Soul Winning Sermon – Four Essentials for the Soul Winner

Soul Winning Sermon – Sermon outline by Tom Moore on the qualities the soul winner must have. Preaching the gospel is God’s method of saving souls.

TITLE: Soul Winning Sermon – Four Essentials for the Soul Winner

I. Introduction

A. Ever since Jesus gave His apostles the great commission (Mark 16:15-16), soul saving has been an important topic.

1. This is not limited to the apostles … “Go ye” means go me.

2. Preaching the gospel is God’s method of saving souls, and we need to do our best in carrying this out.

B. Illustration

A few years ago the news media focused our attention to the tragedy in Midland, where 18 month old Jessica McClure fell down an abandoned well in the backyard of their home. The whole community, the whole nation, and some from around the world showed their interest and concern for this little girl and her parents. On Friday evening, the news media began televising the entire rescue operation. After being in the well some 58 hours, young Jessica was brought out alive. It was a dramatic moment for those present, as they began to shout and clap. Emotion was high in homes that were watching the rescue, and I dare say there was not a dry eye anywhere among those that were watching. It was heart-breaking to think of such a small child in a dark well, but a joyous moment when she was rescued.
Now, if we can be that interested in the welfare of a little girl’s physical life, WHY can’t we be just half as concerned about the spiritual life of our friends and neighbors who are lost in the darkness of sin???

C. As we will see in our lesson of the hour, to save souls we must:

1. Be RIGHT

2. Look to God for MIGHT

3. Preach it with faith and SIGHT

4. Attack the devil with great FIGHT

D. Your special attention is desired as we look closely at these four important words

II. Discussion

A. A SOUL WINNER MUST BE RIGHT

1. In soul winning we must be right in doctrine

a. There are many who spend many dedicated hours promoting error and the doctrines of men

1) But Jesus said … Matthew 15:13

2) 1 Timothy 6:3-5 … Paul warns against teaching error

b. There are those who feel that doctrine is not important, and they devise creed books based on the teachings of men and traditions

1) They blindly encourage their hearers to accept such doctrines, and they fail to understand that doing such cuts them off from God.

2) 2 John 9

3) 1 Corinthians 9:16

4) Galatians 1:6-10

5) Jude 3

2. In soul winning we must also be right in life

a. How can we ever lead one to Christ when we are not setting the right example – without living Christ-like?

b. 1 Timothy 4:12

1) These six things represent the way one lives

2) When our lives are right, people see Jesus living in us

c. Matthew 5:16

d. If Christ has not changed our lives, how can we expect to change the lives of others?

3. In soul winning we must be right in attitude

a. It is possible to present the truth to one and still fail because it was done with the wrong attitude.

b. Ephesians 4:15

c. The wrong attitude can hid the light of the Gospel under a bushel

d. When Jesus taught the woman at the well about true worship, He did not teach truth only, but said … John 4:24

1) Jesus also said … John 8:32, and even though it is the truth that will set us free, the right attitude is critical to the whole process

2) People must see that we truly love their souls

4. In soul winning it is essential that we be right in doctrine, life and attitude!

B. A SOUL WINNER MUST HAVE MIGHT

1. We can’t bring souls to Christ solely by our own might, we must rely on the power of God and the power of His written word.

2. To rely on the power of God, we must turn to Him in prayer

a. The greatest soul winner of all times was the apostle Paul.

b. What was the secret to his success? … Ephesians 3:14-19

c. He summed up the source of his strength in Philippians 4:13

3. Might is also received from the power of God’s word.

a. Some feel that the word is not powerful enough, therefore they seek supernatural things.

b. However, even in the miraculous age, the word of God was always the source of power in conversion

c. Romans 1:16-17

d. Hebrews 4:12

4. We may be tempted in soul saving to believe that our ability, our strength, and our method represent the power, but this is not true – the power rests in God and His word, and on this we must rely.

C. A SOUL WINNER MUST HAVE SIGHT

1. To be a successful soul winner we must be able to look beyond the present and into eternity.

2. Therefore, our sight must include faith in God

a. Hebrews 11:6

b. The goal of every soul winner is to point the ones being taught to a holy life while on earth, and to an eternal one in heaven

c. This can be done only when we truly believe the promises of the Bible

d. All the heroes of faith listed in Hebrews 11 “… died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Hebrews 11:13).

e. They had a sight that was not limited to this physical earth, but a faith that penetrated even into eternity.

3. One’s sight must include faith in man.

a. Even though Jesus teaches that the majority will be lost (Matthew 7:14), there is always a few that will respond, and we must believe this in soul winning.

b. Even though seed falls by the wayside, and some are choked out by thorns, and some will not produce because of the stones, there will always be good ground which will produce fruit (Matthew 13:1-23).

4. Isaiah 55:11 … in soul winning we must have sight – having faith in God and man.

D. IN SOUL WINNING MUST HAVE FIGHT

1. Souls have to be won from the devil and sin, and this represents a forceful battle.

a. Just as an army goes forth to fight, Christians are also sent forth

b. Mark 16:15

2. It is not easy to teach most sinners to the point that they will give up sin, but with a strong battle waged, some can be won.

a. With prayer and the word, the devil can be defeated if we are willing to fight

b. Jesus was able to defeat Satan in battle using the word (Matthew 4:1-11), and we can fight with the same sword.

3. The question that each of us must answer is, “Are you willing to fight?”

a. It is sad but true that many want to win the battle without a fight

b. They want sin to surrender without going through the pains of battle

c. 1 Timothy 1:18

4. Soul winning must also include the fighting of error

a. Paul was a fighter for the Lord, and he fought to win

b. 1 Corinthians 9:26-27

c. We must never forget that error blinds and condemns the soul, but truth sets it free (John 8:32)

d. When we become lax and stop fighting the battle, error is spread more rapidly

e. Therefore, we must be good soldiers in the Lord’s army and fight courageously if we are to win souls

III. Conclusion

A. I hope that all of you want to be a soul winner for Jesus, and you will recognize the essentiality of these four great principles: RIGHT, MIGHT, SIGHT, and FIGHT.

B. May we all put a valiant effort to save souls on God’s terms!