Luke 15:3-7
“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his 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.”
In this passage we truly get a glimpse at the heart of God and His love for the lost. Out of all of our Lord’s marvelous qualities, His redemptive nature is one of the most beautiful. Never in the entirety of scripture is such festivity in Heaven described save when the Christ Himself was born, and if God takes such unparalleled joy from the salvation of the lost, so should we.
Some people, in an attempt to please God have locked themselves up behind walls and separated themselves from all contact with the world. They believe that without the temptations of the sinners of the world, they will more readily be able to serve God, and to some extend there’s truth in that. But what this ideology fails to understand is the Christian’s most pressing mission on this earth; not singing hymns, not studying theologies, but leading the lost to the Lord. This is our great need and our great commission on this planet. We are here to reach the lost, because the salvation the lost glorifies God like nothing else.
So if we truly want to please our God, we will go to the ends of the earth, simply to reach just one lost person and lead him to the Lord. Yes, this should be our daily focus and our constant effort. If for only one soul, let us continue in our work. Our time here on earth is short, but our resources for serving God are endless. So let’s daily pursue that which pleases the Lord, let’s pursue the salvation of the lost.
“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his 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.”
In this passage we truly get a glimpse at the heart of God and His love for the lost. Out of all of our Lord’s marvelous qualities, His redemptive nature is one of the most beautiful. Never in the entirety of scripture is such festivity in Heaven described save when the Christ Himself was born, and if God takes such unparalleled joy from the salvation of the lost, so should we.
Some people, in an attempt to please God have locked themselves up behind walls and separated themselves from all contact with the world. They believe that without the temptations of the sinners of the world, they will more readily be able to serve God, and to some extend there’s truth in that. But what this ideology fails to understand is the Christian’s most pressing mission on this earth; not singing hymns, not studying theologies, but leading the lost to the Lord. This is our great need and our great commission on this planet. We are here to reach the lost, because the salvation the lost glorifies God like nothing else.
So if we truly want to please our God, we will go to the ends of the earth, simply to reach just one lost person and lead him to the Lord. Yes, this should be our daily focus and our constant effort. If for only one soul, let us continue in our work. Our time here on earth is short, but our resources for serving God are endless. So let’s daily pursue that which pleases the Lord, let’s pursue the salvation of the lost.