Title: More Like Jesus... In His Mission
D.T.: There is not greater reward in life than to be a part of seeing someone come to Christ.
Text: Luke 15:4-32
Move #1: Introduction
- How many of you have watched the game show with Donnie Osmand, "The Pyramid Game." One person lists out a bunch of things, and the other person has to guess what all those words have in common. So we’re gonna play real quick, I’ll list a bunch of items, and you guess what they all in common....
- My mind, my sense of direction, my wallet, my car keys, the remote control... right... things I am always losing. And it seems as if I am always losing something. Just recently I lost a sermon tape that I had borrowed from the library at Lincoln. It would have cost me $10 to replace. For a week I looked for that thing. Have you ever been in a hurry to get somewhere, to get out the door, you’re running behind, you go to grab the keys but you can’t find them. You look all over, you search hi and low, growing more and more frustrated. Only to discover you left them in the ignition the car. My mom would get so mad when she couldn’t find her glasses, and they were on her head the whole time.
- Nobody likes losing things. Well, God understands that? He knows exactly what it’s like to lose something. He knows what it’s like to go on a search for that which is lost. He know what its like to celebrate when that which is lost is found. The reason I know this, is because of what I read in Luke 15.
Move #2: The Lost Sheep: Emphasis, the Lost
- There once was a shepherd who owned a hundred sheep. Now, I’m no expert, but I do know that sheep are not the brightest of animals. They need a lot guidance and direction. And it’s interesting that the one animal mentioned the most in Scripture is a sheep. An animal that lives in flocks, in community with other sheep. An animal that follows a leader, usually an older male sheep. An animal that depends on humans for protection. An animal that is easily frightened, a strong wind, a thunderstorm may throw them into a panic. Sheep are vulnerable and dependant animals.
- When I realize all of this I’m not too surprised that often, we are referred as sheep and God is our shepherd. There once was a shepherd who owned a 100 sheep. It was nightime, time to rest. The shepherds looked forward to closing the pen, and reclining by the campfire. Hot dogs and marshmallows ready to be roasted. A few campfire stories to be shared. Ready for a good night’s sleep. But before they can recline they need to count. They need to make sure all the sheep are accounted for.
- My daughter has a wonderful children’s book, The Lost Lamb, that is based on this story that Jesus tells. I’d like to ready to you a couple of pages in the middle of the story...
- The shepherd could not and would not rest as long as that one sheep was lost. And we say, but you have 99 others. Are you really going to miss, just one. Don’t worry about it. Go to sleep, I’m sure he’ll turn up tomorrow some time. But the good shepherd was not thinking about the 99 who were safe, he was consumed with the one who was lost, who was in danger, who was frightened, alone. And as long as that one was lost, there was something missing.
- That good shepherd is God. As long as there is one lost, one missing, one who is alone, frightened, in danger, GOd will not rest. He will not recline, he will not sleep. Something of great and immeasurable value is lost. People you know, I know, people we love, friends, family, coworkers, neighbors are lost. Maybe its you, maybe there is something missing in your life. Maybe you are lost. Searching for direction, for hope.
- And as long as their are lost people in our world, there is always something missing. And we should not, we must not rest until all are found. And the reason we should not rest, the reason we should not be comfortable or content, is because something of great value is missing
- God understands what it’s like to lose something of value, he also understands what it’s like to go on a search for that which is missing. I know this because of what I read in Luke 15.
Move #3: The Lost Coin (Wedding Ring): Emphasis, the Search
- There once was newlwed couple, they had just moved into their new house and they were so happy. So filled with joy. One day, the husband went off to work, and the wife stayed home to do some cleaning. They left each other with a kiss. And as he drove off, she just smiled. She thought, he’s just so perfect. I couldn’t be more grateful, more blessed. And as she thought this, she looked at her wedding ring. She remembered the day that he got down on one knee, he line of sweat on his check. She could tell he was nervous. He studdered a little bit, but he was able to get out the words. "Will you marry me?" And he slipped the beatiful diamond ring on her finger, and she said hugged his neck, and with tears, she said, "Of course, I will."
- And as she looked at her ring she remembered her wedding day. The fresh flowers, the friends, the ceremony, the reception that followed... the honeymoon. She could see all of that in the sparkle of the diamond she wore on her finger. They weren’t rich, it wasn’t massive stone. But it was perfect. It was from the love of her life. It’s value was immeasurable.
- She finally snapped out of her nostalgic newlywed daydreaming, and she decided she would clean the bathroom. Back to reality, it was a dirty job, but somebody had to do it. So she wiped down the counters, she cleaned the toilet bowl, she scrubed the tub, she cleaned the mirror, she mopped the floor. When she was done, she decides to take a walk. She came back from her walk, and she made a sandwich, sat at the table, decided she would read the newpaper. When she lifted up the newspaper to read it, she noticed that something is missing. Her heart skipped a beat, she could see that her wedding ring was not on her finger. Where could it be? She looked in her pockets, she looked on the counter tops, in the living room, the bedroom. Searching, frantically, desperately searching for her wedding ring.
- She looked everywhere for that ring. She tried to remember if she took it off, laid it down somewhere, but nothing, nothing came to mind. Where it could it be? What am I gonna tell my husband? She knew that they could afford another ring. It’s not that expensive of a ring. But that’s not the point. That particular, the ring he gave her, that ring is invaluable. She must find it. It has to be somewhere. She looked, and she searched. Where could it be?
- And then it hits her. She walked by the bathroom, and she remembered scrubbing the tub. And she knew what had happened. She knew that her ring had slipped off of her finger without her realizing it. That it was in the drain, in the pipes. She called the plumber. It didn’t matter how much it would cost. Just come, quickly. The plumber arrives, he tears into the wall, he unhinges the pipes, makes an awful mess. But it’s worth it. It’s worth it. And finally the ring falls to the ground. She grabs it, and screams and cries tears of joy and happiness.
- In that women’s desperate search, I hope you can see God. God who has been organizing a search party since the fall of Adam and Eve. From Genesis to Jesus, God has been in the business of searching for lost souls. Searching for you and for me. Everything he has done, has been done with purpose of finding you. And finding the person you work with, the person you live with, the person you sit by at school.
- And God invites us, the church to join in on the search. Like that woman, we need to search with desperation. Eternity is at stake. Will we idly recline in our pew and complain, and wait until we’re comfortable. Will we consume ourselves with issues and battles that have no real consequence? Will we be content with our past success, or will we renew our desperation? Will we join the search?
- Something of great value is missing. People you know and love are lost. And we must not rest. We must join the search party. We must, as a church, as individuals, do whatever we can do to find that which is lost.
- So we see that God understands what its like to lose something of great value, he understands what its like to go on a desperate search for that which is lost. And he also understands what its like to celebrate when that which is lost is found. The reason I know this is because of what I read in Luke 15.
Move #4: The Lost Son: Emphasis, the Celebration
- There once was a son. The younger of two sons. And this son decided one day that he was tired of following his father’s rules. He decided he needed his freedom. So he went to his father, and he said, "Dad, you’d be better off dead. But since your not dead yet. Give me my inheritance. Show me the money" And the Dad gave it to him. So the son took his father’s money, and he went as far off as he could go. He made lots of new friends, after all, money always has friends. He threw parties, wild parties, that lasted days on end. He bought booze, and hit the casinos. This went on for some time. But eventually the last dollar was spent. And when the last dollar was spent, he found out who his true friends really were. And he discovered he had none. He became hungry, he searched for a job, but times were tough. Eventually he found someone who would hire him, "Great, what do you need me to do?" "Well, son, I need someone who will feed the pigs." "The pigs, but I’m Jewish." "That’s not my problem, son, take or leave it, that’s all I have to offer." And the son’s stomach began to grumble, "I’ll take it." But it didn’t pay much, and he continued to grow hungry. So hungry that one day he picked up the pig slop, closed his eyes, and he ate it.
- And as he chewed the slop in his mouth, he thought of the servants at his father’s house. He knew what they would be eating tonight. He knew where they would be sleeping, what they would be paid. And he decided that it was time to swallow his pride. To admit he was lost and alone and frightened. He knew there was something missing in his life.
- So he made his way home. He traveled the long road of repentance. And as he turned the corner, he could see his father’s house in the distance. He wondered if his father would be looking for him. He wondered if his dad would accept him. He rehearsed a speech over and over in his mind, "Father I have sinned against God and against you, please forgive me." Over and over.
- Until all of a sudden, he could see in the distance an old man. Running, running, running towards him. He looked closer. It can’t be. It is. It’s my father. They meet, "Father, I’ve sinned against..." But before he could finish the father embraced his lost son whom he had been searching for. Together they returned to the house.
- "Kill the fattened calf, tonight we celebrate." The older son objected, "But Dad, what about me. Where’s my reward. I never left you, I’ve been here all along. Why does he get the celebration?"
- Because, this son of mine who was dead, is alive again. He was lost but now he is found. Let’s celebrate.
- And don’t you know that everytime a lost sinner is found. Everytime a lost person responds to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Everytime a sheep returns to the flock. Everytime our searching results in salvation. Don’t you know that there is a great party that breaks out in the heavens. There is not one person whom God would not party over. There is no one you will ever lock eyes with whom God would not celebrate over. And we have an opportunity to be a part of that celebration. I can assure you of this... there is no greater reward in life, than to be a part of seeing someone come to Jesus Christ. Don’t miss out... Don’t miss the celebration. Will you join the search?
