The Lost and The Found

INTRODUCTION

Today’s sermon will explore how God’s love is demonstrated in His pursuit of the lost and the celebration when they are found.

CENTRAL IDEA: God actively seeks out the lost and joyfully embraces those who return to Him, calling us to reflect His heart doing the same.

OBJECTIVE

The Value and Pursuit of the Lost

The Celebration of the Found

Our Response Extending God’s Love

1. The Value and Pursuit of the Lost

What is the context

Luke 15:1–2 ESV

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

Pharisees had great disdain for Jesus association with sinners - especially tax collectors!

Romans 7:21 ESV

So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand.

Understanding our Value to God

Luke 15:4–7 ESV

“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.

Sheep had great value

Isaiah 53:6 – “All we like sheep have gone astray…” reminding us that we all need God’s redemptive search.

Luke 15:8–10 ESV

“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.”

Value of one silver coin

Luke 15:11–32 – Parable of the Prodigal Son: A vivid picture of restoration, repentance, and forgiveness.

2. The Celebration of the Found

Luke 15:7 ESV

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.

Ephesians 2:4–5 ESV

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—

3. Our Response – Extending God’s Love

2 Corinthians 5:18–19 ESV

All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

CONCLUSION

The Pursuit of the Lost: God’s initiative in seeking out every wandering soul.

The Celebration of the Found: The boundless joy that accompanies each act of restoration.

Our Response: The call to mirror God’s love by reaching out, forgiving, and restoring those who are lost.

Self-Examination

Are we acting as agents of reconciliation, or do we sometimes mirror the judgment we have received?

Application

Practical Outreach

Find practical ways to reach out to those who may be spiritually estranged—through personal invitation, community service, or prayer.

Restoration and Reconciliation

I challenge each member to actively participate in restoring broken relationships and nurturing those who feel lost because every soul matters to God, and through our loving actions, we can be instruments of His grace.

Personal Commitment

I invite the congregation to commit to praying for and engaging with someone who may need to experience God’s love firsthand.