Condtions on Winning Men to Christ — John Musser

The Great Commission in Matthew 28

Now, looking at Matthew 28, verses 16 -20, Jesus is in Galilee and he gives the Great Commission. He is the Levian, the eleven disciples. They went away into Galilee in verse 16, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.

And when they saw him, when they saw Christ, they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, on the basis of what I just said, because all power is given to me of the Father, because I have overcome the powers of darkness, because I have been lifted up, and I have a name that is above all names, and I have this authority of the Father, he says, because all power is given to me in heaven and in earth, he says, go ye therefore, as my ambassadors, as co-labors with Jesus Christ, 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 whichever I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.

Amen. Those are some of the last words of our Lord Jesus Christ before he left and he ascended into the heavenlies. We know he spoke again in the book of Revelation, when John was commanded to write those seven letters to the churches, and it was revealed that God showed him such revelations of things to come.

The Harvest and the Urgency of Witness

If you are going to be effective witnesses for Jesus Christ, there are certain conditions that you must learn. They are not complicated, but you need to learn certain things about teaching others about Jesus Christ.

I want to tell you today, I believe that this world, the fields are white on the harvest. I'm convinced of it, I believe it with all of my heart, because of the advertisements or the news broadcasts and the movie series of the Holocaust and the effects, the aftereffects of a nuclear Holocaust.

That sent an electrifying shrill through this generation, and all the world, as they began to think about the aftereffects of a Holocaust, and the Bible says, the word of God says, that one of these days the elements of the earth will melt with fervent heat.

And I believe, surely, that Peter was talking about a nuclear Holocaust. I believe that this world will be set on fire, be set on fire of God. I believe that man will destroy himself, and all of that TNT and all of those atom bombs and all of those nuclear bombs will just bring this world into one blazing fire, infernal black.

Peter talked about that taking place. And so because of the advertisement or because of the news that's going across this nation on the nuclear Holocaust, there are people that are afraid, there are people all around us, they don't know, they have no hope of Jesus Christ in their hearts.

I remember I talked to some people in the gas station, a young lady and a young man, and I talked about that movie the day after, when it revealed such shocking detail of the after-effects of a nuclear bomb, but the half wasn't told.

It's even worse than that, where the flesh and eyes would disintegrate from the body and leave these bones in a pile of rubble. And I went into that gas station, and I said, did you watch that film? Yes, it's scary, we don't know what to do.

I said, did you know that the book of Peter talks about a nuclear Holocaust? Did you know that the word of God talks about a nuclear explosion? Do you know that Ezekiel, the prophet, talks about those men who are walking and their very eyes and their flesh will disintegrate from their body, from their bones?

And they were interested in what I had to say. They said, no, I've never heard that, I'm going to look it up in the word of God. And I'm convinced that all across this nation today that men and women, unsaved men and women have been prepared by the Holy Ghost, and they want to receive Jesus Christ.

I've even talked to the hippies, I've gone back to the streets, I've gone back to my old friends, and I said, I believe that we are nearing the end of the world. I said, I believe that we're on the very threshold of the coming of Jesus Christ, and do you know what they told me?

We know it. We feel it. We can sense it within us. We really believe that the end of the world is coming. And they aren't even saved, they don't even know Jesus Christ. I've heard scores of men tell me this, unsaved men.

We know that something's taking place in this world, and men are gripped with fear today. Men are gripped in terror, they don't know what to do, they don't know where to go. And some of us today are caught in the bondage of fear, and we don't realize that they want to hear about Jesus Christ.

Listen, I've knocked on many doors in my life, cold turkey knocking on doors, and all of the doors that I've ever knocked on, I've only had one or two people slam that door in my face. The majority of them will take a track, the majority of them will listen to you, the majority of them will be delighted to even have you in for a cup of coffee and a little talk.

But we are blinded today, we're deceived and beguiled by the devil, the devil says no one wants to hear about Christ, which is a lie from the pit of hell. About four weeks ago there was a young lady, we came in contact with me and the pastor, another pastor, and we were calling on another young man.

We were calling on some people that day, we went to call on the young man and we went to see him, but he was gone, and then he came back and this young girl came with him. And we began to share our testimonies with this young lady.

I shared my testimony of how God saved me from these drugs and the occult and things.

Like this, and this girl was interested.

She said, you know something, just this morning I was reading the book of Genesis, and I've been asking someone to tell me how to get saved. And this young man that we were calling on, he was a backslidden Christian, she said I've been begging Tom to show me how to get saved and he will not show me.

Back in Michigan. And that young lady had been prepared by the Holy Ghost, she was convinced, she was ripe and she was ready, and right there at that gas station I led her to Jesus Christ and she said I want my life to come from God.

And there are people like that everywhere and you don't know it because Jesus said this beloved, that the fields are right on the harvest, right now. Right now the blades are bending low, right now there are people that have been prepared by divine Spirit to receive Jesus Christ.

Do you know that at, Pastor Mesen just a while back, with all of the times that I was on the streets, all of the times that I walked the streets, all of the years that I was without Christ, not one man gave me a track on the street with my long flowing hair and my mind glazed and my eyes glazed with drugs and alcohol, not one person came up to me and said do you know Jesus Christ except for my father, and men were related with him.

And all of those years walking the streets I walked by Christians, I saw Christians, yet they would not stand and talk to me about Jesus Christ and more than likely I would have given my life to Christ.

And I want to tell you something, we've got to get out of this bondage of fear that we're in today. The Bible says that love casts us off fear. You've got to have love to supersede that bondage of fear that keeps you back from telling others about Jesus Christ because I am convinced that God can give you wisdom and tactfulness.

People are open, I'm amazed at how brave Christians are of the unstaged and how you can just go in there and give them a track so kindly and they will tell you thank you. I've heard people say thank you again and again and again, we appreciate that, oh we want to hear about Christ.

I think I shared this with you this past week but I'm going to share it again, there was a man at the factory, he looked at a Christian straight in the eyes and he said, do you believe in hell? That Christian said yes I do, he said do you believe that if men do not receive Jesus Christ in this life that they will be lost forever and forever and forever?

And that Christian said yes. And that man said then why have you not told me about Christ in the ten years that you've been in this factory? He said you're a hypocrite and you do not believe in hell. I've heard stories like that over and over again.

The world will stand up, the world, they know that you share the gospel because some of them they're backslidden or some of them they're apostates or some of them at one time they were in a church and never were born again maybe, but they know what needs to be done.

The world I'll tell you has higher standards for us than what we have for our own minds. And they look at our lives and today if we only allow the Lord to reveal what he's doing, how he is preparing a generation, I believe that God is moving in revival, I believe that God is stirring the hearts of the saints, and I believe that God is preparing for great engathering of souls.

I believe that, I can sense that, I can see that because people are ripe and ready like never before. They're ready to listen to prophecy and things from the word of God. Oh listen, you share things about prophecy, they're right there, their ears are right there.

They want to listen to you because they hear it over the news reports, they hear it on the television, they see it over and over again. If you're going to have a real success in bringing others to Jesus Christ, you must yourself be converted thoroughly or revived.

Let me say, Jesus said to Peter, when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. Not when you're born again, but when you're living for me, when your life counts for me, when you've given your all to me, Jesus said, when you're converted, strengthen thy brethren.

He was in no position to help his brethren at that time because of all the causes or problems, or he was impetuous, after his cowardly denial, after he again had turned to the Lord, then he was ready on the day of Pentecost to march out for Jesus Christ.

And you know why the reason why the majority of us don't want to tell others about Christ is because we have so many problems with our own life. Listen to this illustration. The Lord just brought it to my mind.

I heard an illustration a while back that is so powerful and revival-proof. Now, if you have a tree that is living in a dry field, we'll say that it's an apple tree. There's no water, it hasn't rained for months.

Well, that tree will just survive. Maybe there'll be just a few little parched apples that no one would want to eat. But if you have a tree that is planted by a river, or if you have a tree that is well irrigated, that tree will bring forth much fruit, right?

Now, a Christian that isn't tapping into the resources of God can't bear fruit, because fruit is an overflow. You see, you've got to be receiving nutrition from God to be able to bear fruit. And evangelism and fruit in life is always the spillover of a right relationship with God.

And as we see in Psalm chapter 1, the blessed man, the roots of his soul tap into God. And the overflow is telling others about Jesus Christ. It's fruit in the life. But so many of us today, we're like that parched tree.

We have problems with bitterness. We have problems with things in the home, as we talked about last night. We're not willing to give in to God. And so we're not tapping into his power. There's not the prayer, there's not the intense meditation upon the Word of God that we need so desperately in our lives.

And so we just bring a few little parched apples. And no one wants that kind of fruit. And you're just surviving yourself by the skin of your teeth. But I want to tell you something, when you have revival in your soul, and when you are rejoicing in Jesus Christ, and you're having that quiet time every day, walking with God, you can't help but tell someone about Jesus Christ.

Because God will begin to answer your prayers. And sometimes you might even say, yeah, Woody was so excited, he was preparing a message on grace. He was so filled and overflowing with that message, he just ran out on the street, and the first man he saw, he said, Have you ever heard about grace?

And that man wondered what he was talking about. He said, I mean it, have you ever heard about the word grace? Do you know what it means? I've seen this in my own life. Oh, I'm so excited sometimes. I see God answer prayer, and I'm just right in the presence of an unsaved person.

Oh, God answered prayer for me today. Do you know that God is a man that's outside of Christ? Do you know how that jolts them? You want to know one of the biggest lies of the devil? One of his lies is to undermine the influence of a Christian.

He tells you that you have no power. You have no influence. You have no strength and power with God with men. But I want to tell you something, just the presence of a Christian and the presence of an unsaved individual will affect their life as you're walking with Christ.

Revival, Love for Souls, and Spiritual Fruitfulness

And if we're going to bring others to Christ, we must turn away from all known sin and worldliness and selfishness. With our whole heart, we must yield to Jesus Christ. We need to be on our way. We need to be revived.

That's why I've mentioned again and again and again, I hope you get this principle this week, that revival always precedes evangelism, personally and collectively in a church. And first of all, your life must be in tune with God before you can truly witness to others.

You've got to be experiencing the reality of God yourself, his fullness and love to be able to share the blessings of the Lord with others. And then secondly, if you're going to have real success in bringing others to Jesus Christ, you must have a love for souls.

That needs to be our prayer. You see, that's really where we begin. Do you have a love for souls tonight? I want to ask you that. Do you really prevail for souls? How many souls do you have on your prayer list?

How many times do you pray for men and women and young people to come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ? Do you have a longing in your heart to see hellbound men and women and young people come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ?

That's what I'm asking tonight. If you don't have that kind of a burden, you need to ask God for it, because if you don't, we're not entering into what God would have us to do as God's people. Because only this will move you into action.

Love casts out fear. And when you have a love for the lost and you see that they're damned without Christ, and they're under the wrath of God without Jesus Christ, that love will supersede that bondage of fear.

Fear has torment. If we have no love for souls, our efforts will be mechanical and powerless. I want to tell you something. As Jesus said, He said there's one thing, there's one outstanding characteristic that the world will see in you, and they will know that you are my followers.

By your love. By your love. That's what Jesus said. Do you know something? I have seen the hardest sinners bow under the mighty blow of love. The Bible says that love never fails. I don't care how hard a man is, I was one of the hardest.

I didn't want Christ. I didn't want the church. I didn't want to read the Word of God. I didn't want to come to grips with reality, eternal reality. But I want to tell you something. My heart was won through love.

Demonstrated through my Father. He wept tears streaming down His face. He looked me straight in the face one time when He found some drugs and He shook and wept like a baby. And I want to tell you, it sent a spear into my heart as I saw my own Father crying and weeping and saying, Oh John, oh John, I don't want to sleep without that rose.

And because of His love and His consistent witness and His doing things for me and His self-denial in His life, it proved to me that He had something that was supernatural. It proved to me that He was not led of man.

There is something different. There is something that was emanating from His life that does not emanate from the lives of unbelievers. It was the very love of Jesus Christ. The direct manifestation of God.

Can we see like Paul? We have a great heaviness and unceasing pain in our hearts for the unsaved. Paul and Moses boggled my mind. I cannot understand it. Moses said, If you will not save the children of Israel, O God of heaven, then blot my name out of your book of life.

How could Moses, knowing God, how he did and how he learned God, and yet he said, Lord, if you are going to kill the children of Israel, if you are going to destroy them with a blast of my nostrils, then he said, blot me out and spare the people.

And even Paul said, I am willing to give my own body, my own soul, he said, if my brethren, the Jews, could be saved. But he said, they are blinded. They rejected their Messiah. They did not receive Jesus Christ.

And because of it, they are going to receive the Antichrist. For just a moment. And then their eyes are going to be opened. But Jesus said, Paul said, Jesus gave His heart. Jesus gave His everything. For the souls of men.

He wept for men. He cried. He gave His all for men. Jesus came into the world to seek and to save. That was His law. That was His major mission. He was a great teacher. The greatest teacher on the face of the earth.

Because He is an embodiment of truth. Jesus Christ, the God-man. He was great in all of His teachings, in all of His ways. And He healed the sick and He raised the dead. And He preached such tremendous sermons.

But I want to tell you something. The key reason for Jesus coming into this world was to give His body, His life, a ransom for many. That's why He came. He came for that reason. That we might know Jesus Christ.

Now how do we get a love for souls? How many of you are warm tonight? I must be getting excited tonight. I know that's true. How do we get a love for the lost? How do you do it? Remember we talked about faith the other day?

The Bible says that you are to love. He commands you to love. He commands you to be filled with the Spirit. He commands you to have faith, as I've already mentioned. He commands us to do these things.

And there are certain conditions that we must meet in order to obey the Lord. If you're going to be filled with the Spirit, then you must confess all known sins. And you must heal yourself and allow the Spirit of God to be Lord of your life.

If you're going to be controlled by the Spirit of God. If you're going to have faith, the Bible says that faith comes by hearing. And hearing by the Word of God. So then you must saturate your mind with the Word of God.

And so how do we get a love for souls? First of all, love is an act of the will. Agape love is an act of the will. You say, through Christ Jesus I can do all things. I think that we need to pray. And ask God.

Ask the Spirit of God to give us love. Because the fruit of the Spirit is love. Joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith. Meekness, temperance, against such, there is no law. The Bible says that the manifestation of the Spirit of God in your life is love.

It's love. Let me give you another rendering of that. It's this. Paul says, I want you to examine yourself. This is how you can tell if the Holy Spirit of God is unhindered in your life. This is how you can understand how the Spirit of God is manifesting His power in your life.

These things will be true in your life. This is the evidence that He is uncreed in your life. These fruits will be here. It's one cluster, love, joy, peace, long suffering, and all these other things.

Secondly, we must imitate Jesus Christ. And we must come in fellowship with Him. I believe that as we draw nigh to Christ, as we continue to pray and seek the Lord, that God will put His burdens into our hearts.

That's compassion for the lost. That's compassion for those who are away from Christ. But thirdly, now I mentioned this the other night, feelings are an outcome of our thoughts. This is powerful. This is key.

If we desire any given feeling in our lives, we should dwell upon the thoughts which are adapted to produce that feeling. Solomon said again, here are the words, Of what a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.

What a man thinketh in his innermost being, so he will become. If any born-again Christian will dwell long enough upon the peril and wretchedness of any man outside of Christ, and the worth of his eternal soul in God's sight, and the desire for God Almighty to do everything He can in His power to save that person, God will begin to impart a desire within your heart.

I shared this last week. I believe that one of the greatest ways to get a burden for the lost is to meditate upon passages of Scripture on eternal damnation, hell, and destruction. Go to the teachings of Jesus where Jesus said, He said, Which shall come to them?

It shall take the whole world and lose his soul. Jesus said that hell, that eternal damnation, is a place where the worm dies not and the fire is not quenched. Jesus said, And these, the unrighteous, shall go into eternal fire.

Jesus said that hell will be a furnace of fire. He said it will be a fiery blaze. He said it will be darkness forever. He said there will be crying and groaning and agony. John said, Whoso has not found written the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

The Rich Man, Lazarus, and the Reality of Hell

Listen to the words again of the rich man. There was a rich man in clothes and great fine linen. He fared consciously every day. There was a certain beggar named Lazarus who laid his gate full of stores and desired to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table.

More of the dogs came and listened to the story. And it came to pass that the beggar died and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. And the rich man died. And in hell he lifted up his eyes being in torment.

And he seeeth Abraham afar and Lazarus in his bosom. And he said and he cried, Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may take the tip of his finger and put it in water and cool my tongue.

For I am tormented in this land. You remember the story as Abraham spoke back to this man. He said you remember that in your life time you had all these pleasures. You had all these good things. But Lazarus, he lived in poverty and sores.

He said beside all this, he said there is a great gulf fixed between us. We cannot get to you and you cannot come to us. He said you are lost forever. There is no way that you can ever come back. And then that man said, Father Abraham, send Lazarus to my brethren.

I have five brothers that he may testify unto them. Lest they also come to the place of torment. And Abraham said, they have Moses and the prophet. Let them hear them. But he said, nay, Father Abraham, if one rose from the dead, they will repent.

Abraham said, no, if they hear not Moses and the prophet. They won't be persuaded even though one rose from the dead. And here as we see this awesome picture, as we begin to meditate upon this horrid scene.

Of this flaming blaze that is issuing from the mountain. And agony of soul that comes from this man that is in torment. The Bible says that he is in plural torment. And just the very tip of his finger in water would cool his tongue.

He doesn't ask for anything more. He doesn't ask to get out of hell. He doesn't ask to get out of that eternal damnation. But he just asks for one little drop of water upon his finger. And I want to tell you something, friends.

As we begin to meditate upon the horrors of hell. And we begin to see that unless we do something. Because we are the vessels of God. We are all that God has. As far as preaching the gospel, how shall they hear unless they have a preacher?

And we are all preachers in a sense. Because we have the word and Jesus said, ye shall be witnesses unto me. All of us, every one of us. Not just the preachers, not just the evangelists, not just the missionaries.

But every last one of us. We can all be confirmed with the law. And those who will be damned forever and forever and forever and forever. Where there is no turning back. There are no second chances. There is no hope.

But hope is lost and buried in destruction. Forever and forever. Where there is nothing but agonizing screams and torment. Listen. When you walk by that individual at the shop or at the ranch. And he is unsaved and you haven't talked to that person for 15 or 20 years or 5 years.

Do you see the scalding blazing flames of hell in his eyes? And we brush shoulders with people every day. And we are full of passivity. And we may be the only Bible that they will ever read and see. And yet we let them go straight to hell.

There are all kinds of things that we can do. We can pass out trash. We can be intercessors. There are a lot of things. You don't always have to knock on doors and give everyone that full complete gospel salvation.

There are so many things you can do. If you learn to be tactful and wise. There are so many things to do. But we, if we truly believe in hell. I'll tell you something, you'll do something about it. The Bible says that if you truly have the biblical belief.

That it's always attended with obedience. So in all reality, technically speaking. You do not believe until you act upon what you say that you believe. Otherwise you have a mental intellectual knowledge.

And that's it. Because even James says that the demons of hell believe. But they're not saved. They don't know Christ. And so it is today. Intellectually we believe in hell. But in all reality in our heart we do not believe in hell.

Because if we ever believe there's going to be such an insane asylum. Such a wretched place. We'd all do something about it. If your neighbor's home was burning ablaze. Would you walk over there and knock on the door and say.

Charlie. Your house is on fire. Would you do that? You'd say Charlie your house is on fire. As I said we need to be wise. We need to be discreet. We need to be tactful. We need to know the word of God.

One young lady came up to me this week and she said. How can I lead the soul to Christ? What do we need to know? She said if we didn't know the plan of salvation. Would that bring fear to our heart? Yes it will.

You need to know the word of God. We're going to share that in just a few moments. Billy Sunday used to look out his window. And they used to ask him Billy Sunday. Why are you so concerned about souls?

And he would look out his window. Just constantly. And he'd say they're going to hell. They're going to hell. They're all going to hell. Unless someone teaches them. Unless someone preaches to them. Unless someone gives them the tract.

They're going to hell. They're going to hell. They're going to hell. That's why Billy Sunday won one million souls to Christ. And one day I remember looking out of my hotel room. As my heart was so burdened for the law.

I was there by the highway. By the expressway. And hundreds of cars were whizzing back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth. And in my mind's eyes I could just see those cars. Just falling headlong right into destruction.

Into hell. In my mind I said they're going to hell. There's only one or two that I've seen in all this time. That will probably ever see Jesus Christ. The majority of them are going down the road. The great wide road of destruction.

That leads to eternal damnation. And then in the fourth place. If you want to give a love for souls. First of all love of souls. Is the work of the Holy Spirit. Secondly we imitate. And have that constant companionship with Jesus Christ.

And he will impart that desire into our hearts. Thirdly feelings are an outcome of thoughts. And fourth. Fourthly reflection upon our own ruin. And unhappy condition without Christ. Gives us a burden for souls.

The Necessity of Scripture Knowledge

I've asked you this week. I can't imagine what it would be like. If I did not know. That I was on my way to heaven tonight. And the events that are taking place. In this world. The fear. The uncertainty.

Even the scientists. They say that we are at 1159. And counting. They believe that the end of the world. Is here. And they aren't even religious. I can't imagine what it would be like. In this day and hour.

If I did not know Jesus Christ. If I did not know Jesus. Now just meditate on it. Think of the horror that would fill your heart. If you are lost tonight. If you didn't know that your name. Was written in the Lamb's book of life.

No peace of mind. No peace with God. No joy. We can't rejoice here. There is no eternity to rejoice with God. And that's why in this world. As James says. Life is like a vapor. It appears for a little time.

And then it vanishes away. Only what's done for Jesus Christ. Will count. Only what you do for lost souls. And for God's people in this world. Will count for eternity. And we must realize it in our mind.

That this existence upon this earth. Whether 60, 70 years of age. Or 30 or 40 years longer. Will count for eternity. And that's why I believe. That one of our chief concerns should be souls. That's why in revival meetings.

I love God's people. I want to see a revival. A reproach taken from the name of Jesus Christ. But the end result of revival. Is we are going into the community. We are going to do solo stage. And then they come back into the church.

And then they are refreshed. And then they learn the things of God. Oh can you imagine what it would be tonight. To have no hope. I think back before I was saved. Every day I was haunted with death. I said what if I die today.

What if today is my day of death. And I am not ready. I am not prepared. And then I began to kid myself. And I said well my friends will be with me. And then I learned in the Bible. That hell will be outer darkness.

You won't even be able to see your friends. And then I didn't have any excuses. And every day. The fear of death stalked me. I said what if this is the last day. Sometimes I would go to bed. I was afraid.

What if this is my last. What if my heart stops beating tonight. Sometimes I just hear that thump, thump, thump, thump. And how fragile that human heart is. It could stop. Are you ready? Do you know Jesus Christ?

And those of you who are Christians tonight. That person that may be sitting beside you tonight. This could be their last night on earth. We don't know. And then if you are going to have real success.

In bringing men to Jesus Christ. You need to have a working knowledge of the word of God. The word of God according to Ephesians. Is the sword of the spirit. Take the sword of the spirit. Which is the word of God.

Study to show thyself approved unto God. A workman that needeth not to be ashamed. Rightly dividing the word of truth. Get the word of God. Let the word of God dwell in your mind richly. Be filled with the word of God.

Not only will it bless your own soul. But you will be able to share it with others. Oh Peter said. Sanctify the Lord God in your heart. Be ready always to give an answer to every man. That asketh you of the hope that is within you.

You need to premeditate on what you are going to say. To lost sinners. You need to take work and time. And make up a cross reference in your Bible. You know there is a good one I like to give. It is the Romans rose.

You start with Romans 3 .10. You start with Romans 3 .10. You want to lead someone to Christ? As it is written there is none righteous. No not one. That is the first verse that you have to know. And then beside Romans 3 .10.

You put the reference 3 .23. You just write it down on the ink pen. Right beside 3 .10. And then you are talking to that sinner. And you go to 3 .23. And then you read for all of sin and come sure to the glory of God.