BUILDING UP THE LOCAL CHURCH…

by A Commitment to Soul-Winning

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.     Our theme is:  “Building Up the Local Church.”

 

B.      This lesson is the most basic of all lessons.

1.       It is the most neglected component.

2.       It is the most needed component.

3.       It is the most effective component.

 

C.     To build up the local church, there must be “A Commitment to Soul-Winning.”

 

I.                    VERSES AND EXAMPLES ARE NUMEROUS

 

A.     Proverbs 11:30

 

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

 

B.      Luke 19:10

 

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

 

C.     Matthew 4:19

 

He saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

 

D.     Matthew 28:18-20

 

And Jesus came and spake unto them saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.  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 always, even unto the end of the world.

 

E.      Mark 16:15-16

 

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

 

F.      Acts 1:8

 

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:  and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the utter most part of the earth.

 

G.     Acts 8:4

 

Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word.

 

 

 

II.                 COMMITMENT DEFINED

 

A.     Dictionary.com

1.       To pledge oneself to an action

2.       To bind or obligate

3.       To do, perform

 

B.      Other definitions:

1.       Faith in action (James 2:21-22)

 

Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac upon the altar?  Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect.

 

2.       Explicit obedience (John 8:29)

 

…for I do always those things that please him.

 

3.       Deep expression of love (John 14:21a)

 

He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me…

 

4.       Being a doer of the Word and not just a hearer (James 1:22, 25)

 

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves…But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

 

5.       A disciple indeed (John 8:31)

 

Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed.

 

III.              WHAT COMMITMENT TO SOUL-WINNING LOOKS LIKE

 

A.     Going

1.       Barnabas and Saul on the 1^st missionary journey (Acts 13:4)

 

So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.

 

2.       Into Macedonia (Acts 16:9-10)

 

And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; there stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.  And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.

 

B.      Speaking (Acts 5:20)

 

Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.

 

 

C.     Overcoming (Phil 1:12-13)

 

But I would that ye should understand, brethren, that the things which have happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; so that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places.

 

D.     Never backing down (Gal. 2:4-5)

 

And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:  to whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

 

E.      Produce fruit (Rom. 1:13)

 

Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.

 

IV.              WHAT HINDERS COMMITMENT?

 

A.     Laziness

1.       Most people are not lazy in their personal lives.

2.       But, for some reason we become lazy in our spiritual lives.

3.       Peter tells us to “give diligence” to our Christian lives (II Pet. 1:5, 10).

 

And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge…Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure:  for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.

 

B.      Indifference

1.       Defined:  lack of interest or concern, unimportance

2.       Colossians 3:2

 

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

 

a.       Set your affection (Strong, 5426)

1)      To exercise the mind

2)      To be mentally disposed earnestly in a certain direction

3)      To intensely interest oneself in

b.      Spiritual things like soul-winning should interest us.  We cannot be indifferent and remain faithful.

 

C.     Fear

1.       Defined:  a distressing emotion caused by some impending danger or threat, whether real or imagined

2.       We fear another’s wrath, rejection, questions, disagreement, or shock about our beliefs.

3.       Psalm 27:1

 

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

 

 

D.     Rationalization

1.       We can convince ourselves of many reasons why we do not have to be involved in soul-winning.

2.       Example:  It is not my responsibility.

3.       It is the responsibility of all Christians to bear fruit (John 15:8).

 

Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit:  so shall ye be my disciples.

 

E.      Preoccupation

1.       We have a tendency to fill our schedules with a lot of things, worldly things.

2.       These things often come before spiritual things.

3.       Matthew 6:33

 

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.     My friends, the main way the church grows in by soul-winning.

 

B.      When Christians pledge and bind themselves to this task on a daily basis, the church WILL grow.

 

C.     We must:  GO…SPEAK…OVERCOME…NEVER BACK DOWN…AND BEAR FRUIT.

 

D.     We must lay aside laziness, indifference, fear, rationalizations, and preoccupations.

 

E.      Let us win souls, and BE WISE! (Prov. 11:30).