul-winning training program at his church THIS
AFTERNOON.
c.
Another pastor in Georgia told me that HE had
never been trained to win souls. He has plans to start up a training program
with our materials soon.
B.
Soul-Winning Is Chief, Not Secondary (1Tim 1:15)
1.
It was the motivation of Christ
a.
He came into this world to save sinners.
b.
He lived without sin so He could die as a
sacrifice for sinners.
c.
He died on the cross for sinners.
d.
He rose again for sinners.
2.
It is the mission of the church (Mt 4:19; 2 Cor
5:20)
3.
It is the main emphasis of the church. Every
ministry of the church is either to win souls or to strengthen Christians so
that they are able to win souls.
C.
Soul-Winning Is Charity, Not Solicitation (Rom 6:23)
1.
Some businesses today try to forbid soul-winning
on their promises with a posted notice against solicitation. However,
soul-winning is NOT solicitation. To solicit is to ask for or plead for,
especially in reference to receiving payment or money.
2.
We offer a FANTASTIC gift - Eternal life!
3.
We offer a FREE gift
a.
It is free, but it's not cheap!
b.
It was paid for by the most precious substance
in the universe -- the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
c.
You can't buy it. You can't earn it. You can't
work in order to get it.
d.
You can only get it by receiving it as a free
gift from God by faith in Christ Jesus.
D.
Soul-Winning Is Cooperation, Not Single Effort (1Cor 3:6)
1.
We cooperate with our Saviour (1Cor 3:9; 6:1)
2.
We cooperate with other soul-winners (1Cor 3:6;
Lk 10:1; Eccl 4:9)
E.
Soul-Winning Is Continuous, Not Sporadic (Acts 5:42)
1.
It should be daily. I'm for churches having a
night for organized soul-winning visitation, but we should be winning souls
every day!
2.
It should be deliberate
a.
Jesus told His disciples to follow Him, and He
would make them fishers of men.
b.
People don't catch fish by accident; they catch
them on purpose.
c.
The reason Christians don't win souls is that
they do not make a deliberate choice and plan to do it.
3.
Let's do it! Let's go after sinners!
Dr. Jack Hyles went to be with the Lord almost two weeks ago. Years ago
he wrote the following little poem:
INCOMPLETE
Like a fire with no glow,
Like a winter with no snow,
Like a river with no flow,
Like a conviction without a "NO,"
Like an oar without a row,
Like a wind without a blow,
Like a scale without a do,
Like a pitcher without a throw,
Like a harvest without a sow,
Like a trip without a go,
Like a kneader without dough,
Like a Santa without a Ho,
Like excess without overflow,
Like a foot without a toe,
Like a gardener without a hoe,
Like a cock without a crow,
Like a con without a pro,
Like a high without a low,
Like a truth without a know,
Like a fast without a slow,
Like a buck without a doe,
Like an actor without a show,
Like above without below,
Like a to without a fro,
Like violins without a bow,
IS A CHRISTIAN WHO WILL NOT GO.
Jack Hyles