Just One More Soul

Seniors are beginning a stage in their life when they are being sent out from home. Your main goal in being sent out is not to pass class, or to make friends, or to find new love, or a job. Your purpose your next 4 years is to share the gospel. There is a deep need for gospel believing, gospel baring, and gospel sharing college students and millennials.

2015 College Graduates : only 57% believe in God,less than half of those believe in Jesus. only 47% claim religion is important to them, only 36% attend church services regularly.

But you can make an eternal difference if you can reach just 1!

“Dennis, its hard to build a church in grant county, everyone already goes to church.”

Grant County Statistics- 2015- Over 18,000 population. --- about 40 churches. Each church should be running 450 people on average. in 2015, %52 of Grant county said they were Non-religious. Over 9,000 people in the shadow of our steeple with no religion. What are you doing about it?

But you can make an eternal difference, if you can reach just one.

Read

Mark 2:1–13 ESV

And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!” He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them.

Just One More Soul

What are you doing to reach just one more soul?

The Watching Crowd - v. 1-2

Many people come to Jesus out of curiosity of a savior, but many avoid the commitment to a Savior.

Many people come to Jesus for entertainment , but avoid Jesus when He causes interference with their lives.

What draws people to IBC? What is “noised” about us?

Is it because the spirit of God is here?

Is it because our worship is compelling?

Why are you here today?

Too many people come to witness the show, instead of worship the Savior.

Too many people show up to watch and not enough show up to work.

Don’t just attempt to witness or watch a move of God, get to work and be the movement of God.

We are not called to watch, we are called to work.

2. The Weary Crippled - v.3

While there were people fighting for the best seat in the house, there was a cripple man just fighting for life.

I wonder how many of the people in the watching crowd, walked right past this man who needed to witness Jesus, just so they could get to their spot to watch Jesus.

Do you intentionally seek or intentionally avoid certain people who need Jesus?

We cannot be a Jesus church, if we have a please us mentality. Are we here as a church to please ourselves or to reach the lost?

When is the last time you prayed for the salvation of lost souls?

When is the last time you gave your attention and time to someone who needs Jesus?

Remember, someone carried the corner of your mat one day.

3. The Willing Companions - v. 3-4

They were willing to carry their friend, or maybe a total stranger...... LOVE. Selflessness.

Sometimes, those who need Jesus do not just need to hear the end is near, they need to have a Godly friend who is near.

How much time do you spend with a non believer?

c. We expect those who are spiritually cripple to be able to bring themselves to Jesus....

d. Jesus did not call the nonbelievers to us, He called us to the nonbelievers.

“BECAUSE OF THEIR FAITH.” - V. 5 Your faith directly resulted in your salvation. But.... when is the last time that your faith has directly resulted in the salvation of someone else?

“they uncovered the roof” What are you willing to do, to sacrifice to go through so that just one more soul can know Jesus.

Too many people give up on the ground. Don’t let that be you!

4. The Working Christ. - v 5-12

When we are faithful to share, we can be assured that God is faithful to save.

God was glorified that day because a few people were willing to bring just one more soul to him.

Jesus is still in the working business of saving souls, are we still in the business of bringing the souls to him?

JUST ONE MORE SOUL!