“Seeking The Lost”
Luke 19:1-10
David P. Nolte
Have you ever lost something you cherished? Have you looked high and low to find it again? Did you ever find it? If you do, you will notice that it is always in the last olace you look!`
When I was about 7 years old, I had a turtle that went missing. You know, one of those little ones with painted shells? I was saddened by the loss – and was even sadder when I found the remains under my bed and could tell by teeth marks that the cat had killed it. Stupid cat!
Then I lost my Super Glow In The Dark Spy ring. It had a pen, a magnifying glass a secret compartment and lots of “cool!” I was sad to lose it and joyful to find it again!
I read in the news that Luna, a 1-year-old German shepherd-husky mix, fell off a fishing boat and was lost in the Pacific Ocean north of San Diego.
She went missing on February. 10. Her owner, fisherman Vick Haworth, said Luna was a strong swimmer and he knew she would head toward land. But the nearest shoreline was San Clemente Island, home to a U.S. naval facility and about 2 miles from where the dog fell into the water.
Haworth stayed in the area for days to look for her, and then he considered her lost at sea and presumed dead. Crushed, Haworth posted on Facebook, "RIP Luna, you will be greatly missed."
Worse than the loss of any material thing or (and PETA `won’t like this) even worse than the loss of a beloved pet is the loss of a human soul.
Unrepentant, unregenerate, unsaved mankind is lost. The Bible is not the account of man’s search for God – it is the record of God’s search for man; rebellious man; sinful man; helpless man; lost man!
Luke records this example: “He entered Jericho and was passing through. And there was a man called by the name of Zaccheus; he was a chief tax collector and he was rich. Zaccheus was trying to see who Jesus was, and was unable because of the crowd, for he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree in order to see Him, for He was about to pass through that way. When Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, "Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.’ And he hurried and came down and received Him gladly. When they saw it, they all began to grumble, saying, ‘He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.’ Zaccheus stopped and said to the Lord, ‘Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham. ‘For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.’” Luke 19:1-10 (NASB).
Why would He do that? And, what are some reasons we, His disciples, might seek the lost?
Jesus told the parables of the lost coin and the woman’s diligent search for it; He told of the shepherd who left 99 sheep to seek the one that was lost. He told about the lost prodigal.
The sermon today is a series of questions about seeking the lost.
I. WHY SHOULD WE SEEK THE LOST?
A. Ask yourself:
1. “Why would the woman look so diligently for a lost coin; of a shepherd seek for one lost sheep; or the father yearn for the return of the prodigal son?”
2. “Why would Haworth search for Luna?”
3. “Why did Jesus come to seek and save the lost?”
B. The answer, my friend, is not blowing in the wind – it is simply:
1. The lost is in peril if not found.
2. The seeker values the lost and desires its recovery.
C. Think of it this way:
1. “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 (NASB) . I.e., God simply desires that the lost not perish!
2. “For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies," declares the Lord GOD. "Therefore, repent and live." Ezekiel 18:32 (NASB).
D. So, what ought to motivate us to also seek the lost?
1. The compulsion from around us. The condition of th e world is due to its godlessness – man has basically invited God to “butt out” of politics, schools, public venues, the pledge of allegiance, coinage and our personal lives. He has allowed us to suffer the results of His “butting out!” Solomon wrote, “Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the LORD. They would not accept my counsel, They spurned all my reproof. So they shall eat of the fruit of their own way And be satiated with their own devices. For the waywardness of the naive will kill them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them. But he who listens to me shall live securely And will be at ease from the dread of evil." Proverbs 1:29-33 (NASB).
2. The compulsion from within us: We ought to care about the lost. Unlike Cain who considered that he was not his brother’s keeper, we need to sense a desire to share the good stuff!
3. The compulsion from above us: Jesus commanded it! Matthew records it:“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’” Matthew 28:18-20 (NASB).
E. Haworth searched for Luna because she was dear to him–she mattered–he cared! If we care we will seek the lost.
II. HOW SHOULD WE SEEK THE LOST?
A. There are several answers to that:
1. We should seek diligently.
2. We should seek without prejudice. Jesus reached out to prostitutes and lepers and demoniacs much to the disapproval of the smug and self-righteous Pharisees.
3. We should seek gently and humbly: Paul wrote, “But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels. The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.” 2 Timothy 2:23-26 (NASB).
4. We should seek where the lost are. Volunteer at Helping Hands, Teen and Adult Challenge, the soup kitchen. But so often we are like Simple Simon who didn’t go where the fish are:
Simple Simon went a-fishing,
For to catch a whale;
All the water he had got,
Was in his mother's pail.
5. We should seek by inviting someone to church; or a Christian concert; or a home Bible study; or to your home for a meal and just show them Christian love.
B. In short, we seek the lost by loving involvement. Christians should not shy away from friendships with non-Christians but the caution is: be the influence, don’t be influenced.
1. We are to be salt and light!
2. Salt and light affect and influence their environment in a positive manner.
3. But Jesus said if we lose our saltiness we are uselesss; if we hide our light it fails to do its job.
C. When we demonstrate the Christian life in such a way that they say, “I want some of that!” then that’s how to put out the bait and fish for men.
D. People would rather see a sermon than hear one. Do you know that when you live for Jesus you area sermon in shoes? So talk it and walk it; live it and give it – a sermon in shoes!
E. One day a lady criticized D. L. Moody for his methods of evangelism in attempting to win people to the Lord. Moody’s reply was "I agree with you. I don’t like the way I do it either. Tell me, how do you do it?" The lady replied, "I don’t do it." Moody retorted, "Then I like my way of doing it better than your way of not doing it."
Not willing to give up too soon, Haworth stayed in the area for two days looking for his beloved pet, but she was never spotted. Meanwhile, on the island, Navy crews searched for the dog from the land and from above but never spotted her. Haworth was compelled to accept the fact that Luna was gone.
III. WHEN SHOULD WE STOP SEEKING THE LOST?
A. I want to be very careful here. I refuse to be like a preacher I knew in Molalla who gave up on a man and said, “He has sinned away his day of grace!” Pure and total bosh! As long as there is conscious life, there is hope and grace!
B. Sometimes we think someone is a hopeless case and we give up on them too quickly.
1. While we might need to back off on speaking to them about their soul we don’t quit praying for them or loving them or befriending them.
2. We should continue to share love and life with the lost, as long as they permit it.
3. Sometimes they slam the door on us. Don’t try to kick it open; wait on the Lord to do that. I know of an evangelist who was told, “I am just not ready to decide yet.” The evangelist slammed his hand on the table and said, “You HAVE to decide!” The man did decide, and died lost.
4. Sometimes the gospel is mocked and ridiculed and we need to stop casting pearls before swine–until the Lord opens that door.
C. But to really answer the question, “When should we stop seeking the lost?” I would say, “Never, as long as you have contact with the lost and God keeps the door open to witness your faith.” You don’t stop seeking, you just change tactics.
D. To illustrate:
1. I know of a woman whose husband resisted her efforts for 52 years – and she kept praying and living the Christian life during those years – and one day, much to her surprise, he went to church with her, gave his life to Christ and was baptized. She never pushed him or nagged him but she practiced Peter’s words, “you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior.” 1 Peter 3:1-2 (NASB).
2. A friend in The Dalles prayed for her husband who resisted firmly for years and finally surrendered and became not only a believer but a preacher!
E. Haworth quit looking for Luna – but the news article goes on: On Tuesday morning, staff arriving for work at the island's Naval Auxiliary Landing Field spotted a dog sitting by the side of the road. It was Luna. She had to have swam nearly 2 miles to get to the island. The Navy assumes she survived by eating rodents. The dog was thinner, but otherwise healthy.
Haworth says he had just given up. He said, "I just threw away all of her stuff last week. I gave her a month and then I didn't think there was any hope after that. Turns out she made it, she's a little survivor." She will be back out on the water with him soon. But Haworth said, "We got to keep a better eye on her, keep her on a leash on the boat, maybe even a doggy life jacket." He rejoiced at the reunion!
There is joy when the lost is found! Jesus said, “In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15:10 (NASB).
Solomon said, “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who is wise wins souls.” Proverbs 11:30 (NASB).
PRAY / INVITATION
I challenge you today to seek at least one who is lost from among friends or family. Talk to God about them before talking to them about God. Maybe you will just sow a seed – but God will give the growth. Be bold, be gentle; be prayerful, be humble. BUT BE SEEKING!
