Rescue The Perishing
I love the old hymn Rescue The Perishing by Fanny Crosby. The first line is: Rescue the perishing, care for the dying, snatch them in pity from sin and the grave; Weep o’er the erring one, lift up the fallen, Tell them of Jesus, the mighty to save. Then the chorus goes: Rescue the perishing, care for the dying, Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save. Rescue the perishing. Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save. Yes, Jesus is mighty to save. The Lord is the only way of salvation – there is no other. Rescue the perishing. This aptly describes street witnessing.
When we come out on the streets to share the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ, we are doing what the Lord Jesus told us to do. Mark 16:15 states: And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. Please note that the next verse says: He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Those who repent and believe are saved. But those who do not believe are damned and those who die in their sins, that is without Christ Jesus, are damned eternally.
I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord (Amos 4:11). Those who are perishing are like firebrands in the fire. An example is firewood that is on fire. The Lord says He has plucked some as out of the burning fire. That is rescuing the perishing.
God Hates Big Sins
Amos 4:11 mentions how God judged Sodom and Gomorrah. When we hear this, we think of how God hates “big” sins like homosexuality, abortion, other murders, rape and so forth. God does hate big sins. But please listen to Proverbs 6:16-19: These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. Please notice that lying is stated twice here.
God hates sin – large and small. Psalm 5:5 – God hates all workers of iniquity. What does it take to be a worker of iniquity? You just have to be an unrepentant sinner. Just need to be a person who hasn’t surrendered your life to Jesus – to the One who has a name above every other name.
We Are To Rescue The Perishing
Yes, we are to rescue the perishing. Jude 1:22-23 states: And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. Rescue lost souls by pulling them out of the fire. Unrepentant sinner, you are spiritually dead in your trespasses and sins. You are headed for Hell. The flames of Hell are hot on your trail tonight. We are out here tonight sharing the Gospel; desperately trying to pull you from the fire.
Oh lost soul, quit fighting against us. Quit fighting against God. Repent and believe the Gospel. Surrender your life to Jesus Christ the Lord. He is Lord of all. Come to Jesus and be saved. Do not die in your sins and go to Hell. No, receive life – everlasting life. Repent of your sins and put your trust in Jesus. He is the only one who can save you.
Do not continue on the broad road to destruction. Don’t die in your sins and go to Hell. Do not perish. Proverbs 19:9 says: A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish. Again, you don’t have to be a mass murderer to go to Hell. Even liars who die in their sins perish. Perishing does not mean annihilation. You don’t die, go to Hell, burn up immediately and that’s it. No, perishing is eternal punishment. It never stops. Those perishing in Hell will suffer God’s righteous wrath over their sins for all eternity.
On A Rescue Mission
Rescue the perishing. We are on a rescue mission tonight. Some of you are wandering through life not thinking one second about your soul. Many of you are not concerned about your eternity. There is nothing more important than your eternal soul. We are concerned about you. We don’t want you to die and go to Hell. No, we want you to be saved. Be saved today. Repent and submit your life to King Jesus. Willingly bow your knee to the Lord.
Jesus came to save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). The Lord came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). Jesus told the parable about the lost sheep. Then drew near unto him (Jesus) all the publicans (tax collectors) and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance (Luke 15:1-7). Jesus came to rescue the perishing. But you must receive salvation. It is a free gift from God, but you must receive it.
Joy In Heaven Over One Sinner Who Repents
There is joy in Heaven over one sinner who repents. Jesus is talking about true repentance. The kind of godly sorrow over one’s sins that leads to repentance. It’s when a person truly sees their self as God sees them. Oh folks, do you see yourself as God sees you tonight? The Bible says there isn’t a righteous person on earth. Do you truly see your sinfulness and God’s Holiness?
Romans 3:9-12 states: What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
None Are Righteous
These verses in Romans Chapter 3 tell us that none of us are righteous. We’ve all gone astray. We don’t seek after God, He does the seeking. God resists the proud, but He gives grace to the humble. Please, humble yourself tonight. Recognize that you are a sinner. Cry out for God to save you. Repent of your sins and put your faith in Jesus Christ the Lord. Do this tonight and be saved. Don’t foolishly die in your sins and perish. Jesus rescues the perishing. Admit that this is you tonight. Repent and believe the Gospel.
Satan is the great deceiver. Don’t be held sway by the devil. There is nothing in this world that’s worth perishing over. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever (1 John 2:15-17).
Love The Lord
Instead, love the Lord with all your heart. And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these (Mark 12:29-31).
Love the Lord. Surrender your life to Jesus. Trust Jesus for your salvation. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths (Proverbs 3:5-6). Put your faith in Jesus and be saved. Call upon the name of Christ Jesus and be saved. Whosever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Acts 2:21).
Do not die in your sins and perish. Instead, be saved. Be saved today. Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). Oh, repent and believe the Gospel. Believe on the Lord Jesus and be saved (Acts 16:31). He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him (John 3:36).
(This message was proclaimed in downtown Springfield, MO on December 11, 2020)