Why Every Believer Should Be a Soul Winner.

If Not you, Who will?

1Cor.9:16-23

“For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!” — 1 Corinthians 9:16

INTRODUCTION

Today we begin our John 3:3 Campaign.

For the next 30 days, I am asking every member to:

Give 3 tracts To 3 people Every day

Because Jesus said in John 3:3:

“Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

People are not going to be born again unless somebody tells them how.

Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God

Paul said in Romans 10:14 “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?”

That is not convenience — That is calling.

That is not personality — That is responsibility.

So the question before us is this:

If we don’t go tell them about Jesus — who will?

The government won’t. Their doctor won’t. Their teacher won’t. Their therapist won’t.

So who will?

Christ has laid that responsibility on us — believers, followers of Him.

Jesus said:

“Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel.”

Paul took Christ’s command seriously

And Paul tells us here: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!”

Paul lays out before us in these verses what I believe will motivate us to take this challenge to heart and Go because no one else will!!

I. THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR SOUL WINNING

vs. 16

(v.16) “Necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!”

Paul said:

I do not preach because it’s convenient, comfortable

Or because it fits my personality.

I preach because I must.

That word necessity means:

This is not optional.

Which means This is not extra credit Christianity.

This is not for the especially bold or the naturally outgoing.

This is something God has laid on every believer.

A. Our Calling

This is not:

a preacher’s job

a missionary’s ministry

a church program

This is a believer’s calling

every saved person is a sent person.

Jesus commanded in Matthew 28:19

“Go ye therefore…”

That command was not given to pastors or missionaries only.

That command was given to disciples.

And if you are saved this morning — you are a disciple.

According to what God told Ezekiel 3:18

“When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning… his blood will I require at thine hand.”

If you know the way to Heaven and refuse to tell someone else —

God holds you accountable.

You may never preach a sermon, go to a foreign country or stand behind a pulpit.

But you can hand someone a tract.

you can tell someone what Jesus did for you.

Because if not you —

Who will?

A. Our Calling

B. Our Constraint

Paul said: “Woe is unto me…”

That word woe is a deep conviction,

You Know That burden that will not leave you alone.

Paul lived with the constant awareness that people were dying and going to Hell all around him.

And the thought : “If I don’t tell them — no one else will…”

Pressed on him every single day.

Can I ask you something?

What if the person that invited you to church…

handed you a tract…

or told you about Jesus…

Had ignored that same calling?

Had resisted that same pressure?

Had stayed silent?

Would you be here today?

There ought to be a constant awareness in our hearts:

That men and women all around us will take their last breath today… and wake up in eternity.

So the question is not:

Do I feel comfortable doing this?

The question is:

If not me — Who will?

So if the responsibility really is ours…

If the necessity really has been laid on us…

If the answer to the question “If not me, who will?” really is — No one…

Then the next question we must ask our selves is:

What is it going to require from me to reach them?

Paul lays out for us in the next few verses, what it takes to be a soul winner

II. THE REQUIREMENT FOR SOUL WINNING

(vv.19–22)

Paul said: 1 Corinthians 9:19 “For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.”

Soul winning requires:

A. A Submissive Attitude (v.19a)

“made myself a servant unto all”

Paul said: I am free — but I choose to serve.

Nobody made Paul witness

Nobody forced Paul to preach.

Nobody put a contract in front of him.

He submitted himself to the mission.

Soul winning begins when we stop asking:

“Is this my job?”

“Is this my responsibility?”

And we start saying:

“Lord, I am available.”

“Lord, I am willing.”

“Lord, I am Your servant.”

Sometimes it means:

Stopping what you're doing

Starting a conversation

Speaking when it's awkward

Handing someone a tract when you're nervous

But listen — If Jesus could submit Himself to the cross for us, we can submit ourselves to a conversation for Him.

If not you… who will?

A. A Submissive Attitude

B. An Intentional Attitude (v.19b)

“that I might gain the more”

Paul did not say: “That I might gain some.”

He said: “That I might gain the more.”

That is intentional language.

Paul wasn’t passive about reaching people — he was purposeful.

He looked for opportunities.

He prayed for open doors.

He made the effort.

Soul winning does not happen by accident.

Nobody accidentally gives out three tracts a day.

Nobody accidentally starts a gospel conversation.

Nobody accidentally invites someone to church.

You have to decide:

Today — I am going to try to reach someone.

Because if we sit back and wait for them to come to us…

They never will.

So we must go to them.

Not rude Not pushy But intentional

Because if not you… who will?

A. A Submissive Attitude

B. An Intentional Attitude

C. An Approachable Attitude (vv.20–22)

Paul said: “Unto the Jews I became as a Jew… to them that are without law, as without law… I am made all things to all men…”

Paul did not change the message — But he did change his method.

He met people where they were.

He talked to them in ways they understood.

He related to their situation.

He connected before he corrected.

Some people you reach with Scripture. Some people you reach with your testimony. Some people you reach with compassion. Some people you reach with a simple:“Can I give you this?”

You do not have to be a theologian to be approachable.

You just have to:

Smile Be kind Care about people Talk to them like they matter

Jesus was approachable to:

fishermen

tax collectors

sinners

broken people

outcasts

if we walk past people every day without speaking to them —

we are saying with our silence:

Someone else can tell them.

But what if there is no one else?

If not you… who will?

Now when you hear all of that:

You might be thinking:

That sounds uncomfortable. That sounds inconvenient. That sounds intimidating.

And you're right —

Sometimes it is.

Because soul winning costs you something:

But listen — God never commands something without connecting it to a reward.

Paul said:

I became a servant I made the effort I met people where they were

Not just because I had to —

But because of what I get to be part of when someone else gets saved.

III. THE REWARD OF SOUL WINNING

(vv.17–18, 23)

Paul said in verse 17: “For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward…”

Paul knew that he did not have to wait for a reward

He knew that God would be pleased

Now Paul did not win them all, but he still had a reward, becasue he did it willingly

There was peace in his heart that he had done exactly what God wanted him to do .

And then Paul said in verse 18: “What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge…”

Yeah Paul was speaking in terms of monetary value, but Paul told us over and over again, its not the reward of money

He is saying:

My reward is that I get to give the gospel to somebody else.

My reward is that God lets me be involved in someone else being saved.

My reward is that God would use somebody like me to point somebody else to Jesus Christ.

Listen — When somebody else gets saved —

I get in on the blessing.

When somebody else trusts Christ —

I share in the joy.

When somebody else is born again —

I become a partaker of the miracle.

That’s why Paul said in verse 23: “That I might be partaker thereof with you.”

One day in Heaven —

You may meet someone you never knew on earth

Who says:

Thank you for that tract Thank you for that invitation Thank you for that conversation Thank you for caring enough to say something

I am here — because you didn’t stay silent.

And in that moment —

You will never regret:

The awkwardness The rejection The inconvenience

Because you chose to srtay… When you could have walked away.

Because you knew that if you didnt— Who would?

CONCLUSION

Soul winning is not about your personality or your ability.

It is about responsibility.

Paul said: “Necessity is laid upon me…”

Not convenience.

Not comfort.

Not when it fits my schedule.

But, Necessity.

Because That someone who

Work beside you Lives next to you Waits in a line with you Sits across from you Goes to school with you

may just be taking their last breath without Christ.

And the truth is:

The government won’t tell them. Their doctor won’t tell them. Their teacher won’t tell them. Their therapist won’t tell them. Their friends probably won’t tell them.

So who will?

If not you —

Who will?

Jesus said:

“Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” — John 3:3

Hebrews tells us that Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.

And Paul said how can they hear without a preacher.

Well, You are that preacher

You are the one to show them the way

So for the next 30 days:

Carry the tract. Start the conversation. Make the effort. Say something.

Because one day —

In heaven you may meet that person again, because you handed them a tract on a Tuesday afternoon.

Someone may escape Hell today because you spoke up when it would’ve been easier to stay silent.

Someone’s eternity may be changed forever — Because you decided:

I will go.

I will tell

Because you decided to answer the call with, Here am I Lord, send me!

Because if not you —

Who will?

INVITATION

Who this morning will say:

“I will give 3 tracts To 3 people For 30 days.”

Let’s ask God for:

boldness

compassion

opportunity

to win souls.