We are looking at a study of Luke 15, and 16.
We want to see how God can restore relationships in our lives and those around us.
1. Lost defined
Luke 15 and 16 are a conversation with Pharisees who are questioning the people who Jesus hangs around with. They don’t like the tax collectors and sinners that he is with.
Jesus responds with a story of three lost things.
- A sheep
- A coin
- A son
Lost is not just wandering off the path and not knowing where we are.
Lost is to destroy, to put out of the way entirely, abolish, put an end to ruin, render useless, to devote or give over to eternal misery in hell, to perish, to be lost, ruined, destroyed
2. Jesus heart
Luke 19: 10 for the son of man came to seek and save those who are lost.
Term lost is used 86 times int he Bible and almost 1/3 of them are in the book of Luke so Jesus is concerned about the lost
- Not religious who need Jesus. Jesus is referring to those who do not see a need for Jesus and feel very safe in their own good works
- Luke 7, 10 There is joy in heaven over those who accept Jesus.
The angels do not just stop and sing every time someone accepts Jesus, Revelation shares what this verse means
Revelation 5: 9 And they sang a new song with these words: “You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were killed, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation
3. Where’s our heart
Luke 16 Jesus turns to his disciples and shares. The other people can also hear Jesus, but he is making a point with his disciples.
He shares a parable about the need to think about eternity.
Jesus is not commending the works of the steward, he is congratulating him on thinking about eternity and what the future holds
Vs 11 – 13 And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? 12 And if you are not faithful with other people’s money, why should you be trusted with money of your own? 13 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
Other people’s money?
What we own is not our own, we are just stewards of it and must use it to affect eternity. If not, we become distracted about what is important.
2 Corinthians 4: 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal
Not hard to serve both God and money, no it says you cannot serve both.
What we give up here will be rewarded in heaven
Vs 14 God knows our heart.
4. Eternity is Real
The last story is about a rich man and Lazarus. Lazarus ends up in heaven and the rich man ends up in hell.
We do not have a problem with evil people going to hell, we do have a problem with seemingly good people going there.
(Remember God’s thought process is not our thought process)
Hell is:
- A place of punishment after judgment Matthew 25: 31 – 46
- Pictures of darkness, fire, and torture Matthew 13: 30 Matthew 13: 40 – 43
- Never ending judgment Matthew 18: 8
5. Lukewarm
So where do I stand?
Revelation 3 letter written to the church. People who confess Jesus with their lips but deny him with their actions.
Extremely comfortable in their lives and no reason to change spit out of the mouth of Jesus. Vs16
Vs 19 turn from your indifference. Luke 15: 7 No need for Jesus because we have not wandered away