Sunday, March 2nd, 2008
CC #1 – Lost and Found
Recently I’ve been learning about how to become a Contagious Christian (CC) and I guess I’ll post a series of things I’ve learned from sermons, sunday schools and readings[1] I’ve been doing. And hopefully you too can become a vessel for this infectious faith we carry and spread it to those we meet.
Ever heard of the business pyramid?
If you havn’t, the pyramid works in a way such that the boss is at the top of the pyramid, with lower ranking employees under it. Of course at the base of the pyramid lies it’s customers – and like the shape of a pyramid suggests there are fewer ppl on the top, and numerous on the bottom.
well, a man suggested after lots of research to implement a ‘reverse pyramid’ program at the company stating that we should have customers first. and of course that kind of sounds obvious, but we all need the reminder every now and then.
and likewise, although God is at the top of our pyramid – we can’t forget that God loves his people too. and that we need to put his people higher up on our priority list.
Luke 15:
tax collectors and sinners were all gathered around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teacher of the law muttered, ‘this man welcomes sinners and eats with them.’
Then Jesus told them, there once was a man who owned a hundred sheep and while he was tending his sheep, one of them wandered away. So the shepherd left the ninety-nine behind and went out and searched for the one that was lost. And he kept on searching until he finally found it and joyfully put it on his shoulders and went home. Then he called his friends and neighbors together to rejoice.
Jesus then continued, there once was a woman who had ten coins. She lost one of them. So she lit a lamp, swept the house, turned over all the furniture and searched relentlessly until she found it. And when she did, this woman was so happy that she called her friends and neighbors together to rejoice.
And finally Jesus said, there once was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate’ and left with half of his father’s riches. Not long after that, the younger son set off and squandered his wealth in wild living; and ended up finding work feeding the pigs as a hired citizen of that country. He later decided to return to his father, to apologize and forfeit his right as his son. But his father, filled with compassion, invited him back with open arms and invited his friends and neighbors together to rejoice.
And after each parable he said, “in the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over those who are found”
I’m sure we are familiar with these stories, but this is the only recorded time Jesus ever told three parables in a row. [1] He wanted to make it perfectly clear that each and everyone of us are important to Him. That none of us are unwelcomed. That even us ‘sinners’ are worthy and wanted by our Lord Jesus Christ.
For us Christians, we need to be cautious about how we think. Because it is easy to fall trap to the same thoughts that once crossed the pharisees’ minds; to look down on sinners and avoid them. To look in contempt to those who are lost, and have sinned – the people who annoy and disgust us; the people who we don’t see eye-to-eye with; those who we don’t click with; and lets not forget criminals, gangsters, etc.
It’s so easy for us to think that, as Christians, we are the only ones God has found favor with – but neglect to realize that those who we hate and avoid are also loved and wanted by God. That everyone in this world is loved by God, and that we should put forth the effort to reach them as well; to go and find the lost sheep and coin.
I will admit there are people in my life that I am disgusted with. People with actions so vile, that it invokes outrageous emotions of hatred and disgust that flare out from the bottom of my heart. And I am guilty of thinking that God will judge them in the future, and that I have nothing to do with them. But I am reminded that despite everything they’ve done, God loves and wants them.
And that all the angels in heaven will rejoice over each person that comes to the Father. No matter what the circumstance.
We are not merely called to just worship our father in heaven and meet in our fellowships. but we are also called to go out and search for the lost things of this world. If you truly love something, you will go and search for it when it is lost.
Afterall, how can something contagious spread if we just keep to ourselves?
plus, remember we do have eternity in heaven afterwards to worship with God.
[1] Contagious Christian by Mark Mittelberg
Tweet