The Joy of Soul Winning by Gerald Van Horn
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Title
The Joy of Soul Winning
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Jesus said, "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men."
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Text. Matthew 4:19 “And he (Jesus) saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Suppose you had one wish. What would you wish for? May I suggest something? How about something that would bring inexhaustible joy in your life? Think about it for moment.
Just suppose I told you I know a place in South America that when you get there you will experience great joy. Would you mortgage the house, sell your car, or even borrow the money to get there? Then, after we got there you might say “ this is even greater than what you told me!" Sorry, but there is no such place. People go great distances and great lengths to find joy. However according to the Bible we can have such joy. Is your life a drag? Have you lost joy in your life?
My subject is all inclusive. Everyone is involved. That’s why we must deal with our subject. If we do not we will miss great joy.
1. The Soul Winner Has Joy because He Brings Great Glory to God.
In I Corinthians 6:20 we are given the admonition, “For ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
It is not a choice we can accept or reject. It is a command. What is the chief duty of man? Someone said, “To glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” How can we glorify God?
* Doing some good deed.
* Helping people in need.
* Doing some service for the Lord.
* By living a godly life.
BUT the greatest and supreme glory that we can bring to God, something that far exceeds all our good deeds, that is to win one lost person for whom Jesus died.
What is the glory of the Gospel? It is the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord.
What is the glory of the Lord? The plan of redemption. No doubt about it. To win the lost. We must settle it once and for all in our hearts that it glorifies God as nothing else can and puts a joy in our own heart.
2. The Soul Winner Gives People the Greatest Gift.
James 5:20 “He who converts a sinner from his ways shall save a soul from death and hide a multitude of sins."
Two great things are accomplished by winning the lost:
* You save a soul from death. The wages of sin is death.
* You cover a multitude of sin.
We are also to pray for the lost, visit the hospitals, comfort and counsel people and even give gifts on special occasions. But nothings compares with winning them to Jesus. We can and should help our neighbors, feed them when they’re hungry, clothe them when they’re naked and we can even cut the lawn for them. When they die what have we done for them? Doing those things is nothing compared to winning them to Jesus. It is the central truth of the Christian faith. It is the supreme task.
Harriet Beecher said, “The greatest thing that one human being can do for another human being is to win them to Jesus.”
#3. The Soul Winner Will Experience Great Gladness in His Own Heart.
Luke 15:7, states that there is great joy in heaven over one person being saved than over 90 and 9 righteous persons. Once a church wins the lost there is promised torrents of joy for the individual and the church. There is no need to work up joy or tarry for it. The joy begins to flow. Winning the lost brings a far-reaching effect. Everything that brings joy is put into effect.
Suppose that this Sunday 99 people said they wanted to join the church and be baptized in water. That would not exceed the joy of one person coming to the Lord for salvation.
The enemy would have you to believe that joy is in some preacher, some T.V. program, or some book, or some training course. As good as these are it’s just not there. It is obedience to God in soul winning. The church is under orders to share the Gospel with the whole world.
Illustration: What is the greatest strategic victory that Satan has ever achieved to defeat the church? Many devices flood our minds. Let this illustration suggest to you the Devil’s greatest victory. Suppose that these modern times Russia dreamed up a scheme or a new idea. They polished it very carefully and then began to spread the idea abroad. They would place it in various magazines, newspapers along with special designed T.V. spots. Perhaps they would produce a play on Broadway about this idea. Special interest groups could push it before the public. Maybe someone would make a motion picture about it. What would that idea be? Just this: that wars are dangerous, complicated operations and ordinary persons could get killed or hurt needlessly. Therefore all fighting soldiers should go home. We should shut down all Army bases and let the generals and admirals fight the wars. I have no doubt of the outcome of such an idea. Right away some would say, “that’s a good idea!” But that just wouldn’t work. Such an idea could never be put over for freedom loving people. Yet that is exactly what the Devil has been telling the church. Let the preachers, ministers and teachers fight the battle for souls. “After all I am just a housewife, a butcher, baker and candlestick maker. Besides that’s what we pay the preacher for.” I am convinced that this is the greatest tragedy to befall the church.
#4 The Soul Winner Will Inherit the Greatest Reward in Heaven.
Let the Apostle Paul tell us: I Corinthians 3:13 “Every man’s work shall be made manifest; for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and fire shall test every man’s work of what sort it is.”
Let’s check with Daniel 12:3 “And they that are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars forever and ever.”
I Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore brethren, be ye steadfast always abounding in the work of the Lord.”
There is a world of difference between church work and the work of the church. We can get busy as little beavers but never do the work that the Lord has called us to do. He that winneth souls is wise.
