Love Worth Finding

Guest (Male): Do you have a passion to win souls? Listen to Adrian Rogers.

Adrian Rogers: Don't you want to bring somebody to heaven with you? How sad it will be to go to heaven and not have won souls and brought souls to Jesus. Can you imagine facing the Lord Jesus Christ and never ever even really trying to bring a soul to Christ? One of these days in the clear light of eternity, you will say, oh God, why was I not a soul winner?

Guest (Male): Welcome to Love Worth Finding, featuring the dynamic teachings and insight of pastor Adrian Rogers. Our achievements in life are driven by the motivation behind them. As believers, our goal is to follow Jesus and please our heavenly Father like he did. And what did Jesus do? He came to seek and save the lost. If we want to be all in for the cause of Christ, the apostle Paul offers words of conviction and encouragement for soul winners. If you have your Bible, turn to 2 Corinthians chapter 5 as Adrian Rogers begins part one of the soul winners six mighty motivations.

Adrian Rogers: Take your Bibles, please, and turn to 2 Corinthians chapter 5. And when you found it, would you look up here for a moment? Let me tell you something. Your achievement in life will be primarily impelled by your motivations. Now, what motivates you, impels you, drives you, and will cause you to be whatever you end up being? I heard of a little boy one time who a young man really who was going through the woods, and he heard a growl and looked behind him, and there was a great grizzly bear. And the boy began to run, and the bear began to run.

And the boy said, this bear is going to get me and devour me unless I find some way of escape. But there seemed to be no way of escape. And then he saw a tree, and there was a limb that went out. The limb was 15 ft high. He said nobody has ever jumped 15 ft high straight up. But I've got to do it if I save my life. And the bear was right there with his warm, moist breath on the nape of that man's neck. And with a prayer, this youngster gave a leap as hard as he could.

Now, he missed the limb, but he caught it on his way back down. That's motivation. I want to speak to you about the soul winners mighty motivation. The mightiest soul winner that I've known anything about or read about is the apostle Paul. And in this 2 Corinthians chapter 5, we find out what motivated Paul. What drove Paul? What impelled Paul? What made him the greatest missionary the world has ever known? And we're going to learn from that. And if you've never been a soul winner, I want you to listen today very carefully. If you are a soul winner, you will be blessed and encouraged by this.

Now, there's several things I want you to to learn. The very first thing I want you to learn is the soul winners compulsion. The soul winners compulsion. Paul had a compelling motive that drove him. What was Paul's compulsion? They said, Paul, why do you work so hard? And here is his answer. 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 9. Wherefore we labor. Here's the reason now we work so hard. Wherefore we labor that whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. Now, that doesn't mean that we work to get to heaven. What he's saying is I want to be acceptable to God.

I want God to be pleased with me. Ladies and gentlemen, look up here. If you're not endeavoring to bring souls to Christ, you are not acceptable to God. I don't care how much money you give. I don't care how faithfully you attend. I don't care how eloquently you may preach. I don't care how faithfully you may live. I care not how circumspectly you may walk. Listen. If you are not endeavoring to bring souls to Jesus Christ, you are not acceptable him. You're not pleasing him. And no matter whom you may please, if you displease God, you're a failure.

And if you please God, it really doesn't matter how many people you displease. And the way to please God is to bring souls to the Lord Jesus Christ. That is your compulsion. Andrew Murray, a great Christian of yesteryear said, there are two classes of Christians. Soul winners and backsliders. Now, you're one of the other. Paul said, you want me to tell you why I work so hard? I am compelled. I am compelled to be acceptable to God. That's the first reason. The soul winners compulsion. Number two, I want you to see the soul winners compensation.

Look if you will now in verse 10. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that everyone may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. There is a day coming when we will be compensated. The Bible calls that the judgment seat of Christ. Now, this is not the great white throne judgment where the unsaved will appear. The word judgment seat here is the word Greek word bema. B e m a. And what it was was a raised platform in the middle of the Olympic field where runners would come and receive their reward, or else they would be disgraced and receive no award.

And there would often be a laurel placed on the head that sooner or later would wilt and fade away. But we are going to be compensated as we win souls for the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, what is our compensation going to be? Just put in your margin there 1 Corinthians 9 verses 24 through 26. Know you not that they which run a race run all, but one receiveth the prize. So run that you may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. That is if you're going to run a race, you've got to train yourself.

Now, they do it to obtain a corruptible crown. That is just a wreath around the head. But we an incorruptible. Therefore so run, not as uncertainly. So fight I, not as one that beateth the air. Paul says, look, if you want to get the crown, you've got to train yourself. You have got to discipline yourself. You have to run with all of your might. And when you box, it's not shadow boxing as one who is beating the air. This is a fight, and it is a real fight. Have you ever come to the place where you realize that one of these days you're going to face the Lord and receive a crown if you're a soul winner?

I am a has been athlete, but I did play some football. I was the captain of a championship team. And our award was a little gold football which I gave to my sweetheart Joyce. A little gold football. And then because we played football, we were called letterman. That is we got a sweater with a letter on it. Our letter said PB, Palm Beach High School. And then because God blessed me with some success, I got some loving cups, some trophy cups. Now, let me tell you what happened. The thieves came into our house one night and got the golden football.

It's gone. Who has it now? I have no idea. What about the sweater? The moths got the sweater. It's gone. What about the cups? I have no idea where they are. I don't know. But I'm going to tell you something, friend. When you win souls to Jesus Christ, you don't receive a corruptible crown. You receive a crown that fadeth not away, a crown of glory. What is this judgment seat of Christ? What's going to be a reward for some and it's going to be a regret to others. 1 Corinthians chapter 3 this time. Put this in your margin.

verses 11 through 15. For other foundation can no man lay that is laid which is Jesus Christ. Now, if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, that's one category, wood, hay, stubble, that's another category. Now, listen to this. If you are Sunday morning bench warmer, listen to this. Every man's work shall be made manifest. One of these days, the way that you've lived is going to be made manifest for the day shall declare it. What day? The day of the judgment seat of Christ. Because it shall be revealed by fire, and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.

Not what size it is, but of what sort it is. God is looking for quality, not quantity. Now, listen to this. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon on Jesus Christ, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss. But he himself shall be saved yet so as by fire. Now, what is this telling us? It tells us why Paul labored. He said there's a compensation. There's the judgment seat. Every mother's child is going to come to the judgment seat of Christ, the bema, if you've been saved.

One of these days, you're going to see a replay of that old television program. This is your life. And the life that you lived is going to come into review before the Lord. Now, if you're a soul winner, your life will be gold and silver and precious stones. If you're not a soul winner, your life will be wood, hay, and stubble. Gold and silver and precious stones can't burn. They've already been through the fire. Wood, hay and stubble will be consumed by the fire. Your life will be revealed. It shall be tested by fire. Now, what's it going to be?

I want you to imagine yourself right now standing before the judgment seat of Christ. Are you going to be satisfied? There's going to be a reward for some. Some people say I don't believe in rewards. Well, God does. Jot these scriptures down. Revelation chapter 22 verse 12. Jesus said, behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me to give to every man according as his work shall be. What is that? Whether it's gold, silver and precious stones or wood, hay and stubble. Put this down. 1 Corinthians 3 verse 8. Now, he that planteth and he that watereth are one and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor.

Did you see that? His own reward according to his own labor. Look if you will to Matthew chapter 6 and verse 20. Jot this down. Jesus said, lay up for yourself treasures in in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves do not break through nor steal. They are treasures. Don't get the idea that everybody's going to be the same in heaven. They're not. That verse from the Lord Jesus Christ makes absolutely no sense at all if we all have the same treasure. There is treasure that we're going to lay up. The judgment seat of Christ that Paul is talking about here in 2 Corinthians chapter 5 is a time of reward.

But it will also be Listen, Christian, listen to me. It's also going to be a time of regret for some. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss. He himself shall be saved. Yet so as by fire. What does that mean? You're going to be singed but saved. You'll get into heaven with your coattail smoking. Everything that you live for will go up in flames. Our church this morning is filled with people whose lives are wood, hay and stubble. And I'm telling you as surely as I stand here, one of these days and much sooner than you may realize, you're going to stand before the judgment seat of Christ and receive the things done in your body, whether it be good or evil.

There's not going to be any soul winning in heaven. You're going to come to the judgment seat and receive the things done in your body while you here now living, breathing. All the soul winning you ever going to do for all eternity, you must do now. How sad it will be to go to heaven and not have won souls and brought souls to Jesus. Must I go in empty-handed? Must I meet my savior soul without one soul with which to greet him? Must I empty-handed go? Don't you want to bring somebody to heaven with you?

I had a denominational worker work for the entire Southern Baptist Convention call upon me. I went to visit him. He was on his deathbed. I shall never forget what he said to me. He said, pastor, I am saved and I'm going to heaven. He said, I am not afraid to die. But now listen to this. He said, I am ashamed to die because I've not been a soul winner. I've not been a soul winner. I'm ashamed to die. Can you imagine facing the Lord Jesus Christ and never ever even really trying to bring a soul to Christ, to go empty-handed to heaven?

Oh my friend, you say, well, if I just get to heaven, it'll be fine with me. Just build me a cabin in the corner of glory land. Friend, I don't know how. I cannot explain it, but the Bible says clearly and plainly and unmistakably if any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss. One of these days in the clear light of eternity, you will say, oh God, why was I not a soul winner? Now, you don't win souls in order to get to heaven. You get to heaven by the grace of God. I cannot work my soul to save.

That work my Lord has done, but I will work like any slave for the love of God's dear son. Paul said, you want to know what motivates me? What is my compulsion to please him? What is my uh compensation? I am going to the judgment seat of Christ. Here's the third thing that motivated Paul, the soul winners conviction. Look if you will now in verse 11. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men. Knowing the terror of the Lord, but we are made manifest unto God, and I trust also made manifest in your conscience.

I want you to underscore that phrase if you don't mind writing in your Bible. The terror of the Lord. We persuade men. Paul didn't have a take it or leave it attitude. This is a motivation. Paul knew there was a death to die, a judgment to face. And he said, knowing the terror of the Lord, knowing what it means for a soul to die unredeemed and to die and go to hell, the terror of the Lord. And I realized today that you don't hear hell from many pulpits. But I want to tell you surely as I stand here, there is a place of everlasting fire that the Bible calls hell.

And when you lead a soul to Jesus Christ, no longer are they facing an eternity in hell. No longer must they face the terror of the Lord. But they can know the grace of the Lord. Now, you say, I don't believe in hell. Well, if you don't believe in hell, let me ask you some questions. If there is no hell, is not the Bible a bundle of blunders? Because the Bible itself warn just over and over against hell. Now, if you don't believe in hell, just jettison your Bible. Just announce to God that you're smarter than God.

You don't need the word of God. The Bible is a blunder. If there is no hell, is not Jesus Christ a deceiver? Do you know who the greatest hellfire preacher in the Bible was? Not some backwards preacher, but Jesus Christ himself. Mark 9 verses 43 and 44. And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off. It is better for thee to enter into life maimed than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched. If there's no hell, is not the Bible a bundle of blunders?

If there is no hell, was not Jesus Christ a deceiver? If there is no hell, was not Calvary a mistake? Why did Jesus die on the cross? To save us. To save us. I want to tell you by every mouthful of spit they put on the savior's face. By every handful of beard that they jerked from his cheeks. By every stripe the lash marked his back with. By every bruise that the rods put upon him. By the searing nails that were driven into his quivering hands. By the blackness, the utter midnight of his heart as he cried, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

With all of that, do you mean to tell me that Jesus died to save souls from hell that doesn't exist? Was not Calvary a blunder? If there's no hell, I want to ask you another question. If there's no hell, how can there be any heaven? The same Bible that tells us about heaven tells us about hell. You can say, well, I'll only believe the part that tells us about heaven. Paul said, let me tell you what motivates me. The terror of the Lord. Now, this is a generation that has failed to understand the terror of the Lord.

The Bible speaks of people living in the last days and it says there's no fear of God before their eyes. You say, well, isn't God a God of love? Yes, he is and we'll get to that in a moment. But if you preach the love of God and the exclusion of the judgment of God, you haven't given a whole picture. You've only given half the truth. And when half the truth becomes the only truth, then that half the truth is an untruth. Now, let me give you another motivation that the apostle Paul had. Apostle Paul his motivation was compassion.

Notice the soul winner's compassion. Look if you will now in 2 Corinthians 5 verses 13 and 15. For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God. Now, what does that mean beside ourselves? Uh whether we be schizoid, whether we've lost our mind, whether we be insane. There were people who were saying the apostle Paul was not mentally stable. He is beside himself. He says, well, if so, it is to God. Or whether we be sober, it is for your cause for the love of Christ constraineth us. That's another motivation. The love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one died for all, then we're all dead.

By the way, if you're a five point Calvinist, how do you explain this? He died for all, not for just some. Then we're all dead. And that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live under themselves, but under him which died for them and rose again. Paul's compassion is driving him. He's speaking of the love of Christ. The love of Christ that was shown to him. And now the love of Christ that is shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost. How can you say you love Jesus and not be concerned for souls that he died for?

Or you say, well, I just don't have a love for souls. I'm going to tell you something. It's not a love of souls or love for souls that motivates you. Jesus Christ said to Peter, do you love me? Do you love me? Then feed my sheep because we love Jesus. Now, what drives me, what motivates me is not my love for people. It is my love for Jesus. Yes, I love people. But the chief motivation of my life, the chief motivation of my life is his love for me. And therefore his love through me.

Guest (Male): And with that, we'll conclude today's portion of this vital message from Adrian Rogers. Part two is coming up tomorrow right here. Please join us then. Pastor Rogers said Jesus is our way to God and God's way to us. And if you have questions regarding your faith in Christ, we'd love to offer an insightful resource on our website. It's the Find God's Love page. There you'll discover resources and materials that will answer questions you might have about how to begin a relationship with God through Christ. Go to lwf.org/radio and click the tab that says Find God's Love.

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