Monday, May 21, 2012

What Gave Jesus Joy? (Luke 10:1-21) MAY 22, 2012


What Gave Jesus Joy?
Luke 10:1-21

OPEN: Comments by several people about what they felt would make someone happy.

ILLUS: The Jewish Encyclopedia tells us that no language has as many words for joy and rejoicing as does the language of the Old Testament Hebrew. In the Old Testament there are 13 Hebrew language roots, used in 27 different words. They are primarily used for some aspect of joy or joyful participation in worshipping God. (Kaufmann Kohler)

There is NO OTHER LANGUAGE like the Hebrew language that has as many words for joy. And that’s because God’s people were meant to be a joyful people. A thankful people. A people filled with rejoicing.

So, the question is this: How do I lay hold of that joyfulness?
What do I have to do to be filled with joy in my life?

The interesting thing about the text we read this morning is that we find 2 instances of joy listed.
The first of these is found in verse 17 - “The seventy-two returned with joy…”

And the 2nd is in verse 21 “At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit…”

What caught my attention here was the fact that JESUS was full of joy!
Now, in this series of sermons I’ve been trying to deal with situations that moved Jesus.
Situations where Jesus cried.
Where His heart was touched.
OR He felt a certain affection for someone.

And what’s unique about this passage is that it’s the ONLY place I could find where Jesus is said to have experienced Joy. And we have a bonus in this text because not only does Jesus experience Joy BUT so do the men He sent out on their mission.

So, I want to start with the 72 men Jesus sent out on a missions’ trip.
Now, they had a simple job. They were the “advance men” for Jesus’ ministry. They were to visit the different towns Jesus would visit over the next few months and prepare the way for Him to come in and speak.

First, Jesus told to pray TO God: "Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Luke 10:2

And then they were to work FOR God. They were to do miraculous things like heal people & cast out demons in Jesus’ name, and they were to preach one simple message: “the Kingdom of God is near.”

In that simple message, they were warning the townspeople that something dramatic was going to happen. Someone was coming that would tell them God’s will for their lives and share the thrilling news of the coming Messiah.

When they got back – these 12 were excited!!!
Luke 10:17 tells us “The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name."

They’d never had anything like this happen before.
They were changing other people’s lives!
AND they were doing something important with their own lives!

They’re excited!
They’re pumped!
They don’t think anything can stop them now that they follow Jesus!

But then Jesus does the oddest thing: He rains on their parade a little bit.

He says “do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." Luke 10:20

Now, why would Jesus say that?
Why would He tell them they were rejoicing in the wrong thing?

Well, because they were.
Jesus wanted them to understand that there were two kinds of joy:

Joy of this World
And Joy of the Lord.

The “Joy of this world” is based on what “I” can DO.
How much money I can make.
How much position or fame I can receive.
How attractive I can make myself.
How much pleasure I can enjoy.

Joy for people of the world is based on “ME”
Look at what “I” did.
Look at what “I” accomplished.
Look at what “I” attained.

That’s exactly what Jesus is trying to get at.
“Do not rejoice that the spirits submit to YOU”
BUT rejoice that your names are written in heaven." Luke 10:20

Don’t rejoice in what you have done.
Rejoice in what God has done for you.

Jesus said they should rejoice in the fact that GOD has written their names down in “the book”.
Ephesians 2 tells us that – as Christians saved by the blood of Jesus – our name is written down in that book. And because we’ve been saved by the grace of God:
“… we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10

Since our names are written down in Heaven, we now have the power to do good works which God prepared in advance for us. When we became saved, God gave us access to the all the power of heaven. We have literally been ‘plugged in’ to the power of Heaven.

ILLUSTRATION: (pull out a clothes iron)
This is an iron. It’s really a great little invention. You pour a little water into the reservoir, you plug it into the wall socket and you can make wrinkled pants and shirts look almost brand new.
It works really well… as long as it’s plugged in.
But what happens when the iron gets unplugged?
It isn’t going to iron very good anymore is it?
Without electricity will make a nice paperweight. But without that electricity, it can’t do what it was designed to do. Its power is derived from the electricity it gets from the wall.

In the same way – our power is derived from being plugged into the resources of Heaven. And we got that “plugged in” when our names got written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Jesus tells the 72 men – YOU got your power from me. “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.” Luke 10:19

So don’t rejoice (Jesus is saying) in what YOU have done.
Rejoice in the power God has given you by your name being written down in the heaven.
Rejoice in God, and what He’s done for you.
Because Joy is NOT a man/woman thing… it’s a God thing.

Now I want to switch from the 72 disciples to the next two verses that tell us about Christ’s joy. What was it that made Jesus joyful?
“At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit”
Where is Jesus getting His joy? (through the Holy Spirit)

Now notice what Jesus does once He’s filled with joy through the Holy Spirit
He begins to pray.
In fact, it’s not just a prayer… it’s a praise.
(He) said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure. "All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." Luke 10:21-22

The first 9 words out of His mouth were praises:
“I PRAISE you, Father – Lord of Heaven and Earth”

Jesus is receives His joy from the Spirit
And because of that joy, he praises the Father.
He receives His joy and reflects His joy to God.
Because Joy Is A God Thing, not a man thing.

Joy is not about what YOU can do.
It’s about what God can and will do through you.

Of all people on earth… we ought to be the most joyful people in town
We ought to be singing about that joy all the time.
In fact, if you know this song, sing it along with me:

“I’ve got the joy-joy-joy-joy down in my heart.
Down in my heart, down in my heart.
“I’ve got the joy-joy-joy-joy down in my heart.
Down in my heart to stay.

And I’m so happy, so very happy,
I’ve got the love of Jesus in my heart
And I’m so happy, so very happy,
I’ve got the love of Jesus in my heart

I’ve got the peace that passes understanding down in my heart
Down in my heart, down in my heart.
I’ve got the peace that passes understanding down in my heart
Down in my heart to stay.

And I’m so happy, so very happy,
I’ve got the love of Jesus in my heart
And I’m so happy, so very happy,
I’ve got the love of Jesus in my heart”

That’s the kind of song we need to be singing ALL the time. Because it is the will of our Father that we be a joyful people. That’s why the Hebrew is so filled with words that describe joy. And joy is a repeated theme in both the Old and the New Testaments.


But sometimes, that’s not so easy to do.
Are there times when you just don’t feel “joyful?”
Times when you don’t feel like “rejoicing?”
Of course there are.
There are times I don’t feel like it either.

That’s why God makes such an emphasis on the power of Joy.
For example, in Philippians 4, Paul says
”Rejoice in the Lord always, again I’ll say rejoice.”

Now, why did Paul repeat himself? Why say “again I say rejoice?”

ILLUS: How many of you have children/grandchildren?
Have you ever had to repeat yourself with them?
WHY?
Because they don’t pay attention the first time!

Paul repeats himself on this because Rejoicing doesn’t come naturally to us. He repeats himself because we’re too distracted by the toils of this world to focus on the real power that rejoicing can give us in our lives.

Nehemiah 8:10 tells us “… Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

Where’s that joy come from?
It’s OF THE LORD!

You see, that kind of Joy isn’t OF the world. It’s of the Lord.
The world didn’t give me that kind of joy… God did.
And since the world didn’t give it to me – guess what? - the world can’t take it away!

Now – this is important.
If you miss this next point you’ll have missed the WHOLE point of the sermon.
The joy of this world will fail you.
If my joy is focused on what I can do, what I can accumulate, what I can possess, what I can brag of… then I can lose that.

If my joy is in my possessions… and I lose my possessions –
(guess what) I’ll lose my joy.
If my joy is in my house… and I lose my house –
(guess what) I’ll lose my joy
If my joy is in my health… and I lose my health –
(guess what) I’ll lose my joy
If my joy is in a loved one… and I lose that loved one –
(guess what) I’ll lose my joy

AND when I lose my joy…
The world starts falling apart on me.
I can become depressed, discouraged, demoralized.
I may even wonder why I want to live!!!
And when that happens… I’ve literally lost my strength.

And when that happens a lot of people begin to get angry with Jesus.
They say “Jesus, why did you allow me to lose that which I found such joy in?

And Jesus will say
“Didn’t I tell you?
Didn’t you listen?
There is nothing you have on this earth that you’ll ever keep.”

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.” Matthew 6:19

Everything you are attracted to in this world is going to get broken, stolen, rust or die.
If your joy is wrapped up in those things you’re destined for disappointment.

BUT Nehemiah 8:10 tells us “… Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

The people who understand this can weather any storm
They can survive any tragedy.
They can heal from any heartache.
They can handle any hardship in this world.
Because they Joy of the Lord is their strength

And that was what Jesus was trying to teach us in Luke 10
You (as Christians) don’t get your joy from this world… you get from the Lord.
And since the world didn’t give it to you, the world can’t take it away

CLOSE: While on a short-term missions trip, Jack Hinton from New Bern, N. Carolina, was leading worship at a leper colony on the island of Tobago. There was time for one more song, so he asked if anyone had a request. A woman who had been facing away from the pulpit turned around.
“It was the most hideous face I had ever seen. The woman’s nose and ears were entirely gone. The disease had destroyed her lips as well. She lifted a fingerless hand in the air and asked,
‘Can we sing Count Your Many Blessing?’”
Overcome with emotion, Hinton left the service. He was followed by another team member who said, “Jack, I guess you’ll never be able to sing that song again.”
“Yes I will,” he replied, “but I’ll never sing the same way.”

Now why was that woman - so misshapen by disease - able to sing that song?
Because she had learned that the Joy of the Lord was her strength.
She had learned that without Him (Jesus) there was nothing worth anything to her.
But with Jesus she had a joy the world could not take away.


The Day Jesus Wept (John 11:1-45)


The Day Jesus Wept
John 11:1-45

OPEN: Back in March of 2008, the mayor of a city in SW France had a problem. It seems his village was running out of space. Not in housing, nor in the retail district, nor even at City Hall. It seems they were running out of space… in the cemetery. There was no room for any more graves. It was full. And apparently (wait for it) people were just dying to get in.

Now the mayor tried to purchase land that was next to the cemetery, but an administrative court ruled that his village couldn’t do that. And so the mayor - having no space in the cemetery, and unable to purchase more land to bury people - did what any politician would have done… he passed a law. And he had this law posted in the city building informing the 260 residents of the town that they are no longer allowed to die.

The ordinance read, in part, "[A]ll persons not having a plot in the cemetery and wishing to be buried in Sapourenx are forbidden from dying in the parish…. Offenders will be severely punished"
(From an article by Patrick D. Odum)

APPLY: Of course, everybody knew that was a silly law.
You can’t stop people from dying. All you can do is to determine what to do with them when they do die.

In ancient Israel, the bodies of the dead were washed and wrapped in winding cloths. The Jewish historian Josephus tells us that corpses were usually perfumed with various spices. The perfume was partly to honor the dead, but mostly it was used to disguise the smell of decay that set in after a few days. They had none of the advance embalming techniques that we have to stop the body from decaying, so bodies were generally buried a day or so.

Now, poor families would take the deceased out into a field and drop it into a hole dug in the ground. But richer families could afford to use tombs - caves that had been hollowed out and blocked by a stone rolled in front of the entrance.

John 11:38 basically informs us that Lazarus and his family were relatively wealthy people. “Jesus… came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.”

Of course, we all know the rest of the story…Lazarus dies, he’s buried, and 4 days later, Jesus raises him from the dead.

But there are some oddities to this story that make it intriguing.

The 1st oddity is this:
Jesus could have been there BEFORE Lazarus died.
From the way this story plays out, there’s no mistaking the fact that Jesus knew Lazarus would die. Jesus KNEW – before Lazarus even got sick – that Lazarus was going to die.

As I said last week, Jesus did great miracles/healings, I doubt that EVERY miracle/healing Jesus did was pre-planned. However the way Jesus responded when He heard that Lazarus was sick tells me that this miracle was arranged ahead of time in the very courts of Heaven.

Notice - before the disciples knew Lazarus had died Jesus told them:
“‘Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.’… Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.” John 11:11, 13

And then, Jesus waits 2 more days (knowing Lazarus HAD died) before returning to Jerusalem.

Vs. 6 tells us: “Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days.”

So, Jesus could have prevented Lazarus from dying.
If He had just shown up a few days earlier… Lazarus WOULD NOT have died. And that’s what both Mary and Martha say to Jesus when He arrives. They both tell Him the same thing: "Lord… if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” John 11:21

And they were right! They knew that Jesus had already healed dozens (perhaps 100s) of people up this point in His ministry. They also knew that Jesus had raised at least two people from the dead. And so, the moment they realized Lazarus was deathly sick they IMMEDIATELY sent for Him, because they KNEW that if Jesus came… Lazarus wouldn’t die.

But Jesus didn’t come. And Lazarus (pause) died.

The other oddity about this story is how Jesus responds to the funeral. He weeps!
“When Jesus saw (Mary) weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled… Jesus wept.” John 11:33,35

Now, if Jesus knew Lazarus was going to die (it was all pre-arranged), why weep? And if He knew He was going to raise Lazarus from the dead, even before he arrives at the grave, why shed tears?

Why would He weep? Well, He wept because He SAW Mary and the others weeping. Their grief tore at His heart. And He shed tears for their sorrow.

So, what does all this teach us?


Well, first – it teaches us there will be times when Jesus won’t show up when I want Him to. There will be times I’ll pray, and pray, and pray, and it will feel like Jesus just isn’t there.  Like Jesus … just didn’t show up.

Kind of like when He didn’t show up at Lazarus’ sick bed.
And allowed Lazarus to die.
And allowed his family and friends to mourn.

We don’t like that.
We are not comfortable with that.

Truth be told: We want A GOD that will do what I want done, when I want it done and how I think it should be done. And if God doesn’t do it the way I think it ought to be done then something’s wrong…. God’s not showing up.

I’m hurting.
I’m suffering.
I’m losing.
And when that happens there’s a part of me that wants to say: “Jesus… if you’d only been here this wouldn’t have happened!”

It hurts.
It’s uncomfortable
I don’t like it.

ILLUSTRATION: It’s kind of like having a fever.
You ever had a fever?
Do you remember how it felt?

Ø Your forehead is hot.
Ø In fact your whole body can be hot
Ø Your muscles ache
Ø Your head aches
Ø You shiver,



Ø You sweat
Ø Your entire body feels weak
Ø And all you want to do is lay around the house and do nothing.

And, if you’re anything like me - you get irritable.
You don’t want to be around me when I’m sick like that.
I just want to be left alone.

How many of you like having a fever?
Of course you don’t
It hurts, it’s uncomfortable… we do NOT like it.

Now, it used to be that doctors did everything they could to bring fevers down.
In fact, many over the counter medicines are designed to do just that. If you go to your local pharmacy, you’ll find several products with the phrase “FEVER REDUCER”, or “REDUCES FEVER” on the label.

But about 30 years ago researchers began to discover that moderate fevers were a necessary part of the body’s arsenal for fighting infections. Now these physicians were NOT talking about the really high fevers (which can be very dangerous, and which indicate you need to see a doctor --- NOW).
But with most moderate fevers (which is what most of the fevers we have are) researchers found that it was better just let the fever run its course.

Why?
Illnesses caused by bacteria thrive on iron. And when you have a fever, your iron levels drop. This in turn deprives the bacteria of much of their food source. (Readers. Digest 5/83 p.28)
In addition, new research indicates that a high temperature also boosts the immune system’s ability to function. When

your fever spikes, the body goes into overdrive in producing t-cells that attack the source of the disease.

So, fevers - which I do not like; which hurt me; which make me uncomfortable – were actually designed by God to help me. They were designed to fix that which is wrong in my life.
God created fevers to serve a purpose in my life.

And there are times that God does that in my spiritual life as well.
There are times when He allows the “fever” to run its course.
There are times He allows us to be uncomfortable.
Sometimes – EXTREMELY uncomfortable.

And He does that because He has something He wants to change something in my life.
He wants to fix something in my life.
He wants to heal something in my life.
And sometimes there are even times when He allows me to suffer to bring about a GREATER purpose for my life.

And that was what Jesus did for Lazarus.
Jesus brought suffering into Lazarus’ life to give his life a greater purpose.

Up until this time in his life Lazarus was just a friend of Jesus.
Everybody knew this was the one of Jesus’ closest friends.
When the sisters sent their message to Him they said: “Lord, the one you love is sick." John 11:3

Lazarus and his sisters may have financially supported Christ’s earthly ministry, but for the most part, Lazarus was simply Jesus’ friend. BUT, from the day Jesus raised him from the dead… Lazarus went from being a friend to becoming a partner in His ministry!



It was when Jesus came to Lazarus grave that He declared His most powerful statement of His ministry: "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" John 11:25-26

In about a week, Jesus was going to prove that He’s the resurrection and the life.
In a few short days He was going arrested, tried, beaten, crucified, buried… and on the third day He would rise from the dead.

But before that happens, Jesus let’s Lazarus become something of dry run test.

Before Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, He’s already resurrected two other people:
· The 12 year old daughter of Jairus
· And the son of the widow of Nain.
But they’d only been dead a few hours.

According to Jewish theology, a person wasn’t REALLY dead until after they’d been in the grave for 3 days. According to a 2nd century Jewish rabbi named Bar Kappara:
“Until three days [after death] the soul keeps on returning to the grave, thinking that it will go back [into the body]; but when it sees that the facial features have become disfigured, it departs and abandons it [the body].”

Now granted, that was a bizarre theology, based upon a very creative rendering of a verse out of the book of Job. But to the Jewish way of thinking it was very obvious: people weren’t really dead until they’d been in the grave long enough for the body to decay.

So Jesus was using Lazarus’ death as a proving ground.

A proving ground that declared that Jesus really was the resurrection and the life.

Jesus was very careful to make sure that Lazarus was REALLY, REALLY dead. He didn’t allow his body to lie in the grave just 1 day. Nor for just 2 days. Nor just 3 days. How many days was Lazarus in the tomb? 4 whole days.

As far as any critic could ever be concerned… Lazarus was REALLY, REALLY dead.
His body has been there long enough to be disfigured by the ravages of death.

That’s why, when Jesus ordered the grave to be opened, Martha protests:
"But, Lord, by this time there is a bad odour, for he has been there four days." John 11:39

No one had ever been raised from the dead after four days.
No one in the Old Testament… and no one in the New Testament. No one had EVER come back from the dead after four days in the grave. But Lazarus did.

And we’re told that – because Jesus brought Lazarus back from the dead: “Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him.” John 11:45

In fact, the effect of Lazarus’ resurrection was so powerful that “… a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and putting their faith in him.” John 12:9-11

So when Jesus didn’t SHOW UP at Lazarus’ sick bed… there was a reason. The reason: to bring about the faith of

those He was going to die for.

But still, Jesus wept. Why?

Because God takes no pleasure in our suffering. Because God knows our pain and sorrows. And even when He allows us to suffer for our own good He knows it hurts us… and He’s saddened because of what we endure.

That’s why Jesus wept.
And that’s part of the reason Romans 8 reassures us that when we pray “… the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.” Romans 8:26

That verse is saying that part of the Spirit’s job in our lives is to communicate the depths of our emotions to God the Father. There will be times in our lives when we may not know how to express our pain and suffering. And even if we could put those feelings into words – it wouldn’t begin to touch how deeply we’ve been hurt. But that doesn’t matter!
Because, once you’ve become a Christian. Once, you’ve believed that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God; Once you’ve repented of your sins, and confessed that Jesus is now the Lord of your life; Once you’ve been buried in the waters of Christian baptism and been risen up to a new life…Once you’ve become a Christian, God promises that His Spirit will live inside you. And because God’s Spirit is inside of us – we have a direct line to God. We don’t NEED to put our sorrows into words, because God’s Spirit intercedes for us with groans that words couldn’t even express. God KNOWS precisely how you and I feel at every moment in our lives.

He cares for you.
He understands you.
He loves you so much He wants you to know that He feels

your deepest sorrows.

CLOSE: Legend of Lazarus
It told of a time in Lazarus’ life when he’d grown old. All thru his life Lazarus had told and retold the story of his resurrection. Now, in that day, there was a cruel and evil Roman emperor named Caligula. He ruled with an iron fist… and he relied on executions to keep him in power.
“They do not have to love me,” Caligula said, “as long as they fear me.” He kept the people in fear, because he kept them in fear of their deaths by his hand.
But there was a new faith in Rome. A faith that Caligula grew to hate. These Christians had a faith in a God that caused them to not be afraid of death. And one of the most powerful preachers of this faith was Lazarus. Soon, Lazarus’ stories reached Caligula’s throne and he decided to make an example of him.

He brought Lazarus before him in chains and demanded: “Renounce your faith in this Christ”  But Lazarus refused.
In anger, Caligula shouted “If you don’t renounce your faith, I’ll have you put to death.”

For a moment Lazarus said nothing… then he began to laugh. Caligula became even more angry and he shouted. “Don’t you realize I have the power of life and death! I have the power to put you to death!”

But Lazarus only laughed longer and louder.

Then he looked the emperor and finally says
“You cannot hold me in fear, Caligula—death is dead!”
I’ve been there.
I’ve done that.
You can’t scare me.

That’s a great story!
Unfortunately, it’s not true.


It’s a fictional account of Lazarus life found in a play by Eugene O’Neil’s called, “Lazarus Laughed.”

In a way – the truth about this story of Lazarus was even more powerful than I had realized at first… because the writer of the play (Eugene O’Neil) was an unbeliever.He was a humanist who refused to accept the resurrection of Christ from the dead.

But even this atheist was struck by the power of the Biblical story of Lazarus. He wrote of his play “Certainly it contains the highest writing I have done. Certainly it composes in the theatre more than anything else I have done”

And he also wrote: “Certainly, I know of no play like “Lazarus” at all, and I know of no one who can play ‘Lazarus’ at all—the lead, I mean. Who can we get to laugh as one would laugh who had completely lost, even from the depths of the unconscious, all traces of the Fear of Death?”
(http://www.eoneill.com/library/contour/triumvirate2/lazarus.htm)

Think about it.
Even in this atheist, there was an understanding of the power of Lazarus being raised from dead. Even though he rejected Christ… O’Neil understood the central message of this story. Death had been defeated. Christ offered the promise of life and the hope of resurrection.  It was an atheist who wrote Lazarus’ defiant cry:

“You cannot hold me in fear—death is dead!”

The Marks Of A Mature Christian (An Overview of James)


The Marks Of A Mature Christian
(An Overview of James)

Without a doubt the biggest problem that we have in the church today is that of spiritual maturity. We get ourselves into all kinds of problems by saying immature things, by making immature decisions, by acting in immature ways. We need to become spiritually mature. We need to grow up.

Did you know that it is God’s will that every Christian become spiritually mature? It’s true! God wants us all to grow to spiritual maturity. In fact Paul scolds the Corinthian church for their lack of maturity. He treats them as if they are babies in Christ. Look at what the Bible says in First Corinthians chapter three:

“I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?” 1 Corinthians 3:2-3 (NKJV)

Paul tells them to grow up! God wants them to grow up – because spiritual immaturity causes all kinds of problems. God’s will for your life is spiritual maturity. One of the purposes of the church is to help you grow to spiritual maturity. What is spiritual maturity – let me start by telling you what it is not:

A. Spiritual maturity is not a matter of AGE.

Let me say up front – spiritual maturity does take time. It takes energy and it takes effort. No one becomes spiritually mature overnight. Even Jesus grew – as he grew up. Look at what the Bible says in Luke chapter two:
“Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” Luke 2:52 (NKJV)

But, (here is the warning), you can get older and not grow to spiritual maturity. It’s like the bumper sticker that says, “I may be getting older, but I refuse to grow up.” Some Christians refuse to grow up. I’ve seen 50 and 60 year old spiritual babies. Spiritual maturity involves much more than just aging.

B. Spiritual maturity is not a matter of APPEARANCE.

Some people look and sound spiritually mature – they know how to talk the talk – but question is – do they know how to walk the walk? Some people look holy – they seem to have heaven hovering around them – but that may just be appearance and not reality. Appearances can be deceiving. Spiritual maturity is not a matter of what a person looks or sounds like on the outside.

C. Spiritual maturity is not a matter of ACHIEVEMENT.

You know you can be recognized by all kinds of organizations but that does not make you spiritually mature. You can have all kinds of degrees and diplomas hanging on your wall but that is not spiritually mature either. Achievements are not a sure sign of spiritual maturity.

Spiritual maturity is a matter of ATTITUDE and CHARACTER.

Attitude and character make a difference. It’s attitude and character that count. D. L. Moody said, “Character is what you are in the dark.” Recognition is what people say about you. Character is what God knows about you. God says it’s your attitude and your character that determines who you are.

In the book of James we have a manual on spiritual maturity. James is a manual on how to become spiritually mature. Today we’re going to look at six marks of spiritual maturity. Let’s look at the first mark:
1. A spiritual mature person is positive under PRESSURE.

Let’s look and see what James tells us in chapter one:

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” James 1:2-4 (NKJV)

Do you seek spiritual maturity? Do you seek to be complete in Christ? If you do – James tells us to have a positive attitude when it comes to pressure. He tells us to “count it all joy when you fall into various trials.”

All of us have problems – all of us have trials – all of have situations that are not good. How do you handle them? How do you deal with being dealt a dead hand? Do your problems blow you out of the water? Do you get up-tight? Do you grumble and gripe? Do you get negative or nervous? The first test of spiritual maturity is – how do you act positive under pressure? Remember the Bible says: “Count it all joy when you fall into various trials.”

Folks here is a fact. Life is full of problems and a big part of life is – problem solving. The question to ask is, “Do I have the right attitude as I approach the problems of life?” Remember the Bible tells you to, “Count it all joy when you fall into various trials.”

You can know the Bible backward and forward – but you can also be rude and obnoxious as well. What is your attitude toward life? A spiritual mature person is positive under pressure.
Point two is:


2. A spiritual mature person is sensitive to the needs of PEOPLE.

Follow along with me as I read from James chapter two:

”If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you do well.” James 2:8 (NKJV)

A spiritually mature person is sensitive to the needs of those who are around them. A spiritually mature person doesn’t just see their own needs, they are also aware of the needs of others. They understand that there are many around them that are hurting and have needs. When children are young they say, “I want this or I want that. I don’t care about what you want – I want … I want … I want … and I should get my way.” (Some people are still children in their thinking.) Spiritually immaturity says, “It’s my way or the highway. I want it all – give it to me.”

God tells us that love – being concerned about other people – is a sign of spiritual maturity. James tells us not to show favoritism, don’t be a snob, don’t be rude, don’t look down on other people, don’t judge by appearances, don’t insult people, and don’t exploit people. You see the second test of spirituality maturity is how I treat other people.

Paul said – “I can build churches, I can write theological articles, I can put out Christian CDs, I can give all my money for international mission work – but if I don’t have love – all I’m doing to tooting my own horn. It really doesn’t amount to much – in fact it is worth nothing.” You see the second test of spirituality maturity is how I treat other people.





3. A spiritual mature person is master of his MOUTH.

Follow alone with me as I read a verse from James chapter three:
“For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.” James 3:2 (NKJV)

In World War II there was a saying that went – ‘Loose Lips Sink Ships’. Loose lips not only sink ships they – destroy lives. Here’s a twist on “sticks and stones”. Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will hurt my feelings. What we say is important. That is what James tells us. We should be very careful in what we say and if we can control what comes out of our mouths – we can control the whole body.

One of the most destructive things we can do is gossip. Here is a definition of gossip.

Hearing something you like about someone you don’t.

Gossip is a mouth-to-mouth disease. Self control starts with tongue control. We get ourselves into much trouble by what we say. James gives us several illustrations of how much the tongue can get us in trouble. He says the tongue is like a rudder, a horse’s bit, a spark, a wild animal, and a spring. He says that when you put a small bit in a horse’s mouth – you can control the direction that the horse goes. A small rubber on a boat is designed to control the direction of a boat. Your tongue is small – but it has a huge impact on your life. What you say can destroy your life. You can use your mouth for words of encouragement – or you can use your mouth to spread words of discouragement.

Have you ever heard someone say, “I just say what’s on my mind.” As if they are proud of it. But what if there mind is in the gutter. What if there is not much very much in their mind or on their mind. What if what they’re thinking is mean and nasty? It is better to say nothing than to say something stupid, rude or crude. The Bible tells us in Ephesians:

“Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word (is) a gift.” Ephesians 4:29 (MSG)

Circle the word “each”. Each word you speak should be a gift to someone else. If it doesn’t build someone else up – don’t say it – even if it’s true – don’t say it. That’s a mark of maturity. You are learning to manage your mouth. Managing your mouth is the third test of spiritual maturity.

Our fourth mark is:

4. A spiritual mature person is a peacemaker not a TROUBLEMAKER.

James tells us:

“Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves.” James 4:1 (MSG)

James is talking about conflicts and quarrels. He says that we fuss, fight, and fume because of our own inner desires. You want something and you don’t get it – so you get mad instead. When you get mad you take it out on others. You kill and covet but you still don’t get what you want.

The questions to ask are: ‘Am I a peacemaker or am I a troublemaker? Do I like to argue? Do I like to debate? Do I like to stir the pot? Do I hurt other people’s feelings? Am I a peacemaker or am I a troublemaker?’ The mark of a spiritually mature person is the lack of conflict in their life. Look at what the Bible tells us in First Thessalonians chapter four:
“Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands.” First Thessalonians 4:11 (NASV)
Why is there so much conflict in the world? Why is there so much conflict in marriages today? Why is there so much conflict among Christians? James gives us two reasons.

A. SELFISHNESS

B. JUDGEMENTALISM


James says:

“Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?” James 4:11-12 (NKJV)

We are not to judge one another. That is not your job. All that does is create conflict. By judging others you become a troublemaker. Being a peacemaker is the fourth test of being spiritually mature.

Our fifth mark is:

5. A spiritual mature person is PATIENT.

James tells us:

“Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” James 5:7-8 (ESV)

Patience is another mark of spiritual maturity. The word ‘patient’ is used three times in these two verses – that tells me that being patient is important. Being patient is a quality of character.
James gives an illustration of a farmer who plants his fields and now has to wait for the harvest. If there is anyone who has patience it’s a farmer. He plants the seed, he cultivates, he sprays, he hopes, he expects… he waits. There are no overnight crops. Just like a farmer – sometimes we have to wait. We wait on God to answer our prayers. We wait for a miracle. We wait for God to move in our lives. We wait. Patience is a mark of maturity. The only way to learn patience is by waiting. Many times God says, “Not yet.” That does not mean no – it means not yet. We need to wait. We need to be patient. You see patience is the fifth mark or spiritual maturity.

The sixth mark of spiritual maturity is:

6. A spiritual mature person is PRAYERFUL.

James says:

“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” James 5:16 (NKJV)

Prayer is talking to God. It is bringing Him your requests. It is praising Him. When we pray we acknowledge that He has control in our lives.

James uses the story of Elijah to show us that there is – Power in Prayer. Elijah prayed that it would not rain and God stopped the rain for three years. Elijah prayed again and the heavens opened up. Elijah did not manipulate God – but he acknowledged Him and believed that God controlled the elements of nature.



You see those who are spiritually mature – understand the power of God. There are things in your life right now that you think – no one can fix. Guess what – God can. God can take that which is broken and mend it. He can take that which is bent and straighten it out. He can take that which is shattered and make it whole. God is that big. God is that powerful. If there are problems in your life – go to Him in prayer.

How do you handle your problems? Are you positive under pressure? Are you sensitive to the needs of others around you? Are you mastering your mouth – keeping control of what you say? Are you a peacemaker rather than a troublemaker? Are you patient and are you prayerful? These are all marks of a spiritually mature Christian – commit yourself today – to growth as a Christian.

Acts of Mothers (Proverbs 31:10-31) MAY 13, 2012-MOTHERS DAY


Acts of Mothers
Proverbs 31:10-31

On the lighter side of life:
"The hand that rocks the cradle usually is attached to someone who isn’t getting enough sleep."- John Fiebig

"I’d like to be the ideal mother, but I’m too busy raising my kids."- Unknown

A little boy forgot his lines in a Sunday school presentation. His mother was in the front row to prompt him. She gestured and formed the words silently with her lips, but it did not help. Her son’s memory was blank. Finally, she leaned forward and whispered the cue, "I am the light of the world." The child beamed and with great feeling and a loud clear voice said, "My mother is the light of the world." - Bits and Pieces, 1989

A teacher gave her class of second graders a lesson on the magnet and what it does. The next day in a written test, she included this question: "My full name has six letters. The first one is M. I pick up things. What am I?" When the test papers were turned in, the teacher was astonished to find that almost 50 percent of the students answered the question with the word Mother- Unknown

Thesis: The acts of mother’s have pointed to the truth that man and woman were made in the image of God and the sacrificial nature of mothers for their families reflects the sacrificial love God has for the world.

Introduction:
Here is a light hearted presentation of what we all think about our moms, at different points in our lives. Don’t be too shocked moms and kid’s because we all have the same tendencies.

4 Years Of Age - My Mommy can do anything;
8 Years Of Age - My Mom knows a lot! A whole lot
12 Years Of Age -My Mother doesn’t really know quite everything.
14 Years Of Age -Naturally, Mother doesn’t know that, either
16 Years Of Age -Mother? She’s hopelessly old-fashioned
18 Years Of Age -That old woman? She’s way out of date
25 Years Of Age -Well, she might know a little bit about it
35 Years Of Age -Before we decide, let’s get Mom’s opinion
45 Years Of Age -Wonder what Mom would have thought about it
65 Years Of Age -Wish, I could talk it over with Mom

The truth is we all learn to appreciate our moms and to acknowledge their vital influence in our lives. The Bible tells us that we are to honor our mothers and the Bible is also very clear in referencing the importance of motherhood and the many acts that mothers perform on a daily basis for their children and their families. These actions need to be acknowledged and honored by others so that mothers will be encouraged to press on in their God given roles.

From Holman Bible Dictionary
The Bible refers to every aspect of motherhood: conception (Gen. 4:1; Luke 1:24); pregnancy (2 Sam. 11:5; Luke 1:24); the pain of childbirth (Gen. 3:16; John 16:21); and nursing (1 Sam. 1:23; Matt. 24:19)…

The Book of Proverbs (see 1:8; 31:1) indicates that even in ancient times mothers shared with fathers the responsibility for instructing and disciplining children. Mothers have the same right to obedience and respect as fathers (Ex. 20:12; Lev. 19:3)…

Jesus enforced the Fifth Commandment and protected it against scribal evasion (Matt. 15:3-6). Motherly virtues are often extolled in Scripture: compassion for children (Isa. 49:15), comfort of children (Isa. 66:13), and sorrow for children (Jer. 31:15, quoted in Matt. 2:18). ..
The fact that God would use a human mother to bring His Son into the world has bestowed upon motherhood its greatest honor. Jesus set an example for all to follow by the provision He made for His mother (John 19:25-27). Jesus made it plain, however, that devotion to God must take precedence to that of a mother (Matt. 12:46-50). Even the Old Testament (Gen. 2:24) indicated that a man’s devotion to his wife supersedes that to his mother (James A. Brooks).
The selfless acts of love performed daily by most mother’s reflects how they were created in the image of God and it reveals to this world that God himself loves and sacrifices like a mom does. The truth is mom’s sacrificial acts for her family and children reflect and point to a character trait of God that many fail to recognize. I know that God created male and female different and he designed them both to fulfill specific roles. But he made two people to represent all that He is. Men reflect one dimension of God and women reflect another dimension of God and it takes both of them together to get a true glimpse of the nature of God himself. Listen to what it says in Genesis 1:26-28: 26Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” 27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

Scripture Texts:
Proverbs 31:
10 A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still dark;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her servant girls.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 Give her the reward she has earned,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

1. Proverbs 31 describes for us the acts of a noble woman who needs to be honored.
a. Listen to the attributes of this noble woman

i. She is priceless

1. A mothers job is priceless!

a. "There never was a woman like her. She was gentle as a dove and brave as a lioness... The memory of my mother and her teachings were, after all, the only capital I had to start life with, and on that capital I have made my way."- Andrew Jackson

b. "An ounce of mother is worth a ton of priest."- Spanish proverb

c. "The mother’s heart is the child’s schoolroom."- Henry Ward Beecher

d. "I cannot tell you how much I owe to the solemn word of my good mother." - Charles Haddon Spurgeon

e. "Sometimes the strength of motherhood is greater than natural laws."- Barbara Kingsolver

f. "The future destiny of a child is always the work of the mother."- Napoleon Bonaparte

g. Healthy families are our greatest national resource. - Dolores Curran

h. "If you bungle raising your children, I don’t think whatever else you do well matters very much."- Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

2. Have you ever wondered what a mom should be paid for her work as mom?

a. Salary.com has now valuated the "mom job" of both the Working and Stay at Home Mom! We consulted Stay at Home and Working Moms to determine the top 10 jobs that make up a mom’s job description. If paid, Stay at Home Moms would earn $134,121 annually (up from 2005’s salary of $131,471). Working Moms would earn $85,876 annually for the "mom job" portion of their work, in addition to their actual "work job" salary.

ii. She is trusted by her husband

1. "The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother." - David O. McKay

iii. She produces good works

1. "Before becoming a mother I had a hundred theories on how to bring up children. Now I have seven children and only one theory: love them, especially when they least deserves to be loved."- Kate Samperi

2. "The mother loves her child most divinely, not when she surrounds him with comfort and anticipates his wants, but when she resolutely holds him to the highest standards and is content with nothing less than his best."- Hamilton Wright Mabie

3. "Making a decision to have a child -- it’s momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body."- Elizabeth Stone

iv. She is a hard worker and it shows everyday of her life

v. She provides food for the family

vi. She is an early riser and serves her family and even her servants

vii. She is business savy

viii. She helps in making money to provide for her family

ix. She works vigorously (for example)

1. You count the number of sprinkles on each kid’s cupcake to make sure they are equal.

2. You have time to shave only one leg at a time.
3. You hide in the bathroom to be alone.

4. Your child throws up and you catch it.

5. Someone else’s kid throws up at a party and you keep eating.

6. You mastered the art of placing food on a plate without anything touching.

7. You hire a baby sitter because you haven’t been out with your husband in ages, then you spend half the night talking about and checking on the kids.

8. You hope ketchup is a vegetable because it’s the only one your child eats.

9. You find yourself cutting your husband’s sandwiches into unusual shapes.

10. You fast-forward through the scene when the hunter shoots Bambi’s mother.

11. You stop criticizing the way your mother raised you.

12. You read that the average-five-year old asks 437 questions a day and feel proud that your kid is "above average."

x. She is strong
1. "My mother never gave up on me. I messed up in school so much they were sending me home, but my mother sent me right back."- Denzel Washington

2.
xi. She is profitable in her business deals

xii. Her light stays on for the benefit of the family

1. We will leave the light on for you

xiii. She is creative in providing clothing for her family

xiv. She is a giver and also helps others in need

xv. She is proactive and prepares and saves for the future

xvi. She makes herself look good in spite of the stress she is under

xvii. She has made her husband and family a success

1. "My mother said to me, "If you become a soldier you’ll be a general; if you become a monk you’ll end up as the pope." Instead, I became a painter and wound up as Picasso."- Pablo Picasso

2. "My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her."- George Washington

3. "There never was a woman like her. She was gentle as a dove and brave as a lioness... The memory of my mother and her teachings were, after all, the only capital I had to start life with, and on that capital I have made my way."- Andrew Jackson

xviii. She knows clothes and even makes them

xix. She is dignified and strong

1. Your child insists that you read "Once up on a Potty" out loud in the lobby of the doctor’s office and you do it.

xx. She has a sense of humor

xxi. She speaks with wisdom

xxii. She teaches with faithful instruction (listen to some of these)

1. To Value A Job Well Done

"If you’re going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."

Time Travel
"If you don’t straighten up, I’m going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

Logic
"Because I said so, that’s why."

Foresight
"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you’re in an accident."

Irony
"Keep crying and I’ll give you something to cry about."

Osmosis
"Shut your mouth and eat your supper."

Stamina
"You’ll sit there until all that spinach is gone."

Weather
"This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."

Hypocrisy
"If I told you once, I’ve told you a million times. Don’t exaggerate!"

Circle Of Life
"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

Behavior Modification
"Stop acting like your father!"

Envy
"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don’t have wonderful parents like you do."

Anticipation
"Just wait until we get home."

Receiving
"You are going to get it when you get home!"

Medical Science
"If you don’t stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way."

How To Become An Adult
"If you don’t eat your vegetables, you’ll never grow up."

Genetics
"You’re just like your father."

Wisdom
"When you get to be my age, you’ll understand."

Justice
"One day you’ll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you"

xxiii. She manages her household well (for example)

1. Make sure to change your underwear always; you never know when you’ll have an accident.

2. Don’t make that face or it’ll solidify in that position.
3. Be careful or else you’ll put your eye out.

4. What if everyone jumped into a well? Would you do it, too?

5. You have enough filth behind those ears to grow potatoes!

6. C’mon close that door! Were you born in a barn?

7. If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all.

8. Don’t put that thing in your mouth; you don’t know where it’s been!

xxiv. She is not lazy or idol but she is a hard worker

xxv. Her children love her and call her blessed

1. "A mother understands what a child does not say." - Jewish Proverb

2. "The mother-child relationship is paradoxical and, in a sense, tragic. It requires the most intense love on the mother’s side, yet this very love must help the child grow away from the mother, and to become fully independent."- Erich Fromm

3. "A mother is she who can take the place of all others but whose place no one else can take."- Cardinal Mermillod
4. "Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother."- Lin Yü-tang

xxvi. Her husband praises her

xxvii. She is the best in the eyes of the family

1. "The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness."- Honore’ de Balzac

xxviii. She fears the Lord and deserves to be praised by all

1. No man is poor who has had a godly mother."- Abraham Lincoln

2. "I remember my mother’s prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life."- Abraham Lincoln

3. "The mother, more than any other, affects the moral and spiritual part of the children’s character. She is their constant companion and teacher in formative years. The child is ever imitating and assimilating the mother’s nature. It is only in after life that men gaze backward and behold how a mother’s hand and heart of love molded their young lives and shaped their destiny."- E.W. Caswell

xxix. She needs to honored and lifted up for all that she does for others, her family and for God because her actions reflect the Love of the Lord in her.

1. "Every mother is like Moses. She does not enter the Promised Land. She prepares a world she will not see."- Pope Paul VI

2. "The mother is the most precious possessions of the nation, so precious that society advances its highest well-being when it protects the functions of the mother."- Ellen Key

3. "Most of all the other beautiful things in life come by twos and threes by dozens and hundreds. Plenty of roses, stars, sunsets, rainbows, brothers, and sisters, aunts and cousins, but only one mother in the whole world."- Kate Douglas Wiggin

Conclusion:
"Motherhood brings as much joy as ever, but it still brings boredom, exhaustion, and sorrow too. Nothing else ever will make you as happy or as sad, as proud or as tired, for nothing is quite as hard as helping a person develop his own individuality especially while you struggle to keep your own."-Marguerite Kelly and Elia Parsons

Ephesians 6: 2, 3:“Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise—“that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”

Remember it is one of the 10 Commandments:
Exodus 20:12: “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

Let’s make sure today that each of us honors our mothers.

The 3 Things Needed for Reaching the Lost (MAY 15, 2012)


The 3 Things Needed for Reaching the Lost

Luke 15:1-15:10

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 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. Doesn’t he 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[a] and loses one. Doesn’t she 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.”

A  little six-year old boy restlessly struggled to listen to a rather lengthy sermon. After the service, the little boy asked the question that sooner or later most "church kids" ask. "Dad" he said, "what does the preacher do the rest of the week?" The dad replied, "Son, he’s a very busy man. He takes care of church business, visits the sick, studies the Bible. . . and he has to take time to rest up. You see, preaching in public is not an easy job." The little boy thought about that and said, "Well, listening ain’t so easy either!"
The truth is that listening really is not always easy, especially when the messages are challenging. Last week’s message from the Gospel of John Chapter 15 was challenging because I shared with you without Jesus wee can not bear fruit in our life. This week’s message may be just as challenging because I will be sharing with you on the subject of the Christians responsibility in reaching the lost. I know I was troubled in my heart as I studied this text because the more I studied this passage, the more I realized how I and the church have not been responding to the lost the way Jesus taught that we should. The message may be challenging to you today, but it is the message of the Bible, as such it is not meant to condemn us but it is meant to change us, and sometimes that requires that we be made uncomfortable.

I will go over this passage verse by verse shortly, but first I will give you an overview of what these parables are about in general.

In these two parables something of value is lost. In the stories the thing lost, whether a sheep or a coin, have monetary value. Nobody, including the religious leaders who valued material things, would ignore such a loss; rather they would put every effort into finding it and would rejoice when they did.

If this is true about things that are lost, shouldn’t it also be for people who are spiritually lost? The term "lost" refers to those who are not Christians, to those who are outside of the household of God but whom God desires to come home. You can see this in the story of the Prodigal Son where the father says about the son who has repented and returned home "he was lost and is found (verse 31)." Clearly it is those are spiritually lost who are represented by the lost things in these illustrate stories.

Shouldn’t we respond to people who are lost in the same way or even a greater way than we would to lost things? Shouldn’t we exhibit the same efforts, and perseverance in searching for them? Shouldn’t we be filled with joy at there being found? I believe that the point of this passage is primarily to remind Christians of how they should respond to the lost. You could also interpret these parables as primarily illustrating how God responds and searches for the lost. Even if that is the case, the message remains essentially the same because if God responds a certain way to those who are lost then it is obvious that Christians should follow his example.

Now that we have an overview of these 10 verses, I want to go over them verse by verse where I will share with you three things needed in order for us to reach lost. The first thing needed is found in the setting that the parables were given in and the other two things that are needed to reach the lost are found in the parables themselves.

Read Luke 15:1-2
Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

1. The first thing needed for reaching the lost is compassion.

Jesus had the "tax collectors and sinners" gathering around him. These are lost people who were not running from Jesus but rather running to him. They were not avoiding him, ignoring him, or even hostile towards him. Verse 1 says that they were "gathering around to hear him." Why were sinners so willing and even eager to listen to Jesus? It certainly wasn’t because Jesus had an easy message that tickled people’s ears. It wasn’t because Jesus compromised on sin and said that everything they were doing was acceptable. They weren’t gathering around Jesus because he was putting on some sensationalistic show of signs and wonders. At this point in Luke’s narrative the emphasis is on Jesus’ teaching, miracles are hardly even mentioned.

Why did the "lost" seek out Jesus rather than run from him? I believe the answer is his compassion. Jesus loved them and showed that love with a compassionate instead of condemning attitude. The Bible says in verse 2 that Jesus "welcomes sinners and eats with them." One of the definitions for the Greek word translated as "welcomes" in this verse is to "receive as a friend." This was Jesus attitude toward those who were lost in sin. Jesus welcomed them; he was compassionate and accepting of them despite their sins and faults. He was a friend and not a foe. Jesus had a attitude that lost people were attracted to, do we? For us as individuals and as a church to reach people we are going to have to show and have that same love and acceptance.

Illustration: At the scene of accidents there are three groups of people, each with a different response toward those involved in the accident. The first group is the bystanders and onlookers. They are curious and watch to see what happens but have little active involvement. The second group is the police officers. Their response was to investigate the cause of the accident, assign blame, and give out appropriate warnings and punishments. The third group is the paramedics. They are the people usually most welcomed by those involved in the accident. They could care less whose fault the accident was and they did not engage in lecturing about bad driving habits. Their response was to help those who were hurt. They bandaged wounds, freed trapped people, and gave words of encouragement. Three groups - one is uninvolved, one is assigning blame and assessing punishment, and one is helping the hurting. Which group are you in?

When it comes to reaching the lost and hurting, we’re going to be in one of these three groups. We will be uninvolved and let others do the work. Or we will condemn people for their foolish behavior saying things like, "It’s your own fault that you’re in this mess. If you had been going to church and doing like you should this never would have happened!" Or we will be concentrating on helping those who are lost and hurting. I hope we will be those who are showing compassion like those in the last group!

Much of the church is responding to the lost like the police officer instead of the paramedics. This is what the Pharisees and teachers of the law did. They were more interested in condemning and criticizing sinners than in showing compassion. The same attitude is sometimes seen in the modern conservative church, of which we are a part. We’re rightfully upset about the current state of moral values, abortion, the homosexual agenda, and the immoral entertainment in society today, among other things. It is fine and appropriate to be concerned about these issues, but we must be careful that our concern about these issues does not turn into condemnation and consternation toward the lost. The lost have never flocked to hear those who were condemning and they never will listen to us if we have that same attitude.

There are several lessons in the next two parables. Along with an illustration of the joyous attitude the Pharisees should have had to the lost coming to Jesus, we are also instructed about two more things needed to reach the lost.

2. The second thing needed for reaching the lost is effort.

Read Luke 15:3-5

3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he 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

Illustration: Many years ago, when Amy & John’s oldest daughter Nicole was much younger, a scary incident happened to their family. One morning, after Amy and John got up, they noticed that Nicole was not in her bed. At first they were calm because they thought she must have gotten up in the middle of the night and gone into another bed. Soon they realized that she was not in any of the other beds and they began to grow frantic. Their hearts began to accelerate and they yelled Nicole’s name at the top of their voices, but there was no response. At that point theirr love for her compelled thrm to make every effort to find her, including running from room to room and tearing them apart in their search. They never said, "Well we’ve lost one child but we have three other children." No, one child mattered! She mattered enough to give everything they had toward finding her. Eventually, after what seemed an eternity, but in reality was only a few minutes they did find Nicole. She was under her own bed sound asleep, oblivious to their searching.

Here’s the point - it took effort to find Nicole and it will take that same kind of diligent seeking for us to reach the lost. In these two parables, Jesus emphasizes the effort that went into finding the lost. In the parable of the lost sheep, Jesus said that the shepherd would "leave the ninety-nine sheep in the open country and go after the lost sheep. . ." In the parable of the lost coin, the woman lights a lamp, sweeps the whole house, and searches carefully for the lost coin according to verse 8.

In both cases the thing that was lost had to be sought after with great effort. The shepherd did not wait for the lost sheep to wander home and the woman did not wait for the lost coin to turn up. In our Christian lives and in the church it sometimes seems that we do the opposite. We tend to wait for the lost to come to us. We’re passive rather than active. We’re waiting for people to come to Christ instead of putting effort into bringing them to Christ! I know that I have been guilty of doing this. I want people to be saved but haven’t went out searching for the lost with great effort. This has to change if we’re to reach the lost like Jesus did.

How do we practically practice this principle? What do you and I need to do in order to be following Jesus instructions about giving effort to reaching the lost? There are several things we can do. First, a significant part of our prayers should be for the lost. Second, making every effort means that a significant part of the ministries of New Life in Christ should be directed toward reaching the lost. I know that we must also be careful to dedicate a significant part of the ministries toward discipling those who are already Christians. Nevertheless, this is no excuse for not seeking the lost as Jesus instructed us to. Third, making every effort to reach the lost means we must be willing to make outreach a significant part of our personal and church spending. This is one area where we have been improving. In the last year-and-a-half much more of the church funds have been directed toward missions and outreach than in previous years. These are all practical things we can do to apply this principle that Jesus has shared on reaching the lost. While it is important that the church corporately make every effort to reach the lost, the most important thing you and I need to do in reaching the lost is to do our best to share Jesus with all those we come into contact with.

So far I’ve shared two things necessary to reach the lost like Jesus did.

1. The first thing needed for reaching the lost is compassion.

2. The second thing needed for reaching the lost is effort.


There is also a third thing necessary for reaching the lost found in these parables.

3. The third thing needed to reach the lost is persistence.

Read Luke 15:4, 8

4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?

8 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins[a] and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?

In both these cases Jesus notes specifically that the person continued seeking after the lost item until he or she found it. In other words, Jesus seems to be pointing out that persistence was a needed quality for success. After all, lost sheep among spacious fields and hills, and lost coins in the dirt floor of the Jewish home would not have been easily or quickly found.

It’s the same way with reaching the lost. It is not easy to reach people’s hearts so that they receive Jesus. It is not usually the case there our first efforts meet with success. Sometimes it takes years and years of persistence, but we should not be discouraged or give up. If a sheep or coin was valuable enough to persistently search for, then people who are spiritually lost are too valuable to give up on.

Illustration: Following an exhilarating performance at New York’s Carnegie Hall, celebrated classical cellist Yo-Yo Ma went home, slept, and awoke the next day exhausted and rushed. He called for a cab to take him to a hotel on the other side of Manhattan and placed his cello—hand-crafted in Vienna in 1733 and valued at $2.5 million—in the trunk of the taxi. When he reached his destination, he paid the driver, but forgot to take his cello.

After the cab had disappeared, Ma realized what he had done. He began a desperate search for the missing instrument. Fortunately he had the receipt with the cabby’s ID number. After searching all day the taxi was located in a garage in Queens with the priceless cello still in the trunk. Ma’s smile could not be contained as he spoke to reporters.
Citation: Greg Asimakoupoulos, writer and speaker, based on story in Chicago Tribune (10-17-99)

Here’s the point, Yo Yo Ma did not quit but persisted because what was lost was too valuable to give up on. The spiritually lost are too valuable for us to quit trying to reach even though our efforts do not pay off quickly.

Read Luke 15: 5-7, 9-10

Conclusion: The religious leaders of the day had been indifferent toward the lost and even antagonistic toward them coming to Jesus. Jesus uses these two parables to illustrate how wrong their response was, especially when compared to how they would have responded toward recovering something of far less value. Jesus pointed out how joyful they would have been at the recovery of a lost sheep or lost coin, certainly then they should of been joyous instead of angered at the lost coming to Jesus.

Jesus then pointed out that the one thing that matters most to God is the lost. They matter so much to God that when the lost are found, even one of them, all heaven rejoices and throws a party! There is more joy over one sinner coming to Jesus that over ninety-nine people being right where they’re supposed to be with God. If lost people matter this much to God, shouldn’t they matter this much to us? Shouldn’t we be willing to give everything needed in order to reach the lost? My answer is "yes" and I hope yours is also. What is needed to reach the lost? From this passage we discovered at least three things.

1. The first thing needed for reaching the lost is compassion.

2. The second thing needed for reaching the lost is effort.

3. The third thing needed to reach the lost its persistence.

Closing Prayer