When People See Your Life What Do The See?
Text: Luke 19:10 & I Tim 1:15, Matt 4:16, Rom 13:12, Col 1:13-14, Gen 1:26-31 & Genesis 3:1-11 & Matt 20:28, Acts 1:1 & 1:7-8
Introduction: What Did Jesus Come To Do?
Jesus came to seek and save that which was lost. By lost we usually mean without God, without salvation or without hope.
If we look into the first three chapters of Genesis we will find what we as men and women had that we lost. Beginning at Genesis 1:26-30
LK 19:10 "For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." NASU
1 Tim 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. KJV
Introduction: I would like to start by focusing on Lk 19:10
What was Lost
Gen 1:26-31 God said, Let Us [Father, Son, and Holy Spirit] make mankind in Our image, after Our likeness, and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the [tame] beasts, and over all of the earth, and over everything that creeps upon the earth. [Ps 104:30; Heb 1:2; 11:3.]
27 So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them. [Col 3:9,10; James 3:8,9.]
28 And God blessed them and said to them, Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it [using all its vast resources in the service of God and man]; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and over every living creature that moves upon the earth.
29 And God said, See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the land and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food.
30 And to all the animals on the earth and to every bird of the air and to everything that creeps on the ground — to everything in which there is the breath of life — I have given every green plant for food. And it was so.
31 And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good (suitable, pleasant) and He approved it completely. And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day. AMP
Next let’s look at Genesis 3:1-11
1 NOW THE serpent was more subtle and crafty than any living creature of the field which the Lord God had made. And he [Satan] said to the woman, Can it really be that God has said, You shall not eat from every tree of the garden? [Rev 12:9-11.]
2 And the woman said to the serpent, We may eat the fruit from the trees of the garden,
3 Except the fruit from the tree which is in the middle of the garden. God has said, You shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.
4 But the serpent said to the woman, You shall not surely die, [2 Cor 11:3.]
5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing the difference between good and evil and blessing and calamity.
6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good (suitable, pleasant) for food and that it was delightful to look at, and a tree to be desired in order to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she gave some also to her husband, and he ate.
7 Then the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves apron like girdles.
8 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
9 But the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, Where are you?
10 He said, I heard the sound of You [walking] in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.
11 And He said, Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat? AMP
When we read this and the account in Genesis three of mankind’s sin and failure to trust God we see what was lost:
We were lost, Matt 4:16 (Those who were in darkness saw a great light)Our relationship with God , Our Dominion over the Earth Our access to the Tree of Life, Our freedom from death. Illness, deception and the corruption of all of creation. Our willingness to believe God alone.
BUT we were transferred out of darkness in the kingdom of light 1:13-14 and Romans 13:12
Therefore let us lay aside cthe deeds of darkness and put on dthe armor of light. NAS
LET US REVIEW
- Jesus Came to seek and save what was lost,
Salvation in the Greek
Sozdso= to mend, make whole, deliver, restore
- Jesus Came to empower us to the work of the Kingdom by His power and authority
Matt 20:28 But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. 18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."NASU
Acts:1:1 + Acts 2:8 We are to continue to all that Jesus came to do and teach by the power of the Spirit
Acts 1:7-8 He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or epochs whichathe Father has fixed by His own authority; 8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." NASU
- What then shall we do since we have this message of Good News along with Jesus authority and empowerment ?
Parable of the Sower
Using what you have. ‘Be the best You, You Can Be!
Preparing the soil or hearts of those around you. Producing the fruit of the spirit and giving it away to others. Gal 5:22
Salt and Light
Salt, preserves freshness in the natural realm and righteousness, Godliness in the spiritual realm.
Light, Radiating, Demonstrating, Producing or Manifesting the True nature of God in Your life, and proclaiming that God has this Good news for all who will come to Him.
Conclusion:
- Jesus came to seek and save that which is lost
- He has chosen us whom he has saved to be the ones who take this Good News to the other people in the world.
- We Must be the salt and Light in their world.
This requires that we are people in a growing relationship with God. Allowing Him to Mold and Shape our lives.
Call to Respond:
Will You say yes to God today,
Will you say yes, make me the Good News to those in my world,
Make me a demonstration of Your life O God?
Let me be Salt and Light to a dying Generation!
Artwork by Graham Braddock
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