Quotes:
“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” -Mark Twain – And that day of knowing is the day of your conversion!
“I think of you as a friend. I used to think "friend" was just another word... Nothing more, nothing less. But when I met you, I realized what was important was the word's meaning.” ― Masashi Kishimoto – Jesus, sticks closer than a bother!
“The life you have left is a gift. Cherish it. Enjoy it now, to the fullest. Do what matters, now.” ― Leo Babauta
“You can find something truly important in an ordinary minute.” ― Mitch Albom
“There is nothing more important than your eternal salvation.” ― Kirk Cameron
Psalm 119:174-176
You say: “Jesus died, for the world.” And that makes since, because the world is a lot of people and many of them are very important. Oh, but what about the ONE? What about You; What about Me? Well, let’s see.
"The rich and the poor have a common bond; the Lord is the maker of them all." (Proverbs 22:2)
Illustration: “A well-known speaker began his seminar by holding up a twenty dollar bill. He asked everyone at the conference, "Who would like this new twenty dollar bill?" Hands went up all over the room. He said, "I’m going to give this twenty dollar bill to one of you, but first I need to crumple it." He wadded up the bill and asked, "Who still wants it?" Hands were quickly raised. The speaker dropped the bill and ground it into the floor with his shoe. He picked up the crumpled, dirty bill. "Now who wants it?" Everyone still lifted their hands. "Friends, you have all learned a valuable lesson” the speaker concluded. “No matter what I did to the money, you still want it because its value hasn’t changed. Even though the bill is crumpled and dirty, it’s still worth twenty dollars.” Although someone may have been misused and abused, he or she still has infinite worth. Every person is precious in God’s sight. Do you see others—and yourself—as priceless?”
(Kent Crockett, I Once Was Blind But Now I Squint, Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2004, 152-153)
Every person has Value! So much value, that Jesus died for you & me!
Now that we have our basic premise: that all have value & are valuable let’s break it down some:
Luke 15:3-7 “3- And he spake this parable unto them, saying, 4- What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? 5- And when he hath found [it], he layeth [it] on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6- And when he cometh home, he calleth together [his] friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. 7- I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.”
A “lost sheep” in our way of thinking would be a saint of God who has lost their way.
Jesus said, “go after that which is lost, until he find it”.
Luke 15:8-10 “8- Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find [it]? 9- And when she hath found [it], she calleth [her] friends and [her] neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. 10- Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”
The lost coin is lost in the house (Church, if-you-will); A coin lost still have value, you just can’t spend it. And so it is with those saints who are lost in the House.
Light a candle and sweep for them.
Luke 15:11-24 “11- And he said, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to [his] father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth [to me]. And he divided unto them [his] living. 13- And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. 14- And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. 15- And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16- And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. 17- And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18- I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, 19- And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. 20- And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 21- And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. 22- But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put [it] on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on [his] feet: 23- And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill [it]; and let us eat, and be merry: 24- For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.”
The son left of his own accord and therefore had to return of his own accord.
So then we are instructed to:
1) Search for and find Lost Sheep.
2) Search and find the Lost Coin in the House.
3) Be ready for when the Lost Son comes Home!
All three of these of these involve the three “R’s”:
1) Rescue
2) Rest
3) Rejoicing
Friend’s, madam, sir; where are you in your relationship to the Great Shepherd this evening?
Are you lost out on the dark mountains of sin?
Do you need to be rescued?
If so, then you can be saved the Jesus way!
For Jesus is the only way:
Isaiah 48:17 “Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I [am] the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way [that] thou shouldest go.”
John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
If there is a lacking/need in your walk with Jesus, then you can walk to this altar today.
Find safety and security with your Shepherd today.
And if you are 1 of the 99, then why don’t you just come before Him at this altar and worship Him, thank Him and to pray for the lost and missing that are around us each day.
If ever there was a day when the Church needs to get her eyes off the 99 and on the one, it is this day!
God Bless You!
