S-ubject: Apostasy
C-entral Theme: Teens who leave Jesus
O-bjective: We can help those who are missing in action and help bring them home by applying three principles from scripture to our lives.
R-ationale:
#1: OBSERVE YOUR ENVIROMENT
#2: SEARCH AND RESCUE
#3: RESTORE PEOPLE
R-esources: Intro: "I knew you’d come" (Fresh Ideas c1997 Gospel Light pg 39)
#1: "The Mirror" (Hot Illustrations c1996 Youth Specialties)
#2: "Great Answers but no Help" (Hot Illustrations c1996 Youth Specialties)
#3: "Breaking out of Prison" (Fresh Ideas c1997 Gospel Light)
Con: "Whose Duty is it?" (Fresh Ideas c1997 Gospel Light)
E-valuation:
INTRODUCTION: "I KNEW YOU’D COME"
There were two friends who served together during World War I. They spent much of the war involved
in trench warfare, suffering from terible living conditions and being constantly under fire. The closeness of the trenches and the terror of the war drew these two friends closer and closer together. They talked about life, their families, their hopes and about their future---when and if they returned home.
During one battle when the troops had left their trenches and charged the enemy, Jim was severely wounded and fell on the battlefield. Bill made it back to the trench. As the enemy’s shelling continued, Jim lay suffering, all alone, in the no-man’s land between the trenches.
As the shelling continued, Bill wanted to go to his friend so he could comfort him and encourage him as only a friend could do, but the officere in charege refused to let Bill leave the trench because it was too danger ous. But when the officer turned his back, Bill left the trench and began to make his way toward his friend. Shells exploded all around him, but he continued. Finally he made it to Jim.
He managed to drag Jim back to the trench, but it was too late. His friend died in his arms. The officer, seeing that he had died, looked at Bill and said, "Well, was it worth the risk?"
Without hesitation Bill said, "Yes, sir, it was. My friend’s last words made it more than worth it. He looked up at me and said, ’I knew you would come.’"
Application: Do you and I have friends that are MIA and need someone to come rescue them? And are we willing to do whatever it take to rescue them even if it cost us personally?
SCRIPTURE TEXT:
Matthew 18:12-14 (NIV)
12"What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?
13And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off.
14In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.
I. OBSERVE YOUR ENVIROMENT
A. PAY ATTENTION
1. In order to see young people who have strayed away from God come home we are going to have to pay attention to those that are around us. Focus on others and not on yourself.
2. The world’s philosophy has been "look out for yourself because no one else will", but God says to consider (think about, ponder, hold in high esteem) others better than ourselves.
3. We must look outside ourselves and pay attention to those that are around us. Remember it is not about you and what you want. Selfishness is the main factor in the church forgetting about MIAs. We are so involved in ourselves that we don’t pay attention to anything or anyone else.
4. Look around you and observe your environment. Look for key signs that people are straying away and do whatever it takes to keep them from becoming MIAs. It would be better for people to hate you now and love you later than for them to love you now and hate your later, once we all stand before God.
B. MY LITTLE WORLD
1. The world in which you live in is bigger than you! It encompasses more than just your wishes, wants, whims, and dreams. I hold the rest of humanity. Get beyond your little world.
Illustration: "The Mirror"
Once there was an old rich man with a cranky, miserable attitude. He visited a rabbi one day to see if the rabbi might be able to help him discover what was wrong with his life.
After the two men talked together for a while, the rabbi thought of a good way to illustrate to the rich man the problem with his life. Taking the man by the hand, he led him over to the window. He asked him to look out the window and tell him what he saw. The man stood there a moment before saying, "I see some men and women and a few children."
"Fine," said the rabbi. Once more he led the rich man by the hand across the room to the mirror. "Now look and tell me what you see."
The man frowned and said, "Well, obviously, I see myself."
"Interesting," the rabbi replied. "The window is made of glass, and the mirror is made of glass. But the glass of the mirror has been covered with silver. As soon as you add the silver, you cease to see others and instead see only yourself.
Application: Unfortunately that is where most American Christian are at, we see only ourselves. It’s not because of money, wealthy, etc.. it’s simply because we are selfish people.
Philippians 2:3 through Philippians 2:4 (NIV)
3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
2. If you truly want to see your friends come to Jesus or back home to Him you must begin to live outside your little world. Live outside your world of friends, family, church, school, etceteras, get outside your comfort zone and you will begin to see others from a completely different viewpoint.
3. When you live outside your little world you see people through the eyes of God. Eyes that see with compassion and sensitivity and not through selfish eyes that only see what can benefit you.
4. In order to help those missing in action come back to God we must humble ourselves just as Jesus did for all of mankind. No matter whether we think the person deserves the mercy of God or not that is not up to you and I we simply love and live outside our selfish little world as Jesus told us to.
II. SEARCH & RESCUE
A. WHATEVER IT TAKES
1. Love is the key to reaching people who have walked away, drifted away, or strayed away from God. Love should be the motivating factor behind a search and rescue program
2. If you truly love people you will do whatever it takes to see them come back to God. No sacrifice, personal or otherwise is too great. Their lives and where they will spend eternity can’t be measure in terms of money and or possessions.
3. If we really want to bring people in from being MIAs we will get up off our tushys and do something about. You can’t do a search and rescue from the pews at church. You gotta go where the people are, just like Jesus did.
Matthew 11:19 (NIV)
19The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ’Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners."’ But wisdom is proved right by her actions."
4. Time is of essence. They don’t have much time and we must give of our time. How sad it would be to look someone in the eye in heaven that just got condemned to eternity in hell and tell them, "I would have helped you come back to Jesus, I just didn’t have the time."
Illustration: "Great Answers but no Help"
According to an ancient legend, a man became lost in his travels and wandered into a bed of quicksand.
Confucius saw the man’s predicament and said, "It is evident that men should stay out of places such as this."
Next, Buddha observed the situation and said, "Let that man’s plight be a lesson to the rest of the world."
Then Mohammed came by and said to the sinking man, "Alas, it is the will of God."
Finally, Jesus appeared on the scene and said, "Take my hand, brother. I will save you."
Application: Many of us observer our environment but that’s all we do we must do something about what we see. If we know someone is MIA then do something, they are counting on you to.
B. BLOOD, SWEAT, & TEARS
1. Nobody said it would be easy rescuing people for the clutches of hell. It’s gonna cost you something; time, money, resources, friends, family, etc… The devil is not going to just sit back and let you take them back. He’s going to put up a major fight.
2. You are going to have to spend hours upon hours in prayer for them. Not some millie-mouth, sissy prayer that doesn’t get beyond the ceiling. But prayer that will reach the heart and throne of God.
3. Caring for the soul of people is not easy. It takes a toll on you spiritually, emotionally, and physically. All the blood, sweat, and tears don’t even compare to the joy that you feel when someone comes back to God have you have poured you life and heart into see them come home.
4. Working to see people return to God takes on a whole new perspective if you can see yourself in their position. When you observe and consider that it could be you that could have gotten pregnant or overdosed on crack, or ran away from home. We all have the same propensity to turn away from God as the next person.
III. RESTORE PEOPLE
A. FORGET ABOUT YESTERDAY
Illustration: "Breaking Out of Prison"
The year was 1947. It was almost two full yars after the liberation of Auschwitz, as Corrie Ten Boom stepped forward to share the message of forgiveness and healing at a German church. As she stepped forward she prayed that God would use here words to bring about healing, forgiveness and restoration. What she was about to experience changed her life forever.
As she finished her message, a man stepped forward, moving his way through the crowd of people there to talk to Corrie. He looked familiar, like she’’ seen him somewhere before. As she looked into his eyes, it all became crystal clear. She recognized him…the unifrom…the whips…walking past him naked at the selection. She remembered her sister dying a slow and painful death at his hands. The memories came flooding back to her…memories from Auschwitz and this man who had been a guard at the camp.
"I’m a Christian now." He spoke with his eyes sadly looking into hers. "I know tha God has forgiven me, but will you forgive me?" He stretched out his hand to receive hers.
She stood there for what must have seemed an eternity, although it was probably only a moment or two. She knew that she needed to make a choice. Would she forgive the man at who hand she experienced so much hurt, pain and humiliation? Would she? Could she?
"Jesus, I need your help. I can lift my hand, but you need to supply the feeling." She slowly raised her hand, reached out to the man and took his hand in hers. As she reached out, a warm sensation filled her heart. God was indeed faithful. "I forgive you, brother---with my whole heart!"
That day, former guard and former prisoner were both healed and set free from the bondage of bitterness and anger.
Application: Just as Corrie Ten Boom did so must we forget our past and the past of others. Whether someone has hurt us directly or indirectly should never have a bearing on whether we forgive or not. Jesus forgave and look at what we did to Him.
1. It has been said about the Christian church that we kill our own wounded. And to a certain extent I do believe that to be true. Christians can be some of the most unmerciful people on the face of the earth, when in actuality we should be the most merciful.
2. In order to see people who are MIA come back to a right relationship with God we are going to have to let go of the past, their past. Remember you could be in their shoes. If you are not merciful, then mercy will not be shown to you.
3. The first step in restoring people back to right relationship with you and with God is to forget about yesterday. Forget about the sin they lived in. If they have come to God confessed, and repented, that is made a 180 degree turn in the opposite direction, and God has forgiven and cleansed them, then who are we to throw their past back up in their face? The Holy Spirit.
4. Restore is to reinstate back to an original position. If we are truly in love with God and want to love as Jesus loves then that means that when we find someone who has been MIA we must take them back as before they ever left. That’s not easy but it is a must.
B. IT’S OUR MINISTRY
2 Corinthians 5:18 (NIV)
18All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:
1. God has place within each believer the ministry of reconciliation, which is nothing more than restoration. It is for you and me to remember those that are MIA and go out and search for them and bring them back to God and see them restored.
2. It is what we do because of our love for God. We can not love God and not desire to see people restored back to God. If we say that we love God and hate our brother or sister in Jesus then we are nothing but liars.
3. We should count it a great privilege to have been chosen by God to this ministry. He has entrusted to us a ministry to reconcile the runaways to back to Him. It is an honor, and we dishonor God when we are selfish and lazy and don’t go after the MIAs.
4. Jesus came to restore mankind back to his original state with God. In the beginning mankind was on a personal level with God. But mankind "ran away" then God made the first move and did what it took to restore all of creation. Are you willing to go all the way and do whatever it takes to bring home the MIAs?
Conclusion: "Whose Duty is it?"
Some years ago there was a shipwreck off the Pacific Northwest coast. A crowd of fishermen in a nearby village gathered to watch the ship as it was smashed on the rocks. A lifeboat was sent to the rescue, and after a terrific struggle, the rescuers came back with all of the shipwrecked sailors but one.
"There was no room in the lifeboat for him, so we told him to stay by the ship and someone would come back for him," one of the rescuers explained.
"Who will come with me?" shouted a young man from the crowd.
Just then a little old lady cried out, "Don’t go, Jim, my son. Don’t go. You are all I have left. Your father was drowned in the sea; your brother William sailed away and we’ve never heard from him since; and now if you are lost, I’ll be left alone. Oh, Jim, please don’t go."
Jim listened patiently to his mother’s pleading, then said, "Mother, I must go! It is my duty. I must go!"
The onlookers watched as the men in the lifeboat fought their way back toward the wreck. Anxiously Jim’s mother wept and prayed. They saw the boat heading back to shore, a frail little shell tossed about by the waves. At last when the boat came close enough to hear, those on shore shouted, "Did you get him?" And Jim shouted back, "Yes, and tell my mother it’s her son William."
Application: Are you willing to go and rescue those that in danger? Are you so full of yourself and selfish that you only think of yourself? If not and you want to rescue those that are MIA then act now on the word of God.
