Leading the Lost into the Light

John 1:35-42

Introduction:  "He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ." This is one of those stories in the Bible that has a very happy ending.  Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, had chosen to follow Christ and knew that his own brother, Simon, needed to be saved too.  Simon Peter did get saved and became one of the greatest preachers of his day.  Thousands came to Christ because of his being used of God!

There is something that has come up missing in recent years in modern Christianity.  There is a lack of teaching and preaching on soul winning, that is, the spreading of the Gospel in order to get folks saved.  Many, who profess Christ and have the full assurance of their salvation, do not know how to lead a person to Christ.

Soul winning is necessary for a number of Scriptural reasons:

1. - It is commanded; "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." (Matthew 28:19-20)
   - It is required; "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.  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?  And how shall they preach, except they be sent?  as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!" (Romans 10:13-15)
   - It is wise; "And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever." (Daniel 12:3)  "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise." (Proverbs 11:30)
   
   

The truth is, the world is dying without any hope of Heaven because Christians do not know how to bring others to faith in Christ.  Not only that, but many, who do know how to lead others to faith in Christ, refuse to do so!

I want to place a soul-winning tool into your hands in order to help you bring the lost to faith in Christ.

There are five facts people must understand to be saved:

1.     They can know for sure that they will go to Heaven.

1. - 1 John 5:13 says, "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God."
   

2. - Ask them plainly, "If you were to die today, do you know for sure that you would go to Heaven, or do you have some doubt?"
   - The Bible says that you can know for sure.
   - Paul wrote, "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." (1 Corinthians 15:19) Paul also wrote to Pastor Titus, "In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began." (Titus 1:2)  "Hope" is not what we define it as today.  This hope is a sure thing.  Bible hope is not what we think we will receive, but rather, what we know we will receive because of God's promises!
   - Many will say, "No one can know for sure," but the Bible says otherwise.  Praise the Lord!  We have a "know-so salvation!"
   
   

2.     They must understand that we are all sinners.

1. - Romans 3:10 says, "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one."
   

2. - All of us are born with a sin nature that is against God.
   
   

3. * "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked:  who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9)
   * "For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not." (Ecclesiastes 7:20)
   * "And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." (Genesis 6:5)
   * "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)
   
   

4. - The idea here is that none of us are as good as Jesus.  We have fallen short of Jesus' perfection.
   
   

3.     They must understand sin has to be paid for.

1. - Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
   

2. - God does not forgive sin; He forgives sinners.  Sin must be paid for,  "...the wages of sin is death..."  You can pay for it yourself or accept Jesus' payment for it.
   - Adam and Eve had to die physically for their sin, but they were also separated from God because of their sin, "But your iniquities have separated between you and your God..." (Isaiah 59:2)
   - Luke 16:19-31 tell us about the unsaved rich man who went to Hell, and the saved Lazarus who went to Heaven.
   - Sin separates us from God, "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." (Revelation 20:15)
   
   

4.     They must understand that Jesus paid for our sins.

1. - Romans 5:8 says, "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
   

2. - God's justice demands that sin be paid for.  Someone had to pay for the sins of the whole world.  That Someone was Jesus.
   - Romans 6:23 says that sin has a price on it, "For the wages of sin is death..."  Romans 5:8 says, "Christ died for us."
   - I owed a debt I could not pay; Jesus paid a debt He did not owe, "And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth.  Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood." (Revelation 1:5)
   - God introduced Jesus to me so that I might be saved.
   
   

5.     They must understand that eternal life is God's gift.

1. - Romans 6:23 says, "...the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
   

2. - Eternal life cannot be earned or in any way deserved.  It is only by God's grace we are saved!
   
   

3. * "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:  it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)
   * "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." (Titus 3:5)
   * "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." (Romans 4:5)
   * "And if by grace, then is it no more of works:  otherwise grace is no more grace.  But if it be of works, then is it no more grace:  otherwise work is no more work." (Romans 11:6)
   
   

4. - The question was asked in Acts 16:30-31, "...Sirs, what must I do to be saved?  And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved..."
   - This is why, in order to receive God's gift of eternal life, we must call upon the Lord to save us, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13)
   
   

** After you tell them each of these facts, review the facts and find out whether or not they see their need to get saved.  If they respond "yes" to all of the facts, go to the next step.
** Ask this question, "If we were to bow our heads right now and I were to lead us in a prayer, since Jesus is willing to accept you just as you are, would you be willing to accept Him and His gift of eternal life?"  When they say "yes," lead them in a prayer asking for eternal life.  They must mean it from the heart.

** If they pray with you to receive Jesus as their Saviour, show them what the Bible says about their eternal gift.

1. * "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.  My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand." (John 10:28-29)
   * "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." (1 John 5:13)
   * "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:6)
   * "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (Romans 8:1)
   * "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)
   * "Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." (1 Peter 1:5)
   * "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." (John 5:24)
   * "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." (John 6:37)
   
   

Conclusion:  If there were just one thing you could do for those you know and love, what would it be?  Since eternal things are most important, it would only make sense to share the truth about eternal life with them.

Are you sure you will go to Heaven?  If you were to die today, do you know for sure that you would go to Heaven, or do you have some doubt?  If you are in doubt today, YOU can know for sure.  If you know someone else who is not saved, you can tell them how they can know for sure that Heaven is their eternal home!