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Soul-Winning Motivator Podcast #185
Welcome to the Soul-Winning Motivator Podcast #185
This is Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International. As always, it is so good to be with you today to challenge you, encourage you, exhort you, and motivate you to witness for the Lord Jesus Christ right where you are to those who are not believers in Christ. Even though we will share some instructions on how to witness for the Lord from time to time, we believe that most Christians do not need to learn how to witness for the Lord, they just need to go and do it; so our aim is more motivational than instructional.
Our soul-winning Passage from the Word of God today is 2 Corinthians 5:20 which reads: “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.”
Allow me to share with you some insights regarding this Scripture from the Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable:
This ministry makes us God’s “ambassadors” (“for Christ”), one of the most exalted titles the Christian can claim. An ambassador is at the same time a messenger and a representative.
“The ambassador has to be persona grata with both countries (the one that he represents and the one to which he goes).”
“In the Roman Empire, there were two kinds of provinces, the senatorial and the imperial. The senatorial provinces were generally peaceful and friendly to Rome. They had submitted to Roman rule and were under the control of the Senate. The imperial provinces, however, had been acquired later, and were not as peaceful. These provinces were under the authority of the emperor himself. Syria, including Judea, was such an imperial province. To these provinces, the emperor sent ambassadors to govern and maintain peace.”
“The ambassador, before acting, receives a commission from the power for whom he acts. The ambassador, while acting, acts not only as an agent, but as a representative of his sovereign. Lastly, the ambassador’s duty is not merely to deliver a definite message, to carry out a definite policy; but he is obligated to watch opportunities, to study characters, to cast about for expedients, so that he may place it before his hearers in its most attractive form. He is a diplomatist.”
Our soul winning quote today is from John R. Rice. He said: “To evangelize is so to present Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit, that men shall come to put their trust in God through Him, to accept Him as their Savior, and serve Him as their King in the fellowship of His church..”
Our soul winning devotional is part 50 of our series titled “The Master Plan of Evangelism” from Robert E. Coleman.
Supervision – He Kept Check on Them
Do ye not yet perceive? – Mark 8:17
Jesus made it a point to meet with his disciples following their tours of service to hear their reports and to share with them the blessedness of his ministry in doing the same thing. In this sense, one might say that his teaching rotated between instruction and assignment. What time he was with them, he was helping them to understand the reason for some previous action or getting them ready for some new experience. His questions, illustrations, warnings, and admonitions were calculated to bring out those things that they needed to know in order to fulfill his work, which was the evangelization of the world.
Accordingly, not long after the Twelve were sent out, they gathered themselves “together with Jesus” to tell “what things they had done” (Mark 6:30; Luke 9:10). It would appear from the Bible that this reunion was prearranged, and hence, the initial solo excursion of the disciples was merely a field assignment as they continued their training with the Master.
The regrouping of the disciples following their evangelistic tour, of course, provided them some needed rest in body and soul. As to how long the disciples had been out, the Scripture does not say. Perhaps a few days, even a week. The time element here is not the important thing. What does matter though, as the record shows, is that after the disciples were sent out to work, they were expected to share their experiences later with the group.
Similarly, after the seventy went out, Jesus called them back to report on their work during the visitation. “And the seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us in thy name” (Luke 10:17). On the previous mission of the Twelve, no mention is made of any spectacular success in their work, but on this occasion they had a rousing report of triumph. Perhaps the difference was the additional experience that the disciples had gained.
Nothing could have given Jesus more joy than this. Visualizing the victory ultimately assured by their work, Jesus said: “I beheld Satan falling as lightning from heaven” (Luke 10:18). “In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit” and then lifted up his voice in praise to God for what had been done (Luke 10:21–22). This was what Jesus had been working for all these long months, and now he was beginning to see his labors show fruit. Yet, to show how Jesus was alert to make experiences teach truth, even this occasion was used to caution the disciples against pride in their accomplishments. As he put it, “Howbeit in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20).
In our next episode, we will look at Supervision – He Kept Check on Them
* * * * * * * * Let’s Pray * * * * * * * *
Dear friend, if you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, may I encourage you to get to know Him today.
First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”
Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
Now this is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.
Romans 10:9-13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Until next time,
Keep the soul winner’s fire!
BCNN1 WP 