HOW TO BRING RELATIONS AND FRIENDS TO CHRIST.

TRETS 10/08/2017

HOW TO BRING RELATIONS AND FRIENDS TO CHRIST.

                                        John 1. 37-42, Rom. 1. 14-16, Genesis 18.19

The mandate of soul winning is non-negotiable to any obedient Christian. Every believer is on the mission of seeking and winning the lost to the Lord. These lost ones are so called because they haven’t known the Lord. Unfortunately, many of them are among our friends and relatives. Though we seem to love them so dearly, it will be a great disservice if we fail to bring them to the saving knowledge of our Saviour Jesus Christ. Many are dying around us, sinners are crying in hell day by day. We cannot ignore their cries; neither can we push the task to other people. We must remember that the age is winding up. The trumpet will soon sound and all the hope they have is for us who are close to them to open their eyes to the reality of repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. If we fail to do so, then we have not demonstrated our love for them. If they die in their condition, we shall be separated for all eternity; and in hell, they will accuse us saying “you never mention Him to me”. The guilt will be endless. The shame will be gloomy and the regret will be everlasting. Also, the punishment will be eternal, because he that knowest to do good but doeth it not, to him it is sin. We must, therefore, go all out and tell our relations and friends about their only way of escape before it’s too late. We need to employ all strategies and straighten all edges in our homes, communities, and places of work to ensure that no soul is left un-witnessed for the Lord. Obviously, this attracts great rewards in this life and gives us the assurance of reigning with the Almighty in eternity but if we delay mischief and great danger may be looming ahead of us. Would you not put aside your closeness and tell them the main truth that liberates from hell?

THE SORROW AND THE CRY OF OUR UNSAVED FRIENDS AND RELATIONS.  Matt. 9.36, Luke 15.17, Job 21.17-20, Isa 33.14, Rev. 20.11-15, Luke 16.19-31

Sinners are all of the same destiny before the Lord except they repent. Those that are within the church building and those that are without. Whichever way they may fall, they stand completely separated from the living God. The uniform experience of all sinners is fear and fainting of God’s judgment anytime because their sins are not forgiven. Being separated from God makes them to be living in the wilderness of life without direction and without hope of tomorrow. They are separated from God’s protection, separated from God’s provisions and separated from God’s presence. The prodigal son realized that without his father, he was completely separated from the source of life and livelihood (Luke 15.17). So also is the sinner in this world including our unsaved relations, and if they are not won to the savior before death, they will cry in eternity. This was the fate of the rich man in the days of Lazarus. The lost are under the ruin of Satan and are being tormented day by day. Though some of them may have the good of this life, yet they are impoverished spiritually which spells their doom. Why must you know the truth of salvation and hide same for your loved ones who are on their way to hell fire? Therefore, we must do everything within our power to bring them to Christ at all cost.

SEVERAL WAYS OF BRINGING OUR RELATIONS AND FRIENDS TO THE LORD.  John 1.29, 35-37, John 1. 38-42, Luke 5. 1-3, Acts 10.30-33,

There are several methods and strategies we can use to bring them to the Lord. The church must have a regular focus on evangelism and be developing disciples constantly. Each believer must also be fully convinced about the necessity of bringing their close friends and relations to Christ. The doom of sinners must compel us to reach them, the danger of our neglect must drive us to evangelize and the rewards we are to receive should motivate us to mobilize every Christian everywhere to win the lost at any cost it may be. Some of the common medium of winning the lost include (i) Direct instruction and counsel from a leader (or parent) to the younger (or children) e.g. John the Baptist (John 1.29, 35-37), (ii) Person to person evangelism e.g. Andrew (John 1. 38-42), (iii) Public crusade and retreats e.g. Jesus (Luke 5. 1-3), (iv) Special gatherings and opportunities of uncommon occasions e.g. Cornelius (Acts 10.30-33), (v) Morning and evening cry e.g. John the Baptist (Matt. 3.1-2), (vi) Personal discussion on transit e.g. Phillip with the Ethiopian Eunuch (Acts 8. 30-38), Personal pleading, morning devotion and travailing prayer for them e.g. Paul (2 Cor. 5.20, Rom 10.1-2). Every living church must make soul winning a priority. We must spread ourselves through our local district church community and spread the good news there winning all the sinners for the Lord no matter how close they are to us.

SOULWINNERS’ REWARD AND WAGES FROM THE LORD.  John 4.36-38, Ps. 126.5-6, Ps. 112.1-9, Daniel 12.3, 1Peter 5.4

Bringing our family members and friends to the Lord establishes godly generation. This, however, makes our lineage, and our “world” to be God-fearing and continues to be in the path of righteousness available for God’s blessings always. Like Abraham, we shall be preserved in times of trouble as God’s friend (Gen. 18. 16-19). On the other hand, It is definite that sowers always reap. Soul winners are sure of their reward and wages from the Lord. The benefits of bringing sinners to Christ (including our relatives) are enormous and cannot be over emphasized. As the church of Christ increases in number and multitude are being added to the church, so also would the joy of the soul winner increase and multiply for doing his father’s will. Moreover, there he shall receive opened doors of tremendous blessings here in the world as a jewel of God, He shall also enjoy God’s direction, guidance, provision and protection from all evils. His prayers shall always be answered and at the end, he shall shine like the brightness of the firmament.