Do they party in heaven?
Luke 15:1 1Now the tax collectors and “sinners” were all gathering around to hear him. 2But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
3Then 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? 5And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7I 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.
8“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins£ and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ 10In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Many people wonder what it’s going to be like in heaven. It’s the biggest mystery that we have. Although the Bible gives us glimpses of what it’s going to be like we can never truly know exactly until we get there. But as I was reading the text for today I noticed something special about heaven and that is the fact that they rejoice and that they party.
And this is done whenever a lost person comes to Christ. When ever a lost soul finds the truth and repents even the angels rejoice. With this in mind it became apparent to me that the body of Christ should not only rejoice when a someone comes to repentance but that we should all be doing are part in making sure that the lost are found.
Trouble in the text Run the Story
What we see about this story is that the sinners and tax collectors who were basically hated by the Jews were we all gathered around to Jesus to hear him. And the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were gathered around muttering to one another’s about how not only does Jesus welcomes them but He eats with them. Because of their self-righteousness and their hate for their fellow man they couldn’t understand how Jesus could do this.
1. All their lives they lived under a system that said if you dealt with these people you would be infected if you will by them and you yourself wouldn’t be accepted by God.
2. They believed that they were the ones God loved and cared for and that He was against sinners. They couldn’t see how God hates sin but not the sinner.
3. So they would sit in judgment on them, they ultimately would do things that actually would turn these people from God.
4. Instead of doing what they could to lead them to God, they would push them away. Understand no one likes being judged. Especially by people who are going to judge you inappropriately. They would put restrictions in them that they themselves weren’t willing to keep.
Window: do you know someone like that…someone who says do as I say not as I do.
Trouble in the world
1. There are many Christians who are doing the same thing
a. We are suppose to be bringing the lost into the fold but at times we make it so uncomfortable for them we judge them
b. My sister to my family
c. Condemnation
d. When we tell someone to be free from sin before we even love them or lead them to Christ, we miss the point.
e. We Say stop doing this and stop doing that. We try to mandate morality rather then giving them the life changing message.
f. We say things like he’s a druggy, an adulterer, a thief, but we never see them as God sees them and dearly loved children who are lost.
Example (The abortion movement) I did a little research for a video
1. We have people in the abortion movement who are radically challenging this picketing with anger and malice and wrath.
2. Thinking that since they are protesting this horrible thing they are O.k. not realizing that their anger and rage and lack of love just might be turning everyone away from Jesus.
3. They are putting restrictions on them they aren’t willing to uphold.
a. Although they aren’t getting an abortion themselves
4. They are saying you listen here, you shall not kill, but even though the bible tells me to love my neighbor and flee from all anger and rage I can ignore that, you just do as I say not as I do.
Now don’t get me wrong this is a big issue in this nation but my message today isn’t about abortion. My message today is that we have a lost and dieing world out there and God is calling us to do something about it. Now how we to go about it is the point.
Diamond merchant
The merchant flew immediately to New York, where the seller had assigned his best diamond expert to close the transaction. After hearing the assistant describe in perfect detail the diamonds worth and beauty, the Dutchman decided not to buy it. Before he left, however, the owner of the store stepped forward and asked, “Do you mind if I show you that stone once more?” The customer agreed.
The store owner didn’t repeat one thing the salesman had said. He simply took the stone in his hand, started at it, and described the beauty of the stone in such a way that revealed why the stone stood out from the others he had seen in his life. The customer bought it immediately.
Tucking his new purchase in his breast pocket, the customer commended the owner, “Sir I wonder why you were able to sell me the stone when your salesman could not?”
The owner replied, “The salesman is the best in the business. He knows more about diamonds then anyone, including myself and I pay him a large salary for his knowledge and expertise. But I would gladly pay him twice as much if I could put into him something I have that he lacks. You see he knows diamonds but I love them.”
When it comes to sharing Christ with others, the issue is not how much we know about Jesus, but how much we love Him. God isn’t interested in how much we know but how much we love. When we truly love Jesus, we love others as well, and that is how the good news of the gospel is spread.
(Dad)
1. I was talking with my dad about this issue. And my dad is into politics deeply.
2. He is a republican and believes that government is at fault. And wants me to fix it by preaching politics and that somehow we can ban abortion and everything will get better. I told him I didn’t agree. He believes it’s entirely the democrats fault.
3. I don’t I told him it was the Christians fault there is all this abortion. As Christian we haven’t done a good enough job here leading people to Christ.
4. We leave it up to the preacher to do and we don’t take personal commitment to do it ourselves.
5. So what happens, we have thousands of people deciding to not bare there baby to full term.
6. And that’s sad.
7. We haven’t been a good enough witness sharing Gods love.
8. Do you know many of these young girls that decide to do this are Christian themselves?
9. But they are just children of God who are lost confused, scared, hurting, and what they need to know is that it’s going to be O.K.
Same sex Marriage.
We also started talking about same sex marriage. He was obviously against it. HE was like we need to make it illegal. I agree to some extent. I don’t think the problem is the fact that it’s legal. The problem is the fact that they don’t know Christ. There are some that do know of Christ but they don’t know that the power of Christ that can set them free. They feel stuck in this cycle.
The whole time we are fighting a war with the wrong attitude and weapons. Instead of judging and condemning, we need to be teaching about the transforming Love of God.
What’s wrong with the church today? We have a nation that claims to be 85% Christian but only about 46% go to church. Why isn’t the church attracting visitors?
Sinners are drawn to Jesus
1. When we look at this scripture we see that the sinners and the lost were actually drawn to Jesus. They were actually coming to Him.
2. But that’s not what we see today.
3. What’s wrong with the church today when people who are lost aren’t drawn to it?
4. We need to be a church that the UN churched are drawn too. I know I have heard the excuse for this is that sinners don’t want to hear the truth because the truth hurts.
5. Well not according to this scripture. It hurts but the message also gives hope. Why do you think they were drawn to Jesus? Because he offered them hope, but we don’t.
Grace in the text.
The shepherd searches diligently for the sheep
1. What does Jesus say, He say that the shepherd searches diligently for the sheep, he leaves the ninety nine to find the one.
2. All the shepherd cares about is the fact that he lost his sheep and needs to bring him home.
3. HE loves the sheep so much he can’t live with the fact that he is lost.
4. This is what the Pharisees missed, and this is what we miss also.
The lady lost just one coin, she had nine more. The shepherd had 99 more. He could have lived without the one; she could have lived not having the lost coin. But no, they couldn’t deal with it they wanted them back, so the shepherd left the fold and the women grabs a lamp and sweeps the floor doing all she can to find the coin.
That’s God’s heart when it comes to the lost people of this world. He desires that each one be found and it’s up to us to follow the spirit and use all our time, gifts and talents to achieve this as best we can.
That person that lives 3 houses down God is looking for!
Example (lost remote control)
Has anyone ever lost their remote control for their T.V. or your keys to your car? What do we do. We search that house as hard as we can until we find it. We go nuts and never quit until them car keys are found. I remember one day spending a good hour looking for the remote control rather then just changing the channel manually. Can you picture it? Here is the TV 3 foot from me but no, I am going crazy looking for the remote.
Question: What do you think would happen if the body of Christ would hunt and seek out the lost people of this world as hard as we do our car keys, or our remote control?
1. We put up lost dog signs when we loose our puppy.
2. We need to put up lost people signs. I always wanted a lost person bulletin put up were all the people of the church put there pictures of their loved ones who are lost so everyone as they walk by can say a prayer for them.
3. We need to do all that we can. People are perishing by the moment
Hurricane
The saddest part about the hurricane is not the fact that many people died. Although that’s a problem. The saddest part is the fact that many died and weren’t ready to enter eternity. They we living in the largest Christian nation and entered eternity not knowing Christ.
Story of the Missionaries:
Would kill them because they weren’t ready to enter eternity and he was.
Question: I wonder if we see life this clearly.
Has a party
The scripture tells us that when anyone is saved and found that there is a party in heaven. That God and the angels rejoice.
Isn’t it exciting to know that when each one of us gave our lives to Christ that God and all His angels rejoiced. I believe they rejoiced the same way we rejoice when we finally find our lost keys or remote. We are like whew…..alright and burden has been lifted.
That’s Gods feeling He is like “whew…..He is home….come rejoice with me and be Glad….i found my coin…I found my sheep……My son has come home! Rejoice…rejoice…..
Grace in the world
I wish the church would celebrate more when someone comes to Christ….Wouldn’t that be awesome...when someone gets saved and we throw a birthday party….Celebrating the day they were born again…Boy that’s exciting.
I know many are afraid to evangelize…Many feel that it’s not their gifting. I know this…I understand we haven’t all be gifted the same way…but we have all been gifted in some way and somehow this gift needs to be used to advance the Kingdom of God Someway some how.
Jesus gives us a commission and that’s
Matthew 28:17 - 20 (NIV) 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in£ the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
He says He will be with us always…We are not on our own…He will help us every step of the way
1. He tells us that our job is to make disciples, and teach them to obey….
2. But the most important part is when He says He will be with us always…
3. We are not on our own…He will help us every step of the way….
4. We just need to be faithful.
5. Understand that we never save anyone…all we can be are vessels that point people to Jesus.
6. The Holy Spirit will do all the rest of the work.
7. We make sure we witness and show love and kindness and then set up a intentional system of ministry that gives the Holy Spirit all the room He needs to work in order to fulfill this commission. In order to find the lost coin or the lost sheep if you will’
We are on a mission together.
1. The body of Christ today needs to work together because we are on a mission.
2. And this mission has never been intended to be a one man army…
3. No we are a body and when the body gets together and does things intentionally to reach out and spread the good news with each person using his gifting in accordance to the need on the church
4. Peoples lives will be changed…People will come…because God will send them…. A church that is ready will receive people
5. I am not sure if God is going to send a bunch of people who need to find Him to a place that isn’t prepared to lead them to Him….
A church is prepared to lead them toward Him I believe when things are done with the intention to reach out.
I know people that don’t want to reach the lost... Oh they wont tell you that…They believe they want people saved…But as soon as they see the cost…As soon as it costs something and will take effort of pull them out of their comfort zone….You see how little they care for humanity…
(Church pews)
Explain how we had a hard time removing the church pews for the teens but now we have more teens then adults on wed….
Should we pull people into our own world? Or should we go to their world.
(Church music) (PowerPoint)
Explain how churches are divided over this stuff.
Sometimes we just loose sight of our mission and purpose
The lifesaving station
On a dangerous seacoast where shipwrecks often happen there once was a crude lifesaving station. The building was no more then a small hut. They only had one boat and just a few devoted members who kept watch over the sea. Every day they would go out and tirelessly search for the lost people. Giving no though for themselves. As time would go by those who were saved and many others who heard of what was going on there wanted to become part of it, so they gave their time, money and effort. New boats were bought and new crews were trained. This little life saving station grew.
As time would go by people wanted the place to be better for those that came in from the sea for refuge so they add more cots with beds and put better furniture in the enlarged building. Now the life saving place became a popular gathering place for its members, and they decorated it beautifully and furnished it exquisitely because they used it as sort of a club. Fewer members were now interested in going out to sea on lifesaving missions, so they hired lifeboat crews to do the work.
About this time a large ship was wrecked off the coast and the hired crews brought n boatloads of cold, wet, half drowned people. They were dirty sick and some were even foreigners. The beautiful new club was in chaos. Immediately the property committee hired someone to rig up a shower house outside the club, where victims of shipwrecks could be cleaned up before coming inside.
At the next meeting there was a split in the club membership. Most of the clubs members wanted to stop the clubs’ lifesaving activities because they felt they were unpleasant and a hindrance to the normal social life of the club. Only a small number of members insisted on lifesaving as their primary purpose and pointed out that they were still called a lifesaving station. The small group members were voted down and told that if they wanted to save lives, they could begin their own lifesaving station down the coast.
They did
As years would go by, however, the new station experienced the same thing that occurred in the old station. It evolved into a club, and yet another lifesaving station was founded. History continued to repeat itself and if you visit that seacoast today, you will find a number of exclusive clubs along that shore.
Shipwrecks are frequent in those waters, but most of the passengers drown.
As disciples of Jesus our primary task is to go and make disciples. To put it another way, we are to go and save lives. Unfortunately, we sometimes forget our purpose. We need to recover our passion for life saving. We need to be doers of the word and not hearers only.
Challenge for the week
The Bible is full of gladness when lost valuables are found: the Prodigal Son, the lost coin, and, here, a lost sheep. Picture yourself in both roles. As the lost sheep, you need a Shepherd-Savior to bring you home. As a shepherd, you have a job to do, and all heaven rejoices when you find a lost person, just as heaven did when you were found. In the shepherd’s role, take a step beyond your comfort zone today. Start a conversation with a stranger; greet a neighbor on the other side of the block, cross a standard dividing line that separates you from others.
