Turning others to righteousness.

Turning others to righteousness

Acts  4:4 Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.

The one singular purpose your ministering should accomplish is conversion of souls. 

Whatever you are able to do in your ministry that does not turn people from darkness to light and from power of satan to God, will amount to nothing at the end of time.

After the healing of the impotent man at the beautiful gate, Peter used the miracle to lift up Jesus and five thousand souls were converted . This was his message.

Acts  3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;  3:20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:  3:21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.

This was what brought additional five thousand souls to the church at Jerusalem.

Acts  4:4 Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.

Our Lord said, when He is lifted up from the earth, He will draw all men unto Him.

John  12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

During His earthly ministry, His singular focus was conversion of souls.

Luke  19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

This was the singular commission, He gave Paul apostle.

Acts  26:15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.  26:16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;  26:17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,  26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

It was the singular focus for ministry in the old testament.

Ezekiel  3:17 Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.  3:18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.  3:19 Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.  3:20 Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling-block before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.  3:21 Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.

Daniel  12:3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

This was the singular focus of the church at Jerusalem and the saints.

Peter 

Acts  9:35 And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him, and turned to the Lord.  9:42 And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord.

What kind of messages brought these turning to the Lord?

Acts  2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?  2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.  2:40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.  2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

Acts  3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;  3:20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:  3:21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.

Philip did same thing.

Philip 

Acts  8:5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.  8:6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.  8:29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.  8:30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?  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.  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:  8:33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.  8:34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?  8:35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.  8:36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?  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.

Paul did same thing.

Acts  13:16 Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience.  13:26 Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.  13:42 And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.  13:43 Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.  13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.  13:52 And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.

Pause beloved brethren.  Is this your experience when your pastor is preaching in the assembly you are attending?  Pastor are you a motivational speaker, preaching for people to gain the world, while their souls were not prepared for eternity with God?

 Beloved if your pastor is not preparing you for eternity with God, you are in a wrong place, prayerfully locate another church where you will be prepared for eternity with God.

Pastor, if you are not preparing your congregation for eternity with God, you need to repent or at the end of time, you will discover you have run in vain.  May that not be your portion in Jesus name.

Let us pray.