Sermon Central
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Praying For The Lost
Contributed by Johnny Creasong on Oct 13, 2008 (message contributor)
Summary: Who’s on your prayer list? We spend more time praying for the saved who are sick than for the unsaved who are lost ... more time trying to keep the saints out of Heaven than the lost out of Hell.
Praying for the Lost
Billy Graham once said that he estimated that only 5% of believers had ever shared the gospel message of salvation with someone else.
Evidently, a young fellow named Jim did not want to be left out of that group.
Having lived in Orlando, FL all of his life, Jim was labeled learing disabled by the public school system. He never learned to read and had a speech impediment.
He walked with a limp and was a social outcast. After several frustrating years in the school system, Jim dropped out and committed himself to an assortment of odd jobs. He was extremely willing to give every ounce of effort that he could muster in order to please his employer.
Jim had trusted Christ and was in church every time that the doors opened.
His church offered a class on witnessing and Jim was the first to register. He soon discovered, however, that reading was necessary to successfully be trained in evangelism.
But Jim was not to be deterred. He had a plan.
Armed with a handful of tracts which he had practically memorized, Jim set his sights on several friends and co-workers. He approached them by saying with his slurred speech, I cannot read this. Would you read this to me?
The Holy Spirit did the rest.
In one year, Jim lead over forty of his friends to Christ.
He used what he had.
God honored it.
35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.
36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
37 Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.
38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."
(NIV)
Jesus loved sinners more than He hated their sin.
36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
(NIV)
Harassed = Fleeced
Helpless = Flung away
No creature is more apt to go astray than a sheep, and when gone astray more helpless, shiftless, and exposed, or more unapt to find the way home again. Sinful souls are as lost sheep.
Will you love the lost person God has placed in your life more than you hate their problem?
The critics of sinners are never the ones who can redeem them.
A young lady named Sally took a seminary class taught by Professor Smith, who was known for his elaborate object lessons. One day Sally walked into class to find a large target placed on the wall, with several darts resting on a nearby table. Professor Smith told the students to draw a picture of someone they disliked or someone who had made them angry and he would allow them to throw darts at the person’s picture.
Sally’s friend (on her right), drew a picture of another woman who had stolen her boyfriend. Another friend (on her left), drew a picture of his younger brother. Sally drew a picture of Professor Smith, putting a great deal of detail into her drawing, even drawing pimples on his face! She was quite pleased at the overall effect she’d achieved.
The class lined up and began throwing darts amidst much laughter. Some of the students threw with such force that they ripped apart their targets. But Sally, looking forward to her turn, was filled with disappointment when Professor Smith asked the students to return to their seats so he could begin his lecture. As Sally fumed about missing her chance to throw the darts, the professor began removing the target from the wall.
Underneath the target was a picture of Jesus. A hush fell over the room as each student viewed the mangled image of their Savior¡ holes and jagged marks covered his face. His eyes were virtually pierced out.
Professor Smith said only these words, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" [Matthew 25:40, KJV].
Citation: Lee Rhodes, Wheeler, Michigan
Jesus took personal responsibility for the salvation of the lost.
10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.
(NIV)
8 Reasons People Do not Share Their Faith
And how to overcome them.
Reason 1. I do not have any non-Christian friends.
Response: Jesus was a friend of sinners. We need to take risks to follow his example.
Reason 2. I do not have the gift of evangelism. It is not my thing.
Response: Jesus gave the Great Commission to the entire church. We all have a vital part to play by using approaches that fit our unique personalities.
