A Look at the Father’s Heart

A Look at the Father’s Heart

2005044

Topic # 1510 (evangelism)

Introduction:

A. Imagine you’re in an unfamiliar place – and you’re lost.

1. Frustrating. Scary.

2. Sometimes we don’t know we’re lost until we’re so far off track that we’re in trouble.

B. That’s what life is like for millions of people. They’re lost.

1. Some know they’re lost – feel frustrated & scared.

2. Others would take offense if you hinted they didn’t know where they were going.

C. Those who have been Christians for many years may forget what it was like to navigate life without:

1. The bible; God’s people.

2. Ever find yourself impatient at others for the choices they make?

3. Drives us to associate with those who share our values & ideas.

a) If not careful – we can decrease our awareness/consciousness of those who are lost.

D. When we look at Jesus it is easy to see he cared for the lost.

1. He spent time among people who needed Him. People who needed His salvation; who were desperate for His grace/mercy.

E. Jesus has asked us to do what He did.

1. Help lost people learn how to navigate through life & find their way home.

2. Maybe your map reading abilities aren’t perfect.

3. As long as you know the way to Jesus – you can gently & respectfully offer help to those who need it most.

F. Over the next few weeks, I hope this series of lessons will help you:

1. Develop your consciousness & compassion for lost people.

2. Learn some useful skills – such as how to talk about scriptural things in plain language.

3. How to build relationships w/those who need the gospel.

G. If you’ve ever been lost, you know what a relief it is when someone stops to offer directions.

I. Evangelism becomes natural when we grow to be like Jesus.

A. God wants evangelism to come from within because our hearts are taking on the character of Jesus.

1. Just as compassion for the lost compelled Jesus – the same concern should compel us.

2. God doesn’t want pressured performance.

3. He wants inner transformation that affects our hearts, feelings, and automatic behavior toward others.

B. Disciples who share their faith because of a pep talk or nagging guilt will not be very successful in evangelism.

1. Have you ever lost interest…?

2. Have you ever become discouraged because of obstacles…etc?

C. In training disciples – Jesus focused on their hearts – so they would spend the rest of their lives spreading their faith despite intense persecution.

D. He moved them to understand the Father’s heart.

II. A look at Luke 15.

A. Lk. 15:1 – tax collectors/sinners came near to listen to Him.

1. Notice: not running from but running to Jesus.

2. Wasn’t because Jesus had easy message that tickled their ears.

3. Wasn’t because Jesus tolerated their sin; deemphasized repentance.

4. It was because of His compassion.

a) He demonstrated a compassionate attitude – not a condemning one.

b) 15:2 – receives from Gk WD meaning “to receive as a friend.”

5. Contrast this to the Pharisees….

B. 15:2 – The Pharisees believed some people weren’t worth the time to save.

1. Viewed life w/arrogant confidence. In need of no one; had all answers to life

2. Righteous; judgmental; critical.

C. Think of a car accident. 3 groups of people at these events:

1. On lookers…

a) Curious; watch to see what happens – but little active involvement.

b) Create problems by being in the way – lack of action.

2. Police…

a) Investigate cause of accident; assign blame.

b) Give out appropriate warnings/punishments

3. Paramedics...

a) Usually most welcomed by those involved in accident.

b) Could care less about whose fault accident was; don’t engage in lecturing about bad driving habits.

c) Respond to help those hurting

1) bandage wounds

2) free trapped people

3) Give words of encouragement.

D. 3 groups.

1. 1 uninvolved; 1 assigns blame; assesses punishment; 1 helps the hurting. Which group are you in?

III. How far is God willing to go?

A. The 3 stories in Lk. 15 tell us just how far God will go & why.

1. Why 3 stories? Any 1 would have proved Jesus’ point. But He told 3.

2. This is what God seems to do.

3. When God wants us to remember something – He repeats himself.

4. When He wants to catch our attention – He tells us the same thing over/over again – many times in different ways.

5. Why? We’re often a little slow to catch on.

B. Lk. 15:3, 5 – God is willing to go to extreme efforts to save the lost.

1. It takes diligent seeking to reach the lost. God has always made that effort.

a) Isa. 53:6 – God views us as lost sheep.

b) Ezek. 34:11-31 (11-16, 31) w/Israel.

c) Jhn 3:16; 1 John 4:9-10 w/all men.

d) 2 Pet. 3:9 – God wills that none perish.

2. Lk. 15:4, 8 – that which was lost was sought after with great effort.

a) Shepherd didn’t wait for lost sheep to wander home; lost coin to turn up.

b) Apply that to our view of reaching the lost today.

3. What effort can we make? (already good things going)

a) Significant #’s of prayers should be for the lost.

b) Use our resources & talents to get the word out that this is a place of healing.

1) e. contact group; bible forum

2) small group studies; home study series

3) teen devotionals; gospel meetings/conferences

2. These efforts are not a waste or in vain.

C. Lk. 15:3, 5 – God is persistent in seeking those who are lost.

1. Jesus specifically states that the person seeking the item continued until they found it.

2. Persistence is a needed quality for success.

a) Lost sheep among spacious fields & lost coins in dirt floor of Jewish home are not easily & quickly found.

b) It is not easy to reach people’s hearts so they receive Jesus.

1) Years of patient teaching.

2) Easy to discouraged/give up…

3. If one sheep or lost coin is valuable enough to persistently search for, then God teaches us that people spiritually lost are too valuable to give up on.

4. God is always there. He always ready to pour out grace/mercy; dispense forgiveness.

a) Rev. 3:20 - Is He knocking on the door of your heart?

b) He’ll keep on knocking – holding out hope – because He believes in you!

IV. God will do whatever necessary to find that which is lost.

A. Each parable in Lk 15 is slightly different.

1. Man has 100 sheep. Loses 1/100^th of property. Searches countryside till he finds it.

2. Woman has 10 coins. Loses 1/10^th of property. Searches her house till she finds it.

3. Father has 2 sons. Loses ½ of his children. He earnestly watches till his son returns.

4. Each parable tells a story of items with increasing value.

5. God will do whatever to find the lost! Lk. 12:6-7

B. You are so important to God that when you decide to turn to Him...

1. H, B, R, C, B

2. There is rejoicing in heaven beyond anything we can imagine! (15:7)

C. Prodigal Son – story just a little different.

1. Shepherd left – searched till found sheep.

2. Woman – searched till she found the coin.

3. Father loses his son. Doesn’t go off looking for his son. He stays home. Why?

4. Prodigal son was an individual w/free will.

D. Imagine had the father gone to the foreign city & tried to take his son home.

1. Would that son go home willingly? Probably not.

2. What if father forced his son home? (Next opportunity son would have fled.) Would he have gained back his son?

3. Until the son decided he was going to return he was still lost.

a) Father had to wait until lost son wanted to come home.

b) Lk. 15:14-24

4. As much as the father wanted his son to return…as much ad he’d do anything to convince his son of his great love for him – he still had to wait till boy made the decision to return.

5. As much as God wants people to turn to Him, and as much as He will do anything to convince us of His love for us, He still has to wait till we make the decision to come to Him.

a) The decision is yours & mine to make.

Conclusion:

A. I hope we’ve all be able to see the Father’s heart. As we grow up in Christ & become imitators of God, we will begin to view the world the way He does.

1. The consciousness & concern for souls will ever be on our minds.

2. What thing can I do today to lead someone to Christ?

B. Have you ever realized you are so important to God that He is looking for you?

C. Did you even know that when He sent Jesus to die on the cross – He was thinking of you?

1. If you were the only person on earth who needed salvation – God would have sent His Son just for you?

D. Maybe that fact has become real to you today.

1. According to Jesus, even angels of heaven are watching now to see what decision you’ll make. Can’t we see the Father’s heart?

2. Your father is anxiously waiting for you to respond.

E. I N V I T A T I O N



A Look at the Father’s Heart 2005044 Topic # 1510 (evangelism) Introduction: A. Imagine you’re in an unfamiliar place – and you’re lost. 1. Frustrating. Scary. 2. Sometimes we don’t know we’re lost until we’re so far off track that we’re in trouble. B. That’s what life is like for millions of people. They’re lost. 1. Some know they’re lost – feel frustrated & scared. 2. Others would take offense if you hinted they didn’t know where they were going. C. Those who have been Christians for many years may forget what it was like to navigate life without: 1. The bible; God’s people. 2. Ever find yourself impatient at others for the choices they make? 3. Drives us to associate with those who share our values & ideas. a) If not careful – we can decrease our awareness/consciousness of those who are lost. D. When we look at Jesus it is easy to see he cared for the lost. 1. He spent time among people who needed Him. People who needed His salvation; who were desperate for His grace/mercy. E. Jesus has asked us to do what He did. 1. Help lost people learn how to navigate through life & find their way home. 2. Maybe your map reading abilities aren’t perfect. 3. As long as you know the way to Jesus – you can gently & respectfully offer help to those who need it most. F. Over the next few weeks, I hope this series of lessons will help you: 1. Develop your consciousness & compassion for lost people. 2. Learn some useful skills – such as how to talk about scriptural things in plain language. 3. How to build relationships w/those who need the gospel. G. If you’ve ever been lost, you know what a relief it is when someone stops to offer directions. I. Evangelism becomes natural when we grow to be like Jesus. A. God wants evangelism to come from within because our hearts are taking on the character of Jesus. 1. Just as compassion for the lost compelled Jesus – the same concern should compel us. 2. God doesn’t want pressured performance. 3. He wants inner transformation that affects our hearts, feelings, and automatic behavior toward others. B. Disciples who share their faith because of a pep talk or nagging guilt will not be very successful in evangelism. 1. Have you ever lost interest…? 2. Have you ever become discouraged because of obstacles…etc? C. In training disciples – Jesus focused on their hearts – so they would spend the rest of their lives spreading their faith despite intense persecution. D. He moved them to understand the Father’s heart. II. A look at Luke 15. A. Lk. 15:1 – tax collectors/sinners came near to listen to Him. 1. Notice: not running from but running to Jesus. 2. Wasn’t because Jesus had easy message that tickled their ears. 3. Wasn’t because Jesus tolerated their sin; deemphasized repentance. 4. It was because of His compassion. a) He demonstrated a compassionate attitude – not a condemning one. b) 15:2 – receives from Gk WD meaning “to receive as a friend.” 5. Contrast this to the Pharisees…. B. 15:2 – The Pharisees believed some people weren’t worth the time to save. 1. Viewed life w/arrogant confidence. In need of no one; had all answers to life 2. Righteous; judgmental; critical. C. Think of a car accident. 3 groups of people at these events: 1. On lookers… a) Curious; watch to see what happens – but little active involvement. b) Create problems by being in the way – lack of action. 2. Police… a) Investigate cause of accident; assign blame. b) Give out appropriate warnings/punishments 3. Paramedics... a) Usually most welcomed by those involved in accident. b) Could care less about whose fault accident was; don’t engage in lecturing about bad driving habits. c) Respond to help those hurting 1) bandage wounds 2) free trapped people 3) Give words of encouragement. D. 3 groups. 1. 1 uninvolved; 1 assigns blame; assesses punishment; 1 helps the hurting. Which group are you in? III. How far is God willing to go? A. The 3 stories in Lk. 15 tell us just how far God will go & why. 1. Why 3 stories? Any 1 would have proved Jesus’ point. But He told 3. 2. This is what God seems to do. 3. When God wants us to remember something – He repeats himself. 4. When He wants to catch our attention – He tells us the same thing over/over again – many times in different ways. 5. Why? We’re often a little slow to catch on. B. Lk. 15:3, 5 – God is willing to go to extreme efforts to save the lost. 1. It takes diligent seeking to reach the lost. God has always made that effort. a) Isa. 53:6 – God views us as lost sheep. b) Ezek. 34:11-31 (11-16, 31) w/Israel. c) Jhn 3:16; 1 John 4:9-10 w/all men. d) 2 Pet. 3:9 – God wills that none perish. 2. Lk. 15:4, 8 – that which was lost was sought after with great effort. a) Shepherd didn’t wait for lost sheep to wander home; lost coin to turn up. b) Apply that to our view of reaching the lost today. 3. What effort can we make? (already good things going) a) Significant #’s of prayers should be for the lost. b) Use our resources & talents to get the word out that this is a place of healing. 1) e. contact group; bible forum 2) small group studies; home study series 3) teen devotionals; gospel meetings/conferences 2. These efforts are not a waste or in vain. C. Lk. 15:3, 5 – God is persistent in seeking those who are lost. 1. Jesus specifically states that the person seeking the item continued until they found it. 2. Persistence is a needed quality for success. a) Lost sheep among spacious fields & lost coins in dirt floor of Jewish home are not easily & quickly found. b) It is not easy to reach people’s hearts so they receive Jesus. 1) Years of patient teaching. 2) Easy to discouraged/give up… 3. If one sheep or lost coin is valuable enough to persistently search for, then God teaches us that people spiritually lost are too valuable to give up on. 4. God is always there. He always ready to pour out grace/mercy; dispense forgiveness. a) Rev. 3:20 - Is He knocking on the door of your heart? b) He’ll keep on knocking – holding out hope – because He believes in you! IV. God will do whatever necessary to find that which is lost. A. Each parable in Lk 15 is slightly different. 1. Man has 100 sheep. Loses 1/100^th of property. Searches countryside till he finds it. 2. Woman has 10 coins. Loses 1/10^th of property. Searches her house till she finds it. 3. Father has 2 sons. Loses ½ of his children. He earnestly watches till his son returns. 4. Each parable tells a story of items with increasing value. 5. God will do whatever to find the lost! Lk. 12:6-7 B. You are so important to God that when you decide to turn to Him... 1. H, B, R, C, B 2. There is rejoicing in heaven beyond anything we can imagine! (15:7) C. Prodigal Son – story just a little different. 1. Shepherd left – searched till found sheep. 2. Woman – searched till she found the coin. 3. Father loses his son. Doesn’t go off looking for his son. He stays home. Why? 4. Prodigal son was an individual w/free will. D. Imagine had the father gone to the foreign city & tried to take his son home. 1. Would that son go home willingly? Probably not. 2. What if father forced his son home? (Next opportunity son would have fled.) Would he have gained back his son? 3. Until the son decided he was going to return he was still lost. a) Father had to wait until lost son wanted to come home. b) Lk. 15:14-24 4. As much as the father wanted his son to return…as much ad he’d do anything to convince his son of his great love for him – he still had to wait till boy made the decision to return. 5. As much as God wants people to turn to Him, and as much as He will do anything to convince us of His love for us, He still has to wait till we make the decision to come to Him. a) The decision is yours & mine to make. Conclusion: A. I hope we’ve all be able to see the Father’s heart. As we grow up in Christ & become imitators of God, we will begin to view the world the way He does. 1. The consciousness & concern for souls will ever be on our minds. 2. What thing can I do today to lead someone to Christ? B. Have you ever realized you are so important to God that He is looking for you? C. Did you even know that when He sent Jesus to die on the cross – He was thinking of you? 1. If you were the only person on earth who needed salvation – God would have sent His Son just for you? D. Maybe that fact has become real to you today. 1. According to Jesus, even angels of heaven are watching now to see what decision you’ll make. Can’t we see the Father’s heart? 2. Your father is anxiously waiting for you to respond. E. I N V I T A T I O N