What Matters To God Series

What Matters to God?

Created for Significance Series

CCCAG 3-14-21

Scripture- Luke 15:1-11

Have you ever asked yourself this question before you pray about something- “how can I get God to answer this prayer in a way that I think is the right way?”

It's OK if you have.

it is human nature to think that we have the right answer or the right solution to a problem.

Have we ever asked ourselves instead, “What is important to God in this situation?”

I believe much of the struggle that we have in our lives and in our relationship with God comes from asking the wrong questions and perhaps asking him with the wrong motive.

This morning we're going to continue are created for significant series and asking the question what matters to God?

We're going to start off by reading our primary scripture for the day which is Luke 15-

Luke 15:1-10

15 Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."

3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 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? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' 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.

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? 9 And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.' 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

NIV

Let’s pray. [Prayer]

What’s really important to God?

When it comes to a big decision, is that the first question you ask?

Probably not…most of us don’t ask that at all much less it being the first consideration we think of.

Perhaps we should

We pray the Lord’s prayer- thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven

So let’s talk about what really matters to God.

When you study the Bible, you’ll discover that God is on an all-out search for two kinds of people.

God is not searching like some people go shopping, just meandering through the aisles and seeing if something catches his eye.

God is searching like a typical man shops in a grocery store.

When a man walks into the grocery store he thinks like he's a member of a special operations team.

We have a list of targets

We will find those targets

We will execute retrieving those targets with extreme prejudice

We exfil this location at the earliest convenience with our captives and bring them home for interrogation.

So God is diligently searching for two kinds of people, and my hope is that in the next half hour, you’re going to be able to diagnose the category you’re in right now and the category you want to be in.

The first category of people that God is searching for are what he calls, the fully committed.

Let me explain this to you.

In 2 Chron 14, a king of Israel named Asa came under attack from the neighbor to his north.

Historically, Asa is not a military genius by any stretch of the imagination.

Asa had one strategy for battle- Asa’s strategy was to do the best he could to array his troops tactically, and then pray that God would fight for them.

And God always did. As a result, Asa never lost a battle.

One time, Asa was attacked by a vastly superior force from Ethiopia. In customary fashion, he arrayed his troops and then prayed. Let me read you the actual account from the Bible.

Once an Ethiopian named Zerah attacked Judah with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots. They advanced to the city of Mareshah, so Asa deployed his armies for battle in the valley north of Mareshah. (2 Chron. 14:9–10)

Then Asa cried out to the Lord His God, “O Lord, no one but you can help the powerless against the mighty! Help us, O Lord our God, for we trust in you alone. It is in your name that we have come against this vast horde. O Lord, you are our God; do not let mere men prevail against you!” (2 Chron. 14:11)