Jesus & the One
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Relational: Jesus & the One
Family Sunday every 5th Sunday
We are in week five of our series called Relational, and I have to tell you, my heart is so full because it’s Family Sunday! Can we just hear it for all of our kids in the room today? - Applause
I love having you guys in here. You aren’t just the church of tomorrow; you are the church of today. Kids did you know that some churches don’t let kids into the “adult service”. Not that they don’t love kids but it’s because they talk adults stuff. I want you to listen close, because everything I’m saying to the adults today, I’m saying to you, too.
We’ve been talking all month about our vision as a church:
We want people to Be Found by the grace of God.
We want them to Be Changed by the power of the Spirit.
We want them to Be Known in a life-giving community.
And then, we want to Now Go and make a difference for Jesus.
But here is the reality: You can’t Be Known in a crowd this size. You can Be Found in a crowd, but you are Known in a circle. That’s why we are so obsessed with SMG’s.
Relational: Jesus & the One:
We want everyone to know the one “Jesus”, one by one.
We live in a world that loves big numbers. We love likes and followers and big stadiums. But Jesus had a different math. He was always looking past the crowd to find the individual. Today, I want to show you the heart of Jesus for The One.
If you have your Bibles, open to Luke 15 the "Lost" trilogy. It’s actually one sermon with three stories: A lost sheep, a lost coin, and a lost son.
The religious leaders were complaining that Jesus was hanging out with sinners. They were mad that He was being too relational with the wrong people. So, Jesus tells these stories to show them—and us—why every individual relationship matters.
1. Jesus sees the overlooked.
3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?
The Bible says the shepherd leaves the 99 to go after the one. Now, if you’re in business, that’s sounds like bad math! You don't risk 99% for 1%. But Jesus isn't a businessman; He's a Savior. This is what I call God math.
Why was the sheep lost? Because of foolishness. Sheep have a tendency to go astray, and that is why they need a shepherd.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
The scribes and Pharisees had no problem seeing the tax collectors and sinners as “lost sheep,” but they would not apply that image to themselves! And yet the prophet made it clear that all of us have sinned and gone astray, and that includes religious people.
5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’
The shepherd was responsible for each sheep; if one was missing, the shepherd had to pay for it unless he could prove that it was killed by a predator.
This explains why he would leave the flock with the other shepherds, go and search for the missing animal, and then rejoice when he found it. Not to find the lost sheep meant money out of his own pocket, plus the disgrace of being known as a careless shepherd.
There is a threefold joy expressed when a lost sinner comes to the Saviour. Though nothing is said in the story about how the sheep felt, there is certainly joy in the heart of the person found. Our own personal experience verify the joy of salvation.
But there is also the joy of the person who does the finding. Whenever you assist in leading a lost soul to faith in Christ, you experience a wonderful joy within.
7 I tell you that 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.
The angels know better than we do: what we are saved from and to, and they rejoice with us.
Insight: Jesus saw people others overlooked. While the world sees a crowd, Jesus sees a person.
Kids' 1: See the One.
Kids’, here is your first big point today: See the one. When you walk into the cafeteria at school this week, or you go out to recess, don’t just look for your best friends. #1. Find the person sitting all alone. #4. Find the person who looks sad.
Jesus noticed the people everyone else walked past, and we should too.
Adults: Our SMG’s will create a seeing culture. In this big room, it’s easy to hide. But in a SMG, someone notices when you aren't there. Someone notices when you're hurting or struggling.
2. Every person has eternal value.
8 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?
The sheep was lost because of its foolishness, but the coin was lost because of the carelessness of another. It is a sobering thought that our carelessness at home could result in a soul being lost.
When a Jewish girl married, she began to wear a headband of ten silver coins to signify that she was now a wife. It was the Jewish version of our modern wedding ring, and it would be considered a calamity for her to lose one of those coins. - Panic at summer camp. Trav’s wedding ring went missing: stolen, lost, or misplaced?
Ill: Think about your cell phone. If you lose your phone, you don’t just say, oh well, I’ll get another one next year. No! You stop everything. You strip the cushions off the couch and dig through the trash. Or use the Find My Phone app. Why? Because it’s valuable to you.
Every person is valuable to Jesus. Everyone! You are made in His image and you are His prize possession!
9 And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Insight: The coin didn't lose its value just because it was lost.
Whether someone is far from God, or they’ve been out of church for twenty years, they still have eternal value.
This is the Be Found part of our church vision. We search for people because God searched for us. We value people because God values people. Every “One” is worth the search.
3. Compassion moves toward people.
Overview of the Prodigal Son. Let’s focus on the Father.
20 So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
While the son was still a long way off, the Father saw him and was filled with compassion. And what did he do? He ran to him.
Insight: Compassion is not a feeling; it’s a direction. Compassion always moves toward people.
Kids' 2: Go to the one.
Don’t wait for the other kid who is lonely to come talk to you. They might be too shy. They might be scared. Jesus didn't wait for us to get our act together before He came to us. He came to where we were. If you see someone alone at recess, you be the one to move toward them.
#5 Find someone who notices them. - That could be you! Just like Jesus!
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate.
24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. 25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.
Just like our kids’ lost and found bin at school, our church and SMG’s should be a place where lost people are Found.
Some ppl don’t like lost things to be found.
28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.
Some times faithful church goers can feel left out. But they don’t have to… it is their choice.
31 “ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”
4: Healthy disciples invite others.
Our Vision: Now Go!
At the end of the story of the lost son, the father throws a party. He says, We must celebrate! Why? because he wanted everyone to share in the joy of The One being home.
Insight: Healthy disciples don’t just enjoy the community; they invite others into it. - A concerned mom worried about us growing to big and losing our youth ministry family feel. Worried that her teen would not been seen. The fix? SMG’s.
SMG Connect: This is why we say SMG make room for one more. A healthy SMG isn't a closed circle; it’s a circle with an open chair.
Kid let’s show the adults what this looks like on our sheet.
Kids’ #3 Find the empty seat at the table
We move toward the lonely. We move toward the broken. We don't just enjoy community, we extend it. - With a extra seat at the table.
Kids' 3: Invite the One.
It’s as simple as saying: Come sit with us. Or come play with me. Or hey, do you want to come to church with me next Sunday? You have the power to change someone's whole week just by inviting them.
Church, we can’t ask our kids to do what we don’t do. This is our Now Go moment as well. Our SMG aren't just for us to feel better; they are a space for deeper relationships so that we can reach more people.
So sign up for a SMG and once you’re in that circle, don’t close it. Look for The One in your office, in your neighborhood, or at the gym, and say, “I am joining a relational SMG my church is offering, I would love for you to go with me?”
And if you’re already part of the family, your job is to have the heart of the Father. Look for the sheep. Sweep the house. Open the door. There is always room for one more. Right?! Say yes.
Rick Warren’s Dad: Just one more for Jesus!
If you’re here today and feel like The One. If you feel overlooked, lost, or unknown—I want you to know that Jesus sees you and we do to. He’s moving toward you. He wants you to Be Found and Be Known.
Be Found: A,B,C’s
Closing Prayer: Lord, thank You that You came for me when I was the one. Help us as a church to never get so big that we stop seeing the individual. Help our kids to be the kindest and friendliest kids in their schools. Help our SMGs to be the most welcoming places in our city. We want people to Be Found, Be Changed, Be Known, and we are ready to Now Go. In Jesus' name, Amen.
