MEMORISE:
For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! 1Corinthians 9:16
READ: Mark 16:15-18
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
MESSAGE
Preaching the gospel is not an optional exercise for Christians; rather, it is a necessity. This is the reason why both the vision and mission statements of the Redeemed Christian Church of God are centred on soul-winning. Winning souls is the heartbeat of God and the preoccupation of Jesus Christ. The Names of Jesus such as Messiah, Savior, Redeemer and Deliverer all connote salvation or soul winning. Every action Jesus performed during His ministry here on earth was geared towards salvation. His last wishes before ascending into heaven also focused on the propagation of the good news of His gospel of every part of the world. His desire is that even people in the remotest parts of the world will hear about Him and recieve the salvation He paid for with His precious Blood.
Soul-winning is the objective of the Lord's commandment in Matthew 28:19-20, which says:
"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. Amen."
This commandment is such a cardinal aspect of what it means to be a Christian. In Luke 6:46, the Lord also said:
"And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?"
The evidence that Jesus is indeed your Lord is doing whatever he commands you to do. In 1 Samuel 15:22, Prophet Samuel told King saul that to obey is better than sacrifice in the sight of God. All that God requires from you is obedience to His commandments- not partially but totally. We cannot claim to be living holy lives if we are not preaching the gospel. You cannot claim to be holy if you are not evangelising to win souls to God's kingdom. This is so because when Mark 16:15 tells us to go and preach the gospel, it is a command, not a suggestion. A fellow who is not walking in total obedience to God's commandments cannot claim to be living a holy life. Preaching the gospel must therefore be a daily affair for us.
Effective soul-winning includes evangelism, follow-up and welfare. You cannot evangelise, win one or two souls and assume that you are ready for heaven; you must also follow-up the souls you have won. This is why our Lord Jesus Christ said to us in John 15:16:
"Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain:”
Soul winning is a necessity, please take it seriously.
ACTION POINT:
Think of ingenious ways through which you can propagate the message of the gospel daily.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 24 and Jeremiah 22:13-30
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 15: MUST I GO, AND EMPTY-HANDED
1. “Must I go, and empty-handed,”
Thus my dear Redeemer meet?
Not one day of service give Him,
Lay no trophy at His feet?
Chorus:
“Must I go, and empty-handed?”
Must I meet my Savior so?
Not one soul with which to greet Him:
Must I empty-handed go?
2. Not at death I shrink nor falter,
For my Savior saves me now;
But to meet Him empty-handed,
Thought of that now clouds my brow.
Chorus:
3. O the years in sinning wasted;
Could I but recall them now,
I would give them to my Savior,
To His will I’d gladly bow.
Chorus:
4. O ye saints, arouse, be earnest,
Up and work while yet ’tis day;
Ere the night of death o’ertake thee,
Strive for souls while still you may.
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