Sunday
09/15/19 - Sidney UMC
Sermon Title: “Seeking the Lost”
(“The Realities of Faith and Life”
Series – Part 3 of 5)
Old Testament
Scripture: Psalm 14
New Testament
Scripture: 1 Timothy 1:12-17
Gospel Lesson: Luke
15:1-10
Welcome again
everyone, on this the Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost. Fourteen Sundays after
the Holy Spirit moved nearly two-thousand years ago in Jerusalem, giving birth
to us the church.
This week I am continuing on in my sermon series, “The
Realities of Faith and Life”. In this series, I have been looking at some of
the very real realities and struggles that many of us face in our lives and
with our faith. The Bible says that if we repent of our sins and burdens, that
Jesus will forgive us. We can be filled with the Holy Spirit, our sins are
gone, and we are made into a new creation.
Some of us have had a very real and powerful spiritual
encounter with Jesus Christ, or many, like I have had. These moments are
powerful, and are what some people call a mountain top experience. While we can
be forgiven just like that, the world around us doesn’t change. Christ changes
us, so that we can change the world. We are called to be new creations, yet we
will continue living in the creation we started in before we became a new
creation in Christ.
Even though we can be forgiven, can accept Christ as our
Lord and our Savior, and feel the freedom of Christ, life will still go on. We
will still struggle with sin, brokenness, and live in a world that seems like
it is chaos at times. The difference is this, we are forgiven, restored, and are
walking with Christ, so that every day we may become more sanctified and
righteous. Christ is the free gift, but the world is still the world. We are
called to be salt and light in this world and to transform it, until we go to
be with Christ, or until he returns to earth.
So far in this sermon series that could include several
topics, I have discussed “why there is so much suffering in the world?” Even
though Human sin is the reason for so much human suffering, sometimes bad
things just happen. Since there is evil in the world, there must be good. In
God being the source of all good, we are called to follow God. God is light,
and we are called to shine the light of Christ throughout the world.
Last week, I challenged us all with the question of “How
important is Jesus to you?” If we have strong faith in Christ, and if he is
truly our Lord and Savior, then we will live for him. Our lives will reflect
him, and we should seek to serve him and others. Our passion and love for
Christ and one another is our callings and our motivation for the ministries in
which we are called to.
Imagine for a moment if you kind of liked a sports team,
versus being a devoted fan. Do you kind of like Jesus, or do you love him? Is
he the center of your life?
This morning I want to talk about another topic around the
realities of this broken world, who we say Jesus is, and what we do with this.
In our gospel of Luke reading for this morning, Jesus says once again:
“So he told them this parable: “Which
one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the
ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds
it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. And when he
comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice
with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there
will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine
righteous persons who need no repentance”
(Lk. 15:3-7, NRSV).
There are
statues and paintings of Jesus or a shepherd having a lamb on their shoulders
by the legs. In these painting and portrayed in these statues, Jesus or a
shepherd, is bringing a lost sheep safely back into the fold. I don’t know
about you, but I really love the imagery of this gospel lesson. The idea that
we are to “Seek the Lost”. Jesus loves us so much, that he will leave the flock
to seek after us. We, in many different ways, are called to “seek the lost”. My
sermon title for this morning therefore, is “Seeking the Lost”.
For some of
us, we have had people in our lives that came to us when we were lost, and when
we were in a dark place. These people took time, energy, and resources to bring
us back into the fold.
I am sure that
many of us here have done the same to. Maybe it was that young kid you worked
with that had no direction, the student you had that was spiraling out of
control, your friend or family member that was suicidal, or someone else that
really needed you.
A hallmark of
Jesus’ ministry here on earth, is that he went to all kinds of people, and
pulled them back in. All of us are broken, and all of us need to be saved
sometimes. Even after we know Christ, it is possible for our hope and faith to
get dim, and we are called to “Seek the Lost”.
When one of our
church members is sick, is suffering, has lost a loved one, or is hurting, our
duty is to “Seek the Lost”. Friends, we have countless lost and wounded sheep
in this community, and in this world. He have people that have been scarred by
the sin and the brokenness of this world, have been harmed by the church, or
have lost their hope. I meet people frequently that I call “wounded sheep”.
These are people of faith who have left the church, because they have been
wounded by the church. They have been judged, told they were no good, told they
were going to hell, or treated with contempt and disrespect.
Now the
interesting thing about our gospel reading from Luke this morning once again,
is we are not told by Jesus how or why the sheep in his parable was lost. We
know this though, we are to seek out that sheep and we bring them home! This
church is my home, and if one of you is sick, lost, or gone, I will reach out
to you, the way that Christ goes after the lost sheep. For as Christ says in
John 10:11:
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life
for the sheep” (Jn. 10:11, NRSV).
Jesus spoke the words he spoke in the
gospel of Luke for this morning once again, because the Pharisees and the
scribes were complaining that he welcomes sinners and even eats with them (Lk.
15:1-2, NRSV). Jesus is telling us that all the lost need saving, not just
some. All of us need to be brought home by God.
Jesus then elaborates on his parable
of the lost sheep, with the parable of the lost coin. He says once again:
“Or what woman having ten silver
coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the
house, and search carefully until she finds it? When she has found it, she
calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have
found the coin that I had lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the
presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents”
(Lk.
15:8-10, NRSV).
I wonder how many people here in Sidney are lost right now?
I wonder how many of them are lost in way that we were once lost?
So I began my leadership incubator training at our Upper
New York UMC conference center in Liverpool, this past Tuesday. It’s actually a
great training thus far, which I honestly can’t say for all trainings I have
been in. Here is part of what we talked about:
How many of you grew up in a society where virtually
everyone went to church? The church was always unlocked, there were many people
checking in on each other, and we came to church on Sunday, and then went home.
We now come to a church that is locked when no one is here,
and that has video surveillance doorbells. Our culture is no longer Christian
like it used to be, and people don’t go to church out of obligation anymore.
The older generations feel a sense of helplessness and distress over the future
of the church. “We need more young people,” I hear often. So our culture has
shifted from a Christian and church going culture to culture that is moving
away from God, and that says truth is in the eye of the beholder.
Yet does this culture still have sin, brokenness, and lost
people? Of course! So if the sheep are no longer coming to be the flock as they
once were, what are we then called do? What did Jesus himself do and tell us
this morning? We rescue the lost. We “Seek the Lost”. Our culture has shifted,
but Jesus is the same yesterday, today, tomorrow, and always. There are people
suffering here in Sidney and in the world. They need to hear from you. They
need to hear how Jesus changed your life, and they need you in the name of Jesus
to rescue them, put them on your shoulders, and bring them back into the flock.
Instead of a Christian and a church going culture, we now
have a church that is expected to go out more among the people. To tell the
people who we are, who God is, and we are called to love them into the kingdom
of God.
Jesus came to earth to seek and save the lost, to die for
us, and restore us. Maybe some of us were led to Christ by some of the very
people in this church today. Friends, we know the world is broken, we love
Christ, but will we seek the lost?
So given all of this, what will take our church from a
strong and a growing church to a thriving and a huge church? The answer is our
willingness to serve. I don’t just mean on a committee, or making things for a
bake sale. I mean, I am asking all of us here to pray about and to think about
how Jesus has called us. What experiences have we had in our lives that God has
shaped us through? What do we feel God calling us to do?
I would love in the coming weeks and months to form a
leadership team. I attempted a visioning team some months ago, but that might
have been launched to soon. What I am asking is this, do you want to “Seek the
Lost”? Do you want to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and help those who
need it? Do you want to help to teach our children in Sunday School? Do you
want to help with our youth? Do you want to start a time of weekly prayer? Do
you feel called to do anything else?
Friends, brothers and sisters, we are called to “Seek the
Lost”. Unfortunately, as I said, we no longer live in a Christian oriented
society, and belonging to the church is no longer the social norm. Yet, the
gospel of Jesus Christ is still our hope, and if Christ has changed us, how can
we change others?
When I behold this broken world, my hearts breaks for what
breaks the heart of God. When I see suffering, when I see pain and brokenness,
I want to help with that. Does anyone else feel this way? Friends, you don’t
need my permission to be all that God has called you to be. We need people that
are excited about Jesus Christ and about “Seeking the Lost”. This is the growth
engine or the catalyst to grow the church and transform the world.
In closing, I would like to share a story with you. This
story was posted on the Guideposts website on July 25, 2019, and is called: “They Formed a Human Chain and Saved Nine
People from Drowning”. It is written by Jessica Simmons, and here is what
it says”
“My
husband sprang the idea on me at the last minute that Saturday evening, July 8,
2017. I didn’t even have a chance to go into mission mode. That’s our name for
how I like to tackle things, from big projects like moving to everyday stuff
like grocery shopping. I go into mission mode—I assess the situation, figure
out what needs to be done, then do it. “Let’s have dinner on the beach,” Derek
said. He must have seen me hesitate, because he added, “A farewell picnic.” It
was his family’s last day with us before they went home to Alabama—his mom and
dad, three teenage nieces and a teenage boyfriend. Derek and I don’t have kids,
and we loved playing parents for several weeks every summer. I worked at a
hotel and cleaned houses on the side while taking business management classes
online at the University of Alabama. I hoped to run a business someday centered
around helping animals. Derek managed a team that set up voting stations for
federal, state and local elections. A busy life. But making memories with the
kids was our priority. We all love the water, and we’d taken them to water
parks, the beach and kayaking. “A picnic on the beach sounds perfect,” I said.
“We can watch the sunset.” We packed up the food,
loaded everyone into cars and drove to Miller County Pier in Panama City Beach.
The coastline here is known for its two sandbars—the first about 20 feet from
shore, the second 30 feet out. The trough between the sandbars makes a nice
lane to swim in on calm days, but when it’s choppy, look out. The waves can
shift the sandbars and create rip currents.”
“It was
after 6 p.m. The lifeguards had left for the day. A yellow flag by the
lifeguard tower meant moderate waves and currents. Pretty typical for the Gulf
of Mexico. I wasn’t too concerned. I’d swum in pools and lakes and rivers since
I was a toddler. I was a strong swimmer. I could keep the kids safe. We went
out to the first sandbar, where the water was knee-deep, so they could look for
sand dollars.”
“I looked
up from the hunt and noticed a bunch of people gathered on the beach. They were
all pointing toward the water. “Let’s get out,” I said. “Must be a shark.” “I’ll
see what’s going on,” Derek said. He jogged over to the crowd as the kids and I
made our way to shore. Derek waved me over. “There are people drowning!” Not a
shark. A riptide! There were maybe 30 people or so
in the water. I couldn’t tell which ones were in trouble. A police officer at
the water’s edge was telling everyone it was too dangerous to go after those
swimmers. Emergency lifeguards had been called. I asked two girls to show me
who was drowning. “Over there,” one said, pointing past the sandbars. If you’re
caught in a riptide, you’re supposed to swim parallel to the shore. These folks
weren’t moving. They were trapped. A man waded out to mid-waist. “It’s too
rough,” he called back. “The tide’s trying to suck me in. I can’t reach them.”
“We
couldn’t just let these people drown! I knew what suddenly losing someone you
love could do to a person. I’d lost my first husband five years earlier. Matt
had been in great shape, never sick, until a bad case of what we were told was
bronchitis. It turned out to be sepsis. Matt just stopped breathing. I looked
down at his lifeless body in the hospital bed in a state of shock. Coming home
to an empty house afterward nearly destroyed me. I was only 23. I’d expected to
grow old with Matt. What sustained me was our community. People reached out to
me every single day. One of Matt’s coworkers phoned me every morning to make
sure I got out of bed. His two best friends took turns calling after work to
ask about my day. My girlfriends came over to clean my house without being
asked. The first Christmas without Matt, our friend Derek—now my husband—came
over and put up a beautiful tree. I felt so loved. God put these people in my
path. Their human chain saved me from drowning in my grief. A human
chain, I thought. That’s what we need. It was as if Derek
read my mind. “Don’t just stand there!” he shouted to the crowd. “Let’s make a
chain!” People plunged into the water and linked arms. Five people. Ten. Derek
directed them. He was used to managing teams. Our nieces and the boyfriend
jumped in to help. We put them in the shallows, with taller adults farther out.
Some folks didn’t even know how to swim. But they put themselves in the line,
relying on the ones beside them to keep them afloat. All these people who
didn’t know each other were working together.”
“The chain
grew to 40 people, 50, 60, more. But still not enough to reach the drowning
swimmers. I grabbed two boogie boards off the beach and swam to the last man in
line. He was in water up to his neck. “Can you bring those folks to me?” he
asked. “Are you a good swimmer?” I could see them now, 20 feet away. Two little
boys. Their mom, dad, grandmother. A young man. A young woman. A couple. Nine
people total. “I’m really good,” I said. “We’ll get them out.” I went into
mission mode. I kicked hard, cutting through the churning water. The mom was on
her back, trying desperately to hold up her sons. “Save my boys!” she gasped.
The boys were crying. I gave them the boogie boards and pushed them to the end
of the human chain. They got passed along to shore superfast. I took one of the
boards and went for their mom next. “I’m so tired,” she said. “You can do it,”
I said to her. “Just keep kicking.” The last man in line grabbed her and shot
her down the chain to safety. I got the boogie board back, swam to the
grandmother. She was in bad shape. The young man, the first woman’s nephew, was
holding her head above water. I tried to help her onto the boogie board. Once,
twice. Six times. She kept falling off. Each time, the nephew dove down and
brought her back up, but he was weakening. The grandmother’s eyes rolled back
in her head. I was not about to let this lady die!”
“A surfer
had paddled out, and the couple were draped on his board. “Can we put this
woman on there?” I asked. The couple slid off the board and held on to the
sides. But we couldn’t get the grandmother up there. That’s when Derek swam up
beside me. He threw the grandmother onto the surfboard. The nephew curled his
arm around her to keep her there. Then we waited for a wave to push the board
to the end of the chain. I swam back out for the last two people: the boys’
father and the young woman. She’d floated out of the riptide. Two emergency
lifeguards had arrived. They reached her and used the human chain to send her
to shore. I headed for the father. He was a big man, twice my size. Too big to
tow. “I can touch the ground now,” he said. He walked slowly to shore. I went
back to Derek and the kids. The human chain unraveled. An ambulance arrived.
EMTs took the grandmother, who’d had a heart attack, and the young woman, who’d
taken in too much water, to the hospital. But both would be all right. Derek’s
last-minute picnic didn’t give me time to go into mission mode. That’s
because God had a bigger mission in mind for
everyone on the beach that day. Together we saved nine people from drowning.
Just as it had for me six years earlier, a human chain made all the difference”.
Friends, brothers and sisters, we are in a world where
people are spiritually drowning. Part of “The Reality of Faith and Life,” is
“Seeking the Lost”. Are you willing to do that in a variety of ways? Or will we
not do it, or wait for the pastor to do it? Will we wait for someone else to do
it? Friends, our faith, how we live, and how we love, will dictate how our
church and the world are changed.
Our
church is strong, but how many of us want to see this church grow even more?
Friends this will happen if we are excited to serve, excited to share Christ, deeply
love one another, and in various ways “Seek the Lost.” If you want to help us
bring people to Christ and change the world let me know, because I am would
love to help! Amen.
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