Sermon Central
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Jesus Finds Lost Things! (The Lost Sheep) Series
Contributed by Tony Searles on Nov 13, 2014 (message contributor)
Summary: This is the first of a three part sermon series I preached during our Month of Missions emphasis. In this particular sermon we considered how the sheep represent people who wander away from God without even understanding what they are doing.
I want to tell you that God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit has a HEART FOR MISSIONS!!
Do you believe it?!
Here is how I know this to be true!
Luke 19:10 – “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
-Jesus came for a few specific reasons…
-One of those primary reasons is to SEEK & SAVE the lost just as Luke 19:10 says!
Hear me this morning Christian!
JESUS FINDS LOST THINGS!!
-There are lost people all over this world that need Jesus!
-In a world of just over 7 billion people, it is estimated that about 32% of them – 2.1 billion people – profess Jesus as Lord and Savior!
The problem is…Jesus died for ALL of them!
2 Peter 3:9b - …not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
-Couple that with the Great Commission in Matthew 28, and we are reminded that we must be involved in missions to reach all people for Jesus!
-Every tribe and every tongue!
→All the Gospel into all the World!
-To PRAY, to GIVE and to GO!
That is the heart of Missions. To reach people who are lost and are destined for hell without Him. That is why Jesus came.
And THAT is His heart for MISSIONS that we need to adopt for ourselves!
With that in mind, I want to tell you that God has laid a Word upon my heart for us to heart throughout this month coming from the Gospel of Luke, chapter 15.
-In fact, there are some that would call Luke 15, “The Gospel within the Gospels.”
-Because in it we see how Jesus goes to great lengths to prove that He is still a Savior who SEEKS out the LOST!
So, over the next three weeks we are going to look at three illustrations which will confirm that…
“JESUS FINDS LOST THINGS!”
…The Lost Sheep…
Let’s read our text…
STAND & READ - Luke 15:1-7
Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. 2 Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” 3 So He told them this parable, saying, 4 “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5 When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 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 which was lost!’ 7 I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”
PRAYER!
INTRODUCTION:
As we come upon the scene here in Luke 15, we first recognize that Jesus had a crowd gathering around Him - just as it normally happened.
-It tells us that the tax collectors and the sinners were coming NEAR to Him.
-They wanted to listen to what Jesus had to say!
*Which most of us would say is an awesome thing!
*After all, that is what it is all about!!!
But! It didn’t take long for the “religious” people to be frustrated and angered at Jesus once again… Which always happened.
-When Jesus healed the sick. It angered them!
-When Jesus spoke to certain people. It got them mad!
-Whenever Jesus speaks the truth. It makes them upset!
Nothing changes this time – they were still mad! And this is their accusation this time…
Luke 15:2 – “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”
-It’s funny how Jesus always did things that frustrated and angered people…
But watch this!! Jesus WOULD NOT stray from His original purpose – to seek and to save the lost!
And I am here to tell you Church, that JESUS FINDS LOST THINGS!!!
JESUS IS A TRUE FRIEND OF SINNERS!
ILLUSTRATION:
One of my favorite Christian Bands is Casting Crowns and they sing a song titled, “Jesus Friend of Sinners.” All the lyrics are great, but the chorus pleads in prayerfulness…
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners
Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours
If we agree with these lyrics, then we must pray… “God give us a heart after yours. Give us a heart for MISSIONS!”
-Because if we don’t have a heart for missions, then we are in danger!!!
