Introduction: Missions is evangelism and is taking the Gospel to lost souls who have never heard of the love of Christ.

I. BEING A BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN IS TO BE A SOUL WINNER!

A. Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus gave us the command to go into the whole world and make disciples. "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." (Matthew 28:19-20)
1. "Going," "Teaching" and "Baptizing" are participles with modify the verb, Verse 19 "teach." It means the command in the verse is to make disciples.

2. A disciple is one who follows, who devotes his very life to the one to who he follows.

           Those in 1993 that went to their deaths in Waco, Texas were the disciples of David Koresh, their cult leader. They proved they devotion and that they were the true disciples by laying down their lives for the one their followed. It is was tragedy that they were told a lie, and believed it and woke up...not in a new world ruled by their false leader... but in hell. Their devotion to David Koresh showed they were his true disciples.

B. The reality is simply this. Most of the world is following someone's lies. Most are disciples to false teachers and leaders who lie and deceive them. That applies in politics as well as in religion.
1. It may be easily seen in the cults such as the Branch Davidians, Catholicism, Jehovah's Witnesses, or Mormons, Seventh Day Adventists and a host of other cults. It is also equally easy to identify the false religions of Islam, Oriental religions or the many thousands of pagan gods worshiped by natives around the world.

2. What may not be as easily seen are the false teachings and practices of the Protestant religions, modern non-traditional movements, health and wealth "ministries, and the Pentecostals and Charismatics. Yet, each of these groups are also following the false teachings of their leaders. Yet, their false gospel can deceive and damn a soul to hell just as effectively as any cult or pagan religion. For example most Protestants believe their confirmation, baptism and church membership will assure them of going to heaven. Yet, God says, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)

3. It seems also to be harder for us to see those that are religious yet lost even in our Baptist churches. Folks who so are close to the truth, yet have never submitted themselves to it.

C. John 3:16 says what? "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)
1. God so loved the world! Folks that's the whole world...not just a part of it.

2. He died for all the lost and deceived by their false beliefs.

3. Jesus said, "Whosoever, believeth in him, should not perish but have everlasting life." That includes everyone and all who can hear and believe.

           Romans 10:13 plainly states, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13)

D. Romans 10:14 however states the problem: "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed, and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall the hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach if they are not sent?"

E. In Acts 1:4, Jesus had to tell His disciples to wait; wait till they received the indwelling and subsequent empowering of the Holy Spirit.

           The disciples had the Good News that Jesus, God's son, was the Messiah the One promised from the beginning of the curse of sin, had come! (Gen. 3:15, Isa. 53)

           They were could hardly contain themselves. They did not have to be told to "GO". The wonderful news itself compelled them to go and tell others of salvation ...God's offer of grace and forgiveness of sins.

A. In 1 Corinthians 9:16, Paul says "For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!" (1 Corinthians 9:16)
1. He says "necessity it laid upon me."

2. Do you see this matter of telling a lost and dying world about the Lord Jesus in this light...do you see it as Paul did?

3. We surely ought too.

B. In 1 Corinthians 9:19 Paul's says " For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more." (1 Corinthians 9:19)
1. Why? That he "might gain the more."

2. Romans 12:1-2, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

3. Paul said "And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you. Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain." (1 Corinthians 9:20-24).

           To win the lost to the Lord Paul sets the example:

a. To the Jews he became as a Jew.
To those under the law,
To those without the law,
To the weak,
To all men, whatever they circumstance he reached out in compassion.

b. Why? That I might gain some...."I do this for the sake of the Gospel, that I might be a partaker with you."

C. Folks do you think that God gave to Paul any greater responsibility, any greater privilege to be a preacher of the Gospel than you and I?
1. Lets dispel the false notion that God only called preachers of the Gospel to spread the Gospel. The truth is God has called us all, not just evangelists, preachers, missionaries and pastors.

2. 1 Corinthians 9:27, Paul's says he kept his body under submission, that he not be a castaway, one who was cast aside because he was not being used of God.

2 Tim. 2:15 states, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15)

3. To all who have received the Love of Christ, is the call to share it with others.

A. QUESTION? Who were the first missionaries in the New Testament who went to other areas and preached the Gospel?
1. Peter was first to preach the Gospel on the Day of Pentecost. Acts 2:41 tell us about 3000 souls were saved. These Jews and proselytes from 16 different nations believed and were saved and went back into their countries and preached Christ.

           There is no record of who was the first to preach the Gospel in Roman yet, before Paul went there, there was a large number of Christians in that city. Acts 2:10 says there were Roman Jews saved on the day of Pentecost. It seems logical that probably these who were saved on the Day of Pentecost when they returned home witnessed to their families, friends and neighbors. Clearly, there witness bore fruit and people were saved.

2. Peter continued to preach in Jerusalem and later around Joppa and the Plain of Sharon.

           Acts 6:8-8:3 Stephen or Steven, preached and was stoned to death. Paul was there holding the coats of those doing the stoning. Did you know that Steven was a deacon (an appointed servant) in the Jerusalem church. You see some of the first to preach and witness for Christ were deacons.

           Acts 8:4 records that God raised up Philip and he faithful preached Christ to the Samartians. Philip too was a deacon in the Jerusalem church. The Jerusalem church then sent Peter and John to them to teach them. (see Acts 8:14)

           Acts 8:26, 40, states that Philip is sent of the Holy Spirit to a black man, the Ethiopian eunuch and he was saved and carried the Gospel to Africa.

B. Philip continue to preach in at near-by town of Azo-tus (20 miles away), and then journeyed north about 120 miles to Caesarea. Philip as a deacon not only preached and witnessed for the Lord Jesus Christ, he waited on tables and fed the widows and boldly witnesses for Christ.
1. Acts 8:4-5 explains that these Christians who were fleeing the persecution of Paul. "Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word." Acts 8:4-5. These men were in a true sense the first missionaries.

           Acts 9: records how that the Apostle Paul was saved on the Damascus road. Paul about twelve years later became the great missionary to the Gentiles.

           In Acts 10, Peter is sent to Cornelius and a Roman Centurion is saved and his family. When Peter returned to Jerusalem and told the believers there the Bible says they rejoiced that Gospel was going to the Gentiles. (Gen. 11:18)

2. Acts 11:19 records that there were some men from Cyprus and Cyrene who were fleeing the persecution in Jerusalem and they were the first to preach Christ to the Jews and Greeks who lived in Antioch, Syria. This was 300 miles north of Jerusalem.

THESE WERE JUST BELIEVERS...SAVED AND FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT WANTING TO TELL OTHERS. THEY WITNESSED WHERE THEY FOUND THEMSELVES!
           They believed God and in spite of being driven from their homes and families, in spite of being under the threat of death they told others about Christ. You see that believed Matthew 28:19-20 and Acts 1:9.

           Today among many in our churches is the idea that if things are not going great and there is no controversy, no trouble of any kind then people will be saved. If trouble comes and there is opposition to the Gospel every one is discouraged and upset. Dear friends, everywhere the Gospel has been preached it has cause controversy and opposition. That is the normal way of the propagation of the Gospel. If the Gospel that is preached is unopposed it is probably a false gospel.

           But opposition does not, nor can stop the Gospel from being preached if God's people will be faithful. Persecution does not keep people from being saved. The greatest revival in history took place during the persecutions of Christians by Rome in the first three centuries. Yet, in spite of the threat of being killed by wild animals, crucified on crosses, burned alive, or killed before thousands of people for sport...men, women, boys and girls believed in Jesus Christ as their Savior and refused to recant or dishonor the name of Christ. They gladly gave their lives and became martyrs for the name of Christ. What keeps people from being saved is when God's people are silent and refuse to share Christ with others.

3. Note Acts 11:21. Just like Christ said, "The hand of the Lord was with them and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord."

C. Their belief in the promises of God was their faith....and their trusting in the promise of Salvation to all who would believe in the Lord Jesus made them share it with others, even Gentiles, when they were driven out of Jerusalem.
1. Who was the second missionary? Barnabas! When the church in Jerusalem heard of the Greeks being saved, they sent Barnabas.

2. Verse 24, says Barnabas was a good men, full of the Holy Spirit and of FAITH! It was surely an act of faith for Barnabas to leave his home in Jerusalem and go to Antioch to preach.

3. Paul was the third missionary. Verse 25 says Barnabas went to Tarsus and got Paul and they both returned to Antioch and preached and taught there for on whole year.

4. Is it not interesting that Paul had an unusual part in starting the church at Antioch. It was started by men fleeing the persecution he was perpetrating!

D. Do you see the pattern? The Apostles, deacons, preachers, believers in many situations...all preaching and witnessing...all telling others about Christ Jesus...where they were.

           John 17: is the Lord's prayer. He prayed for believers. In Verse 20, Jesus said he prayed for them that shall believe on me through their word. "their word" refers to Christians who share the word of God with others. Our task is to go, wherever we find ourselves be a lighthouse for the Lord.

           By witnessing, in life, deed and telling, in supporting our local church, in giving and having a part in sending others where God has called them to Go.

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