TAKE IT PERSONALLY

TAKE IT PERSONALLY

From Striving Together

1. Using a Hope List

Our job is to sow the seed. But not everyone is saved the first time they hear the Gospel.

Ask how many were?

It can take multiple times to present the Gospel to someone to come to an understanding of the truth of Jesus Christ.

A. What is a Hope List?

o Extremely important tool – allows you to be focused and intentional. It’s not complicated and has a simple list of names and record of your contact.

o Show book and sheet in back page.

B. Who Do I Include?

o Anyone that you believe to be a positive contact for the gospel.

o Guest at church, coworker, classmate, business contact, neighborhood, soulwinning, etc.

o Very good to use in outreach – note person and follow up – we use regional groups.

o Especially follow up if you’ve been able to present the Gospel and they’ve listened.

o Give them your contact info.

o If they are truly not interested, then feel free to remove them from your list.

C. How Do I Use my Hope List?

1) Pray daily – only God can work on hearts!

2) Contact weekly – contact once per week – visit, note, call/text. Diligently and graciously pursue them. Be sensitive to the Holy Spirit – times may be required to back off or just notes for a while.

3) Update regularly – record contacts and any changes.

2. Developing an Everywhere Mentality

· Acts 8:4 – therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word. Let’s look at how to develop this mentality.

A. See People as Souls

o While we need planned and purposeful times of soulwinning and evangelism, these aren’t the only times. People can get saved on Tuesday too!

o When Jesus saw the multitudes he was moved with compassion. Often we see people as frustrating and inconvenient.

o Maybe especially in this ‘isolation’ and COVID time we can become very anti-people oriented.

o But everyone you see has an eternal soul.

B. Look for Opportunities

o An everywhere mentality looks purposely for opportunities. Look for them in your daily life – at the store you can give a tract – at the drive thru; at the restaurant.

C. Steward Relationships

o Do you remember who led Peter to Christ? It was his brother Andrew – we all know and recognize the great ministry of Peter, but Andrew was used to bring him to Christ.

o You might not ever be a Peter, but all of can be an Andrew!

o There are specific relationships that God has given you – family, coworkers, friends, and neighbors, barber, accountant, kid’s coach.

o Illustrate me as LL umpire and board member.

o Get to know the people God has given you stewardship of – interact with them. Maintain a good testimony! If your kid plays sports don’t be THAT parent.

D. Obey Every Prompting of the Spirit

o With this point we’re reminded of the Evangelist Philip in Acts 8 that was led by the Spirit to meet the Ethiopian eunuch and led him to Christ.

o That could have been an awkward meeting to start with. But Philip obeyed the Holy Spirit.

o Don’t ignore the HS prompting, especially if the reason is you’re just uncomfortable.

o We need to be filled with the Spirit.

3. Staying Motivated

· I’ve found that some of my interests in life have changed. A hobby I once had, I’m no longer interested in or no longer can afford. When I was in the Army, I had a great interest in my 1971 Ford Mustang with a 351 Cleveland engine – boy I could tell you stories. But then I got married…

· However, winning people to Christ, cannot be a passing hobby. You never retire from this.

· Let’s look at some principles to help keep us motivated for souls!

A. The Love of Christ

o Every time we share the gospel we’re letting them know that Jesus died for them. But remember He died for us, for me, for the world. The demonstration of His love is overwhelming.

2 Corinthians 5:14–15 AV

14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

o Get a hold of the love of God – he so loved the world that He gave. My favorite word in John 3:16 is so!

B. The Reality of Eternity

o Everything is fast today. We have short attention spans, and shallow lives. Sometimes we forget the reality of eternity.

o There’s a real Heaven and Hell and everyone will spend an eternity in one of those two places.

o Remember the rich man in Luke 16 – he was tormented in the flame.

o Look, that reality alone, should motivate you to warn everyone you can.

C. Compassion for the Lost

o This is one of the prime characteristics of the ministry of Jesus Christ. We mentioned it earlier when we talked about seeing people as souls.

o Real compassion is seen when it is motivated into action. Two ways we show compassion!

1) Pray for more laborers

2) Be a faithful laborer ourselves

o Compassion begins when we really see people.

D. The Judgment Seat of Christ

o There’s one more eternal reality – the Judgment seat of Christ. Here is a judgment for only Christians, and its not a judgment of sins but of service.

o Its an examination of our service and an awarding according to that.

o I think we’d all like to hear well done thou good and faithful servant. But I wonder how many opportunities I’ve missed. How many rewards I will lose.

o Paul always felt his heavenly joy was earthly converts

1 Thessalonians 2:19 AV

19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?

· What a great joy to stand before the Lord in heaven – along with the people we had helped lead to Him. So here we’ve the importance of our hope list, having an everywhere mentality, and staying motivated. We need to make the great commission a personal priority.