Sunday, August 7th, 2022 • Mission Baptist Cincinnati
We started this month’s "Friends' Day" Sunday Service with congregational hymns followed by our Adult Choir singing. Afterwards a Special Young Lady sang to the glory of God to conclude the Special Music program.
Pastor Rains then came to the pulpit to preach a sermon entitled “What Did Jesus Say About Winning Souls?” From Luke 15:1-7. After his opening remarks pastor reads the text verses. He then thanks God in prayer for our church and prays that God will continue helping our church to grow and also prays for everyone who attends or watches MBC online. He prays for those who are considering trusting Christ will decide to commit to being saved soon. He prayed also for the elderly in our church who are ill. Pastor then picks up today's message about winning souls for Christ.
• Winning Souls Brings Joy To The FATHER
Luke chapter 15 finds Jesus continuing his preaching the good news to whoever will listen to him including the mocking Pharisees and scribes. Jesus addresses his critics with a telling series of parables. Jesus speaks of one hundred sheep and out of those one hundred, one is lost. A compassionate shepherd will leave the ninety nine to go find the one who is lost. The shepherd has friends who are also concerned with the well fare of this one lamb. Of course this parable is referring to people! In Matthew 16:26 Jesus defines the value of finding a lost soul and bringing him to salvation. It's more valuable than all the riches this world has ever known in God's eyes.
Luke 15:5-7 details the JOY the shepherd experiences when he rescues this lost "sheep". He carries the lamb over his shoulders and REJOICES! Pastor zeros in on the most important task that any christian can ever participate in...telling others about the Son God who died to pay our sin debt! Jesus had made a way of making us a child of God and ready for eternal life in Heaven! God the Father jumps for JOY for anyone who will hear the truth of the gospel and believes and repents of their sin.
• Winning Souls Brings Joy To The Church FAMILY
In this parable the Church is represented in Luke 15:6. When we have believed and trusted Jesus we are "friends and neighbors" who join with God in celebrating this great event! If we are not working daily to participate in this precious duty to witness to others about the great gift of salvation, we are neglecting the "Great Commission" and are derelicts of the faith. The modern church has watered down this ultra important commandment given by Jesus in the name of "not offending anyone". Is it hard to tell people the truth of who we are (sinners)? Yes. But we must tell everyone that we are no better than anyone else, we are just blessed to have believed on Jesus and accepted this free gift of salvation. We know that most will not respond to the message but we are commanded to deliver it and pray for the Holy Spirit to convict hearts.
• Winning Souls Keeps Us Properly FOCUSED
It's easy for long-time Christians to "cruise" in their walk with God and lose our focus on Soul Winning. If we haven't been witnessing to others, making new friends and persuading them to come to Christ, we are slack. Can any of us find "retirement" in the Bible in our labor for the Lord? The only way we can maintain our good standing with God is to obey the great commission knowing that God finds great joy in this singularly most important call to service to believers. Let's stay FOCUSED on the task at hand!