I. INTRODUCTION---
A. When I decided to be an insurance salesman, the most difficult thing to do was to
get started!
1. It was "scary" to think that I would be trying to sell an intangible product to
strangers.
a. I was motivated by the necessity to make money to feed my family, but
that was not enough to make me a good saleman.
b. I was sometimes motivated to sell because competitive prizes were
offered for success, but I learned that this also was not the best motive.
c. My best success came when I was genuinely sold on my product, had
bought it myself, and couldn't wait to tell others about it.
(1) I had to believe that it was good for my customers, before I was
strongly motivated to overcome my fears.
(2) I had to empathize with my customer's needs.
2. It is scary to some, also, to think that they are expected to convert souls to
Christ (again, the selling of "an intangible product to strangers").
a. If my motivation for being a "soulwinner" falls short of filling the sinner's
needs, I will fail.
(1) My motivation may be that I must do it because the Lord expects it
(Matthew 28:19-20, Mark 16:15-16), or my fellow-Christians want me
to, or the preacher wants me to.
(2) My motivation may be excited by a spirit of competition to other
brethren (Pharisees were moved by this to "proselyte." Matthew 23:15
"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and
land to make one proselyte; and when he is become so, ye make him twofold
more a son of hell than yourselves.") This was devotion to a party, not to
the Lord.
(3) It is only when I am truly converted, and rejoice in my condition as a
child of God, that I will proceed to provide the same answer to the
sinner's needs. And, only when I am intent on serving his need (rather
than mine) will I succeed. (The spirit of altruism)
b. Love of Truth, and love of the sinner gets it done.
B. When I was in sales, I learned four points of selling that apply also to soul
winning.
1. Discover the prospect's problem (financial, or spiritual). (LISTEN! and
develop empathy with him).
2. Intensify the problem, and create a desire to solve it. (CONVICT the sinner!)
3. Present all aspects of the solution. (TEACH the plan!)
4. Help the prospect to accept the solution. (SELL the plan!)
II. LESSON--
A. It will help me to have the right motivation, when I realize that all souls (or,
sinners) have the same needs.
1. Insurance prospects have differing needs, financially, so the salesman does
not serve their needs, if he presents the same product to all.
2. The salesman must face the fact that even if they refuse to buy his product,
they may or may not suffer financially, but certainly do not put themselves in
any spiritual jeopardy.
3. However, each sinner has something in common with every other sinner,
and faces eternal consequences. Romans 6:23
a. Sinners may differ in the manner of their sins, but all sins are "sinful."
Romans 7:9-13
b. Their sins may be matters only of "degree."
(1) PETTY THEFT VS. GRAND LARCENY.
(2) ONE TIME FORNICATION VS. YEARS OF PROSTITUTION.
(3) WHITE LIES VS. HABITUAL PERJURY.
c. Sinners may live morally excellent lives, but sin by simply being devoted
to a false doctrine or a humanly devised denomination. Matthew 7:21-23,
Colossians 2:8
d. God makes no distinction between them (as with Jews and Gentiles,
Romans 10:11-13).
B. Since all sinners have sin in common, what are their common needs?
1. All sinners need God's forgiveness. Romans 3:9-18
(We are not trying to "church" the sinner, but save him.)
2. All sinners need to desire forgiveness. 2 Peter 3:9
III.CONCLUSION-- All conditions for successful personal evangelism arise from
NEEDS.
A. I need to love sinners enough to help me overcome my reluctance to teach
them.
B. The sinner's needs (which he holds in common with all other sinners) provide
the incentives for studying the truth with him.