Two of the most effective soul winners in the Bible were Jesus and Paul. Why were these two men successful at reaching the lost?
We might initially attribute their evangelism success to the miracles they were able to perform. Jesus is God. The fullness of deity dwelt in Him while He was alive on earth. He had the power to heal the sick. He had the power to calm storms. He had the power to raise the dead back to life. Jesus’ ministry was filled with miracles. Paul also had the ability to perform miracles. Paul also raised a young man back to life. He suffered no effects when bitten by a deadly viper. Both Jesus and Paul performed numerous miracles, but this isn’t the reason they were effective soul winners.
Maybe we attribute their success in outreach to their great teaching ability. Crowds were drawn to Jesus because His teaching was different. Jesus taught as one having authority. People flocked to Jesus to listen to Him teach. His words in Matthew 5-7 comprise the most powerful sermon ever delivered. Paul was also a masterful teacher. He was able to connect the gospel to individual lives in a special way. Jesus and Paul were amazing teachers, but this isn’t the main reason they were effective soul winners.
Why were these two men successful at reaching the lost? What was it about their lives that allowed them to reach others? They cared! Jesus and Paul were passionate about evangelism because they cared about a person’s greatest need. What is the greatest need every human has? Our greatest need isn’t financial security. Our greatest need isn’t acquiring a college education. Our greatest need isn’t physical health. Our greatest need…our most important need is the salvation of our soul. There is nothing more important than salvation. Jesus and Paul cared about people spiritually. In Luke 10 Jesus was moved with compassion when seeing the spiritual condition of the people. His compassion motivated Him to do what we read in Luke 10:1. It was Jesus’ love for the lost that moved Him to come to earth. It was His love for the lost that motivated Him to die on the cross. Paul also had a great concern for the lost. Romans 9:1-3 is one of the most amazing readings in the Bible. Read the following words from Paul very carefully. “I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh,…” Describe the love Paul had for the lost. He was willing to be accursed for the sake of his fellow Jews. He was willing to be eternally condemned if it meant Israel’s salvation. It was the compassion of Jesus and the compassion of Paul that made them amazing evangelists.
We are often moved with compassion when we see people suffer. Images of people suffering from droughts and tornados and earthquakes fill our hearts with compassion. Pictures of children suffering move us with compassion and rightfully so. Does a lost soul fill our hearts with compassion? Does spiritual suffering move us to take action? What does a lost soul look like? We see portraits of lost souls daily. We see pictures of lost souls in our families, at our workplaces, on our sports teams, and in our classrooms every day. Are we filled with compassion for the lost? Jesus and Paul were great soul winners because they cared about a person’s greatest need. We likewise will become great soul winners when we start caring!
Devote time this week to reading Luke 10 and 11. Make a list of one person you know who is lost. Spend time this week lifting their name up to God, and look for opportunities to share the gospel of Jesus with them. Success in evangelism starts with caring!
Three Predictions & One Truth 