January 2, 2011
Morning Service

Matt. 18:11-14

 

Review:

1.                  Last Sunday morning we discussed humility, and offences.  Jesus said unless you become as a child you shall not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.  We listed some attributes of a child;  trusting, forgiving, dependant, humble, teachable, and void of ambition.  If you recall the question that brought this teaching on, was, “who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

2.                  Then Jesus told them that offences would come, but woe unto the man of whom they came. 

 

Today we want to look at Jesus’ statement, “For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.”

 

Mat 18:11-14 KJVR  For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.  (12)  How think ye? if a man have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?  (13)  And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.  (14)  Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. 

• Lost?  What does Jesus mean by being lost?  How did the sheep get lost?  Did he not just wander off away from the flock, and the Shepherd? 
• Isn’t that what happens to humans.  Jesus said He had come to save the lost, and He meant humans, not sheep. 
• You’ve probably heard some new enthusiastic Christian say that he had found Jesus, well Jesus is not the one that was lost, it was us.  We wandered away from the teachings of our parents, and the church, and got wrapped up in the sins of the world.
• Listen to Moses;   Deut.11.  Read

 

In this discourse from Moses we find;

1.                   the confidence that God is with us, and for us, because of history,

2.                  we find following God’s teachings brings victory, even over more powerful obstacles.

3.                  We see the importance of family discussions concerning what God has done for us.

4.                  The promise of God, that if we will walk with Him, and keep His commandments He will give us a victorious life.

• No better example of wandering off, and coming back home than that of the prodigal son.  Luke 15.

 

Moses finishes chapter 11 by saying;

Deu 11:25-28 KJVR  There shall no man be able to stand before you: for the LORD your God shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the land that ye shall tread upon, as he hath said unto you.  (26)  Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;  (27)  A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day:  (28)  And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.

• The Prodigal son saw the error of his ways, and came back to his father, where he received the love, and blessing of being at peace with himself, and his father, and family.
• What about you this morning?  Have you wandered away from God?  Wouldn’t you like to start the new year with a dedicated life to God?   No more being lost, but saved in the arms, and family of God.
• Jesus said, “except you be converted and become as a little child you will no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
• Jesus said, “it is not the will of the Father that one of these little ones perish.”
• The Apostle Paul said, “God is long suffering, not willing that any should perish, but that all come to repentance.” 

John said, “these things are written that you might believe.”

 

Do you believe this morning that Jesus came to save us?  Have you accepted Him into your life as Savior?  Why not start the new year off with a consecrated life to God?