HOW TO SUCCEED AT SOULWINNING
PSALMS 126:5-6
1. Illus. of Eva Hart and Titanic (Illus. for Preaching and Teaching, p. 58)
• April 15, 1912
• 20 lifeboats and rafts
• Lifeboat 14 went back seeking others, the only lifeboat to do so.
2. As I understand it, the church is to be a spiritual lifeboat. Our job is to seek those who are dying in sin, and to rescue as many of them as possible. Before you say, “not interested in being part of a search and rescue mission for Christ,” let me tell you that these people are not strangers. They are your children, your grandchildren, your husbands, your brothers and sisters. They are the people you work with, they are your neighbors, they are your lifelong friends. These are the people that I want to reach with the gospel of Jesus Christ, and I want you to help me.
3. Psalm 126 was written by a Jew returning from exile. If you have read the book of Daniel, you know that the Jews were driven from their homeland, and spent 70 years as captives in the far away land of Babylon. At the end of that time, King Cyrus told them they were free to return to Israel, and so they did.
4. There was a problem. In the years that the Jews had been gone, the knowledge of Jehovah had died out in the land. One of the problems they faced was, “how can we refill this land with the knowledge of Jehovah?” The verses we have just read are God’s instruction on how to do just that.
5. We have not been commissioned to fill Palestine with the knowledge of Jehovah, but we have been commissioned to fill this city with the gospel of Jesus Christ. The same principles that allowed the Jews to refill Palestine will allow us to win our city.
6. What are these principles of successful soulwinning?
I. SUCCESSFUL SOULWINNING MEANS GOING WHERE THE PROSPECTS ARE
1. Notice that vs 6 says, “he who continually goes forth…” These Jews were not to sit back and wait for Palestine to come to them. They were to go out to where the people were with the message of Jehovah.
2. How does this principle apply to us? We can’t sit here and say, “Well, they know where the church is. If they want to be saved, they need to come on in here and find out how.” Successful evangelism means going out where the prospects are.
3. Illus. of Jim and the prisoner
• Good old boy from Kentucky. Could shoot whiskers off a gnat with the old squirrel rifle.
• Went forward instead of retreating.
• Sitting around fire, “poor old Jim.”
• “How did you catch that prisoner?” A little miffed he said, “What do you mean how did I catch him? The woods are just full of them!”
• Folks, if you want to capture somebody for Jesus, you’re going to have to go out in the woods where they are!
4. When you look at the commands of Jesus about evangelism, you begin to notice a common thread.
Matthew 28:19, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…”
Matthew 22:9, “Go into the highways, and as many as you find invite to the wedding…”
Mark 16:15, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature…”
5. One of the things I like about FAITH evangelism is that it fulfills the command to go. We go in a systematic way. We go in teams, so that there is always an experienced leader who knows what to say and do. The important thing is that we GO to where the people are!
6. Successful soulwinning means going where they are instead of waiting for them to come to us.
II. SUCCESSFUL SOULWINNING MEANS HAVING A BURDEN FOR THE LOST
1. In vs 6, “he that continually goes forth weeping…” The Hebrew word for weeping is “baw-kaw.” It is the same word translated in other OT passages “lamentation.” The root idea is that of mourning or weeping because of some deep inner burden.
2. As these Jews went out, it was not to be with the attitude of, “oh well, God says to do this so I guess I better do it.” They were to go out burdened and broken over these people who did not know Jehovah.
3. How does this principle apply to us? Successful soulwinners are not those who go out with the attitude of, “well, I’ve got this list of things good Christians are supposed to do. I don’t really want to do this, but until I do I can’t check it off my list.” Successful soulwinners are those who go out with hearts broken over the condition of the lost!
4. Illus. of George Truette
• For 40 years pastor of FBC Dallas Texas.
• An associate once went to look for the pastor, and couldn’t locate him anywhere.
• Found him standing just outside the church on San Jacinto Street, weeping as he watched the people passed by on their every day business.
• When the associate asked him what was wrong, Dr. Truette replied, “Look at them! They are lost, they are lost, they are lost!”
• That is the heart of a successful soulwinner, when you are burdened and broken about the condition of the lost!
5. See Romans 9:1-3. Look into the heart of the greatest soulwinner who ever lived. He says, “I am so burdened for my fellow Jews that I would go to hell if it would cause them to be saved!”
6. “Tim, how do you acquire the kind of burden for the lost that would cause you to sow in tears…?” 1) See where they are today. Go out with an experienced soulwinner into the homes here in our city, and just observe the lives of the people. 2) See where they will be tomorrow. Look up all verses that describe condition of lost. If you ever really understand their condition, where they are today and where they are headed tomorrow, you will be heart-broken over their lostness.
7. Successful soulwinners have a burden for the lost!
III. SUCCESSFUL SOULWINNING MEANS SHARING THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPEL
1. See vs 6- “bearing seed for sowing…” Obviously the psalmist is using a figure of speech here. Just like a Hebrew farmer sowed seed throughout his fields, so the Jews were to sow the knowledge of Jehovah God throughout Palestine. Only as they did that could they expect to come back with their harvest in their hands.
2. How does this principle apply to us? Its not enough just to go to where lost people are, and its not enough to just have a burden for their souls. We’ve got to plant the message of the gospel in their lives.
3. What is the message of the gospel? You are lost because of your sin. Christ died as your substitute on the cross, and was resurrected the 3rd day. You must personally respond by turning from your sins and committing your life to Jesus.
4. You say, “Tim, I don’t know how to do that.” Let me make you a promise: if you will give me 14 Tuesday nights, I promise you that I’ll teach you how. FAITH evangelism is all about learning to share your faith!
CONCLUSION
1. If we are going to fill our city with the gospel of Jesus Christ, if we are going to be a soulwinning church, then:
• Go out there where the people are, into their homes and businesses.
• Go with hearts that are broken by the realization that they are lost, with all that goes with that.
• Go and share the saving message of Jesus.
2. I doubt that there is a person here who would sit in the safety of the lifeboat while others perished. Will you let your lost neighbor die without a gospel warning?
3. Great White Throne- not found written- point finger at us- they never told me.
4. If you want to be a part of trying to win our city, come this morning and commit to be a part of FAITH
