Winning The Lost To Christ

WINNING THE LOST TO CHRIST

Acts 1:8

Introduction: Now more than ever, we need to win the lost to Christ! This is the subject I want to preach on today.

This is a time in the history of the world unlike any other time. I believe Christ’s return is near. The Gospel has gone forth, but many people still have not heard. There are people around the world just waiting to hear the Gospel.

While I was in college, almost every day the whole student body would begin chapel by saying, “The most sobering reality in the world today is that people are dying and going to hell today.” What a terrifying fact! Some here today have loved ones and friends without Christ. Even more sobering than that is that probably most of us here know someone who has died, and is actually in hell RIGHT NOW!

Let me just say that we need to win the lost to Christ; and the lost WILL be won to Christ. One day we will glory in those who were one to Christ. We will all gather around God’s throne and have a big “singspiration.” Look at Revelation chapter 7.

Revelation 7:9-10 “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.”

What a great day that will be! We will sing together with those we’ve prayed for, sacrificed for, and brought to Christ. The hour of rejoicing will come, but now is the time of sweat, and toil, and tribulation for those who know not Christ.

Psalm 126:5-6 “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. 6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”

And now let us turn to the verse that we are going to deal with today. It is Acts 1:8.

Let us read verses 1-8:

“The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began to do and teach,

2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:

3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

How can we win the world to Christ?

I. We must receive God’s POWER “Ye shall receive power.”

Jesus said, “Without Me, ye can do nothing” (John 15:15).

Matt. 6:13 “Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.”

Matt. 28:18 “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth”

I Peter 1:5 “[We are] kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time.”

Romans 13:1 “For there is no power, but of God . . .”

I Corinthians 1:24 “Christ, the power of God . . .”

I Corinthians 4:20 “For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.”

I Corinthians 6:14 “And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.”

Ephesians 6:10 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.”

A. God’s Power is SPECIFIC “YE shall receive power.”

1. God’s power is upon those who are REDEEMED.

Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;”

Acts 26:18 [When we receive Christ we are turned] from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto [the power of] God.”

2. God’s power is on those who are RIGHT WITH GOD.