Sermon Tone Analysis

The Mission

Our mission versus Christ’s Mission?

When the church loses sight of its mission, it drifts and becomes something else.

A club, entertainment, social gathering…a hobby.

Just something we do, not a mission we are called by God to fulfill!

Parable of the Great Banquet ()

Invited guests didn’t come.

GO GET ANYONE!

EVEN THE

CONSIDER THE COST...

SALT IS WORTHLESS IF IT LOSES ITS SALTINESS…it is thrown out!

WE ARE CALLED TO BE SALT!

The Problem

Is our attitude more like Jesus or the Pharisees and teachers of the law?

Jesus came to seek and save the lost.

Jesus gives us three parables to show us how that is done!

THERE ARE THREE UNIQUE SITUATIONS HERE AS WELL!

Sheep often wander off.

They were under the protection of the Shepherd, but they got distracted chasing after whatever was in front of them, and the next thing they know is they look up and wander how they got where they are?

Jesus says you have to leave the assembly and go out, seek and find the lost sheep, and carry it back home.

AND THEN YOU THROW A PARTY BECAUSE HEAVEN IS!

Luke 15:8

What did this coin do to get lost?

It was dropped.

Some people are lost because they have been dropped by life.

Some of them have been carelessly dropped by people professing to be Christians.

Jesus says you light a lamp (day and night at great cost) and search the whole house until you find it!

And then you throw a party because heaven is!

Who’s fault is this?

The son.

The point of the 3 stories in the one parable of is that the lost never can find themselves, God must find them.

February 2019 Memory Verse

The Father didn’t mistreat the son, neither did the brother.

The son simply believes it will be more fun if he experiences life outside of his Father’s house.

FAMINE! - This son is hungry.

There’s a severe shortage of food, and he doesn’t have any.

He has no wealth left to purchase what he needs.

He finds himself in need of benevolence/charity.

What drives the son home?

Physical needs.

Luke 15:17-

What drives the son home?

Physical needs.

He can’t find any help in this far off country, so he decides to go back where life was good in hopes of finding food.

BECAUSE LIFE GETS ROUGH, HE RETURNS HOME TO LOOK FOR HELP WITH HIS PHYSICAL NEEDS.

V. 18 is the same words Pharaoh uses to try to appease God and get rid of the plagues.

Luke 15:20

The Father is clearly looking for any sign of the son’s return, and when he sees it, he runs to meet him where he is!

And then he throws a party because heaven is!

Luke 15:25-

The Older Brother

The older brother was trying to be faithful to the father, but wasn’t in tune with the father’s heart!

He doesn’t even consider the prodigal to be his brother, “…this son of yours...”

He’s offended that there’s a celebration over the lost son because of what he had done in the past.

Seeking and Saving the Lost

Lost isn’t a condemnation.

Lost is a valuation!

The lost person is valuable!

If someone is lost, they are worth finding!

They are worth upending everything in order to bring them home!

In the parable of the lost sheep, the Good Shepherd went searching for the lost sheep.

In the parable of the lost silver, the woman went searching for her coin (or ring).

“ ‘Come.

Follow me,’ Jesus said.

‘I will make you fishers of people.’

At once they left their nets and followed him.”

But in the parable of the lost son, no one went searching for the son.

-Mark 1:17-18

THE BROTHER AT HOME WAS SUPPOSED TO GO LOOKING FOR HIS BROTHER!!!!

Then it HIT ME.

THE BROTHER AT HOME WAS SUPPOSED TO GO LOOKING FOR HIS BROTHER!!!!

Now I think that is one of the main points Jesus is making.

Thats the parallel in the other two parables that is lacking in the prodigal son.

Jesus is trying to get them to see they should have been out there all along, looking for their lost brother!!

The Pharisees should have been out looking for the lost sons instead of staying home looking down their noses at them.

The Pharisees should have been out looking for the lost sons instead of staying home shaking their heads at them.

The point of the 3 stories in the one parable of is that the lost never can find themselves, God must find them, and he expects us to be the ones looking for them!

They get lost for a variety of reasons, and they get found in a variety of ways, but we are truly a Faith, Hope, and Love church that is committed to THE MISSION of Christ to seek and save the lost, we better be out there looking, and using every opportunity we have to find them!

Faith, Hope, & Love

Our theme this year is to bring HOPE to a dying world.

We need to bring HOPE to a LOST world that is valuable and worth hearing the message of HOPE that Christ offers!

Done through foreign missions, but it needs to be done right here at home as well!

Over the next several weeks leading up to Easter, and leading up to Worship in the Park we are going to be very focused on seeking and saving the lost in our community!

IT STARTS TODAY!

Maybe you need to reach out to your ONE and start “seeking and finding” them.

Invite them!

Involve them in prayer.

Be sure they know that they are worth the price Jesus paid for them.

Maybe you need to come home…perhaps it’s you that’s lost.

We’re here to welcome and throw a party for you!

You are worth saving.

Won’t you let Jesus do that for you today?