Lesson 2 – Being a Soulwinner (the Ethiopian Eunuch approach)

26 July, 2018 /

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Wednesday Night

Evangelism / Soulwinning / Outreach

25th July 2018

“Being A Soulwinner (Lessons From Philip Acts 8)”

Introduction

  • Samaria to Gaza is about 200 km away from each other
  • Philip as a believer in the Lord went wherever God called him to.
  • He had a successful evangelistic ministry in Samaria, where many many people came to Christ through his ministry
  • Yet the Lord called him to witness to one man out in the desert 200 km away and won that man to Christ
  • What are the ingredients that make Philip a soulwinner for Christ, what approach did he use and how is it applicable to us?

PHILIP’S RECORD OF HIS PERSONAL LIFE

  1. He Has A Good Testimony (Acts 6:3)

Acts 6:3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

He was of an honest report – When the church needed a person to help out with the distribution of welfare among the Grecian widows, Philip was identified by the church (numbering close to 50 000 christians) to be one declared to have a good testimony. He had a good testimony.

In application to us:

Our testimony before our family, spouses, friends, and colleagues, neighbours must be good. The only way to ensure this is that we walk and are under the influence of the Holy Spirit and that we yearn only for the glory of God and His name.

  1. He Was A Man of Faith

Acts 6:5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:

 A man of faith is one who have believed in the Lord Jesus for eternal life

A man of faith is one who believe the Person of the Lord Jesus and what He is able to do and stands for

A man of faith is one who believe the teachings of the Lord Jesus.

A person known to be man of faith lives his faith actively and the people can see the evidences of Philip’s life of faith.

(one might suggest that the scriptures only refer to Stephen as the man of faith and full of the Holy Ghost that was appointed for the work. However, I believe that those were the criteria used by the members and the apostles choosing someone to be used for the work of the church, which was a first mention about deacons in the church)

In application to us:

Our Christian life is a life of faith, and the work of evangelism is spiritual work that requires faith.

Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Because the sinners cannot hear the voice of God, unless the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness and Judgment, there is no way we can win the sinner to Christ.

  1. He was a Man full of the Holy Spirit

A man who is full of the Holy Spirit cannot be identified except through the works that come from the person’s life. He will have works consistent of the manifestation of the spirit of God including love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance Gal 5:22 – 24/ and there will also be the lasting fruit of souls won to Christ John 15:2 / Acts 1:8.

In application to us:

When a person is not led of the Holy Spirit of God, the things of this life will be done in the flesh and when it comes to the things of God, there will no desire in the flesh to please God and therefore soulwinning becomes a chore because controlled by the flesh, there is no burden for the lost, there is no wisdom in soulwinning, there is no power in the evangelism and there will be no personal growth in evangelism for the individual soulwinner.

Which was why the Lord said in Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

  1. Obedience

Obedience is defined as the compliance of a subordinate when given instructions by an authority. The only obedience that God accepts is willing and cheerful obedience.

Acts 8:5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.   

  • Philip acted in obedience to the word of God in Acts 1:8, despite the persecution that he was facing. He went to preach the word of God to the people in Samaria.
  • When he had good Spiritual fruit there in Samaria, the Holy Spirit spoke to him again –

Acts 8:26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.

 Philip prepared himself for the 200 km journey away from his home and nation into the desert so that God use him to win a person to Christ.

Important note:

The above 4 points are needful for every believer for every ministry and life and not just for evangelism.

Summary

For an individual to be a soulwinner, firstly that individual will need to be a saved person, aware and have acted upon the sinful condition that they are in and are willing to turn from sin and to the saviour. Having faith, being full of the Holy Spirit and being obedient to Christ are vital prerequisites for an effective soulwinner.

PERSONAL EVANGELISM

It is interesting to note that the Ethiopian Eunuch was a

  • man of authority
  • Religious man
  • Worshipping man
  • loyal and dedicated man
  • but he does not know who Christ is

 Plan the Approach

Different people have different needs and backgrounds, cultures and beliefs and there is need for God’s people to have wisdom as to how work with different individulas

Who am I speaking to? What is his background? Asking the Holy Spirit to guide you in your approach to evangelism is more important than merely following “what should I say?”

  1. Introductory question: (breaking the ice)

Acts 8:30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?

  • See the situation, ask the right questions (simple acts or words that are significant and relevant are helpful to open up opportunities for the individual to hear you)
  1. Assess willingness to listen

Acts 8:31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.

  • Is the individual open to hear a presentation of the gospel?
  1. Use Scripture

Acts 8:32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:

  • In this situation, Philip was able to use Scripture. It is valuable always to open the bible to the person to share with the person so the person’s faith is in the bible
  1. Answer the enquirer’s question

One can use any topic and lead the person to the cross.

  • Failed exams, trouble with parents, smoking, problems with friends, depression, careers etc

Different types of people may ask questions for different reasons:

  • for some may ask questions that will challenge Matthew 21:23 And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?
  • some to catch us in our words (Luke 11:54 Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.)
  • some to for information (John 1:22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?)
  • some for personal gain (Acts 24:26 He hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul, that he might loose him: wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him.)
  1. Preach Jesus

Acts 8:35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

  • His Creation
  • Man’s fall into sin and our sinfulness
  • Dealing with sin is the primary purpose at this point
  • He is the promised Messiah and the work of the cross in redemption
  • The teachings of Christ on repentance, and faith, the forgiveness of sins, and baptism and discipleship.

You can always start with Gen 1:1, then Creation of Adam and Eve, then sin and how it affects men and how then how the Lord planned the redemption of men and how the Lord Jesus came to save sinners.

  1. Focus On The Main Thing:
  • Repentance and faith -those who are in sin, and unaware of their state to ensure knowledge of their sin and their sinfulness, and the willingness to turn from sin and then complete faith in Christ

Acts 8:37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

  1. Ask God For Wisdom To Discern Genuineness To Follow Christ

Some indicators of genuineness

==> asking what he must do?

==> asking how?

==> willingness to confess

==> willingness to follow through on what he or she has indicated? ” what doth hinder me to be baptised?”

” I believe that Jesus is the Son of God”

Acts 8:38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.

 

 

End of Session 2