God’s Love For The Lost
Have you ever lost something that had great value and meaning to you. If you’re like me, you probably looked high and low for it until you found it. Luke 15:3–7 and Romans 5:6–10 speak to God’s great love and sacrifice for us. He has gone to great lengths to return all who are lost, back to Him. I pray that we who have been saved, would rejoice, just as our Father rejoices, over every lost soul who returns to Him. Amen
Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. (Luke 15:3-7)
In this parable, Jesus pointed out our own strong desire and determination to look for those things which belong to us and we value but are lost. Using the example of someone who would leave 99 sheep to find the one sheep that is lost, Jesus said that, in the same way, God looks for a sinner who is lost (not in right standing with God). And when that sinner returns to God and is restored into relationship with God, all of heaven rejoices!
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8)
Paul explained just what Christ’s sacrifice meant for us. We were powerless to save ourselves. We were deeply lost in sin. So Christ came to restore us back to God. Christ sacrificed His life for us even while we were still in sin. He did that because of God’s great love for us. And because of His sacrifice, we (believers) have salvation. Paul refutes the argument of those who are not saved, who say “God doesn’t want someone like me, because I’m too _____” (fill in the blank). Paul’s response is this: God isn’t waiting for you to clean yourself up, Christ died for your sins so that you could come to God just as you are and be saved!
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! (Romans 5:9-10)
Because Christ already died for us, and his blood justified us (declared us righteous) before God, Paul explained that everyone can be reconciled to God (no longer enemies of God). Everyone who was lost can come to God because of Christ’s shed blood, and receive salvation. And the salvation we receive has benefits not only in eternity, but in our daily walk with Christ. We don’t have to wait until we get to heaven to experience the joy of salvation, we can experience it here and now!
God’s great love for us causes Him to strongly desire to find those who are lost and not in relationship with Him. God sent His Son, Jesus, to show us the way back to Him and so that we wouldn’t stay lost, but might be saved. Jesus sacrificial death on the cross is a testament to how great God’s love is for us. Through Jesus, God has shown that He values each of us and wants us to come back to be with Him….so that we won’t forever be lost.
Blessings, Rev. Glenn
