The Soul Winner's Prize

Welcome to the radio ministry at Cleveland church in Henderson. Margo is to make Christ visible Clearview is a place of genuine worship with ministries for all age groups and all people. For more information, visit us at 3485 Oxford Rd. in Henderson or visit us online@clearviewb.org now join us for this week's message by Pastor Otto imagine with me if sports had no goals and no finish line. I would imagine for a moment, a basketball game without any baskets. You just dribbled about ball and you pass the ball around. But there is no hoop and no scoreboard. How many of you would still love to play basketball.

Let's go a step further, let's say you did have goals and baskets and finish lines. But let's imagine for a moment there were no metals, no trophies and no awards. You just do it for the love of the game. If that were the case, how many of you would actually be motivated to practice and train for the sport. How many of you would actually do that. There is no winner or loser.

So you just play basketball after others get old you like well it's a great game and I love it.

There's nothing coming in you sooner or later something will take priority over your game. Your score you the work or live for fishing or whatever it is not today's message is going to help us understand the goal and the prize for every Christian. The message is called the soul winner's prize were still in our series on the resurrection of Christ and as we go further into the message of them make more sense.

How is soul winners golden soul winners prizes connected to the resurrection of Christ from Daniel chapter 12 starting in verse one.

At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people, and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time and at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book and many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars for ever and ever.

If you ask people what is the goal of every Christian. More than likely you'll hear something like this to get to know God. I want to know God more. I want to study the Bible more. I want to pray more, if you ask people what is the prize of every Christian. More than likely you'll hear something like this.

The prize well the prizes that I would be more like Jesus. The prizes that that I would be a better person a better Christian. The prizes that I will use the spiritual gifts that God has given to me. So the goal is get to know God study more, pray more, the prize will be more like Jesus being a better person using my gifts in the kingdom of God. In today's message were going to learn the goal of every Christian is soul winning is to tell every man, woman, boy and girl.

There is a name by which they can be saved in the name is Jesus.

But wait, is not just a goal as if is the great commission Jesus told us, so we gotta do it.

That's the reason many of you don't. There's a prize for those who win souls.

There's a prize waiting for us and what we have done is we have kind of fun but I say it. We have leveled the ground on the other side doesn't really matter what you do in this live as long as you get in.

No wonder we don't win souls anymore. You will get it and you will have a glorified body, but trust me when I say from the word of God.

There's something waiting for soul winners, which is much, much, much more this morning. Let me ask you a couple questions just to prepare us for this message.

What you think is the goal of every Christian. What you think is the prize of every Christian.

What are you aiming for use on the Christian what are you aiming for, because if you're aiming for something the Bible hasn't said to aim for your going a different direction than God wants you to. What are you running towards what are you looking forward, on the other side talking about games. Are you even in the game, you know to be in this race of winning souls you at least have to first get in the game. If you've never received Jesus as your Savior distilled and sign up. The first, at first is what ask God to save you. Now you are in the game and there is a prize waiting for you. I'm hoping this morning the first thing would be you would examine your hearts is your name written in the book of life and the next step is to do whatever you can to win souls because something is coming forth.

Let's begin. First, a goal and then the prize. The goal of every Christian. I reread this passage verse three.

Let's read that again I would read it again further on. Hopefully you memorize it, God is telling Daniel this those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars for ever and ever. It seems like there are two groups of people.

What are the wise, that will shine like the clouds in the other group are those who turn many to righteousness would be like the stars forever. Not true in the Hebrew construction there one in the same same group of people who are wise are also the group that are turning others to righteousness in God's judgment. Listen carefully wisdom is turning people to God.

Now we do know that Daniel was a wise person.

How do you know that open the book of Daniel chapter 1 it tells us that King Nebuchadnezzar after he captured Jerusalem, he took with him young men who were smart young men who were good-looking, who were strong, who were intelligent. He took them with him back to Babylon. He was going to use them in his empire. He wanted the cream of the crawl, so Daniel was a wise person, according to the world's definition, but it was more than that. Did you know that Daniel was also a soul winner, not to me. What Paul is in the New Testament. Daniel was in the Old Testament member Paul. Paul was a solar. We know you think Paul is so what man he was a remarkable theologian who wrote the book of Romans. He was an amazing communicator. He wrote for second Corinthians. Look how he uses rhetoric and how he uses Greek philosophy and how he communicates with people if you were to ask Paul. Paul. Who are you know what he would say I'm an apostle to the Gentiles. My job is to tell people about Jesus Christ. Paul what did you accomplish what I accomplished was the book of Romans was in Galatians, Ephesians, flip no Paul would say I planted churches where there were no churches later I'll be in a season of those references over time sake right now. Just like Paul was in the New Testament. Daniel was a soul winner in the Old Testament. Let us look at for a moment. Daniel was in a foreign land and he did everything he could to tell people that he believed in the living God, and that nothing would make him compromises for the food laid before them, and this is what I believe this food is offered to idols, we can do that, let us eat what we want to eat and if we don't look good and then hey will do whatever he tells in the process they were blessed and they allowed their faith to shine. Next thing you know, Daniel has a gift to interpret dreams and visions and King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream he was gonna tell it to anybody. Daniel somehow got involved in it and what happens. Daniel not only tells him the dream, but he also gives him the interpretation before he does that. He says King just go to going tell you this. I don't have it in me with the living God, whom I serve, he's gonna tell you what Daniel was doing. He was witnessing to him when it was all said and done. King Nebuchadnezzar was so impressed that he actually confessed the living God even see Nebuchadnezzar in heaven because of Daniel kingdoms changed and Babylon was captured by the Medo Persian Empire.

Next thing you know there's another King by the name of Darius and the people made a rule to get Daniel in trouble. What was the rule you cannot pray, and Daniel goes to his house.

He goes to the room opens the windows and he prays like he always did like we got him the go back to Darius. Hey guess what, and Darius realized oh I didn't realize they were doing this to get Daniel in trouble and reluctantly he allowed Daniel to be thrown in the lion's den, but all night long. The cane paced back and forth and back and forth. Next morning he gets to the cave. He says Daniel the God whom you worship. Has he saved you. Daniel said hang in there. Yes, he has and what happens next that King was so mad he took all those men threw them into the lion's den, and instead he brought Daniel back out and he sent out a decree not only confessed himself. He sent out a decree saying there's only one living God. And as Daniel's God even as he Darius in heaven.

What I'm saying here is this maybe not the same exact way. Like Paul, maybe not to the same extent like Paul was. Daniel was also a soul winner. The point is this wise people are soul winners. Let's go back to Paul for a moment. We talked about him in the opening for just a few seconds.

Let's look at a couple of verses about Paul. What was Paul's goal this in the first print is chapter 922. He says I have become all things to all men that by all means save some of your Jewish guess where I'm Jewish, I'm a Pharisee man. Certainly Gamaliel. Let's talk about the Messiah. Oh, you're not Jewish or Gentile or a Roman citizen living to you about the meeting of the Savior of the world, by all means whatever it takes. My job is to see people come to know Jesus Christ.

This was Paul Romans chapter 10 verse one. He said brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. Sometimes people say saved is not a Baptist thing you do notice a biblical thing for the Philippians chapter 1 verse 12.

But I want you to know, brethren, that the things that happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel. What Paul was saying was there to listen.

I got persecuted I got beaten all this crazy stuff happened. But don't worry about it all. This was good because the gospel went even further. Paul was a soul winner at heart. Now wise people been so please don't misunderstand when I say wise people are not saying you have an IQ of you know to be able to get into MIT or something when my favorite preachers is Charles Spurgeon. Amazing man of God in the 19th century him and he shook Anglin he shook the world he died at an early age, but in that short time he had. He preached the truth. He did whatever he could and he was a soul winner.

But did you know how he got saved, I would tell you that this morning he was barely's 15 years of age 1850s the time and he says that he woke up one Sunday afternoon with a deep sense of his need for deliverance and he said I got to church so he gets out and is snowing as a snowstorm so he walks out he loses his way.

Haney ends up into a primitive Methodist Church.

He walked in and there was a lay preacher, a substitute lay preacher who was preaching from the pulpit is lay preacher was preaching from Isaiah 45 verse 22 not listen to the verse look unto me and be saved.

All the ends of the earth, for I am God and there is none else in this lay preacher Spurgeon says in his autobiography he had not much to say on asked the guys to get up in preach and is like the brain sometimes us ghosts were in a race mode is like like I have no idea what to say now, in this lay preacher was an educated, he began to preach and Spurgeon says thank God that he could not say much for that compelled him to keep on repeating this text and there was nothing needed. He says by me at any rate, except his text then stopping. He pointed to where I was sitting under the gallery and said that young man over there looks very miserable. And as he shouted. Spurgeon says as as I think only of primitive Methodist Church out mild young man now and he repeated that first and Spurgeon says that I had this vision not a vision to my eyes. But to my heart. I saw what is Savior Christ was. Now I can never tell you how it was. But I no sooner saw who I was to believe that. I also understood what it was to believe and I did believe in one moment when we talk about being wise not talking about being smart in the world's sense is not about wise and the sentimental make all the right decisions. I know when to keep my mouth shut. I know exactly what to do and when not to do it. I am I am so wise it's about being a soul winner. In God's judgment wise people save souls. I think for a moment. Spurgeon 1000's of bunkhouses of people to Christ, who is wiser. Spurgeon or that late Methodist preacher the link.

Guess what he wants. Spurgeon when he gets to heaven, God's gonna say, oh, come on in. Will wait a minute will you got you got a lot of deposit over here and do anything I sure did. I know I won that one boy to Christ by I don't oh, yes, but that one boy one thousands upon thousands of Christ. Listen again to that verse. What is said those who are wise shall shine those who are who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever. Are you a wise person. What is the goal of your life. Let's go one step further, the prize of every soul winner. Remember, I began with that analogy of playing a basketball with no hoops, but then I said I would imagine you do have hoops but there is no award there is no metal there is no prize.

You display there is no winner or loser you display how long would you be motivated. Listen again to this verse.

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. Before we look at what the brightness of the firmament means and what shining like the star means, let's try to understand when this will happen you have to read the two verses prior to get the context listen to verse one we read this earlier. At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people.

What time are we talking about when Michael will stand up. This is the end time. This is the time after the great tribulation, and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation. This is the great tribulation, even to that time. At that time your people shall be delivered, the people of Israel.

Everyone who is found written in the book is something deep and mysterious. Here is not just coming out of the great tribulation, but is talking about those who have their names written in the book of life. Your there is a book in heaven, and if you're saved, your name is in that book you so that the only time no it's mentions in other places in the Bible limited region of the passage Revelation chapter 20 verse 12 it says and I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened.

There is a library in heaven and on the day of judgment. Books will be opened. And another book was opened, which is a book of life and the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the book and anyone not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. So let's get this together. There's a book in heaven on the day of judgment. The book will be open and if your name is not in the book you headed to the lake of fire and ask you question this morning. Are you really sure that your name is in that book. Do you know for sure is I think this morning, some people need to get saved because when I said those words to you. You have no assurance. There's nothing there's emptiness and you need to get saved you need to give your heart to Jesus Christ and read another verse here.

Revelation chapter 3 verse five it says he who overcomes shall be clothed in white garment.

Jesus says, and I will not blot out his name from the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. You say what confess Jesus can ask your question will Jesus confess you imagine getting before God in heaven and's and saying hey I know you know what Jesus had depart from me. I never knew you. Do you have that kind of confidence that Jesus will actually stand up on the day of judgment and say he belongs to me. She belongs to me as if you don't what needs to really happen this morning before you even walk out of this place you to give your heart to Jesus Christ. The whole context of this passage is about wise people being soul winners were before they can be soul winners, their soul has to be saved before they can get the names of people around them. In the book of life, their name has to be in the book of life, and what's going to happen. Listen to verse two again, repeating the same passage again and again because there's so much packed in there.

Verse two again and many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt which means this there's going to be a mass resurrection from the dead. Every body is coming back to life but not every resurrection is the same. Some are to life. Some are to shame.

But in that category. There's another group. Listen again to verse three but were hammering this verse down those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars for ever and ever.

Remember what I said wise our soul winners wise are the ones in turn many to righteousness. On the day of resurrection they will be shining brightly. Now don't become stars. How do you know that because Daniel chapter 8 verse 10 tells us that stars are actually the host of heaven.

So don't think of yourself.

On the other side becoming a son, a burning ball of fire know what is saying is you will be glorious like an angel who the ones who turned many to righteousness. You know what we have done.

The ground is level at the cross and I have a name, and on that anybody can come to Christ. The ground is not level. On the other side and that really bothers people is like well what I'm on the other side. You know a man is all going to gloriously change it what you will be you have a glorious body like Jesus a transformed body. But keep in mind those who turn many to righteousness will shine brightly others will make it by the skin of their teeth. They wanders glad to be in focus and ask you question if that's the side you to spend the rest of eternity.

Don't you think it's worth preparing for that we have so twisted the word of God to fit our complacency and soothe our conscience that now we have another gospel another Bible that is not in line with this well you know I'm like Paul did not mean all was Paul's goal was to find Christ that's that's all I want to do now really Philippians chapter 3 verse 14 is what you're quoting.

Paul says I pranced to word the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Some some people get very spiritual on you while I'm trying to run toward Jesus.

We can read the whole verse dig you to read the whole chapter. No wonder. Let's look at a chapter in detail starting in verse eight Paul says I indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ.

You get there you go. Everything is a loss as long as I get to know Jesus again. You can read the whole passage he breeding verse nine and be found in him, not having my own righteousness which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from faith from God by faking a look at verse 10. What is he say that I may know him and the power of what keeping the whole passage, Paul is saying all this in the context of the resurrection of Jesus gets better, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death. If by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. This is what he says. Verse 24. Our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior of the Lord Jesus Christ who is going to do what for you, Paul. What quality waiting for who will transform our lowly lowly body that it may be conformed to his glorious body, according to the working by which he is able even to subdue all things to what Paul is really looking forward to the resurrection to come where his lowly body will be gloriously transformed folks. If you know Christ on your deathbed. You receive Christ as your Savior. Praise God for that you want heaven, maybe through your deathbed confession somebody will come to know Christ. Guess what that is going in your is going in your account. But God has called us to do much more than barely making it. He wants us to be soul winners so that on the other side.

You will shine brightly, not just like the angels, but like Jesus Christ. This is the soul winners prize now so we are going think man on the other side. Billy Graham is going to like a big ball of fire running around, you know me is like getting a look at them know there's really go let's go the other way and all of us have likely tiny little flashlight is a tiny little flashlight. He is like this is this is me in a not true.

You see the Bible often talks about for shall be last last shall be first, we get a different context, but on the other side. Many of us will be surprised to see what I just won him out. He was just a little boy in my vacation Bible school. I let them to Jesus. But you don't realize with the little woman and that goes in your account to sign and ask again this morning. Question number one. Are you saved are you really sure your name is in the book of life. Are you really sure that on that day Christ will confess you, he will stand up and say you is my she is mine.

Question number two what exactly are you chasing after people come to close all of the way teachers are love. Thank you. My real goal is to see as many people in my lifetime get into heaven as what I want to do. I don't care what you are. I don't care where you come from what you look like what your problem is what your past is I want to see you get to know Jesus about you don't just get by getting the race. Thank you so much for joining us today. Yes, it is important to dig deep into the word of God. But there's a purpose behind it.

The ultimate goal is to win lost souls to Christ. For more information today. Visit us online@clearviewbc.org and for today's sermon notes my blog site@avedonshaw.com