2. Utilizing the training received by observing
the attitudes, approach, and methods of
Jesus Christ, each disciple will engage in
bringing the gospel to their own areas of
influence. This shall be done with loving
attitudes, respect for those to whom the
gospel is presented, and a variety methods
designed to attract people to Christ. We
shall seek to be persuasive without being
deceptive or manipulative. –S. E. Ward
3. The Christian’s effectiveness in fulfilling
Christ’s mission can be greatly affected
by his methods.
I. Jesus Sought the Lost, Not
Separate Himself from Them
A. Jesus Was a Seeker of Lost Souls by
Nature, Luke 15:3-7.
4. 1. Seeking the lost is the reasonable thing
to do if your mission is saving the lost.
2. Rescuing the lost is worth celebrating
when they are brought safely into the
fold.
3. Rejoicing takes place in heaven more
over the lost who are found than over
those who never see the need to repent
because they trust in their own
righteousness.
5. B. Jesus Was a Seeker of Lost Souls by
Compulsion, Luke 4:42-44. See also
James 4:17.
C. Jesus Was a Seeker of Lost Souls in
Practice (the call of the disciples;
Zacchaeus, Luke 19:1-10; the Samaritan
woman, John 4:4, 7-10).
6. II. Jesus Ate with the Lost.
A. Jesus Used Meals to Reach Out to Lost
Souls.
1. The meal with “sinners” at Levi’s
home (Matthew), Luke 5:29-31
2. The meal at Zacchaeus’ home,
Luke 19:9-10.
7. B. Jesus Used Meals to Share the Gospel by
Showing Compassion to Lost Souls,
(feeding the 5,000 and 4,000),
Mat 14:15-21.
8. III. Jesus Opened His Home to Reach
Lost Souls.
A. Jesus Opened His Home to Seekers,
John 1:35-39.
B. Jesus’ Home Was “Opened” by the
Seekers, Mark 2:1-5 .
9. IV. Jesus Invested Much Time in Training
His Disciples to Seek Lost Souls.
A. Jesus’ Purpose for Choosing His
Disciples Was to Teach Them How to
“Catch” Lost Souls, Luke 5:1-11.
10. John Hamby, pastor of First Baptist
Church of Vilonia, Arkansas, makes these
comparisons between fishing for fish and
“fishing” for men:
1. You have to go where the fish are.
2. You have to understand how a fish acts.
3. You must be willing to use different of
strategies.
4. You have to learn to wait – exercise
patience.
11. B. Jesus Used a Variety of Timely
Circumstances to Teach His Disciples to
Be Seekers of Lost Souls.
1. Jesus taught His disciples at meals.
2. Jesus taught His disciples while
walking through cornfields.
3. Jesus taught His disciples while rowing
across the sea.
4. Jesus taught His disciples after
failures, Mark 9:17-29.
12. Conclusion
Our attempts at ministering to
unbelievers are not wasted. Jesus is with
us even when we think we have failed. No
one will go to hell because we botched it.
Seekers will find Jesus and Jesus will find
seekers. It is our honor and privilege to
share Christ and with enough practice we
will become like Paul and become eager to
do so.
13. (Rom 1:15-16 NIV)
I am so eager to preach the gospel also to
you who are at Rome. I am not ashamed of
the gospel, because it is the power of God
for the salvation of everyone who believes:
first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.