God's Relentless Love: The Pursuit of the Lost
Summary
### Summary
Today, we delved into the parable of the lost sheep, emphasizing the relentless love and pursuit of God for each one of us. We personalized this story by imagining ourselves, our loved ones, and even our enemies as the lost sheep, highlighting that God's love and pursuit extend to everyone. We then turned to Ephesians 3, where Paul prays for believers to be strengthened in their inner being through the Spirit and to comprehend the vast dimensions of God's love. This prayer underscores the importance of being rooted in love and continually growing in our relationship with Christ.
We also reflected on the sacrificial love of Jesus, drawing a parallel with the story of Maximilian Kolbe, a Catholic priest who gave his life for another during World War II. This act of self-sacrifice mirrors Jesus' substitutionary death for us, emphasizing that His atonement covers all our sins and offers us eternal life.
In the final part of our series on the mystery of Christ, we explored three key points from Paul's prayer in Ephesians 3. First, Paul prays for everyone to receive Jesus, highlighting the importance of praying for unbelievers. Second, he prays for the continual growth of believers, urging us to deepen our understanding of God's love. Lastly, we discussed God's omnipotence, affirming that He can accomplish all His will, as illustrated by the life of George Mueller, who experienced the power of prayer in miraculous ways.
We concluded by affirming that God's love is beyond our comprehension, yet He desires to save everyone through faith in Jesus. This calls us to trust in His timing and power, knowing that He is patient and desires all to come to repentance.
### Key Takeaways
1. God's Relentless Pursuit: Imagine yourself, your loved ones, and even your enemies as the lost sheep. God's love is so profound that He leaves the 99 to seek the one who is lost. This relentless pursuit is a testament to His unwavering love and desire for everyone to be found and saved. [01:10]
2. The Depth of God's Love: Paul's prayer in Ephesians 3 emphasizes the vast dimensions of God's love. Being rooted in love is just the beginning; we are called to continually grow in our understanding of this love, which surpasses all knowledge. This growth fills us with the fullness of God, bringing peace, joy, and hope. [03:08]
3. Sacrificial Love of Jesus: The story of Maximilian Kolbe's self-sacrifice during World War II mirrors Jesus' substitutionary death for us. Jesus saw our sinful condition and chose to die in our place, offering us eternal life. This act of love is the foundation of our faith and salvation. [05:57]
4. Power of Prayer: The life of George Mueller exemplifies the power of prayer. Whether it's fixing a boiler or finding a car part, God answers prayers in miraculous ways. This teaches us to rely on God in all situations, knowing that He cares about our needs and desires to demonstrate His power through answered prayers. [24:04]
5. God's Patience and Desire for Salvation: God is patient, not wanting anyone to perish but all to come to repentance. This patience is a reflection of His immense love and desire for everyone to be saved through faith in Jesus. We are called to trust in His timing and continue praying for the salvation of others, knowing that He is at work. [27:01]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[01:10] - Personalizing the Lost Sheep
[02:15] - Ephesians 3: The Mystery of Christ
[03:08] - Understanding God's Love
[03:50] - Prayer and God's Complete Love
[04:31] - Maximilian Kolbe's Sacrifice
[05:57] - Jesus' Substitutionary Death
[06:42] - The Mystery of Christ Series Recap
[07:22] - God's Inclusive Plan
[08:00] - Sharing the Gospel
[09:40] - God's Sovereignty in All Situations
[11:22] - Praying for Unbelievers
[12:46] - Paul's Example of Prayer
[14:16] - Jesus' Prayer for Forgiveness
[15:39] - Corrie Ten Boom's Forgiveness
[17:10] - Praying for Spiritual Strength
[18:39] - Continual Growth in Jesus
[20:14] - Comprehending God's Love
[21:44] - George Mueller's Faith and Prayer
[24:04] - Miraculous Answers to Prayer
[27:01] - God's Patience and Love
[28:31] - Conclusion: Faith in Jesus
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. Luke 15:3-7 (Parable of the Lost Sheep)
2. Ephesians 3:14-21 (Paul's Prayer for the Ephesians)
3. 2 Peter 3:9 (God's Patience and Desire for Salvation)
### Observation Questions
1. In the parable of the lost sheep, what action does the shepherd take when one sheep is lost? ([01:10])
2. According to Ephesians 3:14-21, what does Paul pray for the believers to comprehend? ([03:08])
3. How does the story of Maximilian Kolbe illustrate the sacrificial love of Jesus? ([05:57])
4. What examples from George Mueller's life demonstrate the power of prayer? ([24:04])
### Interpretation Questions
1. How does imagining yourself, a loved one, or an enemy as the lost sheep change your perspective on God's love and pursuit? ([01:10])
2. What does it mean to be "rooted and firmly established in love" as described in Ephesians 3:17? How does this foundation impact a believer's life? ([03:08])
3. In what ways does the sacrificial act of Maximilian Kolbe during World War II mirror the substitutionary death of Jesus for humanity? ([05:57])
4. How does the life of George Mueller challenge or inspire your own prayer life and trust in God's provision? ([24:04])
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt like the lost sheep. How did you experience God's pursuit and love during that period? ([01:10])
2. Identify someone in your life who might be a "lost sheep." How can you actively show them God's love and pray for their return to faith? ([01:10])
3. How can you deepen your understanding of the vast dimensions of God's love as described in Ephesians 3:18-19? What practical steps can you take this week? ([03:08])
4. Think about a situation where you need to rely on God's power through prayer. What specific prayer can you commit to this week, inspired by George Mueller's example? ([24:04])
5. How can you emulate the sacrificial love of Jesus in your daily life? Identify a specific act of selflessness you can perform this week. ([05:57])
6. Reflect on God's patience and desire for everyone's salvation. How can this understanding influence the way you pray for and interact with unbelievers? ([27:01])
7. Consider a challenging relationship in your life. How can you apply the principle of loving and praying for your enemies as Jesus taught in Matthew 5:44? ([14:16])
Devotional
Day 1: God's Relentless Pursuit
God's love is so profound that He leaves the 99 to seek the one who is lost. This relentless pursuit is a testament to His unwavering love and desire for everyone to be found and saved. Imagine yourself, your loved ones, and even your enemies as the lost sheep. This exercise helps us understand the depth of God's love and His desire for reconciliation with every individual. It challenges us to see others through the lens of God's love and to extend grace and compassion to those who may seem far from Him. [01:10]
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: Think of someone in your life who seems far from God. How can you show them God's relentless love and pursuit this week?
Day 2: The Depth of God's Love
Paul's prayer in Ephesians 3 emphasizes the vast dimensions of God's love. Being rooted in love is just the beginning; we are called to continually grow in our understanding of this love, which surpasses all knowledge. This growth fills us with the fullness of God, bringing peace, joy, and hope. As we deepen our relationship with Christ, we begin to experience the transformative power of His love in every aspect of our lives. [03:08]
Ephesians 3:17-19 (ESV): "So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."
Reflection: In what ways can you deepen your understanding of God's love this week? How can this understanding impact your daily interactions and decisions?
Day 3: Sacrificial Love of Jesus
The story of Maximilian Kolbe's self-sacrifice during World War II mirrors Jesus' substitutionary death for us. Jesus saw our sinful condition and chose to die in our place, offering us eternal life. This act of love is the foundation of our faith and salvation. Reflecting on such sacrificial love challenges us to live selflessly and to consider how we can embody Christ's love in our own lives. [05:57]
1 John 3:16 (ESV): "By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers."
Reflection: Think of a specific way you can demonstrate sacrificial love to someone in your life this week. What steps can you take to put their needs above your own?
Day 4: Power of Prayer
The life of George Mueller exemplifies the power of prayer. Whether it's fixing a boiler or finding a car part, God answers prayers in miraculous ways. This teaches us to rely on God in all situations, knowing that He cares about our needs and desires to demonstrate His power through answered prayers. Mueller's life is a testament to the faithfulness of God and the importance of persistent, faith-filled prayer. [24:04]
James 5:16 (ESV): "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."
Reflection: Identify a specific need or situation in your life that requires God's intervention. Commit to praying about it daily this week and trust in God's power to answer.
Day 5: God's Patience and Desire for Salvation
God is patient, not wanting anyone to perish but all to come to repentance. This patience is a reflection of His immense love and desire for everyone to be saved through faith in Jesus. We are called to trust in His timing and continue praying for the salvation of others, knowing that He is at work. This understanding encourages us to be patient and persistent in our prayers for those who have not yet come to faith. [27:01]
2 Peter 3:9 (ESV): "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance."
Reflection: Think of someone you have been praying for to come to faith in Jesus. How can you renew your commitment to pray for their salvation and trust in God's perfect timing?
Quotes
1. "Imagine someone you love as that lost sheep. Maybe you don't know if they're lost, if they've accepted Christ as their Savior. Maybe you know that they have, at some point in the past, done that, but they've wandered away. Imagine them as the lost sheep. He always leaves the 99 in pursuit of the one. I want you to personalize it another way this morning. Imagine your enemy as that lost sheep. Maybe imagine the person that our nation considers an enemy, or maybe the person that half of America considers an enemy at election time. Imagine that person as the lost sheep. Does God love each of these people the same? Absolutely, yes." [01:10] (55 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Jesus saw us in our sinful condition and said, I will die in place of him. I will die in her place. I will allow my life to be the substitutionary death for them, because we've all sinned and fall short of the glory of God. And our sentence because of that, according to Genesis chapter three, the very beginning is death, spiritual death. As we understand it, that we would be, that we would die and be separate from God. But Jesus took our place. Because Jesus is God, his death could not only be in the place of a few lives, but could atone for our sin, could take the place of our, our spiritual condition that we deserve hell and separation from God. Jesus' death could atone for that." [05:57] (59 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "God is able to accomplish all that he pleases. God is able to do everything he wants. Some people in any situation, whether there's something bad that happens, like this last week with another shooter, another active shooter, people will of course say, where's God in all of this? They would say, where's God when bad things happen? And in those situations, the answer is the same as all other times. God is in heaven. God is in heaven. And sometimes we have to reconcile even bad things like that. Bad things like active shooters, bad things like hell, knowing that God is in heaven and he does whatever he pleases. That's a hard truth. It's a hard truth. And yet, if we believe that God is good, then even bad things are going to be reconciled in the end. God's going to right every wrong and all of our sorrow will be turned into joy." [09:40] (69 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Sometimes we pray for people to have easy lives so that they would experience the blessing of God and, and, and come to Jesus because of it. But maybe sometimes we need to pray God's wrath, that they might see just how holy God is. That sin really does lead to separation because here's the truth. Our sin does lead to eternal damnation. There shouldn't be any surprise. And it's only through faith in Christ that we can escape that. And for some, they will see that before their eyes are open, before they confess with their mouth as Philippians two says that Jesus is Lord." [12:46] (52 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "God wants us to walk with him. God wants us to, each day of our lives, trust him and, and live out of that relationship. Knowing that he's with us wherever we go, knowing that wherever we go, we have, he's given us instructions to how, as to how to live, to glorify him, how to, how to live to have the most joy in life, doing the things that God's called us to do. As we walk with Jesus, we begin to see just how great God is. We begin to see all these things that, as we live for him, as we walk with him, we start to comprehend what is the length and width and height and depth of God's love, and to know Christ's love that surpasses knowledge." [18:39] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "God loves you more than you can comprehend. God loves your kids, your family more than you can comprehend. And he's patient enough to allow them to wander away for a time because he knows what he's doing. He knows his love. He knows his power. Because he's powerful enough to bring them back and save them in his time. 2 Peter chapter 3 verse 9. Corey, if you can get it on the screen, says it like this. The Lord does not delay in his promise as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance." [27:01] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "So to be abundantly clear, I believe the Bible here and as a whole makes at least these three points. God is love and he desires to save everyone. God is omnipotent and can do all that he desires. And God is Jesus. So he saves all by grace through faith in Jesus. But he does it, maybe I shouldn't say but, maybe I should say and, and he does it through faith. Through faith in Jesus. See, we can hear this kind of sermon and think, well, if God's going to save everyone anyway, then I'm good and I don't have to change. I don't have to believe anything different. He's just going to save me. No, he does it through faith in Jesus." [28:31] (52 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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