INTRO.- God, our loving Father, wants no one to be lost, but sometimes we act like we don’t care.
ILL.- A Tea Party
I had a little tea party
This afternoon at three.
‘Twas very small –
Three guests in all –
Just I, Myself and Me
Myself ate all the sandwiches
While I drank up the tea;
‘Twas also I who ate the pie
And passed the cake to me.
We live in a very selfish or self-centered world. It’s every man, woman, child, and dog for themselves.
Even in our churches, it seems that we are primarily concerned about ourselves. Almost everything we do in the church is FOR the church, not FOR those outside the church. We don’t think in terms of ministering to those outside the church. We think most of the time about ministering to ourselves.
ILL.- Dr. Kermit Long said, "With all our education, our fine buildings, our image of the church, we are doing less to win people to Christ than our unschooled forefathers did. We’re no longer fishers of men, but keepers of the aquarium, and we spend most of our time either swiping fish or swapping fish from each other’s bowl."
Brothers and sisters, we should be interested in catching fish that have not been caught before.
ILL.- Whenever I go bass fishing and catch like maybe 6 or 7 fish, some smart person always says to me, “How do you know you didn’t catch same fish 6 or 7 times?” And I say, “because I know they are not the same fish.” They don’t come back bite again that fast. They are not that eager to have a hook in their mouth.
Brothers and sisters, what good does it do to keep catching fish that have already been caught? I mean, if all we do is keep swiping fish from one another’s bowls (from other churches), what good are we really doing?
I believe that most of the time all we are doing in our churches is moving people around from church to church. WE ARE NOT WINNING NON-CHURCHED PEOPLE AND NON-BELIEVERS TO CHRIST!
We should not neglect one another in the church, but at the same time we must not, we cannot ignore those outside the church who need Christ!
II Pet. 3:9 “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” The Lord wants no one to perish. And It is our responsibility to reach the lost for Him.
PROP.- Let’s think about some various aspects of reaching out to others, to those who do not know Christ or have Him as their savior.
1- The motivation for reaching the lost
2- The method of reaching the lost
I. THE MOTIVATION FOR REACHING THE LOST
ILL.- Just two weeks ago I told about a 4 month-old girl who died (was smothered in Oshkosh, WI) when her drunken 27 year-old mother fell asleep on top of her while breast-feeding.
Lorinda Hawkins told police she fell asleep about 15 minutes after she started breast-feeding the baby because of her intoxication. When she woke up about an hour later, the baby was pale and wasn’t breathing.
The 27-year-old — who was on probation for child neglect — had consumed six double-shot alcoholic beverages at a bowling alley before going home.
It’s hard to believe that a mother could be so stupid and sinful as to do that to her baby. We cannot begin to imagine the horror of that death. But we do believe that child is with the Lord at this moment and suffers no more.
How do we know this? Do you remember the story of David in the Old Testament? Perhaps you recall that David committed adultery with Bathsheba and she became pregnant. In II Samuel 12 we are told that the child became ill and died.
Afterward David said in II Sam. 12:22-23 He answered, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, ’Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live.’ But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me." I WILL GO TO HIM.
Brothers and sisters, we know that when any child dies in infancy they are with the Lord to be loved and cared for eternally.
But what about that 27 year-old mother, Lorinda Hawkins who caused the death of her child? What is going to happen to her? More than likely she’ll go to prison. She was charged with one count of child neglect causing a death. If convicted as a repeat felony offender, she could be sentenced to 29 years in prison and fined $100,000.
That’s bad, BUT WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO HER IN ETERNITY? That’s the most important question to consider! Is she a lost soul? Can she be saved and forgiven by the Lord?
I don’t know what her standing is with the Lord, but, yes, she can be saved and forgiven. Her sin is not unforgivable, although some people might think so.
But don’t we believe any more in the condition of the lost soul? Do we believe in the penalty of hell? Did we ever believe?
The motivation for trying to reach lost people with the gospel of Christ is this: Lost equals hell!
Matthew 25:41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ’Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.’”
Luke 16:23-25 “In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ’Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ "But Abraham replied, ’Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.”
Don’t we believe any more that a person can go to hell? Scripture seems to be clear that it is entirely possible and it is not a nice place to live forever!
ILL.- Baptist Preacher A. W. Rainsbury wrote: “Time was when the doctrine of hell caused men to tremble, but it no longer does so, for the doctrine of hell has been relegated to the rubbish heap by the Modernists. They think they are wiser than the Lord Jesus. They do not believe in hell any more; indeed, most are more concerned with the dangers of nuclear war than the dangers of hell. I tell you that the danger of hell is far more real, far more certain, infinitely more terrible, and for some far more imminent than the danger of nuclear war.”
If hell is as real as we believe it to be, then shouldn’t this motivate us to reach people for Christ? Don’t we care about people? Don’t we care that they could perish in an eternal hell? Do you really want your friends, neighbors, family members, fellow workers to perish?
Rom. 10:1 “Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.”
What is your heart’s desire? What is your greatest heart’s desire?
Rom. 9:1-3 “I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit— 2I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race.”
Paul’s heart was so stirred, so moved for people that he was willing to give up his own place in heaven for the sake of others. HE WAS WILLING TO EXPERIENCE THE TORMENT OF HELL FOR OTHERS! That’s total compassion! That’s the love of Jesus! What about us? Is there not someone you would be willing to die for? To suffer for?
ILL.- After my father in died on Dec. 11, 1982, I wept and wept over him. I knew that dad had never made any public profession of faith in Christ or had been baptized. I wept and asked God to take my soul for his. I STILL FEEL THIS WAY.
Do we really care about lost souls? Do we really believe in the lost condition of people? God is not willing that any should perish and we should have that same heart and compassion.
II. THE METHOD OF REACHING THE LOST
Who said, “there is more than one way to skin a cat?” Mark Twain wrote in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court in 1889: “she was wise, subtle, and knew more than one way to skin a cat”, that is, more than one way to get what she wanted.
I don’t know if there is more than one way to skin a cat because I’ve never tried to skin a cat, but I do know there is more than one way to catch fish. There are many ways and/or methods of catching bass.
Generally, when seasons change you have to change and do something different or use a different lure and approach in order to catch bass. And just as there are many ways to catch a bass, so there are many ways to reach people for Christ. The really smart churches use many methods to reach people for Christ, not just one method.
Friendship.
People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. People want friends, good faithful friends. And friends who truly care about one another can share Christ.
ILL.- Dan DeWelt and I lifted weights together about 40 years ago. We got acquainted through a mutual friend at Safeway. Dan eventually invited me to go to church with him at the Park Plaza Christian Church in Joplin, MO. I don’t recall anything special other than the fact that the people were friendly. And, of course, that IS vitally important.
Dan also invited me to visit Ozark Christian College, which I did. Again, I didn’t know what to make of it other than the friendliness of the students and professors. No one came on strong to me, asking, “Are you saved?” etc.
The DeWelt family also invited me over for dinner one evening, which was very good. Kindness, friendliness, etc. all help to lead a person to Christ. Sometimes friendship is all you can show people. At least, for a period of time. It takes time to develop trust before they will listen to what we have to say about Jesus.
It wasn’t long after Dan DeWelt and his family befriended me that I was baptized into Christ. Does friendship work?
Talking.
Do you talk to people? Better yet, do you listen to people, to their problems? If you don’t converse with people, how do you expect to witness?
Some people may say, “I just let my life do the talking for me.” That’s well and good if your life is outstanding but most of us are not that outstanding. We all have faults and sometimes those faults are rather glaring or obvious. Besides, I am not sure I have ever heard of anyone becoming a Christian by watching another Christian in action.
I have heard people say things like, “He/she must be a Christian. They are so nice, friendly, helpful, etc.” But I have never known of any to accept Christ by watching others.
WE MUST VERBALIZE THE MESSAGE! There are times when we must open our mouths and speak for Christ.
Rom. 10:14 “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?”
I Pet. 3:15 “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”
ILL.- I had at least two good opportunities to speak to my dad about Christ and never used either one of them. I have regretted that ever since. WE MUST SEIZE THE DAY, THE TIME, THE HOUR AND SPEAK FOR CHRIST!
Love.
The greatest of these is love. Where have you heard that phrase before? And it’s true. The greatest thing we can do for anyone is to love them. Consistent and constant love for people will do wonders in leading them to Christ.
Remember the story of David Wilkerson who loved Nicki Cruz in spite of his hatred and bitterness? LOVE CONQUERS ALL. Love conquers when nothing else will.
Jesus did it. Jesus demonstrated it. Jesus loved the Samaritan woman at the well. Jesus loved the woman caught in adultery. Jesus loved the lepers. And Rick Warren and his church are loving AIDS victims. And I’ll bet they win some to Christ as well! At least, they are reaching out to the people they believe Jesus would reach out to!
We must love all people….as best we can…whenever we can. People need to see Jesus. They need to see Jesus in us! If He isn’t in us and not seen in us, where will people see Him?
CONCLUSION-------------------------------
ILL.- One Sunday evening, William Booth was walking in London with his son, Bramwell, who was then 12 or 13 years old. The father surprised his son by taking him into a saloon!
The place was crowded with men and women; many of them bearing on their faces the marks of a hard life and some were drunk.
The fumes of alcohol and tobacco were everywhere. He said to his son, "These are our people; these are the people I want you to live for and bring to Christ."
Years later, Bramwell Booth wrote, "The impression never left me."
Brothers and sisters, it may well be that we need to hit some bars in order to lead people to Christ. I do think if Christ were on earth today He would do that. He would not fear to enter the devil’s territory in order to bring them to faith. He would go many places that we don’t go.
In the meantime, we ALL need to do everything we can to reach out to anybody who does not claim Christ as Savior!
And we all need a 10-most-wanted list of people that we would like to see come to Christ. Please make that list! Look at it every day, think about those people and pray for them. If you don’t do this, you may never think about witnessing to someone for Christ.
God put us here to reach out to others for Him! Life is not just about us. The Son of man came to seek and to save the lost. Why are you here?
