The Seriousness of Soul Winning

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Take your Bibles and turn with me to
There is a difference between inviting someone to church (which is a great thing) and inviting someone to Jesus amen. Inviting people to church is great dont stop doing that, but I am telling you if you can be a part of God’s plan of leading someone to faith in Jesus Christ it is so much more fufilling.
There was a time when I went out trying to be intentional and lead someone to the Lord, as a pastor this is something I try to do daily but on this particular day I was certain that I was going to win someone to the Lord.
I went out and began speaking with a certain man, and we talked football and family and some other things and after awhile I just couldn’t take it any more I had to tell him about Jesus, I was like Popeye I had takes it, and takes it but I couldn’t takes it no more.
So I asked him I said listen if you were to die today do you believ you would go to Heaven? If God asked you why should I let you into my Heaven what would you say?
He said oh my goodness I dont know , so then I shared at length the good news of the gospel with him and I asked him if he would like to surrender his life to Jesus Christ for the forgivness of his sins...
He said well I dont think I am ready for that yet, I explained a little bit more and gave him one more shot, he said no I am just not ready, I said ok I prayed with him and I left.
got in the car and my two buddies were quiet and we were right about to pull into the school parking lot and one of em said, Kyle dont you think you were a little pushy back there?
I told him I understand your concern, but I want you to go home and I want you to read I just want you to read that 3 or 4 times and let it sink in, see what the Lord says to you, and we will talk later alright?
They said ok
They did and they came back later and they said we get it, we know why you did what you did, and we will never go visiting again, and the next time we go we will go soul winning.
God wants to save people. The reason people are not getting saved is not because God didn’t predestine them to get saved, the reason people are not getting saved is because were not telling them about the goodness of Jesus.
We have not shared the gospel with people we have not given them the opportunity to say yes or no to Jesus Christ. If we don’t give them a chance then their blood is on our hands and in the end we will have to give an account for that.
I MUST warn lost people of the gospel or their blood will be on my hands when I stand before the Lord.
Let’s talk just a minute about the seriousness of soul winning.
Ezekiel 3
Ezekiel 3:1–2 HCSB
He said to me: “Son of man, eat what you find here. Eat this scroll, then go and speak to the house of Israel.” So I opened my mouth, and He fed me the scroll.
Ezekiel
Ezekiel 3:3 HCSB
“Son of man,” He said to me, “eat and fill your stomach with this scroll I am giving you.” So I ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth.
Ezekiel 3:4 HCSB
Then He said to me: “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak My words to them.
Ezekiel 3:5 HCSB
For you are not being sent to a people of unintelligible speech or difficult language but to the house of Israel.
Ezekiel 3:6 HCSB
You are not being sent to many peoples of unintelligible speech or difficult language, whose words you cannot understand. No doubt, if I sent you to them, they would listen to you.
Ezekiel 3:7 HCSB
But the house of Israel will not want to listen to you because they do not want to listen to Me. For the whole house of Israel is hardheaded and hardhearted.
Ezekiel 3:8 HCSB
Look, I have made your face as hard as their faces and your forehead as hard as their foreheads.
That was the very first hard headed preacher right there amen
Ezekiel 3:9 HCSB
I have made your forehead like a diamond, harder than flint. Don’t be afraid of them or discouraged by the look on their faces, even though they are a rebellious house.”
Ezekiel 3:10–11 HCSB
Next He said to me: “Son of man, listen carefully to all My words that I speak to you and take them to heart. Go to your people, the exiles, and speak to them. Tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says,’ whether they listen or refuse to listen.”
Ezekiel 3:12
Ezekiel 3:12–13 HCSB
The Spirit then lifted me up, and I heard a great rumbling sound behind me—praise the glory of the Lord in His place!— with the sound of the living creatures’ wings brushing against each other and the sound of the wheels beside them, a great rumbling sound.
Ezekiel 3:14
Ezekiel 3:14–15 HCSB
So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away. I left in bitterness and in an angry spirit, and the Lord’s hand was on me powerfully. I came to the exiles at Tel-abib, who were living by the Chebar Canal, and I sat there among them stunned for seven days.
Ezekiel 3:16
Ezekiel 3:16 HCSB
Now at the end of seven days the word of the Lord came to me:
Ezekiel 3:17 HCSB
“Son of man, I have made you a watchman over the house of Israel. When you hear a word from My mouth, give them a warning from Me.
Ezekiel 3:18 HCSB
If I say to the wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ but you do not warn him—you don’t speak out to warn him about his wicked way in order to save his life—that wicked person will die for his iniquity. Yet I will hold you responsible for his blood.
Literally his blood will be on your hands
Ezekiel 3:19
Ezekiel 3:19 HCSB
But if you warn a wicked person and he does not turn from his wickedness or his wicked way, he will die for his iniquity, but you will have saved your life.
did you catch that?
I’m sending you to proclaim a message, if you share it and they ignore you they will die in their sins, but if you dont share it, if you dont tell them the word that I give you,they will die in their sin, but their blood will be upon your hands.
When you stand before God you need to understand you will give account for every idle word said, but we will also be held accountable for every opportunity we said nothing.
Once you share the gospel its up to them, you are not responsible if they refuse to listen. But if you refuse to share the good news its up to you.
THE SOUL WINNER IS:

Appointed By God

Alot of times people say “who gives you the right to tell me what to do?”.... Jesus
Jesus, He appoints all of us with His authority especially pastors they have a different authority which means I will face stricter judgment but you have the same calling. SHARE THE GOSPEL!
Ezekiel 3:17 HCSB
“Son of man, I have made you a watchman over the house of Israel. When you hear a word from My mouth, give them a warning from Me.
SON OF MAN- the common name for a mere man in the OT, Jesus used that same reference to refer to Himself so frequently He was not only the Son of God=to God, but He was also perfect man
Its a reference to being a mere man, it refers to Ezekiels mortality his finiteness compared to the Lords infiniteness.
I made you a WATCHMEN over the house of Israel, a sentinel, on a wall He would guard the city, and they had 24 hour sentinels, 24 hour a day watchmen, and if he saw an enemy coming he would announce and the city would prepare themselves to defend themselves against anyone who would come against them.
Ezekiel was a spiritual watchmen over the people of Israel. He was a renouned prophet He was not watching over the physical enemies of Gods people, He was watching out for the spiritual enemies of God’s people.
Alot like a pastor does, nowadays He is a shepherd watching out for the wolves that would attack the sheep. He wasn’t concerned about them being attacked physically he was concerned about the souls that would be attacked by the devil, He was concerned for their souls and Jesus you might remember said
Mark 8:36–37 ESV
For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul?
You are not a body with a soul, you are a soul with a body. Your soul will live forever, your body is going down if you don’t believe that then go buy a mirror, and I mean a big one.
Look into it and see if that is what it used to be, and if your honest you will see that this tent is perishing but my soul, gets better and better
Your body will fail but I am glad I have a soul!
God will call this body to an end but my soul will go to Jesus Christ.
We are watchmen looking out for peoples souls, is that not what Jesus said to his disciples when He called them?
He had already met the fishermen back in but in he calls them out away from fishing to be another kind of fishermen
Matthew 4:18–22 HCSB
As He was walking along the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, since they were fishermen. “Follow Me,” He told them, “and I will make you fish for people!” Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and He called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him.
Matthew 4:18-
to be concerned over your body is one thing, and doctors are great but we need more than doctors, we need people who are watchmen over our souls.
they were fishing for fish but Jesus said no were going to fish for souls. Its the same thing, when you get saved you become a watchmen, watches over the souls of other people.
Immediately after you have Jesus come into your life you are to share Jesus with lost people, and really if you think about it, you’ll have more lost people connected to you when you first get saved than at any other time.
theres probably not a better time in your life to share the gospel then right when you get saved!
God is calling you, hear the words of the Lord today He is not just speaking to Ezekiel, Jesus was not just speaking to the disciples He is talking to you and to me today.
We cant settle in just giving an offering, to support the preachers and other who share the gospel. God wants you to be a fisherr of men.
Matthew 28:19 HCSB
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Matthew 28:20 HCSB
teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Acts 1:8 HCSB
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Romans 1:16 HCSB
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek.
Just apply all those words to you, Jesus is calling you today, Jesus is appointing you today and dont just follow him to have some Bible studies, dont just follow him to read some books
FOLLOW ME TO BE A FISHER OF MEN
Make up your mind right now, that you are going to go out into life and try to reach one soul with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
We live in a mission field Jesus has appointed us to be soul winners, but not only are we appointed by God but we are astucallt supposed to speak on behalf of God.
Can you believe that, I mean why couldnt God just speak from Heaven?
I mean he could but for whatever reason He chooses to use redeemed humanity toi share thenews about His Son
THE SOUL WINNER

Announces for God

When you share the gospel you are actually spaking on behalf of almighty god!
Thats insane
Ezekiel 3:17 HCSB
“Son of man, I have made you a watchman over the house of Israel. When you hear a word from My mouth, give them a warning from Me.
2 things here
HEAR THE WORD
GIVE THEM WARNING
HEAR THE WORD:
hear the word of God and share the word of God
Constantly the word is going in, contantly the word should be going out.
Constantly the word is going in, Im reading the word, Im studying the word, Im memorizing the word Im hearing the word taught and then I’m going to share it.
Im not gonna bottle it up Im gonna let it go, Im gonna tell someone about the Lord.
Once Ezekiel had warned the people their blood was no longer on his hands. Now let me tell you something he warned them.
nowadays people just wanna be encouraged and consoled they want to come to church and just hear a little sermonette from a little preacherette
They wanna become little Christianettes I got news for you, thats whats wrong with America, we dont need anymore Sermonettes, or preacherettes we need some PROphets amen?
That will get up and say hear is the word of God, if you’ll preach the Bible people will accuse you of being smart amen? The Bible is what the world needs.
We desperately need Bibles preachers, I am praying God will raise up thousands if not tens of thousands that will preach and teach the word of God
Let me tell you something there is nothing going on in our country that alot of gospel preaching and gospel sharing wouldn’t fix very quickly.
If we speak up I believe things would begin to change relatively quickly.
But we hold the gospel to ourselves, these people to whom Ezekiel would speak did not need pampering, they needed admonishing. they didnt need to be consoled they needed to be rebuked.
They had sin in the camp, go back to what Ezekiel said earlier
Ezekiel 3:1 HCSB
He said to me: “Son of man, eat what you find here. Eat this scroll, then go and speak to the house of Israel.”
Notice that take it in and then share it
Hear the Word of God and then share it
Ezekiel 3:2–3 HCSB
So I opened my mouth, and He fed me the scroll. “Son of man,” He said to me, “eat and fill your stomach with this scroll I am giving you.” So I ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth.
Ezekiel 3:2-
I got up early this morning and I was in the book of Psalms and I was reading and going through psalm 63, I was over in it was sweet to my mouth.
I enjoy it I delight in it, I love GOD AND HIS WORD!
The Word of GOd is sweet when your hungry for the spiritual food God wants to give you
Then He says
Ezekiel 3:4–7 HCSB
Then He said to me: “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak My words to them. For you are not being sent to a people of unintelligible speech or difficult language but to the house of Israel. You are not being sent to many peoples of unintelligible speech or difficult language, whose words you cannot understand. No doubt, if I sent you to them, they would listen to you. But the house of Israel will not want to listen to you because they do not want to listen to Me. For the whole house of Israel is hardheaded and hardhearted.
Ezekiel 3:4-6
Ezekiel 3:8–11 HCSB
Look, I have made your face as hard as their faces and your forehead as hard as their foreheads. I have made your forehead like a diamond, harder than flint. Don’t be afraid of them or discouraged by the look on their faces, even though they are a rebellious house.” Next He said to me: “Son of man, listen carefully to all My words that I speak to you and take them to heart. Go to your people, the exiles, and speak to them. Tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says,’ whether they listen or refuse to listen.”
Ezekiel 3:8-
One of the most wicked kings in all of the OT wasa guy named Ahab
He was living in the day when Israel and Judah were split Ahab was a wicked man in and of himself but it was compiled when he married a woman named Jezebel.
When you say that name you kinda cringe dont ya, no one names their daughter Jezebel do they?
its kinda like hearing Cruela Devil
By the way that name Crueala Devil CRUEL DEVIL
Jezebel had a rebellious Spirit, there is even a saying she has a Jezebel sprit
Ahab hated the prophets of God his wife killed alot of the prophets of God but there was still a few of them left.
one of them was named Machia and we dont know much about him but we know he was a man of God. Jehoshophat and Ahab were together and Ahab was saying we need to go and attack these people and will you go with me?
Jehoshophat like he always did was like oh ok.... He was a Godly man but he wasn’t very bright when it came to hooking up with the wrong people.
How many of you know if you hook up with the wrong people you gonna do the wrong thing?
Jehoshaphat said hey before we go, can we hear from the prophets?
So all these paid for ungodly prophets said oh yes go you will win the victory. Finally Jehoshaphat realizes these men were just bought and paid for by Ahab and Jezebel IS THERE NOT ONE PROPHET OF THE LORD IN OUR MIDST?
IS THERE NOT ONE MAN OF GOD THAT WILL TELL US WHAT GOD SAYS?
Good question
Ahab said yeah I got one but I hate himbc he always says bad things about me, I dont like him cause he doesnt give me a feel good sermon.
Jehoshaphat said shut your mouth send for him.
They went and the guy who went there said:
1 Kings 22:13 HCSB
The messenger who went to call Micaiah instructed him, “Look, the words of the prophets are unanimously favorable for the king. So let your words be like theirs, and speak favorably.”
Listen Machai go along to get along Im telling ya your never gonna have a good ministry, your never gonna grow a church if you just preach negative stuff, you need to go with the guys who are saying health and wealth everything is gonna be ok, go along to get along
1 Kings 22:13
Everybody else is doing it why dont you?
I love what Machai said:
How many of you know some people cant be bought out Amen?
1 Kings 22:14
1 Kings 22:14 HCSB
But Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, I will say whatever the Lord says to me.”
He goes out there to Ahab and Jehoshaphat says well how about it Machai we gonna be ok out there on the battle field, and he says oh yeah go ahead everything gonna be ok and he did it in a sarcastic way, but then Ahab said how many times do I have to tell you to tell me the truth.
He said alright I’ll tell you the truth:
I looked up into Heaven and I saw the angels of God and the demons and everyone else wandering around up there and God was saying how can I decieve the king of Israel talking about Ahab.
One demon spoke up and said I will put a deception within the mouths of his prophets and God said that will work.
Machai said you hear the word of the Lord your gonna die in battle, and if you dont die God didn’t send me.
You remember what happened?
He was out in battle and the Bible says some little old random soldier had an arrow, one arrow left and he just shoots it up into the air and walks off.
He didnt know it but that arrow went right into Ahabs chest a mortal wound and he died and just like another prophet who prophesied that the dogs would lick his blood for killing an innocent man earlier.
He died in his chair and the dogs licked his blood
WHY WHY?
what is all this about
Im simply saying Ezekiel just like Elijah, just like MAchai just like Jeremiah was called to announce for God.
I love to give encouragin sermons, I love it when people say oh Brother Kyle that sermon was so encrouaging I feel so good today.
How many of you know we dont always need to feel good we need to wake up to reality. If I am on a plane that is going down I dont want someone to walk back there and say would you like a coke?
No I wanna parachute, I wanna get out of this plane
I want someone to come out and say WERE GOING DOWN
Either jump with a parachute or say your prayeers and get ready to meet your God.
I wanna be warned
If you are sitting in your easy chair and your watching some movie and all of a sudden the tornado warning goes off, do you say you know what I wish that thing would stop so that I could watch my movie...
What you need to do is go get in the hallway!
We need to lovingly warn people, we need to say its not alright I love you too much to leave you unwarned!
We cant save them but we can warn them, yes God loves you but you are a sinner I am a sinner and the wages of our sin is spiritual death, if we dont trust Christ Jesus were gonna die and go to Hell.
Before that were gonna live a life wasted without Christ!
You cant save yourself the best you can do is like filthy rags before God
You need the perfect righteousness of JEsus clothing you
CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD AND BE SAVED WE NEED TO WARN SOMEBODY!
We dont just need to say Im ok your ok WERE NOT OK PEOPLE ARE DYING AND GOING TO HELL EVERYDAY!
It’s not ok with God and its not ok with us
We need to warn them
A soul winner

Accountable to God

Ezekiel 3:18 HCSB
If I say to the wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ but you do not warn him—you don’t speak out to warn him about his wicked way in order to save his life—that wicked person will die for his iniquity. Yet I will hold you responsible for his blood.
Who do you need to tell about Jesus?
(Let’s pray)
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