Monday 27 October 2014

You have nothing to do but to save souls. Therefore spend and be spent in this work. And go not only to those that need you, but to those that need you most It is not your business to preach so many times, and to take care of this or that society; but to save as many souls as you can; to bring as many sinners as you possibly can to repentance. John Wesley

'You have nothing to do but to save souls'.
So were Wesley's word to his preachers- the first and greatest priority was to reach and win souls for Christ. Let all else go!
'Therefore spend and be spent in this work.' 
Put all your resources into this venture, be it money, time or whatever, into the work -even to the very last cent or minute
'And go not only to those that need you, but to those that need you most' It is a time perhaps when resources are slim and there is great demand. Don't waste your time on those who neither need you nor want you-like Paul and the Jews, like Wesley and the Anglicans, like the religiously satisfied. Pray to the God of heaven to open up doors of opportunity, to give you divine appointments that your time would be most effectively used among those who are hungry and thirsty.
It is not your business to preach so many times, and to take care of this or that society;
We must not even be sidetracked to teach and pastor and lead, but rather 'to seek and save that which is lost'! Others can do the teaching, the pastoring and the leading-the evangelists must do the evangelism and make it their main aim. As Wesley concludes, not other forms of ministry must be their focus  -
 'but to save as many souls as you can; to bring as many sinners as you possibly can to repentance.


Reckon then that to acquire soul-winning power, you will have to go through mental torment and soul distress. You must go into the fire if you are going to pull others out of it, and you will have to dive into the floods if you are going to draw others out of the water. You cannot work a fire escape without feeling the scorch of the conflagration, nor man a lifeboat without being covered with the waves.”C.H.S.

What? Is reaching men for Christ not easy? Sadly many who have been won to Christ easily will not stay on the road when things get hot and dangerous. Did Christ not suffer persecution, pain, rejection, betrayal, the cross- and all for the benefit of those he would save? Should we expect a flowery bed of ease? No way, not if we want to go his way, To be fit to reach the broken, we  often have to have experienced brokenness so we can empathise with those we reach, We also must become hardened like a soldier, or fireman that we can face the difficulties that come against us and not give up on the face of battle. Might we suffer in the warfare? I think we will despite having the armour on - all the saints did-Paul, Peter, the Master himself was bruised greatly for our iniquities- should we as his followers expect less than that? AK

To be a soul winner is the happiest thing in the world. And with every soul you bring to Jesus Christ, you seem to get a new heaven here upon earth.” C.H.S.

Here Spurgeon is saying in effect, to become really happy we will reach and win people to Christ. I like that, and believe it with my whole heart.In fact, when people do come to Christ we are blessed beyond measure and it like experiencing something like heaven on the earth. The reason for this that we experience this is it is Christ's life radiating from the life of the new born Christ one. Let us experience this more and more.

'I would sooner bring one sinner to Jesus Christ than unravel all the mysteries of the divine Word, for salvation is the one thing we are to live for.' Charles Spurgeon

What does Spurgeon mean here? First of all he is stating that the most important thing in a Christian's life is to reach and win people to Christ. It is the greatest thing we can do: more important that having the knowledge and complete understanding of the Bible, which, would be most wonderful for any Christian to know. It is therefore more important than earning a great amount of money in one's job, or being the most competent person in our profession of law, or medicine, or Banking, or insurance, or sport, or politics or whatever! Nothing surpasses the imp0rtance of winning people for Christ. Did not our Lord say  'I have come to seek and save that which was lost', surely then we could do no better that follow the Master and learn to become skilful 'fishers of men.'