Reaching The Lost

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Social Promo Week 1 - Video (Reaching The Lost)

My Message is entitled:

Reaching The Lost

Scripture:

Luke 15:1-10 - Mark 2:17,

Main idea:

The Pharisees and teachers are upset that Jesus shares time with “sinners.” But Jesus shows them what really matters in the kingdom through 2 powerful parables about things that are lost, and eventually found again.

He says that there is “rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents.”

And from His teaching we learn that everyone matters in the kingdom of God, even sinners and tax collectors.

Prayer: “Lord, give us eyes like you have, to see that everyone matters. Every life is precious to you, especially the lives of those who’re suffering, marginalized, and poor. Let us be your hands and feet to a hurting world.

Introduction

As we get started today I want you to think about the last time you lost something really valuable. What was it? How did it make you feel?

And what did you do to find it again? What was your response when you finally found it again?

As you’re thinking it over, I’ve got a story for you…

Story Idea: Share your own story of losing something valuable and finding it again… Or maybe you didn’t find it again, what did that feel like?

In today’s passage Jesus also talks about things that have gotten lost and how it felt for their owners to find them again.

He’s telling these stories in parables, as He often does, to uncover and make evident the deep realities of the kingdom for His listeners.

And the main point He seems to be getting across, which happens to be our main point today as well, is that people matter.

Even the ones that seem “lost” or too far gone. Every life matters in the kingdom, and there is “great rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents.”

Remember church, John 3:16 says that “God loved the WHOLE world, and sent His son…” Not “some of the world,” or “the nice parts of the world,” He loved all of it, everyone… And sent His son to trade His life so that we may have eternal life.

What an immeasurable gift.

Main Teaching

Our main passage for the day is Luke 15:1-10, which I think is best viewed in 3 sections. The first of which being verses 1-2;

Read Luke 15:1-2

Luke 15:1–2 NKJV

1 Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.”

I. Friend of Sinners

You may have heard it said that Jesus was a “friend of sinners,” and this is precisely the thing that the Pharisees and teachers were so upset about.

The specific phrase, friend of sinners, is used in both Matthew 11:19 and Luke 7:34…

b. In fact, Jesus was spending so much time at dinner parties with sinners that the religious elites called Him a “glutton and drunkard.”

Matthew 11:19 NKJV

19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.”

c. But the truth is, you share meals with people you like. You invite your friends to dinner parties,

and so it makes sense that the Jewish leaders would’ve called Jesus a friend of sinners, because that’s exactly what He was, and is.

He welcomed them. He invited himself over to their homes for dinner.

He spent time with those that the Jewish leaders wouldn’t even want to be seen talking to.

Jesus knew that they needed a friend, and so He spent time with them, because that’s what you do with your friends.

But Jesus also knew something else about these folks.

He knew that they needed a savior. He knew that they were sick in their sin.

He loved them enough to seek them out and share the good news of the kingdom with them.

And He spends the next 8 verses, Luke 15:3-10, telling the Jewish leaders stories of people who lost valuable things and the lengths they’d go to in order to find them again.

Read Luke 15:3-7

Luke 15:3–7 NKJV

3 So He spoke this parable to them, saying: 4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ 7 I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.

II. The Lost Sheep

Arguably one of the more well known passages of scripture,

this parable is known as the lost sheep, and it describes a shepherd who leaves his flock to find a single lost lamb.

While this particular parable isn’t as culturally relevant today as it was a couple thousand years ago, the lesson is just as powerful.

Jesus begins the lesson by appealing to their common sensibilities,

“Suppose you have a hundred sheep and lose one, wouldn’t you leave the 99 to find the one?”

Well of course they would, and they know as much as it’s likely a familiar occurrence. Sheep wander off all the time and have to be brought back to the flock.

So Jesus continues, “And when you find it, wouldn’t you joyfully throw the lamb over your shoulders and carry it home?” Yes again, you know it’s true.

And finally, “wouldn’t you call your friends and neighbors together to celebrate with you?” Yes, probably…

I mean you’d at least post a picture of your lamb on instagram and let everyone know how happy you are to have found her. Hashtag, #mylambisback! #fur babbies

“So”, Jesus says, “in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”

So why does Jesus befriend sinners?

Why does He spend copious amounts of time around dinner tables

with the marginalized and outcast members of society?

Read Luke 5:31-32

Luke 5:31–32 NKJV

31 Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

III. The Lost Coin

But Jesus doesn't stop with the parable of the lost sheep, He doubles down just in case there are still those in the room too hard-hearted to understand the lesson.

Read Luke 15:8-10

Luke 15:8–10 NKJV

8 “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’ 10 Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Suppose you’ve lost some money… We’ve all been there.

Think for a moment about the sheer terror that fills your soul when you can’t find your wallet, or credit card, or you realize that the cash you used to have in your pocket is gone.

It feels awful. So you search and search and try to think of everywhere you’ve been and every place you may have absentmindedly set them down somewhere.

And when you finally find the money, wallet, credit cards, or whatever it may be… You stand up, breathe a sigh of relief, and announce to anyone who’ll listen that you’ve found what was lost.

Jesus says, “In the same way, I tell you, there’s rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Heaven celebrates the one person who repents. The angels rejoice when someone finds their way back home.

IV. Truly Valuable

Maybe this reality highlights the problem with the Pharisees and other leaders of Jesus day…

Maybe they were so concerned with themselves and their groups that they’d forgotten how important every individual life is to the Maker of heaven and earth.

Maybe they’d misplaced or buried passages like Psalm 139 which talk about the care that God takes in forming every single human life.

Read Psalm 139:13-14

Psalm 139:13–14 NKJV

13 For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.

c. Maybe they’re missing, and maybe we’re missing what’s truly valuable to God.

2. The point of these parables, and the truth that we need to hear today as well, is this…

Everyone matters in the kingdom of God, even sinners and tax collectors.

Even the people that we don’t like, or the people that have hurt us. They matter to God too.

They are valuable to Him. The angels in heaven rejoice when they repent.

So while it’s easy to make this passage about those evil Pharisees it’s also about us.

Jesus is challenging us to look out beyond ourselves and see those on the “outside.”

He’s challenging us to invite them in, over for dinner, and into “our” spaces.

He’s challenging us to consider how we treat the valuable things in our lives and reconsider what’s truly valuable to Him.

Because everyone matters in the kingdom of God. Even the “sinners” and tax collectors.

Conclusion

With this teaching in mind it’s important that we take time this coming week to evaluate our own priorities.

What is valuable to us? And do those things align themselves with what God sees as truly valuable?

If there is a disconnect between the two, pray that God would bridge the divide.

Pray that He would give you eyes to see like He does.

And with those eyes, pray that He would give you courage to act like He would act.

Jesus was called a “friend of sinners” because he treated them like friends.

He spent time with them, He ate with them, he listened to them.

These are all great examples of how to treat people, how to make them feel like friends.

So take some time this coming week to think about and identify the people in your life that may feel like outsiders.

Invite them in, spend time with them, and listen to them. This is what Jesus did, and this is what He’s asking us to do as well.

Like Andrae use to say: through it all, I’ve learn to trust in Jesus, I’ve learn to trust in God!

Please keep this in mind;

Everyone matters in the kingdom of God, even sinners and tax collectors.

Even you and I… heaven rejoices over every life returned to God.

Let’s pray together.

Salvation:

The Word of God says in:

John 3:16

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Romans 10:13

13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

If you’d would like to receive Jesus today, please pray this prayer with all of us:

Lord I believe that Jesus is the son of God, and that He died On the cross for my sins and His resurrection from the dead gives me eternal life. I ask forgiveness of my sins, and I accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Amen.

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(Show Slide)

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Lady Pepper Please Join Me

Pepper comments on Teaching What are your thoughts?

I would like to give a shout out, to one of our founding Faith Vision Members: Sharon Cooper (who I affectionately refer to as Cooper Girl

Who visited Lee Howard, on two different occasions in a Nursing facility or nursing home.

On one particular visit she began to read the word for you today our daily devotional.

On the second visit she started talking to him and he opened his eyes and focused.

She asked if he knew who she was and he nodded, and closed his eyes back.

Thank you Cooper girl for visiting the sick, and showing everyone matters in the kingdom of God.

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