Soul Winning Sermon – Four Essentials for the Soul Winner. By: Preacher Petras
A. Ever since Jesus gave His apostles the great commission Mark 16:15-16 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned., soul saving has been an important topic.
1. This is not limited to the apostles … “Go ye” means go me.
2. Preaching the gospel is God’s method of saving souls, and we need to do our best in carrying this out.
A few years ago the news media focused our attention to the tragedy in Midland, where 18 month old Jessica McClure fell down an abandoned well in the backyard of their home. The whole community, the whole nation, and some from around the world showed their interest and concern for this little girl and her parents. On Friday evening, the news media began televising the entire rescue operation. After being in the well some 58 hours, young Jessica was brought out alive. It was a dramatic moment for those present, as they began to shout and clap. Emotion was high in homes that were watching the rescue, and I dare say there was not a dry eye anywhere among those that were watching. It was heart-breaking to think of such a small child in a dark well, but a joyous moment when she was rescued.
Now, if we can be that interested in the welfare of a little girl’s physical life, WHY can’t we be just half as concerned about the spiritual life of our friends and neighbors who are lost in the darkness of sin ?
C. As we will see in our lesson of the hour, to save souls we must:
1. Be RIGHT
2. Look to God for MIGHT
3. Preach it with faith and SIGHT
4. Attack the devil with great FIGHT
D. Your special attention is desired as we look closely at these four important words
II. Discussion
A. A SOUL WINNER MUST BE RIGHT
1. In soul winning we must be right in doctrine
a. There are many who spend many dedicated hours promoting error and the doctrines of men
1) But Jesus said … Matthew 15:13 But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted
2) 1 Timothy 6:3-5 If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself. … Paul warns against teaching error
b. There are those who feel that doctrine is not important, and they devise creed books based on the teachings of men and traditions
1) They blindly encourage their hearers to accept such doctrines, and they fail to understand that doing such cuts them off from God.
2) 2 John 9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. )
3) 1 Corinthians 9:16 For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!
4) Galatians 1:6-10 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bond servant of Christ.
5) Jude 3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.
2. In soul winning we must also be right in life
a. How can we ever lead one to Christ when we are not setting the right example – without living Christ-like?
b. 1 Timothy 4:12 Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
1) These six things represent the way one lives
2) When our lives are right, people see Jesus living in us
c. Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
d. If Christ has not changed our lives, how can we expect to change the lives of others?
3. In soul winning we must be right in attitude
a. It is possible to present the truth to one and still fail because it was done with the wrong attitude.
b. Ephesians 4:15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—
c. The wrong attitude can hid the light of the Gospel under a bushel
d. When Jesus taught the woman at the well about true worship, He did not teach truth only, but said … John 4:24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
1) Jesus also said … John 8:32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”, and even though it is the truth that will set us free, the right attitude is critical to the whole process
2) People must see that we truly love their souls
4. In soul winning it is essential that we be right in doctrine, life and attitude!
B. A SOUL WINNER MUST HAVE MIGHT
1. We can’t bring souls to Christ solely by our own might, we must rely on the power of God and the power of His written word.
2. To rely on the power of God, we must turn to Him in prayer
a. The greatest soul winner of all times was the apostle Paul.
b. What was the secret to his success? … Ephesians 3:14-19 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
c. He summed up the source of his strength in Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
3. Might is also received from the power of God’s word.
a. Some feel that the word is not powerful enough, therefore they seek supernatural things.
b. However, even in the miraculous age, the word of God was always the source of power in conversion
c. Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
d. Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
4. We may be tempted in soul saving to believe that our ability, our strength, and our method represent the power, but this is not true – the power rests in God and His word, and on this we must rely.
C. A SOUL WINNER MUST HAVE SIGHT
1. To be a successful soul winner we must be able to look beyond the present and into eternity.
2. Therefore, our sight must include faith in God
a. Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
b. The goal of every soul winner is to point the ones being taught to a holy life while on earth, and to an eternal one in heaven
c. This can be done only when we truly believe the promises of the Bible
d. All the heroes of faith listed in Hebrews 11 “… died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Hebrews 11:13).
e. They had a sight that was not limited to this physical earth, but a faith that penetrated even into eternity.
3. One’s sight must include faith in man.
a. Even though Jesus teaches that the majority will be lost Matthew 7:14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it., there is always a few that will respond, and we must believe this in soul winning.
b. Even though seed falls by the wayside, and some are choked out by thorns, and some will not produce because of the stones, there will always be good ground which will produce fruit (Matthew 13:1-23).
4. Isaiah 55:11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. … in soul winning we must have sight – having faith in God and man.
D. IN SOUL WINNING MUST HAVE FIGHT
1. Souls have to be won from the devil and sin, and this represents a forceful battle.
a. Just as an army goes forth to fight, Christians are also sent forth
b. Mark 16:15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
2. It is not easy to teach most sinners to the point that they will give up sin, but with a strong battle waged, some can be won.
a. With prayer and the word, the devil can be defeated if we are willing to fight
b. Jesus was able to defeat Satan in battle using the word Matthew 4:1-11, and we can fight with the same sword.
3. The question that each of us must answer is, “Are you willing to fight?”
a. It is sad but true that many want to win the battle without a fight
b. They want sin to surrender without going through the pains of battle
c. 1 Timothy 1:18 This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare,
4. Soul winning must also include the fighting of error
a. Paul was a fighter for the Lord, and he fought to win
b. 1 Corinthians 9:26-27 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
c. We must never forget that error blinds and condemns the soul, but truth sets it free John 8:32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
d. When we become lax and stop fighting the battle, error is spread more rapidly
e. Therefore, we must be good soldiers in the Lord’s army and fight courageously if we are to win souls
III. Conclusion
A. I hope that all of you want to be a soul winner for Jesus, and you will recognize the essentiality of these four great principles: RIGHT, MIGHT, SIGHT, and FIGHT.
B. May we all put a valiant effort to save souls on God’s terms!
