Churchsermon.org: Soul-Winning Manual, Lesson 1 of 7

SOUL-WINNING

LESSON 1 of 7
"TEACH THEM TO OBSERVE"
(Matthew 28:19-20)

INTRODUCTION: Many quote verse 20, "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you..." The key of this verse is the word "observe"--to do, to practice ... all things commanded of us.
TO WHOM WAS JESUS SPEAKING?
- TO A LOCAL BODY OF BELIEVERS
  - The point: He was talking to believers (those saved)
  - He did not limit himself to "just preachers."
  - Settle this point in your mind: was Jesus speaking to "just preachers" in these verses or to all (laymen) as well?
    - Acts 1:8: The church is (ideally) MADE UP OF BELIEVERS and believers are TO WIN SOULS.
- JESUS: OUR GREAT EXAMPLE
  - Acts 1:1: "Jesus began both to do and teach." The doing came before the teaching.
  - Matthew 23:3: Jesus strongly denounced the Scribes and Pharisees as hypocrites because "...they say, and do not." He said they serve him with their mouth but their hearts are far from Him.
  - Matthew 20:28: He said He "came not to be ministered unto, but to minister..." Then He said that anyone who would become great, let him become a servant or minister. (Matthew 20:26)
- TWO VITAL RESPONSIBILITIES TAUGHT IN THESE VERSES:
  - Make disciples--that is, to win souls
  - Teach them "...to observe all things..." (Matthew 28:20)
  - Literally, you the saved, "born-again believers," are charged with the task of winning souls and teaching others to win souls
YOUR PERSONAL COMMISSION TO TEACH OTHERS
- Matthew 28:20: When others ask by what authority you have to teach others, this is the commissioning verse... teaching them to observe
- 2 Timothy 2:2: Reveals a personal revolving commission which has finally reached YOU: "And the things that thou (Timothy) hast heard of me (apostle Paul) among many witnesses (preachers only?) , the same commit thou to faithful men (believers/saved--not just preachers) , who shall be able to teach others also."
  - There are four responsible teachers in this verse:
    - Paul taught Timothy...
    - Timothy taught faithful men...
    - Faithful men taught others...
    - Others are to teach others...
  - What were the others to do? It is inferred that they should begin the circle of teaching all over again. The revolving circle of one generation teaching another generation has finally reached YOU!
- PETER COMMANDS THE BELIEVER TO SANCTIFY THE PRINCIPLE OF SOUL-WINNING (1 Peter 3:15)--VERSE BREAKDOWN HERE:
  - "SANCTIFY" means to "set apart," master, get a hold of
  - "THE LORD GOD IN YOUR HEARTS": this means "the plan of salvation"--master the plan of salvation, the principles of salvation so you may...
  - "GIVE AN ANSWER"
  - To whom: "EVERY MAN..."
  - Of what: "THE HOPE YOU HAVE..."
  - How: "WITH MEEKNESS AND FEAR." You cannot escape your responsibility because you are fearful or scared (because in a way, you're expected to be)
- YOU ARE TO BECOME A TEACHER:
  - Hebrews 5:12: For the time when you ought to be TEACHERS
  - Hebrews 10:39: You incur the displeasure of GOD by drawing back. Which will you do? Believe you can save souls or "...draw back unto perdition" or destruction?
THE LOCAL CHURCH WAS CREATED FOR THE IMPORTANT TASK OF SPIRITUALLY TEACHING AND DEVELOPING YOU. BUT THE BIBLE IS VERY SPECIFIC CONCERNING WHO IS TO DEVELOP THE MEMBERS AND HOW
- WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DEVELOPING THE MEMBERS?
  - Ephesians 4:11: As the Bible plainly says, "...evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;"
- WHY?
  - Ephesians 4:12: "For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry..."
    - PERFECTING: equipping, developing, training, bringing to maturity
    - THE SAINTS: (and here's a shocking fact, contrary to Catholic belief) "Either you're a Saint (saved) or you ain't (not saved)."
    - FOR THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY: The Saints are to win souls then teach them "to observe all things."
- HOW ARE THE PREACHERS TO DEVELOP THE MEMBERSHIP IN SOUL-WINNING?
  - They are to teach; develop by way of their example
    - Jesus began both to do and teach
    - 1 Peter 5:3: In this important task, the pastors are to be the examples. They have charge over the flock (Acts 20:28)
    - Hebrews 13:7,17: The membership is to submit to the pastor's example, leadership and training. "Obey them (pastors) that have the rule over you..."
- HOW DID THE APOSTLE PAUL DEVELOP GREAT SOUL-WINNING CHURCHES?
  - The Apostle Paul would go into a city which was totally heathen, stay for six months to three years and depart with a sound, highly trained, self-supporting church behind. This church was generally large in membership with pastors and deacons and would continue on in a Scriptural way even after the Apostle Paul left ... but how did he do it?
  - There are three reactions to this question:
    - Many just ignore the question with, "well, it happened, you can't deny that," then drop the subject
    - Others say he did it by superhuman, apostolic gifts which no longer exist today.
      - PROBLEM: Paul said God saved him so he would become a pattern for those who would, after him, be saved. (1 Timothy 1:16)
      - THEREFORE: We can rule out this argument that Paul was given special favors and gifts no one else in the world could have because for Paul to be a pattern, then the succeeding Saints, to the end of this world, will be inheritors.
    - The third reaction is to examine Paul's methodology in order to duplicate it
      - He traveled with four or five other preachers who worked under Paul's direction, doing the same work Paul did. Paul, Titus, Timothy, Dr. Luke and others. This point is very important in the rapid duplication of Paul's ministry
      - Acts 20:20: This verse shows the simple method of Paul's success:
        
        Paul taught people how to witness in a public meeting
        
        He shows people how to witness in a public service (soul-winning demonstration)
        
        He taught a person how to witness in a home. (He was a teacher-example to the young convert while out winning souls)
        
        He would do this until his student had learned sufficiently; then the student would in turn become the teacher. Paul would take a new student and develop him using the same procedure. If the student was slower, Paul took more time. If the student learned rapidly, Paul took less time. This on-the-job training of showing and teaching continues until the person is able to win souls ... then he becomes a soul-winner-trainer himself.
        
        EXAMPLE: If Paul did on-the-job training with 30 men at a time; if Silas would teach 25; if Timothy would teach 25; if Dr. Luke would teach 25; if others taught 25 ... in a few months, Paul and his staff would train 150-200 men who would become trainers. This procedure would then double with Paul and his staff training a new group while the trainees who became trainers would train others. This procedure was followed until the city was evangelized.
SUMMARY

The Bible teaches method as strongly as it teaches doctrine. Why limit the beautiful doctrine of God's Word by missing the method of mass evangelism? Pastors and evangelists were given to the Saints in order to develop them (by example) in the ministry of winning souls and training those who are won to win souls. This is done through public teaching and showing followed by on-the-job training by the soul-winner-trainer and silent partner-trainee teams. If we get back to the New Testament methods we will have New Testament (Book of Acts) results.