Whether the economy is up or
down, people still find ways to spend a lot of money on unusual items. Two
years ago the most expensive shirt ever made sold for $46,000. In Hong Kong, a
six-karat diamond went for $7.9 million.
People spend so much money
on stuff because they don’t see it as just stuff — they see it as a means of
acquiring value. When that happens, people are looking for joy in something
that is temporary and will ultimately never satisfy. They are, in essence,
selling their soul for a life far less superior than what God intended when He
created them.
“The most precious thing we
possess is our soul,” said Stephen Rummage Nov. 7 to the group gathered at the
Koury Convention Center in Greensboro for the Pastor’s Conference. Yet, “people
sell their souls” every day.
With every passing second,
three people in the world die without knowing Jesus Christ as personal Lord and
Savior. “What do we feel?” Rummage asked. “Where is the burden for us to tell
the gospel?”
Rummage spoke from Mark
8:31-38. “I want to be a personal soul winner,” he said. “I want to be a pulpit
soul winner. If you haven’t preached the gospel, you haven’t preached a
Christian sermon.”
Jesus gave His life to
redeem sinful souls. “It was the only price that could be paid,” Rummage said.
“Jesus took every step to Calvary because that was the only price that could be
paid for your soul.”
Rummage said one reason
people do not share the gospel with nonbelievers is because they think that,
despite what the Bible says about Jesus being the only way to God, nonbelievers
will still be OK when they die and won’t really go to hell. “The lost won’t be
OK. Jesus is the only way,” Rummage said.
The only response to a love
as amazing as the love Jesus has shown to His children is total surrender. As
Mark 8:34 says, believers must deny themselves and follow Christ. To deny self
means to not just give up something, but “to say no to you as the dominating
force in your life,” Rummage said. Jesus Christ must be the dominating force,
and believers must be willing to die for Jesus and to follow Him.
“The only way to come to
Jesus is to come with complete surrender,” Rummage said. “If you want to save
your life, let it go so you can receive life.”
People will not receive the
gospel and Jesus as Savior if they do not understand they need to be saved, and
so believers must share the entire gospel and share about a Savior who changes
lives. “We have so cheapened the gospel that a lost world is not even
interested in it,” Rummage said. “Real salvation is worth having.”
Jesus Christ calls His
followers to be soul-winners because He values every soul. From excuses to
calling it religion, people play games with their soul all the time.
As bad as that is, what’s
worse, what’s “criminal” as Rummage said, is when the church and when believers
play games with a person’s soul. And when believers do not share the gospel
with lost people, that’s exactly what they are doing.