Segment 2
Please take a moment to place your vote. If you have an idea for an improvement, I am very teachable. My e-Mail is pastorbrian@greenrivernazarene.com
not for publication... simply written to be preached. i remember that this first illustration came from somewhere on the Sermon Central web page? i’m not sure where.
I know of a pastor who tells the story a time when his children were lost!
Have you ever lost something valuable?
One pastor tells of a time when he lost something valuable!
“My kids were lost and I didn’t even know it.” ...
When I was in school in Dallas my 2 kids 6 & 9, spent the afternoon with a pastor friend of mine.
Janet and I were at work and didn’t even know the kids had wandered off until we got home late that night. Evidently the kids had gone for a walk to a small pond out in the country where they lived and had gotten lost.
My friend and his wife were frantic. That night he came over and we thought it was to bring the kids. He came to the door with the most dreadful look on his face and said the kids were lost.
What do you mean there lost? , not fully realizing what he was talking about. About that time the phone rang and his wife said the kids were found.
A police car brought them home after answering a call from a small country store, and he picked them up on the side of the road.
Wow, talk about an emotional roller coaster. What an awesome relief for my friend after looking and calling all afternoon. He was devastated. Have you ever lost something valuable? What did you do to find it?
This will be the second of 3 messages entitled Lost and Found based on the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin
God’s word reads as follows.. The Parable of the Lost Sheep
Lk 15:3 Then Jesus told them this parable:
Lk 15:4 “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?
Lk 15:5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders
Lk 15:6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’
Lk 15:7 I 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
The Parable of the Lost Coin
Lk 15:8 “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?
Lk 15:9 And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’
Lk 15:10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
n Just as we heard a few moments ago, in the story of those missing children, we see in this parable that a loss of something valuable warrants an all out search!
o When something valuable is lost, it is worth everything it takes to find it.
§ The power of love wouldn’t give up on the lost sheep!
§ Left the 99 and searched for the lost sheep!
· Looked in the night
· Looked in the wilderness
· Looked high, and low
· Looked in spite of danger, threat, and predators
· But Love knows no limits!
· You see even the youngest, the weakest, and the sickliest of His flock are as dear to him as the strongest!
§ Swept the house
· The coin was worth an all out search,
· I think of what it would feel like to have one of my children come up missing! I can tell you that I would begin to sweep our neighborhood in increasing circles, I would call the cops to help me, Cindy would get on the phone and call the neighbors, and we would be frantic!
· There is not way in the world, that we would say, O that’s ok I have 1 more child now that that one’s gone! .
o This lady in the parable had a total of 10 coins, but she didn’t say, that’s ok, I have 9 more
· Lit a lamp
· She Swept the house
o Think of your own feelings if your purse, or your wallet came up missing.
§ How would you feel 5 minutes after you started searching and couldn’t find it? Mild uneasiness
§ how would you feel 1 hour after you started searching and couldn’t find it? Panic!
· You mind would begin racing trying to think of that last place that you know that you had it.
· You would retrace your steps
· You might even begin to pray that The Lord would help you ( that would be good)
§ How would you feel as you near the end of the day?
· Credit cards, bank account numbers, money, your day planner, Palm Pilot, receipts,
· Despair and hopelessness can set in.
o The last time I lost something valuable, I swept the house as well.
§ Under the couch
§ Flipping over the cushions
§ Under the refrigerator
§ Behind the washing machine
§ Looking in every pants pocket!
§ Under the bed,
§ Under the seats of the car
§ And yes, I didn’t forget to check the lint trap in the dryer
§ I prayed that the Lord would help me to find what was lost
Closing Remarks… do you remember in genesis, Adam and Even sinned, and were lost in sin!
They were painfully aware of their lost condition. They had been separated from the pure fellowship that they had with God. They hid among the trees in the garden and God went searching for them and calling to them…. Where are you?
Are you lost this morning? God wants you to know that you don’t have to be any longer!
Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling, calling for you and for me… see on the portals he’s waiting and watching, watching for you and for me! Come home, come home, you who are weary come home. Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling, calling o sinner come home! (#337 hymnal)
(I’m Brian Byers with 1st church of the Nazarene in Green River, you can find us on the web at greenrivernazarene.com… our worship services begins at 11am this morning, I look forward to seeing you soon I pray that this has been meaningful and helpful to you… May The Lord Bless you and keep you! Amen)
