Build the Kingdom II

Saturday 25 July
READ: Matt.28:16-20
MORE LESSON: I Cor.5:9-12

It has been said that every one that is a part of the Church must do his duty and build the Church. As you build the Church you are building God's Kingdom. Another way you can be involved in building the Kingdom is to first catch the vision of the Church. A man without vision is not motivated, active or useful. The vision of soul winning must be caught constantly. Consider Jesus’ analogy of evangelism as “fishing”. He called disciples to follow Him and be fishers of men. To several people, fishing is a hobby, but when it concerns fishing for men, Jesus is not just calling for a hobby; it is a call to a lifestyle. Soul winning is the lifestyle of the body of Christ. It is actually the only duty the Church is to be doing now using different strategies (individually and collectively). His last instruction to the Church is, Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Matt 28:19.

This is the vision of the church that everyone who claims to know God as Father must catch and be zealously, strenuously and tirelessly involved in. Several people who have been in the Church for years after their salvation experience have lost the vision of evangelism and they call that “spiritual maturity”. It is a mark of backsliding when you have grown to a point you can no longer bring people to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Check your life today! How many people have come through you into the family of God? How many have been established through you in the Christian faith? Arise and build by telling others of what you tasted in Christ and how He turned your night into day.

How can you win souls and thus build the Kingdom? You must do it the way Jesus did it. This includes: (1) The show of love (Matt. 9:36).Jesus loves lost people; He is friendly and warm towards the lost. Great churches are built on love for God, one another and unbelievers. To win souls and build the Kingdom, we must intentionally express love to the lost in ways they can comprehend. (2) Give acceptance without approving sin. Jesus ate with Zacchaeus and accepted him without approving his dishonest life style. He publicly defended the dignity of the woman caught in adultery without trivialising her sin. Win people by treating them with dignity and respect. (3) Jesus meets the needs of the lost. He does not make them feel guilty about their needs-physical, emotional, spiritual, relational and financial.

Growing churches involved in building the Kingdom are meeting real needs of people. You want to win souls and build God's Kingdom, then you must meet needs. This also means you are a doer of the Word (James 2:15-16).

Prayer/Action
* Say, ‘Lord, from today, I cultivate a lifestyle of soul winning wherever I go’. 
* Ask the Father to let compassion for sinners stir you to reach out to the lost with love, warmth and friendliness.
Look around you and identify at least 2 people whose needs you can meet and bring them into the Kingdom.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
Head or tail, I shall make heaven, in Jesus’ name.