FISHERS OF MEN

And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him. Going on from there,

He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him. New King James Version Matthew 4:18-22

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise. New King James Version Proverbs 11:30

Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever. New King James Version Daniel 12:3

Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” New King James Version Matthew 4:19

What is my reward then? That when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel. For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; New King James Version 1 Corinthians 9:18-19

Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins. New King James Version James 5:19-20

but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh. New King James Version Jude 23

Three aspects to soul winning Christ saves souls

“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” New King James Version Acts 4:12

Three aspects to soul winning Christ saves souls Souls saves themselves

And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” New King James Version Acts 2:40

Three aspects to soul winning Christ saves souls Souls saves themselves We save souls

For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. New King James Version 1 Corinthians 3:9

The Purpose Of Soul Winning Men are lost

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, New King James Version Romans 3:23

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. New King James Version Romans 6:23

All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. New King James Version Isaiah 53:6

For there is not a just man on earth who does good And does not sin. New King James Version Ecclesiastes 7:20

The Purpose Of Soul Winning Men are lost People need someone to care, not someone to condone them

Look on my right hand and see, For there is no one who acknowledges me; Refuge has failed me; No one cares for my soul. New King James Version Psalm 142:4

“And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. New King James Version Luke 15:13

The Purpose Of Soul Winning Men are lost People need someone to care, not someone to condone them The saved have a duty to the lost

“When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. New King James Version Ezekiel 3:18

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. New King James Version Mark 16:15

The People Of Soul Winning They are wise

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise. New King James Version Proverbs 11:30

The People Of Soul Winning They are wise They truly see the need

Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. New King James Version John 4:34

The People Of Soul Winning They are wise They truly see the need They have genuine compassion

But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. New King James Version Matthew 9:36

“Yet now, if You will forgive their sin—but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written.” New King James Version Exodus 32:32

The People Of Soul Winning They are wise They truly see the need They have genuine compassion They know the meaning of self sacrifice

For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; New King James Version 1 Corinthians 9:19-20

The Power Of Soul Winning The gospel

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. New King James Version Mark 16:15

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. New King James Version Romans 1:16

Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand,2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. New King James Version 1 Corinthians 15:1-2

The Power Of Soul Winning The gospel Inspiration was once in men

“Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.” New King James Version Luke 24:49

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” New King James Version Acts 1:8

The Power Of Soul Winning The gospel Inspiration was once in men We now have the inspired New Testament

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of

this age. Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but

we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. New King James Version 1 Corinthians 1:18-25

I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have

preached to you, let him be accursed preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. New King James Version Galatians 1:6-9

The Persistence In Soul Winning We will reap if we sow

Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, Bearing seed for sowing, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, Bringing his sheaves with him. New King James Version Psalm 126:5-6

The Persistence In Soul Winning We will reap if we sow We will reap in due time

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. New King James Version Galatians 6:9

The Persistence In Soul Winning We will reap if we sow We will reap in due time Time is short, both for the lost soul and the soul winner

“I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. New King James Version John 9:4

The Plan For Soul Winning We must go

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, New King James Version Matthew 28:19

The Plan For Soul Winning We must go We must also send

And how shall they preach unless they are sent And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!” New King James Version Romans 10:15

The Plan For Soul Winning We must go We must also send We are to cull no one

Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the Lord’s house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow to it. New King James Version Isaiah 2:2

“and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. New King James Version Luke 24:47

Three important things Stay out of sight Use the right bait Practice patience So it is with the greatest work in the world

So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. New King James Version 1 Corinthians 3:7

For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. New King James Version 1 Corinthians 2:2

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. New King James Version Galatians 6:9

Are you a fisher of men?