Culture Series, Week 4

Amen, we're continuing our culture series tonight. We're talking about the culture of a soul winner And I'll get to your handout in in a moment Over the years I have read Great number of books I used to be a bit more of an avid reader than I am now But some time ago I stumbled upon an author that I became quite fond of Admittedly while I wouldn't prescribe to all of his theological teaching the majority of his writing is on the subject of missions And he was born in Great Britain but left for the country of India in 1934 where he would spend the next 40 years of his life serving as a missionary When he returned to the UK in 1974 He began to write and that's the gentleman that we know now is really by his writing not by his Missionary endeavors almost a century ago But he began to write particularly on this theme of missions in the church's mission

and Upon returning to the United Kingdom. He said I was confronted with the challenge in the very church that sent me That I never encountered in my mission work in India And he began to write that The church that had sent him had fallen prey to what he called the myth of progress It was an idea that the world is moving forward on an evolutionary trajectory Toward greater heights of knowledge and moral behavior People expected the Christians to outgrow what he called their silly Superstitions it was the belief in the supernatural their old-fashioned rules which was adherence to traditional morality and The author begins to describe how the secular mindset of the world infiltrated the church to the point that the church lost It's passion for the mission He said many of the people that sent me on my own mission had now more in common with their unbelieving neighbor Than I he said they prescribed to an idea that religion was

Personal and private but not a message that was true and powerful for the whole world This is an important thing to understand Because the proclamation that Jesus Christ is Lord is not relevant to just a small group of people Who willingly partake of this confession This implies a much greater claim regarding the entire public life in the whole world Haley and I and Reagan was able to travel with us just returned from Rome on Saturday I was ministering at their national conference last week and We had a couple days to walk through ancient Rome and explore the Coliseum and as you can imagine that provoked my mind a little bit to To research some history and do some reading and Even in the Greco-Roman world in which the New Testament scripture is written in that ancient day There were many groups of people small gatherings of different societies that offered to anybody who was willing to join a way of personal salvation

through some private religious teaching or practice and There were several different Greek words that speak to these smaller sex of the religious world But what is striking is when you look at the New Testament at no time Did the early church ever use any of those words? I taught on this some time ago But the word we find in the New Testament for church is the ecclesia and we won't get into that in depth again Here tonight, but the reason that this is significant is because this word ecclesia was the assembly of all citizens that were called to the city square to deal with the public affairs of the city and So what you have in the ancient world is a word that is reserved or had traditionally been reserved For what we would consider the powers of government and now there is an establishment of a church That by the book of Acts standard really cannot be stopped they go from a

hundred and twenty to over three thousand in one day Believers are being added daily by the time you're five six chapters later into the book of Acts the Bible says they're multiplying in number and so the power of the early church could not be stopped there They're growing exponentially and that's causing an uprising in society and now this word that has traditionally been reserved for governmental powers These followers of Jesus start using it to refer to their own gathering and in 1st Timothy 3 and 5 You find this this phrase the the in the Greek. It's the the ecclesia Theos the assembly of God and The Roman government looked at this uprising of Christians and all of a sudden this is a threat to them now I think pastor actually mentioned this last Wednesday But when the Romans conquered the world one of the reasons they were able to maintain such success Was they allowed people to practice their own religion? So much

as it was private The problem with the early church was they refused to keep it private in These terms that were used as a token of Roman power The church begins to use in reference to themselves This is significant because by doing this they are essentially saying that that we are Superior there is a power here among us that is Superior to the government now this is not to be taken as permission To be a bad citizen or to to revolt against the government. We're not trying to cause a civil war That's not the way of the kingdom, but it is important that we understand that there was something happening Among the people that the Roman government was trying to suppress and this has long been the attitude of the world I don't mind what you do if you just keep it to yourself It can be private But don't let it be public But it's important that we understand this tonight God

has never desired this to be private the very Proclamation that Jesus Christ is Lord the gospel we preach is not just for those who choose to partake of it or choose to Acknowledge it one day the scripture says every knee will bow every tongue will confess and So I say this tonight because when we begin to talk about soul winning there's there's a lot of different ways We could go all of us wrestle with our own insecurities With the fear of rejection But beyond these I want us to understand tonight that there are evil powers at work in the world They were at work in Paul's day, and they're at work in this day And they'll tell you through the audiologies and the institutions of man that It's okay for you to believe what you want to believe Just do it in your own house Keep it to yourself and the reason I say this at the beginning of this lesson tonight is

because this idea That has permeated our world is in conflict to the call to be a soul winner Now even the term soul winning is someone I would say probably not As widely accepted in modern Christendom certainly outside of Pentecostal circles You will not hear it very much you really only find the idea at a couple places in scripture Proverbs 11 It says he that when his souls is wise But Paul picks up on this kind of thinking in 1st Corinthians when he talks about I Became all things to all men that I might win some now The the lesson here in this this idea of winning that we have to understand is this is a battle Now we're not fighting people But we are we are at war with the enemy over the souls of the world And so I want us to know this going in tonight that that I know we all have insecurities I know we all face the

fear of rejection I've talked about some of these things before But I I just want us to start tonight knowing that that when we walk out these doors to engage in the work of soul winning It is winning because it's a war Now we're not fighting with that person or that individual, but there are ideologies that are permeating the earth through the institutions of men there are Evil powers at work in the world that would like you they don't care that you serve God They're glad that you shout about baptism as long as it never leaves this building If you if you leave it in your house and in these four wall that That's what the spirit of the antichrist has been doing from the beginning of time He's okay. If you live it if you book just don't share it Mark 16 Jesus looked at those disciples and said unto them go ye Into all the world and preach the gospel to

every creature and the Bible says in verse 20 They went forth and preached everywhere the Lord working with them confirming the word with signs of following Where do I go? You go everywhere? Who do I preach to you preach to everyone? What do I preach? I preach the gospel and if we'll do that He'll work with us and he will confirm his word with signs following And so on the subject tonight of soul winning or being a witness We look to Acts 1 in verse 8. I know this is a familiar scripture to all of us But let it never get old You shall receive power After that the Holy Ghost has come upon you you shall be witnesses unto me Both in Jerusalem and in Judea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth Jesus has given us power To be a witness That word witness comes from the Greek word martis, which is martyr And I know when

we use martyr we jump to the extreme end of the definition We think well, that's somebody who gives their life for the Lord there they die for their faith That that's true in the extreme, but you don't have to die for your faith to be a martyr You just have to live for your faith See before you can actually die for your faith. You have to have lived for your faith And so to be a martyr or to be a witness It doesn't necessarily mean now God forbid, but doesn't mean you're signing up to be to die at the hands of persecution It simply means that I'm committing my life. I give my life To Jesus Christ and I'm sure you like I have have heard people say well, yeah, I'm gonna stand for truth I'm gonna serve the Lord. I'll die for this if I have to and you're thinking. I'm just trying to get you to live for it I'm just

you know, I'm just trying to get you to be faithful on Sunday I just want you to be here on midweek I'm trying to get you to read your Bible and pray every day But before you can commit to die for it, you just have to commit to live for it And this is what it means to be a witness And so I I don't want us to jump to the extreme tonight to think we're all we all have to give our life And we're gonna die tomorrow. No to To be a martyr to be a witness just means I'm giving my life for him Now before before I can give him my life. I've got to give him my day Before I can give him my whole day. I've got to start with this hour And that hour starts with this minute This minute starts with this thought This is this is what it is to be a witness This word is

is frequently used through the book of Acts Too many that we can look at tonight, but I did put 22 and 15 in your handout The scripture says that shall be his witness. This is talking about Jesus. That shall be Jesus witness unto all men of What thou has seen and heard? What does it mean to be a witness? It means that you are sharing What you have seen What you have heard and what you have experienced With the intention of directing people to Jesus Christ Now I know Scattered among the sanctuary tonight. We have a great number of personalities We have introverts and extroverts and we all have different Interests and different quirks and strengths and weaknesses Now I'm an introvert And I'm I'm quite comfortable as an introvert, but as an introvert let me confess to you that I Don't have permission to use personality as an excuse To abstain from the the mission and the work of soul winning Jesus

gave us power and That power is sufficient to make up for any flaw any weakness any Insecurity any uncertainty That power is more than sufficient for any deficiency you feel your personality has You think well if I was just gifted like pastor or if I was if I was bubbly like sister Tammy or if I could teach like brother Larry if I could do this and I could do that no no You may not do it just like them But you have to be careful that you don't fall into the comparison trap and start focusing on your deficiencies Or you will negate the power that is present in your life And so personality is not an excuse God gave us power for that. There is not one of us There is no personality that God has made that is incapable of reaching people He did not give us a command that is impossible to obey Now it may require growth It may require

the challenging of ourselves. It may require discipline, but I say tonight Everyone is capable of being a soul winner We'll say that again Everyone is capable of being a soul winner Now You may not be the one that that that teaches the 12 week Bible study You may not be the one that baptizes them You may not be the one who lays hands when they receive the baptism of the holy ghost the Bible says One so is another waters, but God gives the increase so we're in this together This is a team effort, but everyone is capable of playing a part in the work of soul-winning. I Don't think there is a passage of scripture that that portrays this more beautifully than John 1 and we'll work through it quickly. I put the reference in your handout Verse 36 Jesus walks and John lifts his voice behold the Lamb of God The two disciples heard him speak and the Bible said they

followed Jesus I want you to pay particular attention to the pattern the unfolding of events in these verses Verse 40 would say that one of the two which heard John speak so this one is following because of what he heard John say Was Andrew Simon Peter's brother Verse 41 says he first findeth his own brother Simon and sayeth unto him We have found the Messiah which is being interpreted the Christ and verse 42 he Brought him to Jesus Notice this because of what John said One brother followed one brother told another brother and now another brother comes to Jesus Jesus beheld him and looks at him. He he says thou art Simon the son of Jonah Which shall be called Cephas which is by interpretation a stone The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee and findeth Philip and sayeth unto him follow me Philip was of Bethsaida the city of Andrew and Peter verse 45 Philip findeth Nathaniel Only two verses

later now. I don't know how much time passed through the two verses But it's probably safe to say Philip didn't have time to finish his Bible school degree He didn't conclude a 12-week Bible study All he knew is is Jesus called me to follow and it changed my life So I went and found somebody and asked them to come with me Philip finds Nathaniel and says unto him we have found him of who Moses in the law and the prophets did right Jesus of Nazareth the son of Joseph and Nathaniel said unto him can any good thing come out of Nazareth? He's skeptical. He's uncertain. He's not sure about this Pentecostal stuff you you guys you guys are crazy. Do you see how you were dancing in here on Sunday? I don't know what I think about that speaking in tongues. I don't There's skepticism uncertainty in the mind of Nathaniel Philip says Just come and see Now I know this is

not it's not explicitly in the text But I would offer tonight just to consider that it seems to me that on the basis or the credibility of Relationship he is willing to step past his uncertainty This is soul-winning the majority of people we reach for are not gonna jump in the deep end They're gonna have questions They're gonna sit back and kind of evaluate for a week or two Maybe a month maybe more They might have a whole list of questions They'll have their unbelief and their skepticism. They are battling the ideologies that are working in the earth through these institutions that humanity has set up That try to suffocate the power of the gospel But he said come and see just just just come with me on Sunday. Listen We we do we do these connect groups or we get together every couple months So why don't you just just come meet some of our church family at a connect group

or we we do this Bible study at this Coffee shop in town or we're gathering at so-and-so's house on Thursday night. It's low pressure We just gather around the table. There's some snacks. Why don't you just come and see and Yes, they'll have questions and yes, they may be skeptical But because the credibility of the relationship, they're willing to step past that uncertainty and see Look what happens Jesus saw Nathaniel coming to him and sayeth unto him Behold in Israel I indeed in whom is no guile Nathaniel said unto him Went snow is thou me. How do you know me? Jesus answered and said before Philip ever called you When you were under the fig tree, I saw thee Nathaniel answered and said rabbi thou art the son of God thou art the king of Israel now I want you to see this Jesus said I saw you before Philip ever called you But I didn't speak to you until he

brought you So yes, there are there are some Phillips in terror hope There's some Phillips in this city that Jesus might move upon and Jesus might call without us ever getting involved But there's also a lot in Nathaniel's That Jesus will never speak to Until Philip says come with me But when you say come and see Jesus starts talking to them This is soul-winning So tonight I'm gonna offer you 10 characteristics of soul winners. The list is not exhaustive Certainly we could probably come up with a hundred qualities I'm gonna give you ten Some of these I felt God drop directly into my spirit. I spent time and Study and consideration of this lesson things that I have tried to practice soul winners that I have known and admired Characteristics or attributes that I think describe them and so I offer these ten tonight number one is You must be spiritual 2nd Timothy 2 and 21 says of a man therefore purge

himself from these he shall be a vessel unto honor Sanctified and meet for the master's use prepared unto every good work simply put I Would borrow the the language of Acts 3 when they meet the man at the gate called beautiful such as I have Give IV you cannot give what you do not have if you are not in the word of God If you are not in prayer Then you'll walk right past a God opportunity and never know And if by chance you do know you may freeze with with the desire to speak but no words in your mouth We have got to be a people that walk in the spirit If we are going to offer the world something of spiritual substance, we ourselves must be spiritual We cannot give what we do not have and so Well, it may not necessarily pertain to the reaching part of soul winning directly or to the Interrelational component of reaching to other people

soul winning starts with with soul care You've got to you've got to be in the word of God You've got to get your mind Saturated with the word of God you've got to commit these these these words to memory You've got to hide this in your heart so you can walk in perpetual victory You have got to be a person of prayer you you have to cultivate this kind of spiritual mindset in your life because whatever you feed grows and Within you is both a spiritual nature and a carnal nature and whatever you feed grows and if you're feeding that carnal man all week long and Pastor gets up here and talks about a 20-month revival and you walk out of church with your heart stirred and a Passion to reach the loss, but you've been feeding on the carnal man. I'm sorry, but you're not going to be fit for the master's use and so To be a soul winner starts

with soul care We ourselves must be spiritual number two is integrity Philippians 1 and 27 Scripture says let your conversation now. This is 1611. This is old English any New translation will render that word lifestyle. This is what he's talking about Let your lifestyle be as it becomeeth. Let it be becoming to the gospel of Christ what he's saying is Don't don't you share the gospel Don't don't you tell somebody that your life is identified with Jesus Christ if your lifestyle is not consistent with the teachings of Jesus Christ You know, I I think pastor said it different times here before you know If you're terrible and rude to the waitress don't invite them to church on the way out because they're gonna look They call themself a Christian See so if we're gonna be effective soul winners, we have to be people of integrity. There must be alignment Consistency between what we profess and what we live He said that whether I

come and see you or even if I'm absent among you and I hear of your affairs I want to hear he says that you are standing fast in one spirit with one mind Striving together for the faith of the gospel and Jesus own teaching He said let your light shine Let it shine before men that they may see your good works. I Know the mantra of modern Christianity in 2024 we don't want to talk about works. Don't judge my works. Well, listen They don't know the Bible. There's a lot in the Bible about works and judgment But but in this instance Jesus said you need to live your life the works of your life Should be of of such purity such integrity the works of your life the good works should Testify of the work of Jesus Christ in your life. It could be said that our actions speak even when our words don't and So knowing that my life is always preaching

Even if my mouth is not moving I Say integrity is necessary to be a soul winner The third thing and we'll move into some more practical ones here as it relates to reaching and working with people is You have to practice awareness in John 4 Jesus is walking with the disciples and the scripture says he must needs go through Samaria no doubt this was a difficult thing to reconcile for his followers because Jews had nothing to do with Samaritans They would go so far as to walk around the city so they would not interact with these people and now Jesus says I'm going right through the city Now you get the luxury of being on this side of the story. So you think yeah he was going for a woman with the issue of a woman with need of water at the well and There's probably some truth to that But there's there's a little statement in there that we can easily overlook

for the more exciting part of the story He gets to the well And the Bible says he sits down because he's weary Why did he stop it that well? Because he was weary but as he's sitting there a woman shows up and He is aware of her Now again, I don't know. It's it's not explicitly in the story. I can't prove it to you But I do think human nature hasn't changed very much and as the story unfolds and Jesus begins to reveal the condition of this woman's life You've had a number of husbands and the one you're with now was not even your husbands Safe to say that there's probably on her countenance in her spirit She carries the weight That life has put on her the rejection the pain the sorrow He's aware of this He's tired. He could just sit there and hang his head on his on his knees. He could just Scroll and see what's on the news

and what's happening at this political party and what sports team did what? He could do that because this is his time to zone out, right? He's tired, but no Someone showed up and there was an awareness of his surrounding and This awareness leads him to conversation And he's just looking for a way to minister to this person And he begins to speak of a water that she could drink and she would never thirst again You know the end of the story But from this passage we find this scripture Which I know you've heard before John 4 35. He says say not ye There are not yet four months and then come at the harvest behold I say unto you lift up your eyes and look on the fields for they are white all ready to harvest now Do you know why he's saying this? because his disciples have just come back from the grocery store and And they can't figure out well, Jesus

surely you're hungry right now. No, I have meat that you know not of Well, did anybody bring you food? I mean he he has just transformed the life of this woman This woman left her water pot goes to the city comes back with a mass of people. I mean we're talking about this is a legitimate revival They're in the middle of a revival and the disciples are like well We brought we got you groceries where we have a lunch today They're totally oblivious To what's happening And so to be an effective soul winner there has to be awareness You you you have to live with this When you're walking through the grocery store, you it's not just your car those shelves and the list on your phone You be aware of the people around you When when the waitress comes to your table the waiter comes to your table be aware of them Are they stressed was the other table rude to them?

Be aware Because awareness is what is going to bring the the introduction to opportunity So Jesus says hey, I Have meat that you know not of my meat is to do the will of the father I have a work to finish. He says so he says hey guys quit talking about groceries This is not time for carnal things lift up your eyes. I need you to be aware. There is a harvest here right now Number four I've got to move quickly here number four is be kind Ephesians 4 and 32 be kind one to another tender-hearted There's a lot of things that we can use to describe a lot of words that we can use to describe the apostolic life and an apostolic church service powerful miracles glory exuberant passionate so many things but Kindness Man that goes a long way the scripture says Jesus just went about doing good And if you if you live your life like this if you

live with an awareness and you go about Seeking opportunities to show kindness Anything that you can do to better the life of somebody else You'll be a you'll be a soul winner number five is You have to have humility Scripture says when pride cometh then cometh shame But with the lowly the humble is wisdom. I would offer this tonight because When you engage somebody With the intention and I love that that pastor says this I've never heard it before but I share it all the time now He said I tell people right up front. I have a motive. I'm trying to get you saved And if you love them and you're sincere They may not respond to God immediately, but they'll respond to you Now when you when you start this when you start trying to Get somebody in the doors of the church and you start trying to tell them about Jesus name baptism and you're teaching about the oneness of God

I promise you at some point at some time You're gonna cross swords with somebody Well, I don't I don't see it like that I don't believe that that's that's not what my mother taught me that that's not what I heard it at my church And that's not what I watched on YouTube and that's not what I found on Google Then they're going to combat the teaching that you're presenting to them And I want you to hear me the goal is not to win an argument. I Don't I don't think I've ever got too far down this road But I will tell you there have been times in my life where the Lord has had to check me and I've had to bring my flesh under Subjection and God had to remind me Then you're not trying to win an argument with this person. You're trying to win them to me Now, yes, there will come a point. They must submit and receive the

truth But as I'm reaching and I'm teaching this is what I'm striving for I want them to trust my knowledge But I want them to feel my heart I want them to know that they can trust that I'm well-studied that I'm presenting That the truth the integrity of the text that this is what the Bible says that this is the word of God I want them to trust it But I know that truth by itself is offensive. So I don't want to be so Now I think I Think we have this is this is a great church. I think we are kind people I think we're loving but It's always good just to do a little bit of preventative maintenance so Truth Shouldn't make you grouchy. You can be powerful and still be polite You can be spiritual and You can still smile I was talking with someone one day and They they made a comment to me. We were talking about

five full ministry they made a comment to me that that In their words I quote Prophets are are weird So I take exception to that Because what you're doing is you're just identifying this little group of the ministry or this part of the body and you're giving them Permission to excuse themselves from the fruit of the spirit Listen we can be spiritual we can have truth. We can be powerful We can be apostolic But but we can still be kind and there can be humility in our presentation and we can be loving and yes We have something to say, but we can also be silent and hear sometimes And so we have to have humility Number six is compassion the scripture said Jesus saw the great multitude and was moved With compassion if you have an awareness and there's a kindness in you There'll be times it it stirs compassion That compassion means you're sensitive to the needs of others. I Would say

if you feel compassion Do what Jesus did move toward them So what am I gonna do? I don't know maybe you're just gonna give them a hug. Maybe you're gonna smile Maybe you're gonna have an encouraging word Maybe you're just gonna have it's good to see you today. I pray God blesses you I'm so thankful for you May it may be maybe you have an awareness Maybe your awareness has brought you information of a need and you can bring groceries to their home Maybe maybe they need a drive to an appointment or they need assistance with with something that you have the means or the ability To help them with I Would simply say if you feel compassion stirring in you That's the Holy Ghost saying move toward them Number seven is you must be honest If he's in his 415 Speaking the truth and love may grow up into him in all things which is the head even Christ You have to

speak the truth But you have to do it in love I Had a conversation with someone recently. They're Not not from here elsewhere in the country They've been away from God for many years and they're trying to make their way back to the Lord and They're in an immoral relationship We were on the phone and I called him by name and I said look I I've got to be honest with you I'm glad you're going to church. I'm glad you're reading your Bible. I'm thankful that you're asking me these questions about the scripture But I've got to tell you I Wouldn't be very much of a preacher if I didn't tell you that you weren't living in sin phone kind of got awkward Yeah, you're right Well, I'm glad you received it like that because it could have been worse He said but this was his response now. He said but really What kind of Christian would you be let alone preacher if

you didn't tell me that you've got to be honest with them Now if you're doing all that other stuff first, it'll kind of cultivate the attitude for them to receive this from you They may or may not respond They may choose not to submit but as a soul winner, you've got to speak the truth In the scripture you find mercy and truth 16 times together in the Old Testament if my count was correct and the New Testament you find grace and truth four times together now Mercy we often describe it as God withholding from us not not giving us what we deserve. That was mercy But the New Testament this grace is that God does give us What we didn't deserve But in both of those cases Truth was present now. There is no mercy. There is no grace without truth and So to be a soul winner You have got to speak the truth There's gonna come a moment When you've got

to level with that individual You've got to call them to a place of repentance. You have to call them to a place of obedience You got to say, you know We've been talking about baptism You said you believe it you see it in the scripture Here is water What doth hinder you what's keeping you from being obedient? Why haven't you made a change yet? Now listen when someone comes in the door on their first visit to new life You don't got to beat them over the work with them a little bit be kind be compassionate But there's gonna come a moment When you're gonna have to be honest with that individual about what the scripture says Number eight, you got to be committed Where no oxen are the crib is clean, but much increases by the strength of the ox You want you want an easy life? You won't you want a life free of void of trouble and void of Tension and

struggle and you don't want any problems in the church and well then there can't be any people in the church There's no oxen then it's clean, but if you want increase you're gonna have to have an ox So what he's saying is if you want growth if you want increase there's gonna be some mess involved Let me tell you the people business is a messy business It's all kinds of problems So you matter you just need to make up your mind now if I'm gonna be a soul winner If I'm enlisting in the army the pastor's calling for I know I know right now when I put when I put my name on the line This is a commitment Because making disciples is relational work. It's long-term commitment Late-night phone calls hospital visits family meetings Bible studies that run long disrupted plans long back-and-forth texts. It's all of these things It's a lot more than a free lesson tabletop

Bible study It might start there. It's a lot more than a 12-week Bible study So I would say Commitment means that you are faithful to the purpose. That's the mission, but you're also faithful to the person Think now on the eve of his betrayal Jesus looks at Judas and calls him friend Now he knows What he's done and what's about to happen? I Can only think He was trying to reach for him Until the very end Number nine you got to be prayerful Pastor shock is phenomenal at this I've watched him different times in service after praying with someone pull out his pad and write a name down I've been with them and see him make notes in his phone Paul said brethren my heart's desire and prayer to God is for Israel to be saved So listen, I I know there's times for deep travail But the scripture says that there's also the making mention of you in my prayers to

God So I would encourage us Get a note in your phone a notebook that you have a list on the fridge find out what works for you But you when you meet somebody God gives you a connection the Lord's dealing with you This is a God opportunity you can sense it You get their name you write it down and you start praying about God next time I go to that restaurant. I pray they'd be more open to me Lord the next time I go through that line at the the grocery store I pray that that he would be more receptive to me and you're intentional you're aware you're being kind But you're also praying And last You have to be an investor Paul said So being affectionately desirous of you We were willing to have imparted unto you Not the gospel of God only but also our own souls He means I shared my life with you Now I understand nobody here Can

pay for somebody's salvation Jesus paid the price once and for all So don't don't twist my words, but I say this just for simplicity sake somebody's salvation Might cost you a five dollar cup of coffee It may cost you a fifty dollar meal or it may cost you five hundred dollars in coffee Because you are investing your life in the hope of their salvation You are sharing your life with them. You're opening your door and inviting them to your table They're they're fellow shipping at the grill in your backyard They're eating with you at the restaurant and you pay the bill because you're trying to be kind listen Soul-winning people work. You've got to be an investor You you've got to go into this with the commitment, you know right up front This is going to be an investment of my time in my money We move on in my Surrey 721 balancing joy and burden Offer this tonight. These are some

thoughts. I felt the Lord began to deal with me about it in preparation today Psalm 35 and 9 says my soul shall be joyful in the Lord It shall rejoice in his salvation. How many know serving God is a joyful thing. I We saw that on Sunday You weren't here You you there was a celebration of joy in this house Well, what's that about was that because the the musicians had practiced well and the song was good? No It was the spirit of the Lord bearing witness to our spirit that that we are sons of God daughters of God this Salvation first Peter says it's joy unspeakable There's not words to describe this and So a marvel because in David saw him of repentance Psalm 51 He asked God Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation He had fallen he had failed God and now he had realized the first Indication that I was moving the wrong direction was when I lost

the joy of salvation in my life So this is the lesson David learned that the absence of that joy is a concerning feeling So now in this talk of soul-winning we we have this this this struggle where we balance the joy of Salvation that we share but this burden by the recognition of the absence of that joy in the lives of so many people So I Paul said in Acts 20 he said I cease not to warn Everyone night and day with tears No doubt he was calling to mind the promise of Psalms 126 that said they that so in tears shall reap in joy We celebrated here on Sunday, and this is in order We ought to have an unspeakable joy in our lives But when we talk about soul-winning there is a realization of the Thousands and the millions of people that have an absence of this unspeakable joy and Paul earth's part of me David was troubled by

this in his own life, and we too should be troubled by its absence in the lives of others So this soul-winning this is of the highest importance because this is where the rubber meets the road We're talking about people's eternity This is a heaven or hell issue and that is a sobering thought That is a heavy responsibility So I Paul said in 1st Corinthians 9 for though I preach the gospel I have nothing to glory of You you you think I'm great cuz I'm the Apostle Paul you think I'm special because of who I am or what I do No, he says I have nothing to glory of for necessity is laid upon me He is he is literally he's bound. He's tied up by a burden He's compelled by the the spirit of the Lord. He is moved by this Unceasing burden. Whoa is me if I preach not the gospel Necessity is laid upon me He says God has laid

something on me There is the weight of responsibility that I carry that compels me to reach He says if I do this willingly I have a reward But if against my will a dispensation of the gospel is committed under me What he's saying here is that if I go willingly if I'm compensated for my preaching. That's great But even if I'm not compensated it doesn't matter Because something has been placed upon me it has been committed to me and I am compelled to do this And so I say well, but we have a great joy over what he has done for us. I Pray tonight Let a burden Would settle on us Over what is still yet to be done for others Paul would go on to say I've become all things to all men that I might win some and So when you're reaching for somebody the intent is that you find common ground and Then you take them to higher ground

if they want to talk about the weather and we'll talk about the weather They want to talk about Politics and we'll talk about politics as long as I can tell them That politics is not the answer. We're going to higher ground. Let me tell you about Jesus Let me tell you what the scripture says. Let me tell you where our hope is. This was Paul's method I'll become all things to all men. I'm seeking common ground But I'm only doing it because I have an intention to take you to higher ground. I'm looking for common ground I'm looking for an open door To get in to your conversation, but then I'm looking for a way to bring Jesus into our conversation And so I close with this this overcoming obstacles. I open tonight by Making reference to the fact that there is spiritual opposition that wants to suffocate the spread of the truth We must resist the temptation to spiritualize every obstacle Because

while the devil does oppose us we can also oppose ourselves Paul said I have no man like minded who will naturally care for your state for all seek their own Not the things which are Jesus Christ's I would submit tonight That we must overcome the obstacles of business and selfishness. I Rustle with this today because I thought God I want people to like me sometimes and I don't I don't you know selfishness is a strong word But I've been preaching on this a lot as I've traveled lately. I preached about it at our youth for new life youth retreat here a couple weeks ago I'm telling you selfishness is invading the church on the subject of business. I would simply say this We have to create margin in our lives for the kingdom Now we have done this by our attendance here tonight We did this by being in church on Sunday morning, and we will again this week, but Many of us

come with the mind that we are receiving and while we may serve in some capacity on the campus on Sunday Really? We're coming on Sunday. We're coming to church with the thought We're gonna receive of the worship. We're gonna receive of the word, but I'm talking about creating margin in your life To give you say, I'm just I'm so busy. I don't I know we're all busy But we've got a look at our calendar and figure out where do I have to shave some things off to create margin So I can give So I can be a soul winner again. I'm not talking about the corporate gathering here. I'm talking about reaching for people on the subject of selfishness We speak a lot about sacrifice often willing to sacrifice things But what about ourselves? Paul told Timothy in 1st Timothy chapter 3. He said in the last days perilous times shall come And he and the next four verses he writes He writes

some strong things He's talking about sins of the flesh gross immorality. He's talking about witchcraft and evil But you know the first thing he says and the last days and these perilous times men Shall be lovers of themselves, I would submit to you that that Everything that follows that statement comes out of that one thing This is not just a Random list now I would submit to you that it is in the wisdom of God that Selfishness is the first thing on the list Because all those other sins come out of selfishness Why why doesn't a fair happen? Because somebody was selfish Somebody loved themselves more than they love their spouse somebody was more interested in their own Appetite than the legacy of their family or their children It's selfishness and selfishness is One of these ideologies That has so permeated our culture That if we're not careful can find its way in the church and now we justify our busyness Because it

serves us and we leave no room for the kingdom Perhaps the greatest obstacles To really being great soul winners are just these two things sometimes were too busy and were too selfish Because the overwhelming of majority of churches that I've preached into people I've met I think they love God I think they love people the majority of them. They're kind they would be willing to give and help others but as we Leave the corporate gathering and go about our business. We just that's it. We've become busy And we've become so busy With the things that serve ourselves That we lose that awareness and forget about the mission of winning souls Jesus said to Matthew 8 What shall it profit a man if he would gain the whole world and lose his own soul What shall a man give in exchange for his soul? The point here is this if you gain the whole world But you lose your soul You've lost So by

my math That means one soul is worth more than the whole world think now about You know that business opportunity that you just couldn't pass up on That house that was too good of a deal that venture that you knew was a good investment That job that would bless your family all of these things that you determined based on value gain Profit how did it serve you? The greatest gain that you could find in this world Does not compare in the least To one soul That's baptized in Jesus name To one life. That's filled with the gift of the Holy Ghost There is nothing more valuable than this and If we would work if we would give the hours of our day and the weeks of our year To the building of houses and homes and businesses or vacations and cars and possessions There's nothing wrong in that I've taught in this pulpit just a few weeks ago God wants you to take

pleasure in the things he gives you So I'm not shaming you for any of that. I'm just saying put it on the scales of eternity Because all of that Regardless of what it's assessed for and what the bank will give you for and how much you could sell it for Regardless of all that Jesus said one soul is Worth more than all the world So the call tonight is this Paul said I will gladly spend and be spent for you the question for us is How will we spend and how will we let God spend us? To reach somebody else Just stand together with me. It may mean Looking at your day considering your calendar Shaving out a little time here carving out a little space here For you to meet with somebody have dinner with somebody have coffee with somebody make a phone call text a few people It's effort. You've got to invest you've got to be committed But I tell

you it's worth it the greatest gain That you could ever have in your life is for one soul one soul To make it to heaven if we take half Of the people that were here on a Sunday, let's just say 400 people just 400 And we say we can get 400 people So in the next seven days We'll invite one person to church We'll talk to one person about the Lord. We'll just make an effort You you're not responsible for their reply. You're not going to be judged based on their obedience But you will be judged based on yours Just just half of those who may come here on a Sunday 400 people Who say every seven days I will commit To directly inviting or speaking to somebody about the Lord bringing them to church come and see That's 1600 Personal invitations per month. That's 19,200 Invitations per year if only one percent of those Chose to respond and obey the gospel.

That's a hundred and ninety two people That are born again Now I would tell you tonight. There's people in this room that that you have gifts you have abilities That that you could reach far more than one I'm just talking about the effort So pastors up here on Sunday, and he's talking about a 20-month revival and I'm standing over there just thinking of my head. Well, what does this look like and a number came to my mind. I Thought well God. I don't you know, I'm not prophesying now. So don't don't judge this I'm just offering this for your consideration And I don't I don't want to throw a number out there that so far out there that you know people think wow, that's too much and So I'll cut it in half, but I Sincerely I stand here tonight, and I think in the next 20 months This church could have a 500 soul revival I'm talking about 500 people that

are baptized in Jesus name and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost Five hundred and this is not even employing all the members of the church. I'm just kind of letting us settle for a minute because Silence this doesn't make me awkward either. This is the value of an introvert. So what are you doing? I'm just kind of waiting so that that awkward weight called necessity Falls on you. So I don't I don't know what you just do something Just try because here's what you're gonna find out God might surprise you, you know, God knows they may be watching. I hope they don't mind if I talk about them, but we were in Rome last week and Somebody my wife grew up with Several years younger she actually sang at our wedding which was 16 years ago tomorrow and She lives in Italy now And so they wanted to see us when we were there and she came with her fiance Never been

never been in a church service in his life He walked into that general conference of the church in Italy with 800 people I'm gonna tell you if you thought we were wild on Sunday Reagan came over to me after church. He said it was almost like Italy. I said, yeah, he said Almost and they went for like two hours longer. There they are with oh, I mean, it's just it's packed. It's hot Worships on fire the preacher's crazy Here's this brand new guy sitting on the front row with the national board Never been in a church service in his life Come and see Just come and see He said to me after you know everything you said had a purpose Said there were a lot of hallelujahs we we leave and she's texting Haley Wants to watch more preaching Now they're watching me on YouTube. I said I can send them some better stuff to watch This is my point How's this guy

who's just in Italy for five day How do you reach someone who lives in in forensic Florence you just you just try come and see Just just come and see and all of a sudden when you bring them Jesus starts talking to them and Now one service isn't enough One servants not enough One Bible studies not enough one coffee appointments not enough one one one fellowships not enough They can't get enough. They're asking more. They want more more more more more. Listen my heart stirred. I Someone we know many years ago had a radical radical transformation Died a tragic death while we were in Italy last week, and I was watching his funeral this afternoon Haley texted me She said are you watching I said yeah, I am and I'm mad at the devil because I remember church services He would dance like that all service long And I wake up one morning in Italy to see his obituary posted on the internet

text pastor Jack to find out why overdose I Preached us tonight. We are in a war for the souls of humanity And well we had a little joy on Sunday We've got a balance that joy with a burden, and I prayed tonight that Necessity would be laid upon us because I stand tonight, and I believe that the possibility of a 500 soul harvest is in our hands right now. I Really think it could be more than that, but I just I want to give us something that well I mean what we've had almost 30 and 30 or more in the past few weeks We're well on the way, but what we need is a group of people who will rise up and say you know what? I don't know how to do it. I may not be the best, but I'm willing to try Come and see come and see Would you just lift your hands to the Lord and let's pray this

now? Father let let necessity be laid upon us tonight Let necessity be laid upon us Oh God, I know some are hiding behind drugs and alcohol But there's many that are hiding behind the comfort of nice houses and good careers But they're still lost because except a man be born again. He cannot enter the kingdom So God I'm asking order our steps. Give us boldness. Give us courage put the word in our mouth Oh God let the necessity of the gospel be laid upon us tonight Our pastor has spoken. He's issued a call. We rise tonight to say we're gonna answer the call Hallelujah, Hallelujah Hallelujah, Hallelujah I'm gonna be one God. I'm gonna reach. I'm gonna invite. I'm gonna challenge. I'm gonna pray I'm gonna share In the mighty name of Jesus In the mighty name of Jesus How come I'm all tired? Oh Thank you Lord. Thank you Lord. Thank you Lord Thank you Lord. Thank you Lord Ha la maca

ta raba shakari ala mahaya. Oh God He la mandara makosat ala mahaya Yeah, stir our hearts God stir our hearts Stir our hearts Let us see with eyes of compassion. Let us have eyes of awareness Help us be those Who are effective in the task that is before us and the name of Jesus and the name of Jesus What we feel here now is precisely What Paul was talking about It's that that that weight That kind of awkward responsibility and let me tell you when the awkward disappears When you fulfill the purpose of it and so I pray that that what we feel here now I Pray it would cause us to wrestle in the night Wake up in the morning. Just God. What can I do today? Because until We win the soul until we reach the people Necessity is laid upon us This is my challenge One Just just one Before Sunday and then start the counter again Now some of

you have the have the ability and the gift that it can be way more than one But i'm challenging us all of us One just just find one if if it's saturday night at seven o'clock and you haven't got your one Get in the car and drive to mire And walk through the grocery store So you find your one Go. Hey, it's a good reason to get ice cream Everybody's happy when they're having ice cream one Just one there's one matter. Yeah God took the evangelist philip out of a citywide revival Because he knew there was one ethiopian eunuch who needed the gospel So does one matter? Oh, yeah, because one soul is worth the world You know that new that nice house that you're living in It's pennies compared to what's going to happen in that water on sunday Your new car that you keep so clean It's junk junk compared to the one who's going to get the holy ghost

here on sunday One is worth it all Let's give the lord a hand clap of praise of jesus. We love you. I thank you Order our steps give us words We thank you for it in jesus name