How Will They Know?

Luke 15:1-10

I want to talk about reaching out with the message about Jesus Christ this morning.  I want to talk about our role as communicators of the Gospel.  You see, Jesus has given us the responsibility of pointing others to him.

He didn’t tell us to convert anyone.  He’ll do that.

He didn’t tell us to condemn anyone. People do that to themselves.

We all need healing.
We all need forgiveness.
We all need unconditional love. 

In the Gospel according to Matthew, “the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.  When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.  Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

We are about making disciples.  Sunday school has started.  Good and faithful Brothers and sisters in Christ are teaching the youngest generation the stories of our faith; they are teaching what it means to worship our God. 

There are hot breakfast casseroles waiting for us to consume at the simple meal so that we can fellowship with each other and support the Haiti Hot Lunch Program. Through that program we are sharing the love of God with the most vulnerable. 

That is just today.  That is only a part of what is happening today in the life of the church.  God is at work through St. Paul United Methodist Church. 

There is something that concerns me though. Since 2001, our membership has dropped by 23.  That means if 100 new members were added during that time, then 123 have withdrawn, transferred or passed away. St. Paul isn’t doing anything wrong.  The fact is that we will all transfer our membership to the heavenly realm eventually. We just need to find a way to reverse that trend so the work God started in this place continues.

The in the gospel reading for today Jesus tells us about the rejoicing that happens in heaven when one who is lost is found. Or when one who has turned away from God turns back toward God. This is a big deal to God.  This is a big deal to the angels in heaven.  You and I matter to God.  Our spiritual condition matters to God.

If it matters so much to our God, shouldn’t the spiritual condition of those we love matter to us.  Shouldn’t the spiritual condition of those who live in our community matter to us? 

Jesus tells about the lost sheep and the lost coin.  The one who is lost is the one who is out there.  Either they are a sheep of this fold who has wondered off, or they were never a part of this fold to begin with.  Either way, it doesn’t matter; God cares for all the sheep.

Those of us who have found the joy of living a life of faith in Jesus Christ know the value of being under the watchful eye of The Good Shepherd.  Faith is a gift from God.  When we look to go out and make new disciples the biggest challenge, the obstacle I have found it not a rejection of faith, but apathy to it.

For many, Christmas presents, and having a church for weddings and funerals is just enough religion to inoculate them from the desire to have a vital relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

It’s not that they have not heard the story of Jesus Christ. It’s that they have heard a version of it through various means like the television, their neighbors, their family and friends.  Many have that story of the Christian faith formed in their minds and have not found it compelling, at least not enough to open their hearts to the transforming presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

One of your brothers in this congregation said something to me this week, he said, “If we present the gospel of Jesus Christ as something ‘out there’ as something that we appreciate, something that we enjoy, something that we hold fast to, and just leave the story at that, then there is no compelling reason for anyone to seek it.” It might be interesting to some people.  Some people might decide to come and check it out. But the truth of the matter is there has to be a compelling need to go and seek Christ. 

Now of course we cannot seek Christ outside of his calling.  But what if Jesus is using us to call them?

What if the instrument of God’s will is to use His people? Is that Biblical?  Does that happen? Does God use his people to carry out his will?

Did the Hebrew slaves in Egypt just one day walk out because God said, “Go.”?

Or did God place a Hebrew boy in a position to be raised by the Pharaoh and to be in a position to go through a transformative process in which the Hebrew people would eventually make their way into the Promised Land?

Did God transmit the Good news about Jesus Christ telepathically or did he train up apostles and disciples that walked and talked and told the story?  Jesus called Paul from a life of persecuting Christians to a life of making disciples. 

It is, indeed, God’s plan to use us to carry out His will.

So, if there needs to be a decision.  If someone is to come to the knowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, and have a saving relationship with him, by understanding that He is the son of God and that he was raised from the dead, wouldn’t it be necessary that someone tell them why?

Why is it necessary to make a decision to follow Jesus?

The necessity is the fact that we all have brokenness. We all have sin. We all have things in our life that make us fall short and fall flat on our faces. By ourselves we are unholy.  

We all need what Jesus has to offer, every one of us.  We all need that unconditional love.  Everyone needs the healing that Jesus brings. Everyone needs to be fulfilled. Everyone needs it.

So will people know that they need it?

How will they know?

If they are the lost sheep, if they are the ones that are away from the flock, if they’re the valuable coin that has been lost, what’s to convince them that they are in the wrong place? If they thought they were wrong they would be in a different place right?

There is so much rejoicing in heaven over 1 that is found, over one that returns, over one that repents. The angels in heaven rejoice over one that turns back from wondering in the wilderness and into the safety of the Shepherds watchful eye.

God has something very special for our friends and neighbors.  He has plans to use them in powerful ways.  God wants to pour out his love on them to overflowing.  God wants to use them to bless others.  But how will they know? How will they know unless you tell them?

So, how is it with you today in the eternal security of God’s loving arms? May you feel safe enough to go out and share what God has to offer.