“And he brought him to Jesus … ” (John 1 :42).
By personal work we mean person-to-person work; the individual Christian dealing with the individual needing spiritual help. This personal work of a Christian dealing with one soul may be a great aid to the mass meeting where the preacher preaches to the people as a whole.
Instead of inviting the individual to come to you, in personal work, you go to him. We are commanded to “Go … and teach all nations … ” (Matthew 28:19).
JESUS DID PERSONAL WORK
It was not beneath the dignity of Jesus to deal directly with a single lost soul. In John 1:43, He “ … findeth Philip … ” Jesus Himself won Philip. Philip did not come to Jesus; Jesus went to Philip. Jesus sought for him until He found him. In John 4, His spiritual hunger and thirst were satisfied as He dealt with and won the sinful woman of Sychar! In John 5, He wonderfully healed the impotent man at Bethesda’s pool. In John 8, when Jesus was left alone with a sinful woman after all her accusers had fled, He spoke words that brought salvation to her heart. In John 9, He searched out the blind man whom He had previously healed, and when He had found him, led him into faith in Himself as the Son of God. In the three great parables of Luke 15, uttered by Himself, Jesus reveals His insatiable thirst for individual souls, placing the emphasis on one lost sheep, one lost piece of coin, and the one lost son. He left the many to go after the one, and when He had it, He brought it home rejoicing. Jesus was happy when He won a single soul. He died for the individual sinner. He “…loved me, and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). People are saved individually as they believe, not in groups. John 3:16 says, “ … whosoever believeth in him should not perish … ” This literally means, “every one believing in him shall not perish.” Jesus honored personal work.
THE APOSTLE DID PERSONAL WORK
“He first findeth his own brother Simon … And he brought him to Jesus … ” (John 1:41-42). “Philip findeth Nathanael…” (John 1:45). Philip follows his great Master who sought and found him. So he seeks out Nathanael and brings him to Jesus. In Acts 8, we have a Spirit-inspired account of Philip, the evangelist, doing personal work in leading the Ethiopian eunuch to Christ and salvation. What a wonderful example of a Christian, led of the spirit of God, dealing with a lost soul over the open Bible until the soul is gloriously saved for eternity! Though they must part, the new convert goes on his way rejoicing.
WE ARE TO DO PERSONAL WORK
All born again believers are to do personal work! We read of the great persecution against the Jerusalem church in Acts 8, which resulted in a great blessing as “ … they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word” (verse 4). Notice that they ” … went every where … “! All the church was scattered (verse 1) which certainly means the individual members. With burning hearts and flaming tongues, they did personal work- everywhere! Jesus says, “ … ye shall be witnesses unto me … ” (Acts 1:8). Christ’s witnesses tell lost souls what they know about Christ and His salvation that they may be saved. Surely this is our main business of life!
THE BELIEVER’S SOLEMN RESPONSIBILITY
An old man who was dying called me to his home. He had listened to me as I preached over the radio on the believer’s responsibility.
Tears began to roll down his cheeks. He reached under his pillow, pulled out a dollar bill, and handed it to me as he said, “Preacher, I was raised in the country and spent most of my life there. Only recently when I became ill my boy brought me here to his home to take care of me. He bought me a radio. I never had listened to one much and did not care for it, but he urged me to tune in to your broadcast, so I began to listen. You were preaching on the responsibility of Christians to reach others for Jesus. I had never heard this before. I know I was saved when I was a boy in the little old country church. I thought that all I needed to do was to enjoy my salvation all to myself. Nobody ever told me I should try to win others until these last few days, and now it’s too late. Preacher, I’ve wasted my life! I’m saved, but I’ve wasted my life.”
Oh, it was pitiful to see the anguish of this old man on the brink of eternity! I tell you, next to losing your soul, the most horrible thing I know is to lose your life!
STIRRING CHRISTIANS TO PERSONAL WORK
The preacher must constantly remind Christians of their duty and privilege to win souls by personal contact. Certain truths from God’s Word will shock and awaken Christians to this great work that God requires of us, and to the solemn fact that we must one day give an account of our Christian lives. These truths show us the great shame, the reproof, and the sorrow in store for those who disobey the Master’s orders and refuse to do the work He outlines for us to do. Such themes and texts as the following should awaken the most careless: 1) The judgment of Christ; 2) The awful sin of not doing personal work when God had ordained this means to reach lost souls; 3) “Blood required”! or when God requires the sinners’ blood at the hands of a Christian! 4) Disobedience – the Christian’s sin of ignoring and refusing his Master’s plain command!; 5) Multitudes of Christians who will lose the soul winner’s crown!; 6) The awful punishment for unfaithfulness!; 7) ” … that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten … ” (Luke 12:47); 8) Christians who will shine as the stars forever!; 9) The glorious future and rewards for those who win many to Christ!