Obsessed with the One
*Watch or listen to the corresponding message here.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for sending the One to us, to save us, to rescue us, and to be with us. Thank you for inviting me, for finding value in me, for wanting to use me. Thank you in advance for those who come into my life that see Jesus through me, and even though I do not feel worthy, you say I am. I pray that your Holy Spirit guide me today, and that you remind me that I am loved by the One who created all things. Thank you Jesus. Amen.
Theme verse: Luke 15:1-7
1-Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. 2-This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people - even eating with them! 3-So Jesus told them this story. 4-”If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? 5-And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. 6-When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ 7-In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!
“Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach” (Luke 15:1).
Often? So, regularly, like once a day? Couple times a week? Why?
Think about this. How much do you enjoy being convicted of your wrongdoing? If you listen to authority, you hear what to do, which direction to go, what to say, etc. But authority always has intent. This means that leaders always have a reason behind their direction, whether good or bad. So what was different about Jesus? Why would “notorious sinners” be drawn to him? They were obsessed with Jesus, because Jesus was obsessed with them!! Jesus cares about you, and his agenda is clear; to see you returned to him.
First, Jesus is inviting you. He wants you to talk to him, to be with him, to listen to him, and be heard by him. And here is the big deal… you are ALWAYS invited. His door is always open!
Jesus didn’t turn the notorious sinners away like the leaders of his day did. The Pharisees led people to follow the rules, but did so without love. We can still see this kind of leadership today. But Jesus invited them in and wanted to spend time with them, even eat with them! Jesus showed people he cared for and loved them, and it led people to want to follow him, even notorious sinners!
Second, you are invaluable to Jesus. “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders” (Luke 15:3-5).
What would happen if you got lost? If you were out for a walk and got lost how long would it take for someone to find you? Are you walking lost through life right now? Jesus wants to return you to him and will come after you until he finds you. He’s calling you. You have value to him!
Third, you are influential because of Jesus. As we learn to walk and talk with Jesus we learn his ways, his words, his movements, who he cares for, etc. As we do, we start to share these things with those around us. Jesus is influencing you, and because you are valued by him, he wants to reach others through you!!
Lastly, you are invested with Jesus. When Jesus invited tax collectors and notorious sinners to be with him, he was investing into and with them. He knew that they would return to their circles of friends who were like them. He knew they would tell their friends about him, and likely bring their friends to meet him.
Jesus was creating disciples, and he’s still doing that with us. He invites us, finds value in us, gives us influence within our circles, and then works together with us to reach those close to us. He invests himself in us that we would invest ourselves in him. The more we do this the more we become obsessed with Jesus; the One.
There are many who have wandered off and it is the desire of Jesus that they be returned to the ninety-nine. There might be someone sitting next to you, or near to you, that located you when you were lost. Maybe they offered you love and care when you didn’t think you deserved it. In that way you discovered that there was someone out there who cares about you in a way that only Jesus can. He uses each of us to go into the wilderness to help find his lost sheep. It’s pretty cool to be used by Jesus in this way, to know he is co-laboring with us to do mighty work.
Every day we travel through this life, we are surrounded by people. Some days more than others, but we regularly find ourselves around notorious sinners. We begin seeing those around us in a new light, as invited by, valued by, influential for, and an investment in, the One. We are all notorious sinners, and have all strayed, but thankfully Jesus finds us, carries us back, and does so joyfully. He is obsessed with you.
As you go throughout the next few days, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the notorious sinners in your life, and do so with the lens of Jesus. He is inviting them, he values them, and he wants to invest in them, just as he has done for you. Let God give you a fresh perspective today.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for sending the One to us, to save us, to rescue us, and to be with us. Thank you for inviting me, for finding value in me, for wanting to use me. Thank you in advance for those who come into my life that see Jesus through me, and even though I do not feel worthy, you say I am. I pray that your Holy Spirit guide me today, and that you remind me that I am loved by the One who created all things. Thank you Jesus. Amen.
Theme verse: Luke 15:1-7
1-Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. 2-This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people - even eating with them! 3-So Jesus told them this story. 4-”If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? 5-And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. 6-When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ 7-In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!
“Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach” (Luke 15:1).
Often? So, regularly, like once a day? Couple times a week? Why?
Think about this. How much do you enjoy being convicted of your wrongdoing? If you listen to authority, you hear what to do, which direction to go, what to say, etc. But authority always has intent. This means that leaders always have a reason behind their direction, whether good or bad. So what was different about Jesus? Why would “notorious sinners” be drawn to him? They were obsessed with Jesus, because Jesus was obsessed with them!! Jesus cares about you, and his agenda is clear; to see you returned to him.
First, Jesus is inviting you. He wants you to talk to him, to be with him, to listen to him, and be heard by him. And here is the big deal… you are ALWAYS invited. His door is always open!
Jesus didn’t turn the notorious sinners away like the leaders of his day did. The Pharisees led people to follow the rules, but did so without love. We can still see this kind of leadership today. But Jesus invited them in and wanted to spend time with them, even eat with them! Jesus showed people he cared for and loved them, and it led people to want to follow him, even notorious sinners!
Second, you are invaluable to Jesus. “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders” (Luke 15:3-5).
What would happen if you got lost? If you were out for a walk and got lost how long would it take for someone to find you? Are you walking lost through life right now? Jesus wants to return you to him and will come after you until he finds you. He’s calling you. You have value to him!
Third, you are influential because of Jesus. As we learn to walk and talk with Jesus we learn his ways, his words, his movements, who he cares for, etc. As we do, we start to share these things with those around us. Jesus is influencing you, and because you are valued by him, he wants to reach others through you!!
Lastly, you are invested with Jesus. When Jesus invited tax collectors and notorious sinners to be with him, he was investing into and with them. He knew that they would return to their circles of friends who were like them. He knew they would tell their friends about him, and likely bring their friends to meet him.
Jesus was creating disciples, and he’s still doing that with us. He invites us, finds value in us, gives us influence within our circles, and then works together with us to reach those close to us. He invests himself in us that we would invest ourselves in him. The more we do this the more we become obsessed with Jesus; the One.
There are many who have wandered off and it is the desire of Jesus that they be returned to the ninety-nine. There might be someone sitting next to you, or near to you, that located you when you were lost. Maybe they offered you love and care when you didn’t think you deserved it. In that way you discovered that there was someone out there who cares about you in a way that only Jesus can. He uses each of us to go into the wilderness to help find his lost sheep. It’s pretty cool to be used by Jesus in this way, to know he is co-laboring with us to do mighty work.
Every day we travel through this life, we are surrounded by people. Some days more than others, but we regularly find ourselves around notorious sinners. We begin seeing those around us in a new light, as invited by, valued by, influential for, and an investment in, the One. We are all notorious sinners, and have all strayed, but thankfully Jesus finds us, carries us back, and does so joyfully. He is obsessed with you.
As you go throughout the next few days, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the notorious sinners in your life, and do so with the lens of Jesus. He is inviting them, he values them, and he wants to invest in them, just as he has done for you. Let God give you a fresh perspective today.
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