Doing Our Duty, Winning Souls

LUKE 17:7-10 “DOING OUR DUTY: WINNING PEOPLE TO JESUS”

A) Last week I preached a message on “Jesus’ prayer request,” Remember?

* It was out of Matt. 9:35-38 “...The harvest ... Pray ye therefore the Lord ... send forth ...”

* “Harvest,” is the crop ... v.35-36 “He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion on ...”

* “Plenteous,” means much, many. * “Labourers,” means toilers, workers.

B) There were four things brought out about soul-winning .......

* First: It is a command of God ... It’s not a suggestion or something we should pray about!

* Second: It gives us a chance to show Jesus how much we love Him!

* Third: It gives us a chance to earn rewards! * Not only will we get paid in eternity at the

judgment seat of Christ, there are blessings we receive on earth now for doing it!

* Last: It will help enlarge the Kingdom of Heaven, and keep people out of hell!

C) Tonight, I want to share with you, first, the requirements of a soul-winner!

* There are several requirements in being a soul-winner .......

(1) MUST KNOW THAT HE IS SAVED! * This is very important!

A) If there is any doubt about one’s own salvation, the matter must be certainly cleared up

before attempting to help someone else who is lost!

* How can you help someone who is lost if you don’t know for sure that you are saved?

(2) MUST BE DEDICATED TO THE TASK! * Rom. 12:1 “I beseech you therefore, brethren ...”

A) I get so tired of hearing folks saying, “Dear Lord, give me a burden to win souls!”

* While you wait on the burden, go out and try to win a few!

* The Lord didn’t tell you to win souls if you had a burden, He said to win them anyway!

* If you don’t want to win them, win them anyway! * If you feel like it, win them!

* If you don’t feel like it, win them anyway!

B) If we went soul-winning every time we felt like it, not a one of us would ever go!

* Because Satan will try to keep us from it! * Gal. 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: .......”

* 1 Cor. 9:27 “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any .......”

* The Greek word used here for “keep under” is “hupopiazo” and it means: to hit under the eye, or

to beat the face black and blue, to bruise.

C) Paul is not speaking here of literally beating himself black and blue .......

* He means that he is determined to keep his body under control! * Let me remind you .......

* Believers are not to be controlled by their body ... They are to control their body!

* Jesus puts it this way in Luke 9:23 “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and ...”

* The Greek word for “subjection” is “doulagogeo” and means: to enslave, to lead about as a slave.

D) How do we control our bodies, Preacher? * By simply not giving in to it .......

* By denying the body whatever it craves! * We are to discipline our body!

* And when we discipline our body, we will dedicate ourselves to the task of winning souls!

* A soul-winner must be dedicated to the task!

(3) MUST UNDERSTAND HIS RESPONSIBILITY TO THE LOST!

A) To follow Christ as a soul-winner is to have compassion!

* The word “compassion” means: To feel the pain of others in your heart!

* What makes us responsible to the lost? * Well, number one, we are saved!

* Number two: We are commissioned as a soul-winner – Matt. 28:19 “Go ye therefore, and ...”

* Number three: We are charged to be a witness – Acts 1:8 “But ye shall receive power ...”

B) Number four: We are entrusted with the Gospel – 1 Pet. 4:10 .......

* “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good ...”

* Number five: We are responsible to God – Eze. 33:7-9 “I have set thee a watchman ...”

* Whether you want to admit it or not, we have a responsibility to the lost!

(4) MUST REALIZE WHAT IT MEANS TO BE LOST!

A) The lost person is guilty of sin – Rom. 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short ...”

* The lost person is dead in sin – Eph. 2:1 “And you hath he quickened, who were dead ...”

* The lost person is condemned before God – John 3:18 “He that believeth on him is not ...”

* The lost person is without God, having no hope – Eph. 2:12 .......