September 17, 2009

"So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him." Luke 15:20

The other day I got a new insight on what it means to be lost. Being lost means being unable to receive God's love.

God's love is a constant. God can't love you more than He already loves you. He cannot do anything more than He has already done to show His love. But love is a gift and as a gift must be received.

God IS love. In order to receive His love we must receive Him. You can't have love and not have God. But you can't have God when you are living sinfully. And when you can't have God - you are lost.

That is all the more reason why those who do know the love of God, should feel compelled to help their friends find the love of God, too. How can you know the love of God and not want people you love to also come to know His love?

In Luke 15, there are at least three examples of people who are lost because they weren't able to receive the love of God.

The religious leaders were unable to receive the love of God. They had trapped themselves in a joyless routine of religious rules and rituals. Somehow they had managed to create a religious system where love wasn't even required. They were lost in their own self-righteousness.

How were they lost? They were lost in the pride trap. As long as they kept their rules and maintained their rituals and lived by their laws, what's love got to do with it?

Love is hard and demanding. I have to love back. That's risky!

Pride is easy and rules are predictable. Plus, we make the rules! So, if they get too hard to keep we can just change them! And, if I honor all the laws and commands and do all the rituals God will have to love me!

Pride trumps love everytime - and is proud of it!

God couldn't reach them with His love. Jesus couldn't put a dent in them.

Are there still lost people like that today? Uh, uh.

Where do I find someone like that?

Maybe in the mirror? Are there any hints of self-righteousness? Any private sin you are harboring? Any questionable behavior you're excusing? Any impure thinking that you are allowing? Any unhealthy attitude you are tolerating?

Take a hard look.

September 16, 2009

"Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.' In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

Luke 15:8-10

I would help you look for your lost child because I care about you and your child.

You would do the same for me.

But, let's be honest, each of us would search harder for our own child that we would for another's child. That is human nature. You know it. I know it. And certainly, God knows it.

When you look back at the story of the lost sheep, you realize that the one who cared the most about that sheep was its shepherd. He was the only one who went looking because he was the one who valued the animal the most. He was the one most motivated to search.

Now, when he found it and brought it back safely, there was a great celebration. Many people were happy that the sheep was found and returned, but now one cared as much as the shepherd. It just makes sense.

As we focus on the next parable, The Lost Coin, we see this truth even more clearly. The coin that was lost by this woman was likely part of her dowry. In that culture they didn't wear wedding rings but instead they took the coins from their dowry and made a necklace from them. They wore that necklace around their neck or on their head to show that they were married. Obviously, that necklace and those coins would have far more value to the woman than to anyone else. So, when one coin detached from the necklace and was lost, she was the one most motivated to find it. No one else came to aid in the search, but many joined in the celebration when the lost coin was located.

You could say that is wrong, but I think Jesus is saying that is natural. Afterall, Who understands human nature better than Him?

As I study these two parables I draw out this principle for reaching lost people - CELEBRATE ALL BUT CONCENTRATE ON A FEW.

In Luke 15, Jesus isn't chiding these religious leaders because they didn't care about ALL lost people, He is upset with them for not caring about ANY lost people.

When Jesus left us with the Great Commission, He didn't expect any one individual Christian to go to "all the world" and reach the whole world. He gave that command to the WHOLE Church. Collectively, we are to reach as many lost people in our corner of the world as we possibly can. That cannot happen by one or two individuals doing all the reaching. But it becomes a real live option if a majority of believers commit to reaching a few lost people.

No one will be more motivated to reach the lost friends or family members than you because you care for them more than anyone else. And, by virtue of your relationship to them, you have more trust and credibility with them. You are the most likely person to bring that lost person home.

Don't feel guilty or defeated because you don't feeling motivated to reach the whole world. Feel bad if you don't get excited when lost people come home and repent if you don't care enough to reach the few lost people God has placed in your life.

CELEBRATE ALL - CONCENTRATE ON A FEW!

September 15, 2009

"Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.' In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

Luke 15:8-10

Several times I have dropped change as I paid the person in the drive-thru window. When I drop a penny, I let it go. When I drop a nickel, I let it go. When I drop a dime, I let it go. If I drop a quarter, I put the car in neutral, open the door and try to find the fallen quarter.

Ever done that?

If you have done that you know what you find when you go down their - lots of pennies, nickels and dimes.

Why is that that? There seems to be sort of inherent value system coded into our psyche that determines whether the reward gained is worth the effort expended. Simply stated, I am only going to do something if I think it is worth the effort. You, too.

That is the 800 pound gorilla in these three parables. We decide what we will do or don't do based on how much we value something or someone.

The shepherd ventures out into the wilderness because he values the lost sheep more than he values his own comfort.

A woman grabs and flashlight and a broom and searches day and night until she finds the coin that was lost. Why does she do that? Only because of the high value she places on that coin. That coin means more to her than the time and effort expended to find it.

When a son goes lost his father makes time everyday walking down the road to the top of the rise to search the horizon for that missing boy. Why would he do that? Because that son is more valuable to him than anything else he could do during that time.

So, Jesus is making an important statement about God's value system and ours. He is clearly stating that God values lost people more than just about anything else. In fact, God values lost people more than He valued His own Son. How do I know that? Because God gave His Son to atone for the sins of lost people.

Words are important. Words have meaning. But, actions speak louder than words. God expressed His love through the writings of the Torah and especially through the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. But that wasn't sufficient. He wanted to show His love and prove it by his actions.

So, what we do ultimately determines what we value, and vice versa. Conversely, we get insight into what we don't value by virtue of what we fail to do.

Jesus told three stories to make it clear that God values lost people. He expects us to value lost people as well. And He expects us to prove our love for lost people by seeking them, searching for them until they are found and brought to the Father.

Heaven values lost people because God values lost people. Heaven proves its love for lost people by celebrating whenever one is found.

Do you share God's value system? Don't tell Him. Show Him. Your action will speak more than your words. So will your inaction.

September 14, 2009

"Then Jesus told them this parable: "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?" Luke 15:3-4

In my previous post I decried the lack of urgeny over lost people. That is the point Jesus is trying to make in Luke 15.

So, we understand what lostness is, how does it happen?

How does a sheep get lost?

Have you ever thought about how sheep get lost? Even with a shepherd, they still get lost. How does this happen?

Sheep get lost through their nibbling.

As Joel Preston says: -Sheep are stubborn. Sheep can get easily lost because they tend to go their own way. Sheep get lost by nibbling away at the grass and never looking up.

The issue for sheep is their ability to stay focused. They see a nice patch of grass and think, “Mmm, this looks nice, maybe I’ll have a little taste.” They finish the bit of grass and without looking up, they move and continue grazing. They nibble a little here, then a little there. They take a few steps and nibble a little more. Before they realize it, they are lost. Sheep made a series of small choices that led them away from the flock.

A sheep gets lost by his nature.

The nature of a sheep is to get lost. It is in his DNA. It is like he has a lostness gene or something. That is a pretty sad situation. Sad, but true!

Why should we care about sheep? Why should sheep matter to us? They are stupid, stubborn and of little value.

WE ARE THE SHEEP! THIS STORY IS NOT REALLY ABOUT SHEEP IT IS ABOUT US. Everything that Jesus is pointing out about sheep in this story applies to us. This is how we get lost.

We nibble. It is in our nature to nibble our way into lostness. We nibble away at sin over here and we nibble at sin over there and with our focus on sin, we drift further away from the shepherd and the other sheep.

We have a sinful nature. It is in our DNA. We are born with a sinful nature that we inherited from Adam and Eve. So, we come into this world lost and separated from the Good Shepherd, Jesus. We aren't sinners because we sin, we sin because we are sinners.

The urgency Jesus expresses in this story is precisely for this reason, people He loves and cares for are lost and will remain lost until reached by a shepherd.

If you are lost, or if you care about someone who is. What are you waiting for? How can you be casual about that risky condition? How will you face that lost friend in eternity and explain to them why you never tried to reach them? How will you explain that to the shepherd?

September 13, 2009

"Then Jesus told them this parable: "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?" Luke 15:3-4

I believe that Jesus believes that we don't have enough concern for lost people. He challenges us in that area.

I can't only speak for myself and I must confess that I often lapse into a casual attitude toward lost people. I am found, my life is good, my future is secure, so my sense of urgency wanes. In fact, it should be just the opposite.

If you have ever been like me. If you have ever lost your urgency over the plight of people who are spiritually lost, Luke 15 is just what we need.

Jesus tells three stories that deal with the desparation of lost people and their value to Him. The first deals with a lost sheep. Let's see what we can learn about lostness.

There are not many things sheep do well. The one thing they are most known for is – GETTING LOST.

Philip Keller was a sheep rancher. In his book, "A Shepherd Looks at the Twenty-third Psalm," he says that sheep they require more attention than any other livestock. They just can’t take care of themselves. Unless their shepherd makes them move on, sheep will actually ruin a pasture, eating every blade of grass, until finally a fertile pasture is nothing but barren soil. Sheep are near-sighted & very stubborn, but easily frightened. An entire flock can be stampeded by a jack rabbit. They have little means of defense. They’re timid, feeble creatures. Their only recourse is to run if no shepherd is there to protect them. Sheep have no homing instincts. A dog, horse, cat, or a bird can find its way home, but when a sheep gets lost, it’s a goner unless someone rescues it.

Being lost means being out of relationship.

Because of their propensity for getting lost, the two things that sheep need most are: A SHEPHERD and OTHER SHEEP. They will not survive long without those two important things.

That is what happened in Jesus’ story. This sheep got separated from the care of the shepherd and the security of the other sheep. He did not know where he was, where he needed to be or how to get there.

Sheep are not worth much and a single lost sheep is even less valuable. Apparently the other 99 sheep didn’t even notice he was missing. Only the shepherd noticed and only the shepherd cared.

Even though the sheep was out of relationship with the flock and with the shepherd, the shepherd did not stop caring about the lost sheep.

Why should we care about sheep let alone a single lost sheep?

Because this story is not about sheep - it is about us, you and me. We are created for relationship. God designed us to need Him and other people in order to be healthy and happy. And we especially need to be in relationship with God Who is our only hope for abundant life now and eternal life later. Anyone who is out of relationship with God is spiritually lost and dead.

Being lost means being in great risk.

A sheep has absolutely no means of defending itself. It cannot fight and it cannot run. Its only security is found in the flock with 99 other sheep and under the protection of the shepherd.

But this sheep had wandered away from those two sources of safety. To a lion or a wolf a lone sheep looks like lunch! This sheep had put himself at great risk.

Also, sheep have been known to graze themselves off a cliff and fall to their death. They are not very bright to begin with and even worse when they are preoccupied with grazing. It’s not a good picture. Sheep, lost out in the wild, are goners. They aren’t very bright. They have no natural defenses. They can’t even run real fast. On their own they don’t do well at finding adequate food and water. Every time the word lost is used to describe a sheep, it’s a word in the original that carries a powerful sense - in fact it’s a word for absolute destruction, death, ruin. That’s what it means to be lost. By becoming lost, this sheep had put his life at risk.

So, why does this matter to us?

Because Jesus is not really talking about sheep, He is talking about us. He is warning of the great risk faced by those who are out relationship with God and the church. A lost person remains lost until he is found. If he never gets found he will slip into eternal lostness. That is unacceptable to God and should be unacceptable to us!

Why isn't it? Why do we not feel a sense of urgency? How can we be casual when people are out of relationship and at eternal risk?

September 12, 2009

" 'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' " Luke 15:31-32

What a sad ending to an otherwise great story.

When you say, "Psalm. People think 23rd Psalm."

When you say, "Parable. People think Prodigal Son."

It is one of the most popular, well-known and best loved parables that Jesus ever told. But it deserved a better ending. The finale should have been the party for the Prodigal, but instead, it focuses on the party pooper, a.k.a., the elder brother.

Why did it end that way? Why didn't this older son enjoy the party with his father and his brother? Everyone loves a party, don't they?

Well, let's review his complaints:

"You have never had even a small party for me and I have faithfully served you for all these years."

Am I sensing a little resentment here? Was it justified? Did he have a valid complaint?

Well, let's think about it. Should you expect a party for doing what you are supposed to do? Serving the father was his job. Do you get a party for doing your job? I don't think so. For doing your job you get to keep your job and you get to make a living. This son had a nice living. He had access to everything that his father possessed. He had a comfortable home, he had the love of a family, and he stood to inherit all that his father had.

Don't you think the father would have thrown a party for this son anytime the son would have asked? He never asked for a party.

If you ask me, I think this young man had an attitude problem.

"But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes come home, you kill the fatted calf for him."

Should the father not be excited about the return of his son? What was this older son thinking? Shouldn't he have been happy to see his brother return safely? Shouldn't he have at least acted happy out respect for his father?

When I look at this older brother I see some deadly attitudes that take the joy out of life.

There was an attitude of entitlement. "I have done these things so I deserve this thing." Apparently he wasn't serving the father because it was right, he was doing it for the reward.

There was an attitude of self-righteousness. "I am more deserving because I have done the right things." Sure, his actions were good but his attitudes were all wrong.

There was an attitude of envy. He thought he should have been getting the party instead of his brother. He saw himself as more deserving that his younger brother.

So, who lost out because of these bad attitudes? Not the younger brother, he got the party. Not the father, he went to the party, too. It was the older brother who missed out because of his lousy attitudes. He allowed his negative attitudes rob him of the joy of the celebration.

Bad attitudes usually lead to an unhappy ending. It is unfortunate when it happens in an otherwise positive parable. But it is tragic when it happens in real life.

Unfortunately, I have seen these attitudes steal the joy from Christians and from churches. And then they wonder why there is no joy in their life or in their fellowship. They look resentfully at other churches that have the joy.

Joy is the attitude of celebration. Celebration in the church is centered around lost sinners who come home. Giving into feelings of entitlement, self-righteousness, and envy, will crush the spirit of celebration everytime.

Please learn from the party pooper in this parable. Ask God to search your heart for any attitude that will rob you of your joy and keep you from the party.

September 11, 2009

"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him." Luke 15:20

One of the enduring memories from 9-11 was the sight of the police, paramedics, and firemen rushing into a burning building while everyone else who could was running out. Too many of them lost their lives trying to save the lives of others. Many lives were saved by them.

What is it that compels a person to rush into danger when most are fleeing from it? What motivates a person to risk his life to save the life of a total stranger?

Thank God there are still people who have a rescue mindset! Thank God there are those who value human life so highly that they will risk their own life to save others! As you pray today and as you meditate on the significance of this day take time to pray for the police, the firefighters, and the EMT's of your community. Take time to thank God for them.

Actually, I think those heroic acts of self-sacrifice on that fateful day eight years ago capture the very essence of the truth Jesus is teaching in Luke 15. Jesus is telling us that God has a rescue mindset. God is committed to rushing in to life threatening crises when others are running out. Jesus is the proof of God's commitment to rescue people trapped in the rubble of sin. He came from the splendor and security of Heaven in order to offer his life in order to save others.

So, how do we respond to that sort of mindset? How do we show our appreciation for such a great sacrifice?

I think Jesus answers those questions in Luke 15. I hear Him telling us that to prove our gratitude to God for His great love in two ways: (1) By loving Him and; (2) By loving what He loves - other people. I hear God calling us to have a rescue mindset and to rush into rescue situations when everyone else is running out.

Will you take a moment to ask God to give you a rescue mindset? Will you ask Him to fill you with His love for lost people? Will you praise God for being a Father who runs to meet lost people? Think about this, our faith is the only faith in the world that serves a God Who actively seeks us. Christianity is the unique faith that worships comes to us rather than expect us to somehow try to placate Him.

Seek God today and serve Him by seeking others who need to know Him.