Who's Your One? pt. 3
Notes
Transcript
OUR PARTICIPATION IN EVANGELISM LEADS TO OUR JOY, SATISFACTION, AND REJOICING IN HEAVEN!
OUR PARTICIPATION IN EVANGELISM LEADS TO OUR JOY, SATISFACTION, AND REJOICING IN HEAVEN!
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.” 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. “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.” And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.” ’ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 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. “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’ ”
Three Parables, One Point:
The One lost sheep
The One lost coin
The One lost son
Reclamation Produces Celebration!
Now, let’s dig down and extrapolate the meat of this text:
The Challenge:
The Challenge:
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.”
Why is such a noble teacher keeping such unnoble company?
prosdechomai = (“receives”) mean to welcome a guest in a friendly manner.
This word is often used in a slightly different connotation that means “to look forward to an wait for”
Thus, Jesus is doing more than merely allowing sinners to be around Him or near His presence… HE WELCOMES THEM INTO—EVEN, LOOKING FORWARD TO THEIR—FRIENDSHIP.
The reality of our Lord enjoying the friendship and communion with sinners prompts a major backlash—“how can a good man associate with bad men?”
Even now, we can feel the challenge and find that we agree with it!
When a convict joins the church body, we often struggle at the idea of building a close relationship that engages them in our homes and with our families—we want to keep them at a distance!
When a the poor join the church, we often distance ourselves from them because we fear the request for money or help.
When a struggling alcoholic or addict joins the church, we should notice that very few of the “upstanding” members of the church befriend such individuals.
When someone announces that they struggle with a form of sexual addiction, lust, porn, or homosexuality we often want to keep that person as far from us as possible.
You see, when we look at the sins of others, there are some sins we feel that are intolerable; thus, making the person intolerable!
First, we must realize that there is no such thing as an acceptable sin!
First, we must realize that there is no such thing as an acceptable sin!
Sins we accept
Gossip
Intolerance of others and their struggles
Rudeness on social media and other forms
Selfishness with our money, time, and possesions
Laziness in our approach to God and participation within the church
Consumption of moral filth in all forms of media—including porn
Divorce and marital affairs
Sins we do not accept:
Homosexuality
Prostitution
Drug usage
Violating the Law—well…at least some laws
Child abuse or neglect
BEING DIFFERENT!!!
Anything we do not think we commit!
Sins God accepts? NONE!!!!
Because God does not view a single sin as acceptable or tolerable, our Lord provides an object lesson in the form of three parables.
Before we examine these three parables, let’s take a minute and identify those involved.
The Parties Involved:
Jesus—the Lord
The Apostles—the silent
The Pharisees and Scribes—the pious
The Tax Collectors and Sinners—the outcasts
The Casual Listener—the normal
The Reader—the church
Think of it like this:
There are two active Parties (Jesus and the Religious Elite)
There are four inactive Parties
I submit to you that these parable, though addressed to the Religious Elite, are really aimed at instructing the four inactive parties. How can this be?
The Scribes and Pharisees were in cahoots to kill and defame Jesus—they did not repent or catch a clue; in fact, they killed Jesus.
After the ascension of Jesus and the day of Pentecost, the Apostles carried the gospel to others
After the ascension of Jesus and the day of Pentecost, the Casual Listener carried the gospel to others
After the ascension of Jesus and the day of Pentecost, the Heathen and Sinners were saved by the preaching of the gospel
After the ascension of Jesus and the day of Pentecost, the Reader of God’s word has found hope, strength, joy, and commission in the gospel of Christ.
Consequently, this passage has been used as a summary of the love, mercy, heart, passion, and mission of Jesus Christ for nearly two-thousand years.
This passage shows us what Jesus values
This passage shows us how heaven responds when we repent
This passages shows us what we should value
This passage shows us THE PRIMARY MOVER in our salvation and the salvation of others.
Thus we see...The Religious Elite Challenge Jesus’s Acceptance and Friendship with the Evil…
How does Jesus Respond?
Jesus Responds with a Subtle Rebuke
The Rebuke:
The Rebuke:
Three Aspects of the Rebuke
The Value of “One”
The Search for “One
The Rejoicing over “One”
The Value of One
The Value of One
Three things of value:
The sheep: You Income
The coin: Your Savings
The youngest son: Your Children
Throughout the course of human history no one could contest the immense value of these three things!
However, we must not forget that Jesus is correcting the Religiously Misguided here—this parable does not occur within a vacuum!
By connecting the Tax Collectors and Sinners with the lost sheep, coin, and son… Jesus is communicating the immense value of these individuals.
The Pharisees and Scribes valued their understanding and practice of the law above all else (not to mention how THEY were perceived by others)
Jesus communicates the He—the Lord—values people above else!
This is not to elevate humanity above God, but to elevate others above our practice, possessions, position, and preferences!
Think about the implications of such corrections:
Church can easily become about programs, services, events, status, success, and size instead of people and their enjoyment of God.
When we fail to align our priorities with God’s priorities, we can guarantee a failure to worship Him truly and deeply!
Our worship and glorification of God is directly connected to truth and our response to it.
Jesus corrects the Religious Superior by showing them what God values… THE LOST!
The Search for One
The Search for One
Next, we see that our values impact our actions. Because God values his lost Ones, God searches for them!
The Three Searchers:
The man for his One lost sheep
The woman for her One lost coin
The Father for his One lost son—staring out the window.
The primary point we see through the searchers is this: we do not allow that which is of value to remain missing!
If we—who are wicked—will look for and secure our income, treasure, and children…HOW MUCH MORE WILL GOD?
We would be considered neglectful, wicked, lazy, and irresponsible if we did not strive to keep our children, if we did not monitor our checking accounts, or if we did not care when our children were endangered and missing!
Do we think, GOD WHO IS PERFECT, is not far more concerned about reconciling what belongs to Him?
The Pharisees did not perceive this truth about God.
They thought God was more concerned with their practice than presence
They thought God loved the Jews and hated everyone else—even wanting them to die as outcasts
They thought the point of religion was to distinguish yourself as better than others!
Jesus, tenderly, rebukes this! He wants us to see that God deeply and actively loves his wayward and lost children to the extent that we works to reclaim them!
It is why He came to us
It is why He died for us
It is why He invites us to Salvation
It is why He will take us to be with Him
It is why He will enjoy us and we will enjoy Him for all eternity!
The point we MUST see is Sinners are in the presence of Jesus because Jesus invited them to be there! And he has done so in two manners:
First, Directly: Through a vocal invitation
“Come to me all of you who are weary and heavy-laden...”
“Follow me and I will make you fishers of men...”
“Take up your cross and follow me...”
“I am the way, the truth, and the life...”
“I am the gate and the door...”
“I stand at the door and knock...”
Second, Indirectly: Through arrangement of events
He incarnated Himself so we would know God
He incarnated Himself so he could satisfy the wrath of God
He healed others knowing word would spread
He walked in the open so others could find Him
He put Himself around sinners!
It is impossible to read the Bible—and this chapter—and not come away with the absolutely belief that God...
Loves you
Values you
Seeks for you
Works for you
Accepts you
Redeems you
Blesses you
Dotes on You
Consequently, instead of looking at yourself and valuing yourself through self-righteousness, we should break for in celebration and adoration!
This is exactly what happens next!
The Rejoicing over One
The Rejoicing over One
Rejoicing and celebration is the natural outcome when you reclaim what you thought to be lost!
Anxiety, stress, mortification, and deep grief result when we fear we have lost something precious to us!
However, joy, gladness, rejoicing, and celebration result when we reclaim that which we valued.
We often think of God as an ogre and heaven as a bore; however, presently, heaven and the Lord exuberantly rejoice each time a sinner comes to salvation!
The Pharisees were miserable to see so many miserable wretches finding acceptance from the Lord
Jesus says all of heaven is rejoicing at the salvation of those wretches—at this wretch!
Let’s take a deeper look at this passage…
We see that our Lord is motivated and actively reaching the lost…
1. He loves us—he considers us His children (wayward and lost)
2. He arranges our situations to get our attentions (it was no accident the prodigal was unable to survive)
3. He actively awaits our return (the Father looked for his son)
4. He meets us in our repentance (the Father did not wait for the son to go the whole distance—nor did he force a “object—lesson upon the son)
5. He restores us to where we belonged BEFORE our sin (the robe and ring)
6. He rejoices over us with us (the meal)
7. He encourages others to view our return properly (the older son)
The point of this passage is this:
GOD HAS A HEART FOR ALL OF HIS CHILDREN AND DESIRES THAT ALL COME TO SALVATION—AND HE REJOICES WHEN WE DO!
On the other hand, we need to hear a strong rebuke from Jesus for hindering ONE person from coming to salvation…
THE REASON…OUR RESPONSE:
THE REASON…OUR RESPONSE:
Mark 9:42
“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.
THE WARNING:
We should fear leading others astray
We should fear not pointing others to Christ
We should fear inactivity and laziness
Why???
Think about it like this…
1. The basis for evangelism is the LOVE of God
2. The command of evangelism is the AUTHORITY of God
3. The means for evangelism is the POWER of God
4. The three-fold result of evangelism:
a. SALVATION of the Lost,
b. PRAISE of God, and
c. REJOICING in heaven!
Who’s Your One???
Engage the Lord
Engage others