What to do when the church loses a limb
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Intro and Tension
Intro and Tension
What a Journey - Idols or Altars
definition.
speaking into longing of heart | Father wants to fulfil | So much so sent His only son to die on cross
Today - Fathers heart for those found, but feeling lost.
What do we do? For those wondered and now worhsipping idol?
Title: What do we do when the church loses a limb
Hope: Learn about fathers heart | Do something in you | Change heart toward others | take step toward unity
So far in series = Individual journey | today bring church body into fold |
Where we going?
Rebukes at Pharisees | 3 parables to show fathers heart | 1 Challenge.
So we - The Church - Move Closer to representing Jesus to each other and community
*prayer*
2 things to understand: Bible all about context.
Jesus came to Israel - For the world.
He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
What does this mean? (Before you stone me)
came to Lost sheep of isreal first | those lost sheep = catalyst to launch Church JC to world.
Blessing of Slavation - released to flow from Isreal to world - Just as God promised.
So While Word is same yesterday, today forever - When Jesus speak through Parables - He is using Context of the day - but speaking to God’s people for all eternity.
Context = 400 years silence - God sends Jesus to show heart of God | And that he did not give up on them.
That’s 1st thing.
2nd thing: We all Sinners | “Sinners” in gospel = outward Sin. Pharisees = sinners.
With that in mind - Jesus came with some strong rebukes for Pharisees [explain pharisees].
Matthew 23:2–4
... For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger.
Matthew 23:13–15 (ESV)
“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.
Woah - Jesus - Meek, Mild - Jesus - Calm down.
First time Hypocrite=Negative.
explain hypocrite with mask
What is Jesus saying?
Knowledge = Not walking it out.
For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power.
Why so harsh?
These people had Scriptures | Responsible for displaying heart of God, yet = weren’t.
What they doing? Idolising Status | Creating Gap (Religious elite - everyone else)
Do we do that? “After you got some runs on board” “When you’ve matured”
Lecturer at uni - city bank - doctrine - had to teach bachelor level - this is what Pharisees did.
Isreal was a mess | Brings Comfort | We are a Mess | Church is Messy
People hurt people | fall away | move on
What do we do?
If we want to move from religion - heart of God.
What I wanna do = Summarise 3 stories, often read apart - one big challenge.
Luke 15 - Jesus just taught = giving up everything to follow | Says now - Those that have ears let them here. Bible Says, Sinners and Pharisees where here - So both.
3 Stories: Lost sheep | Lost Coin | lost son. All about something lost - being found. However, all started WITH owner.
Sheep starts with Shepherd | Coin starts with Lady | Son starts with Father.
Jesus talking to a Lost Isrealite - God’s Chosen people - 400 years without God - He has come - Some don’t want him - some do = Both Sinners and Pharisees.
However knowing that the Word is going to be for everyone
Rather than Lost lost, what we are seeing here - are Found Lost.
So he told them this parable: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
Jewish knew analgy very well | Sheep lost by shephed = need proof that dead.
Says - More joy = Pharisees = Joy when Sinner burnt in eternity.
Now - leaving 99 - might seem reckless - sheep cared for in communities - Other shepherds if one had to leave | Have meetings | wait on edge of town.
Let’s talk about Sheep = Dumb. Can’t drink rushing water | Follow leader off cliff | Scared
Lost sheep = Know their lost - will sit and yell | Want to be found | Shepherd carreid them - happy to be carried.
If we are to represent Jesus - What this mean?
Well - Going to have to put something you’re carrying for yourself on Altar
to make room to carry lost sheep - Some burdens.
Alexis QLD Mountians.
This is what is asked of us;
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
When join Body of Christ - Priorities must change
Maybe God is not entrusting us with more lost lost, until we look after the found lost.
2nd story - Coin.
“Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Coin = Drachmas - Had 10 - Wedding Necklace - Value (1 days wage) and sentimental value - but they where TOGETHER - not only that, they needed to be TOGETHER.
Coin = inanimate object = doesn’t know anything - doesn’t know lost > but has great value to owner.
What do we do? Go after them.
That’s what I am doing now - Going after you - I want HS to convict you, give life.
Interesting where lost? Inside the house.
Ever thought - if lost, wtihin a church…we are not whole? can not function as God intended.
praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
“Oh they go to church - they aint lost” - Ever met someone and you go…Woah, they have a blind spot.
Can go to Church be lost and not know it.
What Jesus saying about these people?
Go after them. Show love, Grace, Mercy with boundaries.
Unity is not an optional extra for revival, it’s a requirement.
Now come to prodigal | Most well known, taught on passage.
Summarise in MSV | Highlight important points.
Man had 2 sons - Younger took share of property | Left, Partied, Spent everything.
Crisis hit | Famine | Decides to go home | Enters fathers field | Father felt compassion | Ran, embraced and kissed the son | Gave him a robe + ring
And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
Usually taught in isolation - We lose something if not together.
Usually main point is we prodigal son - good point - point out something diff.
What do we do with Sheep? Carry them home - Want to be found - their sheep.
Coin? Go after it - Clean the house, Find Coin - Make Necklace whole again - Don’t know their lost.
Prodigal son? Walked away | renounced Faith | Living recklace | They know thier lost = Don’t want to be found…Until there is a Crisis.
What did Father do? Didn’t go after him
We been there? Or know a prodigal | We may have helped them, spend money on them in hope - but it’s not what the father did.
He waited | As soon as prodigal came back - Sprinted toward Son - Embrace.
Didn’t condemn - Embraced.
Sometimes, that’s all we can do.
Pray…and wait.
I believe Jesus speaking to God’s people in these 3 stories.
We aint Jesus | Church = Messy | Not going to get it right.
However - We will point to Jesus - Who died for us | The one who is Head of church | Holding it all together | Who wants to use His Body of believers to change and save lives - and I’d die for the Church of JC.
Inspo
Inspo
Lost sheep - Know their Lost - Maybe that’s you today - Maybe you’re the person who’s meant to carry them?
Coin = Lost, Don’t know it - Maybe it’s you - we coming for you | Bring you into Unity.
Prodigal - If you’re prodigal, you’ve walked in today - There’s Love here.
Close and Inspo
Close and Inspo
Not where prodigal son story ends.
Older brother | Standing outside | Angry | refused to go into party | Father came out - what’s going on - He says;
I served you | Yet you killed fatteened calf for him |
Father said You’re always with me | Fitting to celebrate brother coming home | Dead but was alive...
And story just…ends.
We never find out if Older brother went into party.
Why?
Older Brother left with a choice | I think Jesus ends it there, because He is giving us that same choice today...
Stay out here - Keep mask on - Or
Take the mask off | Go inside | Come into the party.
It might be messy in this party | Person might need saivng | Carry their burdens | Might not know their lost in some ares | May need to go ofter someone | Or they might walk away again completely.
So - Stay here by yourself out in cold - or come into party = The choice is yours.
That’s how finish today - No big inspiration/ application - Just a choice | Party going on | Direction we feel we are being led | Unity we are being called to | Blessings, salvations, miriacles.
you’re not only invited | required - however, the choice is yours.
Not saying give up everything to serve church | Give up everything to serve Jesus
But know - You’re loved here | Required here | Valued here in this local body of believers that we call church.
In fact - Church 242 - Devoted to Christ, Church and Community - In that order.