BACKGROUND:
Palestinian women would often receive ten silver coins as a wedding gift. Besides their monetary value, these coins held sentimental value like that of a wedding ring; to lose one would be extremely distressing. The ten coins could have been this woman’s life savings, meant to support her in a time of need. Upon discovering that one of the coins was missing, the woman would light a lamp in order to see into the dark corners, and sweep every part of the dirt-packed floor in hope of finding it. Although the woman still had nine coins, she would not rest until the tenth was retrieved. Her search was rewarded. Like the shepherd, she shared her joy with her friends and neighbors so they could rejoice with her.
Just as a shepherd would rejoice over finding a lost sheep and a woman would rejoice at finding her lost coin, so all heaven rejoices over a repentant sinner. Each individual is precious to God. He actively seeks those lost ones, and when they are found, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels. Through these two parables, Jesus was explaining to his detractors that, while they were not pleased with him, God was pleased that Jesus was seeking the lost souls and bringing them the Good News of the Kingdom.
SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)
Yesterday I started to share some biblical reasons why the mission of Jesus - "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." Luke 19:10 (NIV) - must become our life mission as well. Let me continue with those reasons now;
#2.Sharing the good news is a privilege. 2 Corinthians 5:18, says “And God has given us the privilege of urging everyone to come into His favor and be reconciled to Him. This is the wonderful message that He’s given us to tell others. We are Christ’s ambassadors.” I am an ambassador for the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ. It is a privilege to represent Him. It is a privlege to urge and implore people to make peace with God. Paul says in Romans 16 “I am proud of the good news because it is the power that God uses to save everyone who believes.” There is no other way.
#3. Jesus’ mission must become my mission because I am grateful for what Jesus has done for me. Too often we forget how good the good news really is. In Ephesians 2:12 Paul says, “Remember in the past you were without Christ and you had no hope and you didn’t know God.” It was a miserable life. We were hopeless and we did not have God. Today, because we do have God, we do have hope, we do have Christ in our lives. We’re grateful for that. Paul says, “I have a great sense of obligation to the people in our culture and the people in other cultures.” What’s the obligation? I'm grateful for what God’s done for me.
If I had the cure for cancer and I didn’t share it, that would be criminal. If I had the cure for AIDS and didn’t share it, that would be criminal. If I had the only way to know Jesus Christ and to know God and get into heaven and I didn’t tell it to the people who lived by me, that’s criminal. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:14 “Christ’s love compels us because we’re convinced that one died for all.” God has never made a person that He didn’t love. Everybody matters to God. And because God cares about people, we must care too. So we’re grateful for what God has done for us.
#4. People are hopelessly lost without Christ. Acts 4:12 (New Century Version) says, “Jesus is the only one who can save people. His name is the only power in the world that has been given to save people. We must be saved through Him.” It’s the only way to heaven, people are lost without Christ. So we have to share it. What do we do?
As Romans 10:13-14 says “Anyone who calls on the Lord will be saved, but before people can ask the Lord for help they must believe in Him and before they believe in Him they’ve got to hear about Him and for them to hear about the Lord, somebody must tell them.” Somebody’s got to tell them. God could write the good news in the sky but He’s chosen instead to use you and use me. That is a privilege. And God wants us to share the good news because people without Christ are hopelessly lost.
So let me ask you this morning - do people matter to you? Do lost people matter to you? How much? Enough to do something about their lostness? Enough to share your story wit them of how you came to Christ? Enough to invite them to church? Enough to share with them the plan of salvation?
Ponder these truths in your heart and mind today. Then, read 1 Corinthians 4:20. Share with me what that verse has to do with this whole topic of reaching those who don't know Christ.
I love you guys. Stay faithful. Stay the course.
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