savesome

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--- THE PREACHER'S NOTEBOOK ----
Ecclesiastes 12:10
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Editor's Note to My Fellowlaborers: This sermon is a very simple sermon
about the call of God upon our lives to deliver the simple message,
"Believe and be saved," and also about the adversary who will attempt
to keep us from fulfilling that call. Our adversary is a notable foe.
As you progress toward the end of the sermon, you will note that he is
a terrible, predictable, punctual, effectual adversary, but if we are faithful
to give this wonderful message, we will win some to our Savior.
May it ever be so in your ministry. God bless you in your labors for Him.
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                                    BELIEVE AND BE SAVED!
           THE MESSAGE WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE BRINGING
               & THE ADVERSARY WHO ALWAYS OPPOSES IT.

We have two texts today:

1 Corinthians 9:22.
"I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some."

Luke 8:12.
"Then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts,
lest they should believe and be saved."

INTRO.
Those who achieve greatness and accomplish great things
are often able to focus their energies into single passions.

Water that is diverted into many streams
will never rise to the same height
as water that flows through a single channel.

I. Paul the Apostle was a man
who was able to focus his energies.

While he was an accomplished man in many areas,
it was clear where his passion was.

Paul knew how to focus.
Ph.3:13
"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do,
forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

He was able to focus on "one thing I do..."

What was Paul's main focus?
Let's look again at our text:
1 Corinthians 9:22.
"I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some."

II. This should be the main business of our church,
and of every individual Christian.

Why are we here? What is our mission?

While we may do many things
that are wonderful in themselves
as byproducts of our ministry,
they are not the main reason we are here.

(1.) We are not here to educate or entertain.
       We are not here to reform men or to teach morality.

(2.) We are not here to relieve human suffering,

That is a wonderful byproduct of our work,
and we would all love to see that.

There is so much pain and suffering in our world.

It is hard to conceive of the aggregate pain
that is in our world at this very moment,
and it would be truly amazing to see
how much of that pain would be reduced
by the power of the gospel message if it were only received.

Certainly suffering would be reduced in eternity.
          But that again is a byproduct.

(3.)   While good and worthy, and very desirable,
         those things are ultimately working with fruit.

We need to busy ourselves working with the root.
We need to lay the axe to the root of the tree.

Mt.3:10
". . .the axe is laid unto the root of the trees:"

If the root is right, everything else will work out.
Ro.11:16
"... if the root be holy, so are the branches."

(4.) We are not here to give an uncertain sound.
        We are here to give the certain sound of the gospel.

It matters not whether you be a great horn such as a tuba
or whether just a tiny flute;
We are all to give the one note of the gospel
if we would have the "well done" of the divine conductor.

                  (5.)   We will have greater harmony when all the members of the "band"
                             (the band of Christians)
                             understand what song we are playing,
                             and the beat to which we are marching.

No wonder we have such discord and lack of harmony
at times in our churches.
We are often devoting our energies to different objectives.

In this instance,
divided energies are lost energies.

III. WHAT WONDROUS THINGS WOULD HAPPEN
IF WE ALL UNDERSTAND GOD'S PLAN AND PURPOSE.

What would be the result of such focused energy
in the sharing of the gospel?

1 Corinthians 9:22.
"I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some."

1. First, we wouldn't all be doing exactly the same thing
even though we would all be doing exactly the same thing.

Each of us would become what God has planned for us to be,
thus "by all means" ministering the same message in a variety of ways & settings.

Different people would have different ministries at different times,
but they would all be geared toward the promoting of the gospel.

2. As we do this, praise God, some will be saved.

1 Corinthians 9:22.
"I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some."

3. But note that only some will be saved,
     meaning that some will remain lost.

1 Corinthians 9:22.
"I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some."

Why aren't they all saved?
Why do they not all see?

2Co.4:4
"In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."

4. As We Do Our Best, Satan Then Does His Best.
           (Enter the opposition.)

Luke 8:12.
"Then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts,
lest they should believe and be saved." —

5. When The Lord's Church Is Doing Well,
      Then Satan Escalates His Efforts.

Do not misunderstand me.
It Is A Wonderful Thing When the Lord's Church Seems To Be Doing Well.

It Is Wonderful to see good crowds in attendance.
Means we have the opportunity to sew a large field at once,
But, we are not ignorant of Satan's devices
Even during such a time of blessing.

IV. WE MUST ALWAYS BE AWARE
THAT THERE IS ONE WHO OPPOSES OUR PURPOSES
WHEN OUR PURPOSES ARE GOD'S PURPOSES.

2Co.2:11
"Lest Satan should get an advantage of us:
for we are not ignorant of his devices."

We know a lot about our foe, even though we have never seen him.

1. HE IS TERRIBLE,
HE DOES TERRIBLE THINGS.

He is intent on damning the souls of men.
He is the destroyer.
Jn.10:10
"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."

HE IS PREDICTABLE.

He is drawn to wherever the gospel is preached.
Luke 8:12.
"Then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts,
lest they should believe and be saved."

We know ahead of time what he is going to do.

Like a bird of prey,
he swoops down whenever
the prey is about to escape.

If his presence was never manifested here,
then we would have cause to be concerned indeed.
It would mean the gospel was not going forth in this place.

HE IS PUNCTUAL

Mk.4:15
And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown;
but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately,
and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.

He knows the danger of delay.
He knows how quickly the miracle can occur.

Look up the word immediately in reference to the miracles of Jesus,
and see how quickly God does his wondrous works.

4. HE IS EFFECTUAL

1. He is good at what he does.

Luke 8:12.
"Then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they
should believe and be saved." —

2. The devil understands salvation.

(1.) He knows how it works.

He tells lies about it,
but he knows the truth about it.

If the word is received in the heart, ...
if men believe, then they will be saved.

(2.) Those who serve him may preach other qualifications for salvation.

such as salvation by works,
but the devil knows the truth.
When it comes to salvation,
he is in reality a sound theologian.

(3.) He knows what men must do,
and what he must keep them from doing.

Our text makes this clear.

Luke 8:12.
"Then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts,
lest they should believe and be saved."

(4.) He doesn't care if they should like to do some good works,
or perform some religious ritual.

None of that bothers him; he rather encourages it.
A meaningless ritual crystalizes the sinner in his lostness.

He is happy if he can get men to do anything (anything at all)
other than to simply believe in Jesus as their personal Savior.

(5.) Thus,
His main objective is to take away the word.

(A.) He doesn't care what else a church may do,
as long as the word is not preached.

(B.) Beloved, We surely must value that which the devil hates.

1Co.1:21
"... it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching
to save them that believe."

(C.) His goal is to see that the work of sowing the seed is not done;
or if it is done, it must quickly undone.

Sadly, how easily and quickly our work is undone.

* We aim for the heart,
      but too often the messages lodges in the head.
     Satan then plucks it away
     as easily as bird picks up a seed.

* The foulest of fowls quickly snatches it away, and
     That seed never bears fruit.
    We plant, he uproots.
     This is what we are up against.

*   Some of you who are here today don't know it,
     but the devil has had more to do with you
      than you realize.

     He has stolen the seed of the gospel from you,
     and you have not grasped it.
     You have willingly allowed it to be so.

Even now he hovers over you,
dislodging you from the slightest interest.

V. SO, WE KNOW WHAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO DO,
AND WE KNOW WHO IS GOING TO TRY
TO KEEP US FROM DOING IT.

It is sometimes disheartening,
But praise God, it is not totally futile.
Let's look at our verse again (in faith believing)

1 Corinthians 9:22.
"I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some."

1. We are going to get someone saved.

We have done so,
and we will continue to do so as long as we give out the gospel.

2. The gospel invitation is in the last four words of our text:

We give it now,
believing this seed still has the power to bring forth life.

Luke 8:12.
"Then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they
should believe and be saved."

look at the last four words:
"believe and be saved."

God has everlastingly linked the two together.
Believe and be saved!
The one instantly connects you with the other.

Acts 16:
30 "... what must I do to be saved?
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,

and thou shalt be saved, ,,,"

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The preceeding is a sermon written by Ben Shepherd.
Copyright 1999 Ben Shepherd
Permission is freely granted to those who minister
to use in public proclamation without stating
attribution. All other rights reserved.

Written and edited after reading & rereading from the
sermon(s) cited below by C.H. Spurgeon. Some of the
thoughts and ideas were inspired by Spurgeon's sermons,
which are in the public domain.

SOUL SAVING OUR ONE BUSINESS,
Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Vol. 25, No. 1507
DELIVERED BY C. H. SPURGEON,
AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE, NEWINGTON,

SATAN'S PUNCTUALITY, POWER, AND PURPOSE.
Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Volume 25, No. 1459A
WRITTEN AT MENTON, BY C. H. SPURGEON,

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