Sermon Central
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Rescue The Perishing
Contributed by Jerry Owen on May 17, 2024 (message contributor)
Summary: encouraging the church to rise up and do whatever it takes to rescue the Lost from Destruction.
RESCUE THE PERISHING!
The heart of these 3 verses is the burden on the believers to rescue the lost and keep them from going to Hell. These verses are a cry to rise up and do whatever we can to bring them to Jesus.
1. A SPIRITUAL CONDITION.
Prov 24:10 If you are slack in the day of distress, Your strength is limited.
Day of Distress- often speaking about the Tribulation Period or the 2nd Coming of Christ (Armegeddon), or Judgement Day.
* Here it is talking about the struggle that people are in when they are under conviction to repent and worship Jesus Christ.
Joel 3:14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.
In the Day of Distress, folks must decide whether to repent or die and go to Hell, but either way the Day of Judgement is very near.
* All around us there are people in the valley of decision.
** But what is the condition of the church today>?
Slack- lazy, relaxed, at ease, discouraged, fearful, unconcerned.
Strength- your power, your ability.
Limited- unable to complete the task. Useless. Unable.
Put it all together.
Prov 24:10 If you are slack in the day of distress, Your strength is limited.
God is telling us that we can hamper ourselves with all kinds of perceived inabilities, but the true reason that most don’t join the fight is because of other things.
1. Fear- I don’t know what to say or do. I’ll just mess it up.
Henry Ford Quote- “Whether you think you can or you can’t, you are right.”
* How many Christians are existing in powerless lives because they pessimistically deem they are unable to do God’s Will?
2. Unconcern- My thoughts are consumed around making more money and spending them on my hobbies.
3. Laziness- I’m all about me. My rest. My pleasure.
4. Discouragement- I’ve tried to step up and serve God, but nothing I tried to do worked. (Truth is, you don’t know what God did in the spiritual realm with your efforts, because we don’t see the results.)
** Whatever is holding you back from serving God and bringing people to Jesus Christ is draining you spiritually. You will never experience the overwhelming power and filling of the Holy Spirit unless you step up and serve the Lord Jesus Christ.
2. A PLEA FROM HEAVEN.
God’s desire is that all would be saved, but He grants free will to all people and each decides whether they will repent and trust Christ or continue to live in sin. Satan is at work to thwart God’s desire concerning salvation and he tempts people to live in sin and he enslaves the lost in their lifestyles of sinfulness. Our job as believers is to pursue the Lost and bring them to our Loving Savior, Jesus.
* Notice this Plea from Heaven!
Prov 24:11a Deliver those who are being taken away to death,
Deliver- to rescue from destruction. To “snatch away”. At the rapture believers will be snatched away just before the Tribulation comes.
Taken Away- enticed, lured, forced.
Death- destruction, Hell. Sin destroys people’s lives on earth and Hell is the eternal place of destruction.
* We are to rescue the lost before death comes to them and they are forever imprisoned in the fires of Hell.
Prov 24:11b And those who are staggering to slaughter, Oh hold them back.
Staggering- seemingly helpless. Spiritually broken.
Aimlessly falling forward toward their destruction.
Slaughter- obvious reference to death and Hell.
* Notice the Plea from Heaven.
Hold them back-
1. Restrain with any means necessary.
2. Refuse to give up on them.
Keep on praying for them. Keep on sharing with them.
* Never give up on them as long as they have breath.
** Why did so many people flock to Jesus to hear the Gospel?
1. He fed them. 2. He healed them. 3. He performed miracles.
Jesus gathered the people in with “Dinner and a Show”. Once gathered, He preached the gospel to them.
*We need to become more deliberate in our efforts to come and hear!
3. AN INSUFFICIENT EXCUSE.
Prov 24:12 If you say, “See, we did not know this,”
Does He not consider it who weighs the hearts?
And does He not know it who keeps your soul?
And will He not render to man according to his work?
A. The Excuse of Negligence.
Vs 12a We did not know this?
Such a lame excuse. In truth, many believers are willingly ignorant of the fate of Lost people.
* We should have known, but we chose not to think about it!
* It is a crime of negligence.
* The thought that plagues my mind is.... How many former friends and family of mine are in Hell crying out “Why didn’t you witness to me? Why didn’t you try harder to share Christ with me?”
