Focus: Heart for Souls

Text: Lk.15:2

"This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them."

Holier-than-thou posture or attitude can never win a son. The difference between the saint and the sinner is the grace of God. Let's get that into our consciousness. The righteousness that self produces makes us spiritually arrogant, but the righteousness of Christ makes us humble and grateful.

In the business of soul-winning, love is the only winning product - love for Christ and passion for souls. We sell the costly love of Christ for free. We deal on the expensive and exclusive brand of the love of God.

As believers in Christ, we have the market monopoly of true love from heaven. The world cannot get it anywhere else in all the universe. It is the exclusive brand of the church of Jesus Christ. It is a true saying that no one can have God as Father who does not have the church as mother. Indeed love is the banner of the church. A loveless church is worthless. Compassion is always the driving force. Paul says, "That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh" (Rom.9:2-3). In 2Cor.5:11, he says, "Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men…" In verse 14, he says, "For the love of Christ constraineth us…" (2Cor.5:14). O how compelling is the love of Christ! The compelling force of love is unbeatable. In one of his parables, the Lord Jesus said, "Compel them to come" (Lk.14:23). From the pen of Jude we learn that winning a soul is like snatching or pulling him from the fire (Jude 1:23). As firefighters fight to save lives and quench the fire to prevent further damage, so the passionate soul-winner fights to rescue souls from the fires of hell.

As Moses prayed to God for Israel, he said, "Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written."

That is a heart for souls.

Our Lord Jesus Christ came all the way from heaven for our souls. He is our maker and redeemer. He cares for souls. The scribes and Pharisees failed to see that. They were blinded by religion and self-righteousness. They failed to see that "the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Lk.19:10). They hated the fact that he was a good man relating freely with those they considered as bad people. They saw Him as the holiest constantly in the company of the dirtiest of society. He says to them, "The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children" (Mt.11:19).

The religious leaders misunderstood and thought wrongly of Him. His one time host said, "This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner" (Lk.7:39). They just didn't get it. They had no idea that it was for sinners that He came - the very people they despised. Jesus saw dignity in humanity. He saw the best in the worst places. He saw jewels in the junkyard. He saw how He could transform sinners into saints - vessels fit for God's use. He says, "That likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance" (Lk.15:7).

The self-righteous see nothing to repent of. They think that the only bad person is the other person.

When Jesus Christ invited Himself to the house of Zachaeus, this was the reaction of the religious leaders, "And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner" (Lk.19:7).

Allow people to be entitled to their opinions, but focus on your life's assignment. Let them do the talking, but you, do the bidding of the Lord.

Jesus Christ our Lord saved Zachaeus that day. Yes, He still receives and welcomes sinners through us. Let's be passionate for the lost. The harvest is ripe. It is wasted if left unharvested. Like the psalmist, there are souls out there who are saying in themselves, "I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul" (Ps.142:4). Let's go all out for them. Let's not discriminate. The gospel is both for the saint as well as the sinner. We need God's heartbeat, which is heart for souls.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter