God cares for the lost.

Let’s pray:

Dear Lord I pray for our hearts to draw close to you. I pray today we have humble hearts and ears that are ready to hear from Your Word. Thank you for your love, grace, and mercy. Amen.

A while ago, my grandparents that raised me, also known as my parents decided to take us grandkids on a vacation. We had an awesome mini-van that on vacation would transform into the adventure bus. On one of our vacations we were driving trying to reach our destination, when all of a sudden we saw many trees around us and we were confused to where we were. We were unsure where and how we would get to our destination, but we did pray that we would find our way. After over an hour of driving we made it back to society and found a Burger King. My mom said since we were no longer lost we would celebrate by having ice cream! We enjoyed it and were so grateful to no longer be lost. Maybe you’ve experienced something similar, but instead of it being on a road trip, maybe its been in your heart, your mind, maybe even in your faith. In this section of scripture we are reading through today, Jesus teaches us that even the lost are worth searching for.

Context:

This section of scripture we are focusing on is Luke chapter 15, verses 1-10. This section of scripture is often referred to as Jesus travel narrative as he was doing ministry and traveling to Jerusalem from Galilee. (New international commentary on the New Testament)

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.”

Why are the tax collectors and sinners drawing near? In the previous chapter, chapter 14 Jesus heals a man on the Sabbath, Jesus speaks about a great banquet that everyone is invited to only if they would accept his invitation, He also shares what it takes to be a disciple and accept his invitation, and He ends with if you become a disciple but are not truly following Him, then your point of following him was completely meaningless. At this point the people around Him heard His words and instead of rejecting Him, they drew near to Him. Much like how James 4 says if you draw near to God He will draw near to You. These people were excited and wanted to follow Jesus even though they were considered to be scum or the earth or in other words sinners.

Pharisee:

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (Pharisees)

An important group within Judaism of the late Second Temple period (2nd century B.C.E.–1st century C.E.).

It also is important to note that these Pharisees were religious leaders who often found themselves to be the most righteous people alive and were seen as holier than thou type people. The Pharisees also often complained whenever they were around Jesus as they only allowed themselves to be around other elite religious leaders.

First off, of course Jesus sits with sinners. The pharisees themselves either did not realize or want to admit that they were sinners too and in just as in much need of God as the sinners Jesus sat with. According to Romans 3:23

Romans 3:23 ESV

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

and Romans 3:10

Romans 3:10 ESV

as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;

1. We were all once lost.

We all are sinners including the pharisees, some of the religious leaders of their time. They were not only sinners but throughout scripture Jesus calls out the pharisees for being inauthentic religious leaders. They were hypocrites, not living up to their own teaching. What they were teaching was dangerous. They taught 2 things, religion was task oriented, the more religious laws you upheld the more holy you were considered. They did not include in this teaching God changing your heart and equipping you for the fight of holiness. The second thing that they taught was moral perfection. This is also impossible without the grace and mercy of Jesus. Jesus actually mentioned in a couple chapters later a story comparing and contrasting a tax collector. The story is found in Luke 18:9-14

Luke 18:9–14 ESV

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Luke 15:3 ESV

So he told them this parable:

Luke 15:4–5 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.

2. God values the lost!

I once was lost for words. I was just about to graduate CBU. I just had gotten engaged and was excited to graduate and get married. However, my internship had ended due to finishing up my classes at CBU. I was lost both into what I would do for work and how I would be able to provide for Francesca and I. I prayed in this moment of being lost and the Lord opened doors to allow me to help relaunch a church and start a youth ministry. The Lord has been faithful to me and even though there are still moments in my life where I feel lost for words and sometimes I am unsure what to do, God provides wisdom and clarity in His perfect timing. I am not alone in these moments of uncertainty

We have all lost something before and we have all been lost before. We were lost when we didn’t know Jesus and didn’t follow after Him with our hearts and affections.

Isaiah 53:6 ESV

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Colossians 1:21 ESV

And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds,

We preferred sin over God. We preferred evil over good. We enjoyed sin and living in darkness. We hid ourselves from people our thoughts and desires. But God didn’t keep us there. We can see what God did back in Luke 15 verse 5.

Either sin is with you, lying on your shoulders, or it is lying on Christ, the Lamb of God. Now if it is lying on your back, you are lost; but if it is resting on Christ, you are free, and you will be saved. Now choose what you want. Martin Luther

Lord Jesus, You are my righteousness, I am your sin. You took on you what was mine; yet set on me what was yours. You became what you were not, that I might become what I was not. Martin Luther

Luke 15:5 ESV

And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

For wandering sheep the shepherd would sometimes break its legs and carry it on his shoulders to keep the sheep from wandering off again. The same is for us. Sometimes in life God may allow a painful thing to happen in our lives in order to help remind us to stay close and to rely on Him instead of wandering off onto a worldly and sinful path.

Because God was rich in mercy he did this for us. He found us and carried us back to the flock of God. He rejoiced! He was ecstatic to see that his sheep that wandered off from him and everyone else came back!

Luke 15:6 ESV

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.’

Luke 15:7–10 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. “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.”

3. God rejoices when the lost return!

If you are lost find your way through Jesus!

John 14:6 ESV

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

If you have found Jesus then teach others about Him.

Matthew 28:19–20 ESV

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Lost! Lost! Lost! Better a whole world on fire than a soul lost! Better every star quenched and the skies a wreck than a single soul to be lost! – Charles Spurgeon

To be a soul winner is the happiest thing in the world. And with every soul you bring to Jesus Christ, you seem to get a new heaven here upon earth. – Charles Spurgeon

Let’s pray, Dear Lord I ask you help us to find our way in this world through You and your goodness. I pray for those that are lost right now, that You can use us and others to speak truth into their lives and for you to reveal yourself to them in amazing ways. Amen

Right now we are going to take communion. If you have found Christ and made Him Lord of your life, join us in taking communion together,

The bread represents His body which was broken for us so we might be saved. Take the bread,

Next is the cup which represents His blood. His blood cleanses us and reminds us that we are brand new and forgiven. Take of the cup.

Pray and have Liam end service.