Seeking the Lost 1 - God Values Lost People

1 Now the tax collectors and “sinners” were all gathering around to hear him. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

   3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 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.’ 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. (Luke 15:1-7 NIV)

Intro:

   I don’t know about you, but when I hear a message on evangelism I feel an immediate sense of guilt.

   I get a little nervous about some talk which seems to reduce evangelism to technique.

I. God has a Heart for Lost people.

   A.   Three parables in a row about finding something Lost.

      1.   The Lost Sheep (this one)

      2.   The Lost Coin

      3.   The Lost Son

      4.   The point is clear, God has a heart for lost people.

   B.   God Values the lost people around us.

      1.   Immediately following this parable in Matthew’s version Jesus says this:

In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost. (Matt. 18:14 NIV)

      2.   God has history on hold until all his chosen ones have come in:

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9 NIV)

      3.   God loves the “sinners” you talk and eat with.

   C.   You have never met a person who doesn’t Matter to God.

      1.   The religious leaders of Jesus’ day thought that unless you dotted all your “i’s” and crossed all your “t’s” God had no use for you. They assumed that God didn’t care about people who had turned their backs on Him.

      2.   Jesus tells them they were wrong. God gets longs to bring in the lost.

II.   God Goes After lost people.

   A.   God is like the Good Shepherd.

      1.   Not that God abandons His sheep!

      2.   God goes after the lost ones, He doesn’t just wait till they come back.

   B.   An All - Out search.

      1.   The good shepherd and the woman stop everything and go looking.

      2.   The good shepherd doesn’t send someone else to find the lost sheep.

      3.   Jesus purpose on earth was/is to seek lost people:

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost. (Luke 19:10 NIV)

   C.   Heaven rejoices when the lost are found.

      1.   The angels burst into singing every time a child of God crosses the line from darkness into light.

      2.   God Himself invites heaven to join Him in rejoicing when the lost are found!

III. God Accepts lost people.

   A.   “He Joyfully puts it on His shoulders”

      1.   The good shepherd did not ask “Well, did you learn something?” before picking up the sheep!

      2.   God is the one who brings the lost sheep home (we might be the vehicle God uses, but it’s always God who does it!).

   B.   Even with their Rough Edges.

      1.   The good shepherd doesn’t say to the lost sheep “Before I take you back, you need to understand how to act.”

      2.   New Christians don’t know all the rules, act “funny” and have a weird, undisciplined enthusiasm. They don’t know about the place of tithing, or the value of self-discipline.

   C.   Just As They Are.

      1.   They come in with wounds, with baggage, with unacknowledged sin (they just don’t see it).

      2.   They come in with ideas, values, agendas.

      3.   God takes them as they are and then works on them in His own way, in His own time (just like He works on us).

The Bottom Line:

Lost people Matter to God. So they matter to Us. Let’s go out with God to Find Them!