OceanSide church of Christ

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HE THAT WINNETH SOULS IS WISE

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    Surely, most individuals want to be considered wise instead of foolish.

 

B.    The Bible has many instructions, which, if followed, will put us into the category of wise people.

1.     Many of these instructions are found in the book of Proverbs.

a.     Proverbs 1:5

 

A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels.

 

b.     Proverbs 6:6

 

Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.

 

c.     Proverbs 13:20

 

He that walketh with wise men shall be wise:  but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

 

d.     Proverbs 14:16

 

The wise man feareth, and departeth from evil:  but the fool rageth and is confident.

 

2.     There is another statement that we want to examine in this lesson.  It is found in Proverbs 11:30.

 

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

 

a.     A wise man wins souls.

b.     Why would a man be called “wise” because he is a soul-winner?

 

I.               HE IS WISE BECAUSE HE OBEYS GOD

 

A.    Obedience is paramount if an individual wants to go to heaven (Rev. 22:14).

 

Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life; and may enter in through the gates into the city.

 

B.    Part of that obedience involves being a soul-winner, that is, one who spreads the good news of Jesus Christ (Mark 16:15).

 

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

 

C.    If someone asks us:  “Why are you constantly seeking someone with which to study the Bible?’’  Our answer could be:  “Because I want to obey my Master, Jesus Christ, so I can go to heaven.”

 

II.            HE IS WISE BECAUSE HE FOLLOWS CHRIST’S EXAMPLE.

 

A.    Jesus set forth His mission while He was on earth in Luke 19:10.

 

For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

 

B.    Jesus spoke to people constantly in an attempt to save them.

1.     He spoke to the multitudes (Matt. 5:1-2).

2.     He spoke to publicans and sinner (Matt. 9:10).

3.     He spoke to scribes and Pharisees (Matt. 23:13).

4.     He spoke to women (Luke 8:43-48).

5.     He spoke to Samaritans (John 4).

 

C.    The Bible exhorts us to follow in the steps of Jesus (I John 2:6).

 

He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

 

D.    We might fulfill every other Christian duty, but if we fail to win souls we have not completely followed our Lord.

 

E.    Again, if someone were to ask:  “Why are you so intent on soul-winning?”  We could answer:  “Because I want to follow the example of Christ in all things.”

 

III.          HE IS WISE BECAUSE HE SAVES SOULS

 

A.    Jesus said:  I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins:  for it ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in yours sins (John 8:24).

 

B.    But, for one to believe, he must hear, and to hear, someone must preach to him (Rom. 10:14).

 

How 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?

 

1.     The soul-winner preaches.

2.     The lost hears the Word of God.

3.     Hearing produces faith that causes the lost to call on the name of the Lord (see Acts 22:16).

4.     Those who call on the name of the Lord “shall be saved” (see Mark 16:16).

 

C.    Thus, the soul-winner’s efforts help to save the lost.

1.     Being lost is an awful thing.

2.     Those who die in a lost condition will be condemned to a devil’s hell throughout eternity (Rom. 2:8).

But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unright-eousness, indignation and wrath.

 

D.    Again, if we are asked:  “Why are you so zealous about leading the lost to Christ?”  We can answer:  “I am zealous because I have the ability to saved one or more individuals who are lost and who will be condemned to hell if they do not hear the gospel.”

 

IV.          HE IS WISE BECAUSE HE GROWS THE CHURCH

 

A.    When a person is saved, the Lord adds him to the church (Acts 2:47).

 

Praising God, and having favour with all the people.  And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

 

B.    Every soul that is added makes the church larger.

 

C.    NOTE:  Preaching the gospel and converting individuals is the only way for the church to grow.

1.     Some churches “appear” to grow because members move from one congregation to another.

a.     This is not growth.

b.     ILLUSTRATION:  We have a gallon of water distributed between three containers.  We can move the water from one container to another, but we will only have a gallon of water.  To get more water, it must found from an outside source. 

2.     To grow the church

a.     Believers must be added to the Lord (Acts 5:14; 11:24).

b.     The number of the disciples must multiply (Acts 6:1, 7; 9:31).

 

D.    We often talk about a challenge within the local church for each member to convert one person in the course of a year.  Let’s look at the numbers if a small church of 10 members could to this.

 

Year 1             10 convert 10              =          20

Year 2             20 convert 20              =          40

Year 3             40 convert 40              =          80

Year 4             80 convert 80              =          160

Year 5             160 convert 160                      =            320

 

(NOTE:  Those who originally started the process have

only converted 5 individuals over a 5 year period).

 

E.    If another were to ask us:  “Why are you wanting to be a soul-winner so badly?”  We can answer:  “Because I want the church of which I am a part to grow.”

 

V.             HE IS WISE BECAUSE HE IMPROVES SOCIETY

 

A.    In Galatians 5:19-21, Paul presents a list of sins that are called, “The Works of the Flesh.”

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these, Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like:  of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

 

1.     Those who read this list would say that these things are not good for a home, a community, or society in general.

2.     These things have hurt and ruined homes, schools, churches, businesses, and nations.

 

B.    When a soul-winner goes out into the world, part of the message he proclaims is repentance, that is a death to sin (Acts 3:19; 17:30; 26:20).

 

But showed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

 

1.     Honest and good hearts will hear and repent.

2.     The old man of sin dies and is buried in the waters of baptism, and the individual arises a new creature in Christ, a person who walks in newness of life (Rom. 6:3-4; II Cor. 5:17).

3.     When a person truly converts, there is one less evil person in the world.  The world is now that much better.

 

C.    When asked:  “Why do you dedicate so much time and effort to soul-winning?”  A person can respond:  “I do it because my efforts improve the condition of our world.”

 

VI.          HE IS WISE BECAUSE HE ENHANCES HIS ETERNAL REWARD

 

A.    We sing a Christian hymn entitled:  “Heaven Will Surely Be Worth It All.”

1.     If all we received was heaven, it would be reward enough.

2.     I Pet. 1:4

 

To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you.

 

B.    We have the ability to enhance our reward as soul-winners.

1.     All those we convert become part of the joy of our reward.

2.     I Thessalonians 2:19-20

 

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?  For ye are our glory and joy.

 

a.     Can you imagine hearing someone pronounced innocent and victorious at the judgment because you helped to convert that person?

b.     How would you feel in heaven if someone were to tell you that you were instrumental in their being in that eternal paradise?

C.    If asked:  “Why are you so eager to teach others the gospel of Christ?”  We can answer:  “I win souls because my reward in heaven will be greatly enhanced because of my labors.”

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.    Yes, he that winneth souls is wise!

 

B.    Two verses:

1.     Ephesians 5:15

 

See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise.

 

2.     Proverbs 8:33

 

Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.