Searching for the LOST, till you are LOST yourself.

Place: Biddulph AOG.                     Date: Sun. PM 26TH Nov. 2006.

Text: Luke 15:1-32.                         Theme: Searching for the LOST, till you are LOST yourself.

Introduction:                                    Reading: Luke 15:1-32.

1ST POINT: THE LOST SHEEP,” 100-1.

“Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him.

And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.”

So He spoke this parable to them, saying:

“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is LOST until he finds it?

And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbours, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was LOST!” Luke 15:1-6.

It is a marvellous picture. God calling people sheep is not always kind, but it is loving. Those shepherds loved their sheep, but sheep are not known for being too bright. It goes off in search of lush pasture and ends up in thorns and brambles: torn, hurt, afraid, hungry, and LOST.

But here comes the Good Shepherd. He leaves the heavens, and walks the hills searching for the sheep He loves. Calling them by name: “Adam: where are you?” The Bible speaks of God’s search for US right from the start. Right from the fall of man God has been searching for us. Calling out ’Adam, Adam, where are you? I love you!’

Here we read of a man that searches for a sheep till he finds it. I believe this can speak of men and women for are looking only for things! That thing maybe a better car, a bigger house, etc. but mainly all of their lives they are searching for things and better things. Their very life is filled with a materialistic world, and there is always one more thing to get before they are truly happy.

In the Old Testament we have this verse, Isaiah 53:6

    “All we like sheep have gone astray;

    We have turned, every one, to his own way;

    And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”

And in the New Testament we have this verse, 1 Peter 2:25 “For you were like sheep going astray.”

In the search for things and more things, you can get yourself LOST, and you need to be found. YOU may say “it is not for me; anyway I still do not feel very important.

He only cares about the 1-100 and sheep are not very valuable. So, Jesus tells another story. But this time He changes the odds from 100-1, to one in ten!

2ND POINT: THE LOST COIN:   

“Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it?

And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbours together, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I LOST!'

Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” Luke 15:8-10.

Here we have the woman or man that searches for a LOST coin. Today in our age and generation there are many who live only for money. Looking for that lucky lottery ticket, the easy win. Or even working all hours God has given them to earn that money, their whole life is taken up with the search and gaining of money.

The Bible says Matthew 16:26 “What will a man give in exchange for his soul? For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” We search and save till we are LOST ourselves.

Now the Father’s voice calls louder. It is not to 1 in the 100, it is now 1 in 10. Your worth goes up, and so does the chance that the shepherd is seeking YOU. YOU are the one who needs Him, today!

3RD POINT: THE LOST SON:

          “Then He said: “A certain man had two sons.

And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.' So he divided to them his livelihood.

And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.

But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want” Luke 15:11-14.

          Here again is the man who searches for the pleasures of this life. He is the party animal, never happy unless, he has a fag in his mouth, a drink in his hand and a woman on his arm. He lives for the long weekends when he throws himself into immoral living.

          In this case he had a rude awaking when he had spent all. For when he had LOST all, he found that he was LOST also. Now Jesus shows you truly how important you are to Him and the Father. It is now one on one, now it is Jesus and YOU.

And it is not a sheep or coin, now it is a son. Do you see how important you are to God, now? YOU are like His son. In fact, you ARE as valuable as His Son, as He gave His one and only Son for you.

To pay the price for you to be rescued from the thicket. Redeemed from unimportance, the LOST ness of being alone now and in eternity. That is how God feels about YOU. And that is how He has been searching for you. Waiting at the gate looking over the hills to see if his son will come to his senses and return to me?’ You might have only just started to turn around. In fact that may just be starting NOW this very moment. You take one step and God will take a million.

In each three cases, by their search for the LOST things in their lives, they in turn got LOST themselves. Jesus said that “He had come to seek and to save that which was LOST” Luke 19:10. I believe the “Gospel Message” meets the man or women in their place of need!

CONCLUSION:

Heaven is always viewed as being above, and upward. And hell as being below, downward. I view men and women walking on a road that joins these two places.

On this road are those that have found their hope and salvation in Jesus Christ, those that have been LOST but now are found, they are walking upward towards heaven.

          The others on this road have LOST their way, and are sadly walking downward to a LOST eternity. The Gospel Message is the place where those that are going downward have the opportunity to hear and to accept the way of salvation and to find their way again.

Sadly as they are walking downward on a slippery slope they may only pass this way once. So 2 Corinthians 6:2 says “In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

          Today is your day of salvation. Will you come to Jesus right now?