Lead the Lost to Christ
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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. 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.
Introduction
Introduction
We live in a world of messages and communication. Some estimates put the number of advertisements that we see a day at between 5,000 and 10,000. We hear them on television or the radio. We see them on billboards and flyers. We wait for them to go away on videos and web searches. Even with all of these messages, we are commanded by God to give out one more to the people around us.
The Gospel message is not an announcement for a sale. Instead, it is informing the person of a giveaway. God wants to give each person salvation. All they have to do is take it. A gift is only a gift if nothing needs to be done to receive it. We are called by God to tell others about what Christ has done and how we can receive the free gift.
Revival Baptist Church ought to be a place where we are outward-focused by our desire to reach the lost for Christ. Many churches are inward-focused because the only try to meet the needs of the people who are already in the church.
“That means there are generally two types of churches: outward-focused churches and inward-focused churches. Both face distinctive challenges and both have strategic opportunities to move toward sustained health. For the outward-focused church, the primary challenge will be how we help people take steps in their spiritual journeys after they accept Christ. In other words, outward-focused churches, by their nature, are more adept at creating environments where the unchurched or dechurched are welcomed. They are typically more evangelistic in their approach, but they have to work at discipleship…The inward-focused church has a different challenge, however. Their primary barrier to health is creating environments designed to reach people who don’t have a relationship with Jesus…Ironically, any organization, including a church, that doesn’t focus on reaching new people has already started to decline and will eventually die.” - Tony Morgan in The Unstuck Church, pg. 128-129
Pray today that God will give you the courage to be outward-focused not inward-focused. The church is its people and each of us need to decide to adjust our view to be in line with what God wants to do in King William County.
Declaration
Declaration
At Revival Baptist Church, the third step in our discipleship process is Leading the Lost to Christ.
1. When We Lead the Lost, We Take the Gospel to the World
1. When We Lead the Lost, We Take the Gospel to the World
As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
The Gospel is the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Christ. This is all that is necessary for salvation. We must believe on the finished work of Christ on the cross. Many will try to add works to salvation. They will try to make it something that man will do. Instead, salvation is something that Christ has done.
Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Every person is a sinner who needs a Saviour. The Gospel message is not just for a few people. It is for all of mankind. All of us are sinners as result of the fallen nature that we have received from Adam and Eve. In addition, we all have chosen to sin and that sin is something that we cannot pay for.
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
We give the Gospel to the Lost through Soul-winning. This is confrontational evangelism. We go to where the people are to give them the good news. This could be through giving a tract or giving our testimony. We see the pattern of confrontation throughout the Bible but especially in the book of Acts.
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
We show the love of Christ through Serving Others. Serving is something that we don’t all enjoy doing. However, service is something that is both commanded and effective in giving the Gospel. When we serve, we are giving our time and talents to God.
But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
We pass on what Christ has done for us through Discipling Others. Discipleship is teaching others what Christ has done for us. Christians disciple Christians. People help people. God works through the service of His people.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
We reach those we may never see through Missions and Church Planting. There are places around the world that are without the Gospel message. We may have opportunities to go to some of those places but we will never go to all of them. The way that we carry the message to them is through supporting Missionaries and Church Planters who will go and work in these needy places. This is the method that we have followed as church planters.
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.
Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things.
2. When We Lead the Lost, We Begin with Loving God and Others
2. When We Lead the Lost, We Begin with Loving God and Others
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: 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; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
Loving God is what we do through our services. We studied this two weeks ago. We must return the love that God has shown to us back to Him.
God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Loving Others is what we do through our fellowship and discipleship. We studied this last week. Instead of living the Christian life in isolation, we are commanded by God to show love to others throughout the New Testament.
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
If we are willing to take the step to Loving Others, we should also take the step to Leading the Lost. The Lost are others who are not yet Christians and should be brought to a knowledge of the truth that Christ has died for them. We see that this opportunity involves serving in our services and welcoming our guests. It also involves the need to go out and tell the lost of the truth where they are.
Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
The Gospel is the bedrock of our faith. The Gospel is what tells us where we were. It tells us who we are now. It shows us where we will spend eternity. The Gospel is what we must bring to the lost world around us.
And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
Leading the Lost is taking the Gospel to the world around us!
3. When We Lead the Lost, We Serve in the Church
3. When We Lead the Lost, We Serve in the Church
But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Christ served us as the perfect Sacrifice for our sin. The idea of Christ as the Suffering Servant was shown in the Old Testament book of Isaiah. In the New Testament, Mark pictures Christ in the same way throughout his gospel. We see this in one of the best summary verses by Christ of His ministry on earth.
For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
We show the Love of Christ through Serving in the Church. The example of Christ is that He was willing to come from Heaven to earth to die for us and rise again. This service required Him to choose to be somewhere that was unpleasant. It required Him to come and be with people who would refuse Him. Our service in the church should have the same willingness that Christ’s did on earth.
Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.
Serving could be through music. We have many ways that you can be involved in the music of the church. We have the opportunity for people to sing and play instruments. Some people can help set the song books out each week. Others people might be willing to help with the sound. Music is a popular way to serve God.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Serving could be through welcoming others. One opportunity is setting up our welcome table and giving out the resources that are on it. Another is greeting the people as they come in and showing them to a seat. We want the people who come to Revival Baptist Church to see that we care about each of them. It is our job to steward the guests that we have or God may not give us more. Greeted. Directed. Treated. Seated.
My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called? If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
Serving could be through teaching children or adults. Involvement in teaching and working with people is the essence of our church. We all have an opportunity to learn more but some are more challenged than others either by age or stage of life. We can be a part of training people for their Christian life.
But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
Serving could be through seating others or taking up the offering. Ushers have an opportunity to interact with each person that comes to our church. This opportunity is for any man that would like to be involved in the ministry of our weekly services.
Let all things be done decently and in order.
However we serve, we are showing the Love of Christ as we Lead the Lost to Christ!
4. When We Lead the Lost, We Bring New People to the Process
4. When We Lead the Lost, We Bring New People to the Process
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Loving God is the beginning of our process. This is the way that each of us begins our discipleship. We come to a service of Revival Baptist Church. We sing the hymns. We give in the offering. We hear the preaching. We make the choice for salvation.
We love him, because he first loved us.
Loving Others is the second part of our process. This is the portion of discipleship that involves our small group studies and the focused one on one discipleship of each Christian. We build relationships with others and grow closer together as a church.
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
Leading the Lost to Christ brings new people to Loving God. We are going out to find the lost people and bring them to the knowledge of Christ. We are inviting people to a service. We are serving in the services and interacting with the guests. Our goal is to bring more people into the process of discipleship that begins with salvation.
And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
We seek to honor God at Revival Baptist through Leading more people to Christ!
Conclusion
Conclusion
And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.
When the people of God follow the Word of God, the Work of God is seen in the world!
The testimony of Paul was that in two years everyone in that part of Asia had heard the Gospel message. This is an amazing statement! God used Paul as a light to the lost people of these cities and this was effective in reaching people and bringing them to Christ.
“The Choice”
Themes: Commitment; Mission; Obedience and Disobedience
I said: “Let me walk in the fields”;
God said: “Nay, walk in the town”;
I said: “There are no flowers there”;
He said: “No flowers, but a crown.”
I said: “But the sky is black,
There is nothing but noise and din”;
But He wept as He sent me back
“There is more” He said, “there is sin” …
I cast one look at the fields,
Then set my face to the town
He said: “My child, do you yield?
Will you leave the flowers for the crown?” …
SOURCE: George Macdonald, quoted in East Asia Missions (April 1969).
What are you going to do about Leading the Lost people of King William County to Christ? How are you going to be involved in serving in our church? Are you going to bring new people into the process of discipleship?
Each of us must be engaged in the final task that Christ has given us.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
At Revival Baptist Church, the third step in our discipleship process is Leading the Lost to Christ.
