THERE’S JOY IN BEING A SOUL-WINNER
Psalms 51:12-13
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR
1. There was once a young boy who went to spend the week with his grandfather on the farm. While walking around he noticed the chickens, they were scratching and playing around. The little lad said, “They haven’t got it”.
2. Next he saw a colt in the field playing and kicking up its heels’, to which he replied, “He hasn’t got it”. After examining all of the animals on his grandfather’s farm, he could see that none of them had “it”.
3. Finally the boy spotted a donkey in the back corner of the barn. When he saw the donkey’s long, frowning face and the way that the donkey just stood there, he screamed for his grandfather to come quick.
4. “I found it, I found it” the boy kept yelling. When his grandfather asked what he had found he said, “Pawpaw, I finally found an animal that has the same kind of religion that you have.”
B. TEXT “Restore unto me the joy of Your salvation; and uphold me with Your free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors Your ways; and sinners shall be converted unto You” Psa. 51:12-13.
C. THESIS
1. Today you must make a choice about who you will serve. We, as Christians, have sat on the fence too long and let people intimidate us from being bold about our faith. Many Christians go through life with a frown on their face, NOT because they’re mad, but because they haven’t tapped into the grace & joy of God that’s available to every believer.
2. Habakkuk said that “the Joy of the Lord is our strength.” The Believer who has joy in the face of the enemy also has courage. The most terrifying adversary is one who is enjoying the fight so much the he’s laughing at the efforts made to oppose him. That’s how the enemy is affected when we operate in the joy of the Lord.
3. Tonight we’re looking at what David revealed about the connection between joy and soul winning and learn about the secret force that can revolutionize our witness.
4. The title of this message is “There’s Joy In Being A Soul-Winner.”
I. JOY IS NECESSARY FOR SOULWINNING
A. IT GIVES US ENTHUSIASM
1. Joy makes us enthusiastic about what we have. We have been saved, healed, filled with the Holy Spirit, guided in life’s decisions, and given a peace that the world doesn’t have.
2. We’ve experienced the joy of meeting and fellowshipping with the Creator of the Universe! We’ve been specially selected by Him to be the heirs of all He’s created.
3. It’s natural for people to promote what works for us. Examples? a). A type of car; b). A good doctor; c). A good restaurant. We all get enthusiastic when we find something that exceeds our expectations. We usually tell our friends when we find something good.
4. POINT: YOU CAN’T SELL SOMETHING YOU AREN’T SOLD ON! B. JOY IS SOMETHING PEOPLE WANT
1. People usually don’t want to be bothered with the constant bombardment of salesmen and advertising. Most of it takes away as much as it gives, and much of it is false advertising.
2. But with Jesus, it’s not false advertising. If people will just dare to try Him -- “to taste” the Lord -- they would be as excited as the man in Matt. 13 who found the treasure hidden in the field. Jesus is something people would want in their lives.
C. JOY IS A GREAT WITNESS TO THE SUPERNATURAL
1. If a Christian’s in the middle of adverse circumstances and has joy, the world recognizes this as not normal. When the bottom falls out and you’re not panicking, taking tranquilizers, acting crazy, or in a depression, people have to wonder why.
2. It’s at moments like this that the Christian can testify to the grace of God. God is not just in heaven, but is right here, helping and healing those who call on His name. All this bears witness to the supernatural hand of God on our lives. When people see that, they begin asking if they too can become a favored one of God!
II. SOULWINNING RESULTS IN JOY. WHY? Because it’s:
A. THE DISCOVERY OF A PRICELESS OBJECT, THAT BEFORE, WAS LOST
1. LOST SHEEP. “When he “goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.'” Luke 15:6
2. LOST COIN. “And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.'” Luke 15:9
3. We ought to be excited about soul winning because we are giving the greatest gift that can be given: Eternal Life.
4. Getting eternal life is like being the recipient of the $1 trillion government bailout from Washington. That's the magnitude of what we are doing for a person when we help them find Jesus. We ought to all be excited about doing that!
5. Paul said, “For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? 20Indeed, you are our glory and joy.” 1 Thess. 2:19-20.
6. Our possessions will not accompany us to heaven, but Paul tells us, in these verses, what IS of the most supreme value in the universe; not things, but people! That is why we must reach them for Jesus!
B. BECAUSE JOY SEES FROM AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE
1. Jesus said, “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over ONE sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” Luke 15:7
2. Obviously the Angels see something we do not see. Being almost eternal creatures, they understand the length of time and eternity far better than we do. Although the salvation of one human has no impact upon them personally, they know that hell is so serious and its punishments so severe that they experience relief and happiness when ONE human is enabled to escape it. That's a sobering thought!
C. IT’S THE COMPLETION OF A GRAND TASK
1. “Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together.” John 4:36
2. When the military launches a new ship, or financiers dedicate a new 100 story building, there is great happiness because something great and significant has been accomplished. There is a parallel in the spiritual realm.
3. Millions of spiritual laborers have gone before us and done the hard work of preparing this world to receive the gospel. We have the simple task in our day of reaping the harvest. There are no minor parts played in this great drama of redemption; God has appointed us the harvesters.
4. We are one with Abraham, Moses, Elijah, etc., who sowed the gospel in their day. We are part of the same great work, just at the end of it. What a great rejoicing shall occur when this monumental task has been completed!
D. WINNING SOULS ENDS UP BEING FAR GREATER THAN THE EFFORTS INVESTED
1. “He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.” Ps. 126:6.
2. We are all familiar with the fact that one sack of seed can sow an entire field and produce a crop that can fill up many trucks. Thus, we see the multiplication effect; the little that is sowed is multiplied into a massive harvest.
3. This points out to us that we should not be discouraged by the smallness of our efforts or abilities; God is able to multiply them. In the song, “Thank You, For Giving To The Lord," the person who went to heaven was astounded by how his little offering to a missionary, or teaching a Sunday school class, or the small kindnesses that were done -- multiplied into a harvest of souls that made them weep and grateful to be a part of what God had done.
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION
1. In Chile, missionary Karen Wright experienced a bizarre tradition at the funeral of a Catholic neighbor. During the service an offering was collected. Then the priest said, "Thank you for your participation in the salvation of this man."
2. After hearing these words and seeing only small change in the offering plate, Karen thought, "If these people really believed they’re offering would help save this man, wouldn't they sacrifice and give more?"
3. She then personalized this thought by saying, "I, and many others, profess the truth about salvation through faith in Christ. We believe that without Christ everyone around us will go to hell. But, if we really believed it, wouldn't we be doing more than we are? Which is it: we DON’T CARE or we DON’T BELIEVE?"
B. ILLUS.: FREEZING MAN RESCUES ANOTHER & SAVES HIMSELF
1. A man was making his way over the mountains through a terrible snow storm. He gradually got weaker & weaker and at last he stumbled and fell. As he fell his hand struck the body of another man who had fallen in the same place and was buried in the snow. The first man was unconscious.
2. The second man was so concerned about the second that he slowly pulled him over his shoulder and started staggering down the road. Eventually he arrived at an Aid Station. The doctor who was summoned found that the man he had been carrying had died of the cold.
3. The doctor said, “The only reason you are alive is because you were struggling to save him, and by your struggling, you saved yourself!" This is true of the Gospel. Those who work to save others will find, in eternity, that their struggles actually enriched themselves! [Knights 3000, p. 430 augmented to reflect another actual story.]
C. HOW MANY WANT THE JOY OF THE LORD?
1. IT COMES FROM A CLEANSED LIFE. “How much more, then, will the blood of Christ...cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death?” Heb. 9:14. “...and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” 1 Jn. 1:7
2. IT COMES FROM OBEDIENCE. “...the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him” Acts 5:32. Disobedience robs us of confidence before God.
3. COMMUNING WITH CHRIST. Jesus said, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine... .These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” John 15:4,11
4. HAVE YOU DONE THESE 3? CLEANSING? OBEY? ABIDE IN JESUS? PRAYER
