Reviving the Lost: Our Mission in Christ

Devotional

Day 1: Understanding Spiritual Lostness

Understanding "lostness" is crucial; it signifies spiritual deadness and separation from God, a condition that affects all humanity apart from divine intervention. This deadness is a willful inclination towards sin and darkness, making spiritual truths incomprehensible. The concept of being "lost" is not just about being misplaced but is a profound state of spiritual deadness. This condition is universal, affecting every human being apart from God's saving grace. The parable of the Prodigal Son and other scriptures illustrate this state of being spiritually dead, where the lost are the living dead, unable to comprehend spiritual truths due to their enslavement to sin and love for darkness. [05:41]

Ephesians 2:1-2 (ESV): "And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience."

Reflection: Consider an area in your life where you feel spiritually "lost" or disconnected from God. What steps can you take today to seek His guidance and reconnect with Him?

Day 2: The Impossibility of Our Mission

Our mission is to do the impossible: raise the spiritually dead and give sight to the blind. While humanly impossible, with God, all things are possible. This mission requires reliance on God's power, not our own. The task of reaching the lost world is daunting because it involves doing what is humanly impossible. However, with God, all things are possible. When we succeed in this mission, it is not by our power but by God's, and thus, all glory goes to Him. We are called to rely on God's power to accomplish this divine work. [09:25]

Matthew 19:26 (ESV): "But Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'"

Reflection: Identify a situation in your life that seems impossible to overcome. How can you rely on God's power today to help you through it?

Day 3: The Gospel as the Means of Regeneration

The Gospel is the means through which God performs the miracle of regeneration. Human agency is indispensable in this process, as no one is born again without the living and abiding word of God. The process of bringing life to the dead and sight to the blind involves the proclamation of the Gospel. The living and abiding word of God is the means through which God performs the miracle of regeneration. Human agency is indispensable in this divine work, as no one is born again without the Gospel. We are called to proclaim Christ, not ourselves, and to serve others for Jesus' sake. [18:37]

1 Peter 1:23 (ESV): "Since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God."

Reflection: Think of someone in your life who needs to hear the Gospel. How can you share the living and abiding word of God with them today?

Day 4: Proclaiming Christ and Serving Others

Proclaiming Christ and serving others are central to our mission. Through our proclamation, God shines His light into the hearts of the blind, enabling them to see the glory of Christ. Our role is to be faithful messengers. We are called to proclaim Christ and serve others for Jesus' sake. Through our proclamation, God shines His light into the hearts of the blind, enabling them to see the glory of Christ. Our role is crucial yet humble, as we are nothing compared to God's power, yet He makes our efforts indispensable. [31:25]

2 Corinthians 4:5-6 (ESV): "For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."

Reflection: Reflect on how you can serve someone in your community today. What specific action can you take to show them the love of Christ?

Day 5: Humble Yet Indispensable Efforts

Our efforts are humble yet indispensable. While we are nothing compared to God's power, He makes our efforts essential in His divine work. We plant and water, trusting God to bring the increase and give Him all the glory. Our role is crucial yet humble. We are nothing compared to God's power, yet He makes our efforts indispensable. As we faithfully carry out our mission, we must remember that it is God who gives growth and creates faith. Our task is to plant and water, trusting that God will bring the increase. In this, we find our joy and purpose, knowing that we are loved and made much of by God. [35:09]

1 Corinthians 3:6-7 (ESV): "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth."

Reflection: Consider an area in your life where you are planting seeds or watering. How can you trust God to bring growth in this area, and what steps can you take to continue your efforts humbly?

Sermon Summary

In our mission to glorify God by building laborers on the campus for the lost world, we must first understand what it means to be "lost." The term "lost" is flexible in English, but biblically, it signifies a profound spiritual deadness. This deadness is not merely a misplacement but a state of being spiritually dead, as illustrated in the parable of the Prodigal Son and other scriptures. The lost are the living dead, unable to comprehend spiritual truths due to their enslavement to sin and love for darkness. This condition is universal, affecting every human being apart from God's saving grace.

Our mission is daunting because we are called to do the impossible: to raise the spiritually dead and give sight to the spiritually blind. Yet, this is precisely what God calls us to do. While it is impossible for us alone, with God, all things are possible. When we succeed in this mission, it is not by our power but by God's, and thus, all glory goes to Him.

The process of bringing life to the dead and sight to the blind involves the proclamation of the Gospel. The living and abiding word of God is the means through which God performs the miracle of regeneration. No one is born again without the Gospel, and thus, human agency is indispensable in this divine work. We are called to proclaim Christ, not ourselves, and to serve others for Jesus' sake. Through our proclamation, God shines His light into the hearts of the blind, enabling them to see the glory of Christ.

In conclusion, our role is crucial yet humble. We are nothing compared to God's power, yet He makes our efforts indispensable. As we faithfully carry out our mission, we must remember that it is God who gives growth and creates faith. Our task is to plant and water, trusting that God will bring the increase. In this, we find our joy and purpose, knowing that we are loved and made much of by God.

Key Takeaways

1. MixGnx3Hs&t=341s'>[05:41]
2. Our mission is to do the impossible: raise the spiritually dead and give sight to the blind. While humanly impossible, with God, all things are possible. This mission requires reliance on God's power, not our own.

3. The Gospel is the means through which God performs the miracle of regeneration. Human agency is indispensable in this process, as no one is born again without the living and abiding word of God.

4. Proclaiming Christ and serving others are central to our mission. Through our proclamation, God shines His light into the hearts of the blind, enabling them to see the glory of Christ. Our role is to be faithful messengers.

5. Our efforts are humble yet indispensable. While we are nothing compared to God's power, He makes our efforts essential in His divine work. We plant and water, trusting God to bring the increase and give Him all the glory.

** [05:41]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:14] - Understanding "Lost"
[01:28] - The Flexibility of "Lost"
[03:04] - Biblical Examples of Lostness
[05:20] - Spiritual Deadness
[07:18] - The Mission to Reach the Lost
[09:04] - The Impossibility of the Mission
[11:01] - The Role of Human Agency
[12:21] - The Power of the Gospel
[14:18] - The Miracle of Regeneration
[16:56] - Theological Implications
[18:37] - The Living and Abiding Word
[20:35] - The Indispensable Role of Humans
[24:17] - Spiritual Blindness and Sight
[31:25] - Proclaiming Christ and Serving Others
[35:09] - Humble Yet Indispensable Efforts

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

Luke 15:24
Luke 19:10
1 Peter 1:22-25

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Observation Questions:

In the parable of the Prodigal Son, how does the father describe his son’s condition before he returns? What does this imply about the spiritual state of being "lost"? ([03:25])
According to Luke 19:10, what is the purpose of Jesus' mission? How does this relate to the concept of being "lost"? ([04:03])
In 1 Peter 1:23, what is described as the means through which believers are born again? How does this relate to the role of human agency in the process of regeneration? ([18:37])
How does the sermon describe the condition of the "lost" in terms of their ability to understand spiritual truths? ([05:20])

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Interpretation Questions:

What does it mean for the "lost" to be described as the "living dead"? How does this understanding affect the way believers approach evangelism? ([03:43])
The sermon mentions that the mission to reach the lost is humanly impossible but possible with God. How does this paradox shape the way believers should view their role in evangelism? ([09:25])
In 1 Peter 1:22-25, the "living and abiding word of God" is emphasized. How does this passage inform the way believers should prioritize the proclamation of the Gospel in their mission? ([18:37])
How does the sermon explain the relationship between human agency and divine intervention in the process of spiritual regeneration? ([20:35])

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Application Questions:

Reflect on your understanding of "lostness." How does recognizing the spiritual deadness of the lost change your approach to sharing the Gospel? ([05:41])
The sermon emphasizes reliance on God's power in the mission to reach the lost. How can you practically incorporate prayer and dependence on God in your evangelistic efforts? ([09:25])
The Gospel is described as the means through which God performs the miracle of regeneration. How can you ensure that your conversations with non-believers are centered around the Gospel message? ([18:37])
Consider the role of proclaiming Christ and serving others in your life. What are some specific ways you can be a faithful messenger of the Gospel in your community? ([31:25])
The sermon highlights the humble yet indispensable role of believers in God's work. How can you maintain a humble attitude while recognizing the importance of your efforts in God's mission? ([35:09])
Think about a time when you felt inadequate in sharing your faith. How can the truth that God is the one who gives growth encourage you to continue planting and watering seeds of faith? ([35:09])
Identify one person in your life who is spiritually "lost." What steps can you take this week to engage them in a conversation about faith, relying on God's power to open their eyes to the truth? ([20:35])

Sermon Clips

"Lostness is deadness to spiritual truth, deadness to Christ, true of every human being apart from God's Saving Grace. Our lostness is our deadness, and that's a condition of the will. The will is that faculty of the soul that inclines again against something or for something." [00:05:30]

"The Lost don't just need finding; they need saving. They need to experience something that only Jesus can do. You can't do it; you can't save the lost, and that's precisely what they need according to Luke 19:1. You will call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." [00:03:57]

"Yes, you are called to raise the dead, but you can't, and give sight to the spiritually blind, which you can't, and you must. And that's what this message is about. When that happens, when people who can't raise the dead and can't give sight to the blind, in fact, do raise the dead and do give sight to the blind, you know what they say? Glory to God." [00:09:21]

"The process of bringing life to the dead and sight to the blind involves the proclamation of the Gospel. The living and abiding word of God is the means through which God performs the miracle of regeneration. No one is born again without the Gospel, and thus, human agency is indispensable in this divine work." [00:18:37]

"How does God do the miracle of New Birth that enables you to believe the truth, that enables your heart to be pure, that enables you to start loving other people all over the world? How does he do that? Answer: through the living and abiding word of God." [00:18:39]

"Nobody is born again without it, which means that you are called to do what you cannot do: raise the dead and give sight to the blind. And God has said he won't do it without you. I don't think that's a homiletical overstatement. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ." [00:20:32]

"God saves nobody apart from Human agency today. So as impossible as it is to raise the dead and give sight to the blind, you weak, fallible human beings are indispensable. And I pray God will make you feel made much of in that statement." [00:21:23]

"Human beings, human witness is indispensable in the Divine Miracle of regeneration and the Divine Miracle of Illumination. Human instruments are indispensable. God doesn't become a foreign missionary to the unreached peoples without humans." [00:33:13]

"Therefore, he who plants and he who Waters is nothing, but only God who gives the growth. Now there's a little grammatical quiz here. Therefore, he who plants is nothing, and he who Waters is nothing, but only God. But only God what? He left it out. What would you fill in?" [00:34:39]

"Those students will come to Christ through a human agency, will believe, will be raised from the dead through a human word, or they won't come at all. And therefore, I pray that God will make you feel so loved and so crucial that you will be faithful to your mission." [00:35:29]

"God shines into our hearts to give sight to the glory of Christ. I've got to follow him. Look, he's love, he's strength, he's wisdom. Oh, I love the sermon called the excellencies of Christ by Jonathan Edwards. Get it, go online, it's all free. Everything Edwards ever wrote is free." [00:30:17]

"How's that happen? Verse six: for God, who said, let light shine out of Darkness, referring back there to Genesis 1, The God Who said let light shine out of Darkness, has Shone in our hearts to give the light, the light that we were blinded to in verse four." [00:28:31]

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Reviving the Lost: Our Mission in Christ

Devotional

Day 1: Understanding Spiritual Lostness

Day 2: The Impossibility of Our Mission

Day 3: The Gospel as the Means of Regeneration

Day 4: Proclaiming Christ and Serving Others

Day 5: Humble Yet Indispensable Efforts

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Reviving the Lost: Our Mission in Christ

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