A Soulwinner's Heart
The Book of Romans • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Introduction
Introduction
1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, 2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. 3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: 4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; 5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
It’s been a little while since we’ve been in the book of Romans, and we have preached through the entire first section of the book, which would be chapters 1-8.
In Romans 1-8, Paul thoroughly convinced us about man’s need and God’s glorious provision in Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit.
Now, in Romans 9-11, Paul deals with the problem associated with the condition of Israel.
What does it mean that Israel has missed its Messiah?
What does this say about God?
What does it say about Israel?
What does it say about our present position in God?
The Jews were God’s chosen people, and by the way, they still are. They were the apple of His eye, and still are. They have a special place in God’s plan.
2 For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God, and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.
When God sent them His Son though, they failed to receive Him. They rejected and crucified the Messiah. God set Israel aside and in AD 70 when Titus attacked Jerusalem, the Temple was destroyed and the Jewish people were scattered.
When this happened,
Romans 11:7–10 (KJV 1900)
7 ...Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded 8 (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. 9 And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them: 10 Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.
This is why Paul wrote in,
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; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
When the Jews rejected the Messiah, God began calling out a Gentile people for His bride. Gentiles were accepting the Messiah, while the Jews as a nation were rejecting Him. Who where the Gentiles, anybody and everybody that wasn’t a Jew!
If you’re not a Jew, then you’re a Gentile.
The Jews were God’s chosen people, but now they have been set aside as God is building the Church.
Did God fail to keep His promises to Israel? No.
Is God done with Israel? No.
These very questions challenge God’s character.
If God was unfaithful to Israel, how do we know if He will be faithful to the Church?
These issues are addressed in this section of Romans.
Paul’s heaviness concerning the spiritual blindness of Israel overwhelmed him; we find his burden for them in these first five verses of Romans chapter 9.
We get a glimpse into Paul’s heart and see that he had a soulwinner’s heart. That’s what I want to preach on for a little while this morning.
1-The Honesty Declared
1-The Honesty Declared
1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,
Paul was accused of being a traitor, liar, deceiver and blasphemer. All lost people, but especially the Jew, have looked with distrust and doubt at the message of the cross.
Think about this, because of his conversation and ministry to the Gentiles, Paul had probably been accused of turning his back on his own people - the Jews.
Paul has shared a lot of truth. Truth that if taken literally proved that outside of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ there was no hope of salvation.
Paul wants these people to know that he has a heart for them. He wants them to see that he is sincere about what he is saying and that he really does care. That is why he calls the Holy Ghost and his own heart to testify to his honesty.
Paul really pours his heart out here and wants them to know that his message is absolutely true!
Let me just say before moving on, it’s vital that believers operate from an honest heart! This world must know that we love them and that we are concerned about them. John warned us about a false love. He told us that true love manifests itself in action on behalf of others,
18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
We must give them no reason to mistrust us or the Gospel message we preach. We must never be guilty of saying anything that is untrue or hypocritical to those outside of the family of God. We may be the only hope they will ever have of coming to Jesus!
We see the honesty declared, but also:
2-The Heaviness Displayed
2-The Heaviness Displayed
2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
Paul writes about the great heaviness and continual sorrow he has...
The word heaviness here carries the idea of grief, and the word sorrow carries the idea of anguish and distress.
On top of all of the torment and grief we are told that is was continual. The word continual means unceasing. This was something that Paul couldn't shake. There was constant grief over the fact that people were lost and going to Hell.
David Wilkerson, in a message titled “A Call to Anguish” said this:
I look at the whole religious scene today and all I see are the inventions and ministries of man and flesh. It’s mostly powerless. It has no impact on the world. And I see more of the world coming into the church and impacting the church, rather than the church impacting the world. I see the music taking over the house of God. I see entertainment taking over the house of God. An obsession with entertainment in God’s house; a hatred of correction and a hatred of reproof. Nobody wants to hear it any more. Whatever happened to anguish in the house of God?
Whatever happened to anguish in the ministry? It’s a word you don’t hear in this pampered age. You don’t hear it. Anguish means extreme pain and distress. The emotions so stirred that it becomes painful. Acute deeply felt inner pain because of conditions about you, in you, or around you. Deep pain. Deep sorrow. The agony of God’s heart.
Does it matter to you today? Does it matter to you at all that God’s spiritual Jerusalem, the church, is now married to the world? That there is such a coldness sweeping the land? Closer than that... does it matter about the Jerusalem that is in our own hearts? The sign of ruin that’s slowly draining spiritual power and passion. Blind to lukewarmness, blind to the mixture that’s creeping in. That’s all the devil wants to do is to get the fight out of you and kill it. So you won’t labor in prayers anymore, you won’t weep before God anymore. You can sit and watch television and your family go to hell.
There is going to be no renewal, no revival, no awakening, until we are willing to let Him once again break us. Folks, it’s getting late, and it’s getting serious. Please don’t tell me... don’t tell me you’re concerned when you’re spending ours in front of internet or television.
We see this anguish David Wilkerson is talking about in Paul...
How far did this anguish take Paul? Look at the next verse:
3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
This is astounding!
Paul says that if it were possible, he would allow himself to be separated from God and sentenced to Hell if it would save the lost Jews! That is an amazing statement! Friend, Paul isn’t joking! He meant that thing! He knew it was an impossibility. He knew that he was eternally secure in the Lord Jesus, but he was willing in his heart to go to hell that others might be saved. What a burden must have gripped this man’s heart!
This great passion for souls gave Paul perspective.
Lesser things did not trouble him because he was troubled by a great thing – the souls of men.
Spurgeon wrote, “Get love for the souls of men – then you will not be whining about a dead dog, or a sick cat, or about the crotchets of a family, and the little disturbances that John and Mary may make by their idle talk. You will be delivered from petty worries (I need not further describe them) if you are concerned about the souls of men… Get your soul full of a great grief, and your little griefs will be driven out.”
I was listening to a man speak the other day and when he goes out soul-winning, he will go to a park often and he will ride around on a bicycle with his little dog in the basket on the front. His dog wears sunglasses and it’s a great way to get attention from people and open up conversations about God.
The other day, he said he was riding on a new electric bike and wasn’t used to it yet, and pulled up to an intersection and hit the brakes too hard and his little dog was thrown out of the basket and in a panic ran out into the street. The man said he began screaming to his dog and dropped the bike and began to run out into the intersection and try to stop cars so he could rescue his dog.
He said after the event, he thought, Oh God, give me the love for sinners, that I have for my dog!
The tragedy of the day is that believer's seem to be able go about enjoying their salvation while the world goes to Hell. Christian, it is the norm for us to be grieved over the lost. It is the example of Scripture.
Moses was broken-hearted for the lost…
And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin—; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.
Jeremiah the weeping Prophet, like Paul was broken over the lost.
1 Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears,
That I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!
Consider the Lord Himself as He stood broken hearted over Jerusalem:
37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
If we as believers can go through life with little or no concern for the lost, there is definitely something wrong!
We need to stay focused on our mission.
How can we truly believe in a place so awful as Hell and not be grieved that multitudes are going there.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Paul’s theme in these five verses has been the salvation of the lost sheep of Israel.
Paul does not want them to go to Hell! He wants to share with them the truth that his heart is broken for their condition and that he would do anything to see them saved by grace.
What’s in your heart?
Are you burdened for the lost?
How long has it been since you brought their names up before the throne of grace?
How long has it been since you wept for those who are lost?
There’s no better time or place than this altar this morning...