Post Sunday Devotional August 17 2008

Proverbs 11:30 “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise.”

John 21:16 “…Feed My sheep.”

Imagine if Jesus would have simply come and taught a couple of classes at the local temple, kind of like a Wednesday Night Adrenaline (I wonder if He would have had coffee ready for us?)? After the class He then would tell us to go on out share the gospel, feed and take care of His sheep? I don’t know about you but there are concepts that I can’t simply pick up in a classroom setting. Rather much of what I learn is out on the streets of life actually watching, participating and then debriefing the matter through with others. This type of learning has both its plus and minus sides. On the down side is the fact that when you’re actually out on the streets and you make a mistake it’s normally painful because actual lives are impacted, including yours. Real emotions, real feelings, real opinions are impacted and this can if allowed discourage us from trying again. If it was simply kept in the classroom, when you make a mistake, that’s fine, you’re all learning anyway so it’s all contained within the four walls of the classroom no real potential for damage or hurt.

The upside of being out on the streets IS THE fact that lives are impacted and when the right impact is made lives are found, lives are shaped for God’s good and God’s glory. You are actually rescuing individuals that are in need of rescue. In the classroom no one is in need of the type of rescues we talked about on Sunday. The classroom is great, but within those walls no real change is ever made, it is only talked about. The classroom is necessary, but you’ve got to go out and wander the halls! Don’t worry you’ve got a hall pass!

Jesus used all types of learning examples for His followers. He would sit and teach them just as we learn in the classroom. He would speak parables, that painted vivid pictures in the minds of His listeners and then He would offer multiple choice answers for them to come up with the right answers ( Luke 10:36 “So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?”) Then, what He was so great at, actually showing them how to win souls, actually showing them how to feed others, actually showing them how to care for others, actually showing them how to serve others. The gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) share a wealth of examples for us to not simply learn from but to follow.

Three reasons why winning souls is so wise, is the fact that….

1. God wants us to

2. Would there even be a church? If no one is coming to Jesus then we simply have a club that will exist as long as age and death doesn’t catch up on us, which it always does….

3. Live are positively impacted. We might not notice this immediately but listen to this finding by non-Christians; yes I wrote that correctly, non-Christians discovered this…

“The message of Christianity has never been if you are in poverty; just continue to live in poverty. If you are being abused, just continue to be abused. In fact, Christianity has always had an incredible ability to lift people up and give people a new sense of dignity. There is a sociological law, in fact, called redemption and lift. And what sociologists have done is that within one generation of Christianity thoroughly permeating a society, the society will become more prosperous. People will be more productive. Houses will be cleaner. Educational levels will rise. Alcoholism rates will lower. There will be fewer children born out of wedlock. Whenever Christianity and the gospel thoroughly permeates a society the society is going to be lifted.”

That probably does not come as a surprise to many, but do we actually think and behave in this manner? Look at that list of those corrected “social ills” that are contained within the above quote. Normally we rely primarily on the government, nanny 911, the school systems, social help organizations, and Dr. Phil to solve all the social ills in today’s society. But Jesus instead went to fishermen, tax collectors and other such individuals to begin to bring life, healing and justice into these areas. Now do you have a better idea of why Solomon stated “…he who wins souls is wise.” If Jesus came back today, He wouldn’t go to the government; He would come to our homes and calls us back out onto the streets!

The fact is when we seriously engage and embrace our role as rescuers, when we allow Jesus to come ashore of our lives and allow Him to call into our fishing boats (John 21) to see why we are fishing instead of rescuing and we actually respond with conviction and enthusiasm (Peter leapt out of the boat to swim to Jesus, he left a huge catch behind! John 21:7) then our lives will take on whole new passion and meaning
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You want a Jesus example of redemption and lift? Read Mark 5:1-20. Here we have a demon possessed man, he is totally messed up, Jesus rescues Him (in fact the townspeople had banished this man, so no one was coming for him, no one, but Jesus had the courage to go to Him, the Rescuer!) and then instead of sending him to the local hospital or to take some time to reflect for awhile, he tells Him this: Mark 5:19 "Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you." In other words Jesus takes this man who is not contributing to society in any way and heals Him and then goes and tells him to go off and share the good news, go and be a rescuer yourself. Redemption and then Lift!

Are you getting a better idea why it is so wise to win souls!

Begin praying today God show me how to be one that rescues others, that brings light to them, that brings the good news to them. I dare you to begin praying that prayer and then open your eyes to who God sends across your path. It may be someone you have been with everyday for years, it may be the person sitting next to you at work or it may be someone you are about to meet. But when we cease to be rescuers we are settling for a stay at home Christian Bed and Breakfast, quaint, nice, safe yes, productive for the Kingdom of God, absolutely not. God’s design for you and me was not to run Christian Bed and Breakfast Inns.

What if your rescue missions are not successful? How long should I try to rescue? Good questions. The first one…how do you know the mission was not successful? You and I do not actually win the soul, we are called to go out and be His agents, read the following verses slowly and you’ll have a better understanding: 2 Corinthians 5:18-21 “All these new things are from God who brought us back to himself through what Christ Jesus did. And God has given us the privilege of urging everyone to come into his favor and be reconciled to him. For God was in Christ, restoring the world to himself, no longer counting men's sins against them but blotting them out. This is the wonderful message he has given us to tell others. We are Christ's ambassadors. God is using us to speak to you: we beg you, as though Christ himself were here pleading with you, receive the love he offers you-be reconciled to God. For God took the sinless Christ and poured into him our sins. Then, in exchange, he poured God's goodness into us!” The Living Bible

We may just be the one who provides the seed that will provide the person the opportunity to grow in the future. We may be watering a previously planted seed that still has yet to grow, but it is growing, we are simply a piece in God’s master plan for that individual. We just have to trust God, be faithful to our calling, follow His leading and learn from each circumstance.

As far as how long, that is a tough one. You’ll have to be deep in prayer over that one, continue to ask for His wisdom and discernment. One interesting verse that may apply is from 1 Timothy:

1 Timothy 5:11-13 “But refuse the younger widows; for when they have begun to grow wanton against Christ, they desire to marry, having condemnation because they have cast off their first faith. And besides they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not.”

I know we aren’t always dealing with widows, but the point being made is the fact that some who you are throwing out the life boat to, those that you are attempting to rescue may initially seem to respond, but they continually go back to a “love” in life that they have that supersedes Christ’s love in their lives. We can’t change that in them. Only they can. We do not abandon such individuals but we have to be wise enough to discern that our time is being eaten alive by such individuals. If you are pouring your life into someone who is in need of rescue and they are as Paul wrote to Timothy, “idle, wandering from house to house…” (doing nothing with their time that helps with their progress in life, the redemption and lift stuff) it may be time to move on for remember God may need you working in the lives of others that are ready to respond.

Just make sure you let the one know who is not responding that you love them, but right now it seems as though there are others pursuits that are taking precedence in their lives and right now that is not what you are able or willing to assist them with. Let them know you are available in the future if they would like to talk about life in Christ. That may seem harsh, but if they aren’t like Peter, willing to leap out of that boat and swim to shore, they won’t be a true follower of Christ. True followers of Christ serve Him and not surprisingly that is how they grow closer to Christ. Those that aren’t serving will sadly selfishly continue to serve self and rescuing others is way down on their list of things to do. Why is that bad? Because rescuing others is at the top of God’s list.

Questions to Ask Yourself
1. What kinds of rescue missions do you believe Christ is calling you on?
2. Where in your community and church can you be used to either follow others on those rescue missions or lead others in those rescue missions?
3. If God is calling you on that mission whom then shall you fear? What excuses can’t He overcome for you? (Answers should be no one and none, if not those answers, then you may want to look again at your calling, you’ll find it wasn’t from God for He is strong enough to overcome any that may harm you and He is able to overcome any excuse or obstacle)