Embracing Jesus' Love: A Call to Seek the Lost
Summary
In today's gathering, we reflected on the profound significance of Jesus' sacrifice and the call to live a life that honors Him. We began by remembering the Last Supper, where Jesus broke the bread and shared the cup, symbolizing His body and blood given for us. This act of love and sacrifice is a reminder that Jesus is the bread of life, the only one who can truly satisfy our deepest needs. We acknowledged that despite our shortcomings, Jesus' love remains steadfast, and His blood cleanses us from all sin, offering us a new covenant of grace and forgiveness.
We then transitioned to the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin from Luke 15, which illustrate God's relentless pursuit of those who have wandered away. These stories reveal the heart of God, who grieves when His creation is lost and rejoices when they are found. Jesus used these parables to challenge the Pharisees' attitudes towards sinners, emphasizing that His mission was to seek and save the lost. This mission is not just historical but continues today, calling us to see the world through Jesus' eyes and to reach out with compassion and truth.
We also shared personal stories of transformation, highlighting how encounters with Jesus can change lives. These testimonies remind us of the power of God's love and the importance of sharing our own stories of faith. As followers of Christ, we are called to be laborers in the harvest, reaching out to those who are lost and pointing them to the hope found in Jesus.
As we concluded, we were challenged to identify the "one" God is calling us to search for and to pray for boldness and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to be effective witnesses. We were encouraged to let God's reckless love flow through us, reaching those who are far from Him and inviting them into a life-transforming relationship with Jesus.
Key Takeaways:
1. Jesus' Sacrifice and Our Remembrance: Jesus' sacrifice on the cross is a profound act of love that offers us forgiveness and a new covenant. As we partake in communion, we remember His body broken and His blood shed for us, acknowledging that He is the only source of true satisfaction and life. This remembrance calls us to live in gratitude and honor His sacrifice in our daily lives. [44:05]
2. God's Heart for the Lost: The parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin reveal God's deep love and concern for those who have wandered away. God's heart grieves for the lost, and He rejoices when they are found. This challenges us to align our hearts with His, seeing the lost as valuable and worth pursuing with compassion and grace. [46:59]
3. Challenging Attitudes Towards Sinners: Jesus' interaction with sinners and tax collectors challenged the Pharisees' attitudes, emphasizing that no one is beyond the reach of God's love. We are called to move beyond judgment and embrace those who are far from God, recognizing that Jesus came to seek and save the lost. [49:19]
4. The Call to Seek and Save: As followers of Christ, we are called to continue Jesus' mission of seeking and saving the lost. This involves sharing our stories of transformation and being willing to reach out to those who are far from God, trusting that an encounter with Jesus can change lives. [54:51]
5. Seeing the World Through Jesus' Eyes: We must view the lost through the compassionate eyes of Jesus, recognizing that they are like sheep without a shepherd. Our role is to be laborers in the harvest, sharing the truth and love of Christ, and inviting others into a life-changing relationship with Him. [59:48]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:30] - Communion: Remembering Jesus' Sacrifice
- [03:15] - The Bread of Life
- [05:45] - The New Covenant in His Blood
- [08:20] - Living as Living Sacrifices
- [10:50] - Introduction to Luke 15
- [12:30] - The Parable of the Lost Sheep
- [15:00] - The Parable of the Lost Coin
- [17:45] - God's Heart for the Lost
- [20:10] - Challenging the Pharisees' Attitudes
- [23:00] - Jesus' Mission to Seek and Save
- [26:30] - Personal Stories of Transformation
- [30:00] - The Call to Be Laborers in the Harvest
- [33:15] - Seeing the World Through Jesus' Eyes
- [36:00] - Closing Prayer and Call to Action
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Luke 15:1-10
- Isaiah 1:18
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Observation Questions:
1. What actions did Jesus take during the Last Supper to symbolize His sacrifice, and what do these actions represent? [44:05]
2. In the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin, what actions do the shepherd and the woman take when they realize something is lost? [46:59]
3. How did the Pharisees react to Jesus spending time with sinners and tax collectors, and what does this reveal about their attitudes? [49:19]
4. What was the reaction of the people when Jesus chose to stay at Zacchaeus' house, and how did Zacchaeus respond to Jesus' presence? [54:51]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the act of communion serve as a reminder of Jesus' sacrifice and the new covenant of grace and forgiveness? [44:05]
2. What do the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin teach us about God's heart for those who have wandered away from Him? [46:59]
3. How did Jesus' interactions with sinners challenge the Pharisees' understanding of righteousness and God's love? [49:19]
4. In what ways does the story of Zacchaeus illustrate the transformative power of an encounter with Jesus? [54:51]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your own life: How do you remember and honor Jesus' sacrifice in your daily actions and decisions? [44:05]
2. Identify someone in your life who may feel lost or far from God. What practical steps can you take to reach out to them with compassion and grace this week? [46:59]
3. Consider your attitudes towards those who are different from you or who live in ways you disagree with. How can you align your heart more closely with Jesus' example of love and acceptance? [49:19]
4. Think about a time when you felt judged or excluded. How can that experience inform the way you interact with others who might feel marginalized? [49:19]
5. Jesus saw Zacchaeus and called him by name, leading to a life change. Is there someone in your life who needs to be seen and acknowledged? How can you be intentional about reaching out to them? [54:51]
6. Reflect on the concept of being a "laborer in the harvest." What specific actions can you take to share your faith story with others in your community? [59:48]
7. Pray for boldness and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to be an effective witness. What specific area of your life do you need courage to share your faith, and how can you take a step forward this week? [01:09:45]
Devotional
Day 1: Living in Gratitude for Jesus' Sacrifice
Jesus' sacrifice on the cross is a profound act of love that offers us forgiveness and a new covenant. As we partake in communion, we remember His body broken and His blood shed for us, acknowledging that He is the only source of true satisfaction and life. This remembrance calls us to live in gratitude and honor His sacrifice in our daily lives. [44:05]
Hebrews 10:19-22 (ESV): "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water."
Reflection: How can you intentionally express gratitude for Jesus' sacrifice in your daily routine today? Consider one specific action you can take to honor His love and grace.
Day 2: Embracing God's Pursuit of the Lost
The parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin reveal God's deep love and concern for those who have wandered away. God's heart grieves for the lost, and He rejoices when they are found. This challenges us to align our hearts with His, seeing the lost as valuable and worth pursuing with compassion and grace. [46:59]
Ezekiel 34:11-12 (ESV): "For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness."
Reflection: Who in your life might be feeling lost or distant from God? How can you reach out to them with compassion and grace today?
Day 3: Moving Beyond Judgment
Jesus' interaction with sinners and tax collectors challenged the Pharisees' attitudes, emphasizing that no one is beyond the reach of God's love. We are called to move beyond judgment and embrace those who are far from God, recognizing that Jesus came to seek and save the lost. [49:19]
James 2:12-13 (ESV): "So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment."
Reflection: Is there someone you have been judging harshly? How can you extend mercy and love to them today, reflecting Jesus' heart for the lost?
Day 4: Sharing Stories of Transformation
As followers of Christ, we are called to continue Jesus' mission of seeking and saving the lost. This involves sharing our stories of transformation and being willing to reach out to those who are far from God, trusting that an encounter with Jesus can change lives. [54:51]
1 Peter 3:15-16 (ESV): "But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame."
Reflection: What is one story of transformation in your life that you can share with someone today? How can you do so with gentleness and respect?
Day 5: Seeing the World Through Jesus' Eyes
We must view the lost through the compassionate eyes of Jesus, recognizing that they are like sheep without a shepherd. Our role is to be laborers in the harvest, sharing the truth and love of Christ, and inviting others into a life-changing relationship with Him. [59:48]
Matthew 9:36-38 (ESV): "When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.'"
Reflection: How can you begin to see the people around you through Jesus' eyes today? What specific action can you take to be a laborer in the harvest, sharing His love and truth?
Quotes
"Jesus took the bread And he broke it And he said this is my body Which has been broken For you Every time you eat it Do this in remembrance of me And so Lord today As a body of Christ As Mountain Zion Christian Church Lord we remember Your body That was broken For us Lord it should have been Us on that cross But because of your love For us You went You carried that cross You took the shame The punishment And your body Was kneeled on that tree Jesus, you tell us In your word That you are the bread Of life That Jesus You are the only thing That can truly Satisfy Lord so many Try to turn To so many other things In this life But Jesus You are the only way We were created To walk with you To know you So we thank you God that you are life And that you have made a way For us to partake And to be with you So Father As we take the bread This morning We remember you And we honor you In Jesus name" [00:37:37] (80 seconds)
"In the same way Jesus took the cup And he said This cup is The new covenant Of my blood Which has been shed For you And we thank you Jesus For the new covenant We thank you Jesus That you don't change Your mind about us Lord that you are for us Not against us Lord even on our worst day You are still for us Lord And we thank you That your blood Cleanses us From all of our sin Lord your word says In Isaiah That though our sin Was like scarlet It will be white as snow And though our sin Was red as crimson You will make it White as wool And Lord right now If anyone here today Is dealing with guilt With shame They're having a hard time Forgiving themselves That you would help them To see themselves Through your eyes Through the lens Of the cross That God We are forgiven We are washed And we are clean So Jesus We thank you For your blood That was shed For the forgiveness Of our sin Let's take the cup together" [00:39:03] (62 seconds)
"See, your first point today is this. God's heart is grieved when the people he created wander off. God's heart is grieved, and that is where our text begins today. So let's read together Luke chapter 15, verses 1 through 10. It says, Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, This man welcomes sinners and eats with them. Then Jesus told them this parable. 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? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, Rejoice with me. I have found my lost sheep. 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." [00:47:13] (82 seconds)
"See, our next point today is this. Jesus shared the parable of the parable of the lost coin and sheep to challenge the Pharisees' attitudes towards the lost. He was challenging their attitudes towards those who were far from God. See, they viewed the sinners and the tax collectors as unclean, as unapproachable because they knew what they were doing was wrong and they didn't care. They didn't want to change in their mind. See, the tax collectors, they were seen as enemies to the Jewish people. They were working for the Roman government. They were collecting taxes and we all understand that we don't like that, right? But they would collect more than they were required to fill their own pockets. They were wealthy. They had bigger houses. And so there was this gap between the regular Jewish people and these tax collectors and they hated them. They didn't want anything to do with them." [00:50:32] (66 seconds)
"He came to set the captives free, to bring salvation, to those who were lost, to begin to see a change and the lights come on in someone's life, transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. He tells the parable about the lost sheep and the lost coin to challenge the Pharisees' hearts towards the lost. Your next point today is this. The parables of the lost coin and sheep, they reveal Jesus' heart to seek and to save the lost. This is just who Jesus was. As you go through the gospels, as you look at his life, he is constantly going out of his way to find people that need to know the truth. One of my favorite examples is the story of Zacchaeus. You guys can open your Bibles to Luke chapter 19. This is a great example of Jesus seeking and saving the lost. Let's read verse 1 through 10 together this morning." [00:52:59] (70 seconds)
"But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, Look, Lord, here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount. Jesus said to him, Today, salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham. For the son of man came to seek and to save the lost. See, there was a crowd of people. They were all trying to get Jesus' attention, to get Jesus' time. And yet here Jesus stops at this tax collector's tree where he climbed. He sees him. And he has a moment where he says, Zacchaeus, I see you. Come. Now we don't know what Jesus said to him. But what we do know is that when this man encountered Jesus, his heart and his life was changed. His life didn't stay the same. In church, Jesus still changes hearts today." [00:55:07] (82 seconds)
"How do we view the lost today? How would Jesus view the lost in our culture today? Would he stand at a distance and would he hate them and say, you're unclean and stay away from me? Or would Jesus still be? everywhere he went, there's somebody who needs their heart to be changed and I'm going to pursue them. I'm going to go after them. See, here's the thing, church. The Pharisees, man, they had all truth. They wanted to stand on truth and that is good and a church needs to stand on truth today and we cannot budge from the word of God. But the Pharisees, they had all truth but they had no love. They had no love." [00:57:25] (49 seconds)
"See, Jesus never budged from the truth yet he met people right where they were at and they were constantly being changed and molded by his love. And by the truth. And church, that is what we are called to do today. We are called to look at our generation, to look at the culture and not budge from truth but to recognize they are like sheep without a shepherd. They need to encounter Jesus because that is the only thing that will change their heart. An encounter with Christ is the only thing that can change their heart and that is what we are called to do. Your next point today is this. As Christ followers, we must see the lost in our world through the eyes of Jesus." [00:58:42] (55 seconds)
"We must see them through the eyes of Jesus. He went to the cross for the lost of lost, for the broken of broken, for the sinner of sinners. He went to the cross for them. Listen to what Jesus says in Matthew chapter 9, verse 35 through 38. It says, And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, it says he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest." [00:59:25] (66 seconds)
"When Jesus looked at the lostness of the crowd, he saw them like sheep without a shepherd. He had compassion because he knew that they could be changed if they simply changed their heart. And he said to his disciples, That's every one of us who put our faith in Christ as our Lord and Savior, who are striving to grow, to become more like him. He says, Don't you see it? The harvest is plentiful. There is Zacchaeuses everywhere we look, but the laborers are few. Church, that should not be the case. We need to go into the harvest field. We need to reach people. We need to share our story." [01:00:39] (47 seconds)
"Think about how Jesus pursued you. Think about how your life has changed. And so many of us, we could not only point to Jesus, but we can point to other people around us that saw us, that reached out to us, that pointed us to Jesus. We want to share a story from someone in our congregation and we can't even прост祝福 go to our congregation perspectives and contact us Gabe Ram. We want to share his death -to -life story with you today. So why don't you guys take a minute and watch this video." [01:01:55] (30 seconds)
"The question I want to close with today is this. Who is the one that God is calling you to search for? Who is the one that God is calling you to search for? We talked about the parable of the sheep and the parable of the coin and how the person would search and search and search until they found. And how God has called us, the church, to take ownership of the call that God has in our life to go into the world, to make disciples, to share the hope that we have in Jesus, to share our story. Who in your life is God calling you to search for?" [01:07:30] (45 seconds)
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