Seeking the Lost 4 - Clear Communication

Reading: Luke 19:29-42

   29 After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, 30 “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it.’”

 32 Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”

 34 They replied, “The Lord needs it.”

 35 They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. 36 As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.

 37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: 38 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

 39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

 40 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

 41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42 and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace — but now it is hidden from your eyes.” (Luke 19:29-42 NIV)

Intro:

   “If they kept quiet the stones will cry out.” The Good News of Jesus Christ WILL be told, if even by stones!

   Yet Jesus weeps. Because the city of God does not understand what would bring her peace. Above the din of praise is heard the sound of tears falling — from the one receiving the praise! It is always that way. God weeps for the lost.

   That peace Jesus talks about, is that peace that passes all understanding, that peace that comes into a heart as a symptom of the Holy Spirit’s presence. It is the peace of a restored relationship — a reconciliation.

   While they were singing His praises Jesus wept. He wept because of the thousands who weren’t there — and there are millions now. He wept because so many were still unreconciled to God. He wept because so many were still stuck in their sin.

   It was hidden from their eyes (v.42), because the time was not right. Now the time is right. It was hidden because the full message had not been told. Now we know the message. It was hidden because no one had told them. Now we are here.

I. Let’s be Clear about this.

   A.   The Simple Message

      1.   Simple enough for illiterate preachers to proclaim.

      2.   So simple it’s easy to muck up with explanations!

   B.   One Verse Evangelism

The Gospel in One Verse

 [See illustration in WP file Seeking the Lost 4... in Old Messages/96-99]

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23 NIV)

II.   Three Steps to Salvation:

   A.   We Confess, He Forgives and Cleanses

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (NIV)

   B.   We Receive Jesus, He Adopts us

John 1:12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God —

   C.   We Dedicate He sets us Free

Romans 10:9 That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans 6:14 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

   D.  The offer is open to everyone!

Romans 10:13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Paul quoting Joel 2:32)

III. What about Good Works?

   A.   Good works don’t make us Right With God.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

      1.   Our standard for good is too low.

      2.   Doing good doesn’t erase having done wrong.

Romans 3:23-24 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

   B.   You don’t get Well before you See the doctor!

      1.   Marcia wanted the house clean before the maid came!

      2.   Do you brush your teeth better before the Dentist? But if you have a dental problem, you wouldn’t try to fix it on your own, before seeing the dentist — would you?

      3.   God doesn’t ask you to be perfect first. He says “Admit what you’ve done wrong that’s wrong. I’ll forgive you and we’ll work on healing and wholeness together.”

   C.   Christians do good works out of Love for God.

      1.   We don’t do good to get right with God but because He has done everything to make us right with Him. Here’s where we get confused. We try to earn the gift.

      2.   We do good to express our love for God, not to earn God’s love for us (we’ve already got that!).

God wants you to take advantage of this amazing offer. He went through a lot of trouble to be able to make it. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. Confess, receive, dedicate.

The Bottom Line:

 God Wants to restore your relationship with Him. He has Done everything but make the Decision for you. The Ball is in Your court now.