Have you ever lost something? Are they usually small or important things?
Luke 15:1-24
I lose little things every day.
When I am gonna go out of my house, I look for my keys and I don’t find them. So, I ask my wife: Honey, Do you know where my keys are?
And She says: they’re here! The same place that I looked for.
Does this happen with you too? Everyday is the same thing.
But today I wanna talk about a serious message: Don’t lose important things! We cannot lose anything important. Sometimes, we lose important people in our lives. We lose friends, friendship, relatives. Or sometimes We lose health, money even the Presence of God!
If you are thinking that you are lost, so far away from Jesus, or you are thinking that you lost something or someone and that you have no more chances, I wanna tell you something:
With Jesus, nothing is lost! This is the title of our message today!
WITH JESUS, NOTHING IS LOST!
That is what Jesus showed the Pharisees and the teachers of the law!
Vs. 1-3
Jesus, knowing the hard hearts of these religious people, told them the parable that makes up the verses of this chapter. In this parable, Jesus uses some illustrations to teach them the value of every lost soul. He even uses this parable to teach them that they themselves might not be as safe as they thought they were.
We have 3 lessons today.
We will study about the Lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost son.
Vs. 4-7
1. The First Lesson “I was the lost sheep and I was found”
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 neighbours 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
Here, we can see that a Shepherd has one hundred sheep. One of them gets lost by itself. It’s not the Shepherd’s fault. This sheep got lost by itself.
Sometimes, we are like this sheep.
Jesus calls us sheep because He knows human nature. With our mob instinct, our fears and shyness, our stubbornness and stupidity, and our rebellious nature, we’re very similar to sheep. Furthermore, sheep cannot survive on their own. They require constant attention, rescue and care from the shepherd, or they’ll die.
However, the important point is not that we are just like sheep, but rather that we have a wonderful Shepherd. That was David’s thought on Psalm 23: “The Lord is my shepherd.” David was bragging here. “Look at who my shepherd is! Look at who’s in control of my life!” As a shepherd himself, David knew that the quality of life for any sheep depends on the kind of shepherd who takes care of them.
In Psalms 23:5 says: “You anoint my head with oil…”
Why Jesus (The Good Shepherd anoint the Sheep’s head?)
I saw something about it I would like to share with yous.
At certain times of the year, great clouds of flies, mosquitos and other insects would attack the shepherd’s flocks. Not only that, the sheep could also be afflicted by lice and ticks. These insects would especially attack the heads of the sheep, going into their ears and noses. The results could range from irritation to disease and even death.To protect the sheep, the shepherd would make a mixture of olive oil and anoint the head of the sheep, rubbing the oil into its wool and especially around its nose, eyes, and ears.
Many times, as Christians we avoid angry wolves only to end up losing ourselves to the small things in life that irritate and frustrate us, or cause infection. These little insects spoil the sheep’s life. In the same way, it is often the “little things” that may cause Christians to lose heart, to get discouraged, or to get upset and offended at people. These small fleshly issues give birth to grudges, fights, and trouble within the church. Like sheep irritated and infected by tiny bugs. But if the sheep are close to the Shepherd, they will be safe!
And Jesus the Good Shepherd is indeed a great shepherd. He sacrifices for His sheep: He literally gave His life for us. He knows His sheep: He knows each of us individually, intimately and completely, and loves us anyway! He brings His sheep together: To the Good Shepherd, race and nationality are all unimportant. We are all His flock. He lives for His sheep: He died, but He rose again, and He will never abandon us.
We think that we know everything, about the ways of life, and we walk alone, far away from the Shepherd, Jesus Christ. We make our own choices and then, we lose ourselves.
It’s like driving without a GPS in a place you’ve never been before. We will get lost.
How is your life today? Are you in following Jesus? or Are you following your own way?
Remember: With Jesus, nothing is lost. You should give up living by yourself and start to live what the Shepherd has for you!
If you come back to Jesus, He will put you in his shoulders, and you will be safe! You will be found!!!
He said in Matthew 11:28
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Do you wanna rest in the arms of Jesus? So, let him be your Shepherd.
Vs. 8-10
2. The second lesson is: Along the way, We lost something.
“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins 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 neighbours 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.”
This woman had ten silvers coins, but she lost one.
And you: What did you lose along the way? What did you lose in your home? In your life?
Did You lose your heart?
Did you lose the joy of salvation?
Did you lose your relationship with your son or daughter?
Did you lose your relationship with your husband, wife, or relatives?
Did you lose the love of yours parents?
Remember: With Jesus, nothing is lost!
*show picture …
If it’s Broken, he can fix it.
If it’s torn down, He can rebuild it. If your heart is lost, He can find it, because he makes all things new! hallelujah!!!
Vs. 8. Look: To find her coin, Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?
In order to do this search, she had to stop what she was doing.
When She stopped, She had to turn on the light and sweep the house.
Stop what you’re doing wrong. Look at your attitude, to your life and where there is darkness, please turn on the light!
That woman, She turned on the light to search for her coin.
In the same way, you have to bring light to your home! To your life!
Stop doing what you are doing wrong and what is not right, and now bring the light of Christ to your life, your home, your family!
Jesus said in John 8:12 “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness”.
That woman turned the light on and swept her house.
My brothers and sisters, bring the light of Jesus to your home and sweep your house!
when you sweep your home, you take out all the dirt of your flesh, of your relationship, mind and heart. In this way, God will be a King in your home, because it will be totally clean, and God will bring peace and love.
Picture…
“all my fears swept away in the light of your embrace, Jesus!”
So, what are you waiting to find what you lost? Maybe you lost a dream. Run for it. Maybe, you lost a friend or somebody of your family! Turn on the light, bring Jesus to control your life. He will bring light to your darkness!
Vs. 11-24
3. Third lesson is “I need to go back to my father’s house”
“Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.
14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.
15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.
16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!
18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’
20 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.
21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.”
He made a harsh request!
The younger son said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’
He lived a harsh reality and felt the taste of sin. sin brings shame, suffering and sadness.
Each one of us can make a choice. We can live with Jesus or not. And This young man chose to live faraway from Jesus.
But, remember it: With Jesus, nothing is lost!
Someday the young man saw that being faraway from his father’s house was a terrible mistake. So, He repented deeply and came back to his father’s house, where he knew that he had love, peace and salvation.
He repented! He humbled himself!
If you are far away from the Father’s house, you need to humble yourself!
We understood this last Sunday, with Mizelena’s message!
Do you remember it?
2 Chronicles 7:14 “ 14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
If your desire is to come back to the Father’s house, today is your day!
God is with arms open wide for you! hallelujah!
Like the lost sheep, You may have gone the wrong way, lost the route of your life, the direction. But Jesus comes looking for you today. He is looking for you here in Ireland, or wherever you are listening to this message. He is the good shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep.
Like the woman who lost a coin, along the way You may have lost relationships, people. Start cleaning your house! Turn on the light of Christ, sweep away from your home all bitterness, quarrel, anger, emotional unrest, evil and make your home a piece of heaven, so God can dwell there and restore your whole family.
Like the lost son, you may have been carried away by the attractions of this world, the money, the false friendships, but remember: With Jesus, nothing is lost! You can still realise today how far away from God our Father you are and repent of your sins and surrender your life into Jesus’ hands, so that He will have full control of your life and guide you, protect you, and restore you completely!
Sing a song “Reckless love