The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1943-01-14

LESSON TEXT-John 4:27-42
GOLDEN TEXT-He that reapeth receiv.
eth wages. and gathereth fruit unto life eter.
nal.-JOhn 4:3G.
Mans need is the same wherever
and whoever he may be- The Christ
who met the need of the distin-
guished religious leader Nicodemus
did the same for the poor sinful
woman of Samaria.
The incident at Jacobs well in
Sychar took place when Jesus, Ieav-
ing Jerusalem because of increas-
ing hindrance to His work, went up
to GaliIee. Unlike His Jewish breth-
rem, who detoured around the land
of the hated 'half-breed" Samari-
tans, He must needs go through
Samaria," for there was a sin-sick
soul that needed Him.
Our lesson abounds with instruc-
ton regarding soul-winning, both in
principle and in practice. We here
find Jesus:
1. Winning a SouI-Winner wv. 81
30).
The faithful and kindly ministry
Of Christ led the woman to faith in
Him as the Messiah. She left her
water pot and ran at once into the
city to share her neW-found Joy with
everyone she knew.
Since the first expression of spirit
ual life is testimony, the one who
brings a sinner to Christ not only
saves a soul. but also wins a worker
for Christ. One fears that we often
assume that winning men to Christ
is enough. We should expect that
the new light should shine forth into
the darkness.
So we have a tWo-fold reason for
sOul-Winning; saving a soul from
perditiOn, and setting a life on fire
for testimony. It's a great business.
Why don't we do more of it?
II. Instructing Soul-Winners wv.
1889.
This work of soul-winning requires
a sustaining grace which this world
cannot give. Jesus by His own ex-
ample showed His disciples how that
strength comes from above.
He who had seated Himself at the
well, tired and hungry, to await the
return of the disciples with food, had
been refreshed in the doing of the
Fathers within reaching this for
lorn woman. ''The greatest thing
that ever occurs in the world is
the transformation of a human soul,
and the greatest joy anyone can
ever have is to act as the divine
agent in bringing about such a
transformation (Dougiass).
There is another thing these soul
winners needed to learn-even as
we need to learn and re-learn it
that the time to win souls is now.
How prone the human being is to
procrastinate. TOmorroW-neXt Sun
day-neXt week, we will speak to
someone about his spiritual need.
Next year we will give more Hber-
ally for missions, or for the work
Of soul-winning in our local church
But ''lool on the fields" Do you
not see that they are ripe already
unto harvest?
Again, souI-Winners need to re-
member our Lord words in verses
$685. Not only the reapers receive
the reward, but also those who SOW
and those who labor in order that
the harvest may come. The man
who ploWs is just as important as
the one who reaps-perhaps some
would say more important. Some of
us who are called to be Gods ploW-
men should remember that and be
encouraged in our labors.
Like the perfect leader that He
was, Jesus did not require of His
disciples what He did not do Him
self. So we find Him again in the
work of evangelism. He practiced
what He preached.
III. Practicing Soul-Winning wv.
39-42).
There is real danger that those of
us who have a measure of leader
ship in the church may be quick to
tell others what they ought to do
and not do it ourselves. This is
particularly true in this matter of
soul-winning. One is apt to write,
preach and teach about it, and then
neglect to do it.
The disciples had been to town
for bread. One wonders whether
they had talked to the store-keeper
about Christ. Have you?
Jesus did not theorize about it
He really sought men for God. The
testimony Of the woman He had won
sent a host of people out from the
city. He spoke to them the word of
life and they believed.
This was evidently GROUP evan
gelism" as distinguished from the
personal evangelism" which won
the woman. They are both impor-
tant, and belong together. Some are
saying that the days of group evan
gelism are gone. We doubt that, but
certainly the days of personal evan
gelism are always here. Let us be
busy about that kind of soul-winning
and God may so bless that we will
have a real revival. Are you ready
for it?