Seeking the Lost

Seeking the Lost

October 17, 2010

Introduction

Wednesday evening, we went through the presentation that I attended at the Harding Lectureship. I was very touched and moved by the presentation. Why?

It told of a young woman who was dying of lung cancer and knew she was lost, but needed someone to show her the way. But that is only part of the story. What had her life been like?

I was touched by the story of the young lady who knew she needed to get married.

This morning, our topic is “Seeking the Lost.” How did Jesus see the lost? What did He do about the lost? What does He want us to do about the lost?

Body

I. Jesus saw the lost with a lot of love and compassion.

A. He saw them as sheep without a shepherd.

(Mat 9:36-38 NKJV) But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. {37} Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. {38} "Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."

B. He saw them as the sick needing a physician.

(Mat 9:9-13 NKJV) As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me." So he arose and followed Him. {10} Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. {11} And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, "Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" {12} When Jesus heard that, He said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. {13} "But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."

C. The lost are not a desirable group in many cases.

1. Lost sheep are most likely smelly things.

2. Those that are sick are weak and helpless.

3. Some would describe their lives as hell on earth.

4. Hence the song, “Rescue the perishing, care for the dying. Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save.

II. What did Jesus do about the lost?

A. His mission was to seek and save the lost.

B. Two weeks ago, we concluded our thoughts with this story:

(Luke 19:7-10 NKJV) But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, "He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner." {8} Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold." {9} And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; {10} "for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."

C. He ultimately gave His life to save the lost.

(Mat 20:18-19 NKJV) "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, {19} "and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again."

1. Can we be number 1 & number 2?

(Mat 20:20-21 NKJV) {20} Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him. {21} And He said to her, "What do you wish?" She said to Him, "Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom."

2. Are you willing to pay the price?

(Mat 20:22-23 NKJV) But Jesus answered and said, "You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They said to Him, "We are able." {23} So He said to them, "You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father."

III. What does He want us to do about the lost?

A. He want us to feed His sheep.

(John 21:15 – 18 (Phillips) When they had finished breakfast Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these others?" "Yes, Lord," he replied, "you know that I am your friend." {16} - "Then feed my lambs," returned Jesus. Then he said for the second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" "Yes, Lord," returned Peter. "You know that I am your friend." {17) "Then care for my sheep," replied Jesus. Then for the third time, Jesus spoke to him and said, "Simon, son of John, are you my friend?" Peter was deeply hurt because Jesus' third question to him was "Are you my friend?", and he said, "Lord, you know everything. You know that I am your friend!" {18} "Then feed my sheep,"

B. Jesus said the invited one did not come. Get the “undesirable.”

(Luke 14:16-24 NKJV) Then He [Jesus] said to him, "A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, {17} "and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, 'Come, for all things are now ready.' {18} "But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.' {19} "And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.' {20} "Still another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.' {21} "So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.' {22} "And the servant said, 'Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.' {23} "Then the master said to the servant, 'Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. {24} 'For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.'"

C. He told His disciples to go.

(Mat 10:12-15 NKJV) "And when you go into a household, greet it. {13} "If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. {14} "And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. {15} "Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!

1. Do we decide who should be lost because we will not go?

2. Do we fail to go see those we are not attracted to?

IV. The night is coming.

A. We never know when.

B. We need to work while we have opportunity.

Conclusion

I. We need to pray for reapers.

(Mat 9:35-38 NKJV) Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. {36} But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. {37} Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. {38} "Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."

II. We need to see the harvest that is before us.

(John 4:35 NKJV) "Do you not say, 'There are still four months and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!

III. May we have a compassion for the lost.

IV. May we ask for God’s wisdom and guidance to find them and work with them.

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