Soul Winning—A Privilege And A Duty

I want to give you a glimpse of the New Testament church at Jerusalem. There were one hundred and twenty believers, it says, and within twelve months, a brief year, we have a record of growth described in such words as, “multitude,” “multitudes,” “three thousand,” “five thousand,” “multiplied greatly.” I do not know how many people had been led to Christ, but I know that we have here the most remarkable piece of growth and development that the world knows anything about. It is most amazing. All I can hope to do this morning is to call you attention to three or four things that characterized this most singular work.

Our Consuming Purpose

I want you to notice in the first place that there was perfect harmony. There was no strained effort to keep down division or disagreement or a fuss. Nobody was saying, “Let’s all be good and love each other.” They did not have to talk about that because their hearts were one in purpose; their passion was one; the ambition of their souls was one—and that was to make Jesus of Nazareth known to Jerusalem and the world as the Messiah of prophecy, the Christ of God, the Saviour of lost sinners. You don’t have to lecture one of the great baseball teams about cooperation. They want to win the game!

The early Christians stood together as one man concentrating on the supreme objective of making Christ known to every man and woman and boy and girl. There was harmony. They were one in heart and purpose.

Every Believer Witnessing

Notice another thing that characterized these believers [in Acts 2]. “When the day of Pentecost was fully come they were all with one accord in one place. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues, like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak.” It was the individual witnessing of these individual believers doing what Jesus told them to do. All this was done before there was ever any sermon preached. Similar results will follow in this city not because we say to the sinners of Chicago, “Come to the house of God and get salvation,” but because we do like those early believers, the work of witnessing to individual men and women. They had no trouble about getting a congregation. They began to witness and they kept it up daily. In the temple and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

In the eighth chapter [of Acts] and the fourth verse we are told that “They that were scattered abroad went everywhere (personally and individually) preaching the Word.” Too many in our day are like the church official whom the pastor called upon to pray. “Do your own praying,” he said, “that’s what we’re paying you for.” Too many believe that we are paying the pastor to do the preaching and the praying and the soul winning. In the early church every man felt this responsibility.

“We Learn To Do By Doing”

Somebody says, “I have had no training.” When I talk of doing work for Christ, I realize the great need of training. I appreciate that, but I have discovered in a practical view of things that the finest kind of training in skill is acquired by practice. I know a great many preachers who are graduates of theological seminaries but they can’t preach. I know a great many medical men who have degrees from universities, but they aren’t doctors. I know a great many teachers with teachers’ training diplomas, but they are not teachers. I understand the need of training, but I want to tell you that when it comes to soul winning (listen to me even if you do not believe me) there is no such a thing as teaching a man how to win a soul to Christ. Read every book you can on winning souls, attend every lecture given on that subject. That is fine and wonderful. But there are thousands of people that have heard lectures and sermons and read books who have not won one soul to Jesus Christ.

One morning a farmer fifty-two years old came to an annual revival meeting. He lived a profane and wicked life. He did not go to church except about once in five years, but he thought he would like to hear this preacher and see what was going on. During the sermon, the Spirit of God touched his soul and when the invitation was given he walked down the aisle and gave his heart to Christ. He had a neighbor who lived just across the highway. That afternoon while his wife was getting dinner the farmer climbed the fence and went over to this neighbor’s home. They had discussed their crops together and been profane together, but on this occasion, with a strangeness in his voice and in his eyes he said, “I want you and your folks to go with me and my folks today. Will you go?”

The friend said, “Yes.”

“All right, we leave at two o’clock.”

And at two o’clock they drove into the little town to the revival meeting. The sermon was preached and the invitation was given, and this farmer, fifty-two years old and just saved a few hours, went down the aisle to where his friend was sitting. He put his hand on the neighbor’s shoulder. He did not say a word but the tears began to stream down his great brown cheeks and presently, face to face and eye to eye, tears appeared in his neighbor’s eyes and he went down the aisle to confess his faith in the Saviour. There was a man won to Christ by one who could not quote a single passage of Scripture. Yes, get all the training you can, but my friends, get out and win souls for Christ.

Jesus Christ said, “Come ye after me and I will make you fishers of men.” It takes a yielded heart and a willing mind to be used of Christ.

The next thing that is emphasized is the work of the Holy Spirit. “When he is come,” John says, “he will convict the world.” The Holy Spirit is given unto us to witness for Christ. You go out and advertise Christ and you won’t have to advertise your church. There were two others things emphasized in that wonderful early church—obedience and prayer.

I read a story some time ago about a man who lived in the mountains and who wanted nightingales. He made up his mind he was going to have them. He got all the literature he could concerning these birds and then he did two things: He cultivated those things that nightingales like and he killed their enemies as fast as they appeared. That program went on for two years and then one morning the sweetest music filled the woodlands—the nightingales had come. How his heart was thrilled, for his hope had been gratified. But he had made some preparation for it.

Specific Praying

My friends, do you want the Spirit of God upon you in power to witness for Christ? Then clear out those things that are hindering. Go gunning for the enemies of the Spirit of God and cultivate obedience and prayer.

How these Christians prayed! Don’t misunderstand me. I believe we are to carry everything to God in prayer and He will supply every need according to His riches in glory. But I want you to notice that these people (Acts 4:31) were not praying for their sick friends and neighbors, nor for peace the prosperity and plenty. When Paul got in prison, he did not pray to get out. He wrote the church and said, “Pray for me that I might speak with boldness.” Do you know what these people prayed for? In the face of persecution and suffering they did not ask to be excused or relieved, but they said, “Grant this one request, that thy servants may have boldness.” Brother, that is the prayer I need to make this morning and that is the prayer for you. We are a bunch of cowards. You work down here in a store with a fellow. You have touched elbows with him for five years, perhaps, and you talk to him about everything under the shining stars. You even invite him to church and encourage him to be a better man, but you have not mentioned Christ to him. You don’t have the courage. You have not that holy boldness to step out and do what Christ told you to do. The Christians of Jerusalem were willing to admit that their greatest need was the power of God upon them.

What Is The Difference?

I want to ask you one question. What is the difference between folks then and now? What advantage had they over us? Well, you say, they had the Holy Spirit in mighty power. He is the same Holy Spirit. He is promised to those who believe and obey. You say that they had Christ and His teachings. We have the same mighty Gospel to preach and to teach, the same marvelous Word of God, the same truth that is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth, the same grace of God, which has appeared unto all men. The bounds of the oceans may be changed, the streams and the rivers may alter their courses, the mountains may be removed and cast into the depths of the sea, and Niagara may fall, but Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever!

Had they any advantage over us? Just one. They had no man-made schemes and plans. They took the Word of God; they did what He told them to do just exactly as He told them to do it. Oh, my friends, we talk about our orthodoxy. I would God that we included the great forgotten fundamental of doing the work of Christ, the work of soul winning, in the way and to the extent that He told us to do it. God help us that we shall.