Drawing People To Christ

Sunday Morning July 15, 2001 Bel Aire Baptist Church, Hobbs, NM

DRAWING PEOPLE TO CHRIST

JOHN 12:31-32

Introduction:

What a week! I shared with you last Sunday about the young man that was saved on Tuesday and then Sunday; Lucille walked the aisle and accepted Christ as her Savior.

Each time I think about that week, I remember several things that happened and what an impact it has had on my life.

I want to take you back to Friday of that week. I had been burdened so heavily about the fact that a man 100 yards from the church had to come begging for Jesus. As I led that man to Jesus, I realized the urgency that we must have for the lost because all of us in this world will be judged and what a terrible thing it will be to be judged without having Jesus as your Savior.

As I carried this tremendous burden, the Lord told me to change my sermon and on Friday afternoon, I wrote another sermon. That Sunday morning, several strange things happened. About 2 a.m., Tyler woke up screaming. He had a bad dream. Kim got up and helped me calm him down. Just as we went back to bed we heard this beeping noise, so I went to the back room and when I turned on the light the noise stopped. I finally found out that the noise was coming from a toy.

At 7 a.m. I got out of bed and one of the first things I told my wife was, “I did not know why God changed my sermon. The first one was better than the one I was going to preach”. I left for the church and when I arrived, Kevin was the only one here. After just a few minutes, Kevin had to leave and run the van route.

As I was getting the church ready for Sunday School, I knew something was wrong. Light bulbs were blowing out. The coffee maker stopped. Some of the air conditioners would not work. I began to sense something that made me nervice. I wasn’t sure what to do, so I went from room to room praying. After Sunday School, I still had an uneasy feeling.

As I preached, it was unlike any other time I have ever preached. It was almost as I was in the congregation listening to myself preach. As we came to the invitation I saw Kevin go up to the altar and then I noticed Lucille coming forward. Several people later told me that at that time of invitation it was like a cold chill had swept over the building. Do you know, I was told that the altar was literally packed out with people, but I did not know?

The icing on the cake was when Lucille gave a second invitation by telling you that she had blazed a way down the aisle and to not be afraid. What happened? Everything that happened was beyond just the physical. What happened? The Lord has given us the answer this morning.

Turn with me to John 12:31-32 and let’s see what happened and how it can continue to happen.

I. Judgment

“Now is the judgment of this world.”

A. In the cross, men will be able to see what is wrong with the philosophy of the world.

1. Here the world’s phony values are exposed.

2. Here is revealed the world’s motto, “Look out for #1”.

B. Jesus says that life must be put to death (Luke 9:23).

1. You cannot be a Christian and continue to live on the basis that your life belongs to you.

2. That is the life of the world.

3. All of that is judged in the cross.

II. Defeat

“Now shall the ruler of this world be cast out.”

A. We are continually victims of the deceptions of Satan because we do not realize what control he has.

1. All men blindly follow delusions that Satan spreads over the world.

2. We find ourselves manipulated by satanic values, but are helpless to change apart from Christ.

B. The Bible says that the devil is the prince, the ruler of this world.

1. He is in control of human society (Luke 11:21).

2. In this parable, the strong man is Satan but the stronger one is Jesus.

3. When we become Christians, we are freed from the power of Satan.

4. For the first time we can do something permanent about those habits that destroy us, hurting others.

5. In the cross the power of the devil over the human race was broken and deliverance to individuals was made possible.

III. Victory

“I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.”

A. Here is the key. The power of the enemy was broken when Christ was lifted up.