WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:22.260 Hi, and welcome to the Willow Ridge Church weekly podcast. 00:00:22.780 --> 00:00:25.880 This is where you can find audio for our current and past sermons. 00:00:26.100 --> 00:00:30.420 We hope that you enjoy this week's installment, and be sure to check back next week to hear 00:00:30.420 --> 00:00:31.260 the latest message. 00:00:31.680 --> 00:00:32.460 Thanks for listening. 00:00:46.180 --> 00:00:47.040 Good morning. 00:00:47.780 --> 00:00:49.160 I want to welcome everybody. 00:00:49.300 --> 00:00:53.280 If you're here with us, if you're joining us online, thank you so much for being here 00:00:53.280 --> 00:00:54.800 today to worship together. 00:00:55.060 --> 00:00:58.860 If you've got your Bibles, go ahead and open up to Luke chapter 15, where we're going 00:00:58.860 --> 00:01:01.300 to talk about the parable of the lost sheep, all right? 00:01:01.380 --> 00:01:06.620 So as you turn there or find your spot on your phone, I want to ask you guys a question, something 00:01:06.620 --> 00:01:09.400 for us all to engage in, respond in. 00:01:09.740 --> 00:01:16.420 How many of you, at any point in time, ever in your life have lost something? 00:01:16.480 --> 00:01:17.060 Raise your hand. 00:01:18.660 --> 00:01:19.720 All right, put your hands down. 00:01:19.800 --> 00:01:20.580 Everybody, right? 00:01:20.580 --> 00:01:27.840 Now, how many of you is it in your nature to quite often lose things? 00:01:27.960 --> 00:01:28.520 Raise your hand. 00:01:29.260 --> 00:01:30.040 That's me, right? 00:01:30.360 --> 00:01:31.440 Me and like all the kids. 00:01:31.540 --> 00:01:32.100 Thank you all for that. 00:01:32.180 --> 00:01:32.680 Yeah, that's great. 00:01:32.780 --> 00:01:32.840 All right. 00:01:33.060 --> 00:01:34.300 So I struggle. 00:01:34.500 --> 00:01:36.800 I lose stuff all the time. 00:01:36.920 --> 00:01:39.040 I forget where I set things down. 00:01:39.360 --> 00:01:44.880 There are three things in my life that I commonly lose, and I probably most of you who struggle 00:01:44.880 --> 00:01:47.220 with losing things lose these three things as well. 00:01:47.520 --> 00:01:53.200 I lose my keys, I lose my wallet, and I lose my cell phone. 00:01:53.700 --> 00:01:55.140 I've always been this way. 00:01:55.380 --> 00:02:00.180 I've always been absent-minded when it comes to setting things down, or maybe even a better 00:02:00.180 --> 00:02:05.980 explaining myself is I don't put things back where they're supposed to go to begin with, 00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:06.240 okay? 00:02:06.240 --> 00:02:12.300 And so when Aaron and I got married, it was not uncommon for me to have to go somewhere 00:02:12.300 --> 00:02:19.180 and spend 20 minutes in a mad dash trying to locate in our little townhome that we had 00:02:19.180 --> 00:02:21.460 at the time where my wallet was. 00:02:21.820 --> 00:02:28.240 So for the entirety of our marriage, my wife and her graciousness has been working on a system 00:02:28.240 --> 00:02:31.320 for me so I don't lose things as often. 00:02:31.320 --> 00:02:35.380 And so if you walk into our kitchen, there's a little place with some hooks, and that's 00:02:35.380 --> 00:02:36.740 where I'm supposed to hang my keys. 00:02:36.880 --> 00:02:42.100 When you go upstairs in my bedroom, on my bedside table, there's a little, like, wooden bowl 00:02:42.100 --> 00:02:46.960 that her dad made for me that that's where my wallet goes, and then beside that is the 00:02:46.960 --> 00:02:48.600 charger for my cell phone. 00:02:49.020 --> 00:02:54.320 So that if I do everything the way that I'm supposed to do it, I hang my keys up where 00:02:54.320 --> 00:02:58.100 they're supposed to go, I set my wallet where it's supposed to go, and set my phone 00:02:58.100 --> 00:02:59.600 where it's supposed to go. 00:02:59.600 --> 00:03:00.500 But guess what? 00:03:01.340 --> 00:03:02.880 I don't always do that, right? 00:03:03.460 --> 00:03:09.060 I still lose things, even though there's the exact location of where it's supposed to go. 00:03:09.240 --> 00:03:11.920 Now here's what I do quite often, all right? 00:03:12.600 --> 00:03:20.180 I, when I realize my keys are lost, I try to play it off in my house like I haven't lost 00:03:20.180 --> 00:03:20.560 anything. 00:03:20.660 --> 00:03:23.840 So like open confession time this morning, I couldn't find my wallet, all right? 00:03:24.100 --> 00:03:29.340 And so I've just kind of, I've gone downstairs, I was kind of moseying around, it's not where 00:03:29.340 --> 00:03:32.960 it's supposed to be, and just like, like I'm just prayer walking the house, right? 00:03:33.020 --> 00:03:35.560 Just, I'm not looking for anything, I'm just walking around. 00:03:35.920 --> 00:03:37.820 I'm prone to lose things. 00:03:38.580 --> 00:03:40.800 How many of you have ever lost something when you found it? 00:03:41.320 --> 00:03:43.640 Got really excited, all right? 00:03:43.780 --> 00:03:50.100 So when I was a youth pastor still at our previous church, every youth pastor longs for the day 00:03:50.100 --> 00:03:54.960 where the senior pastor entrusts them with adult stuff, right? 00:03:55.320 --> 00:03:59.540 And so I was at that point in my career, the senior pastors of the churches I'd served at 00:03:59.540 --> 00:04:02.020 had yet to entrust me with something like that. 00:04:02.120 --> 00:04:06.360 And I get a call from our senior pastor, and he said, hey, can you come up to my office? 00:04:06.440 --> 00:04:09.900 I would like to talk to you, because my office was on the other side of our campus. 00:04:09.980 --> 00:04:10.680 And I said, yeah, sure. 00:04:10.960 --> 00:04:16.280 So I come into his office, and he said, I'd like for you to lead a mission trip in about 00:04:16.280 --> 00:04:17.280 five or six months. 00:04:17.760 --> 00:04:18.600 I mean, that's fantastic. 00:04:18.740 --> 00:04:20.160 I've led mission trips before. 00:04:20.460 --> 00:04:21.460 I said, well, give me some of the details. 00:04:21.560 --> 00:04:22.280 What's this going to be? 00:04:22.740 --> 00:04:29.200 He says, well, we're sending a group of adults to Bolivia to work at a church where there's 00:04:29.200 --> 00:04:32.360 a lot of families with kids with autism. 00:04:32.900 --> 00:04:38.780 And in the whole country of Bolivia, there were two professionally trained professionals 00:04:38.780 --> 00:04:40.300 that worked with kids of autism. 00:04:40.620 --> 00:04:44.640 And at our church at that time, we had eight professionally trained individuals. 00:04:44.800 --> 00:04:46.240 He said, so there's a church there. 00:04:46.340 --> 00:04:48.700 They're really reaching families with kids with autism. 00:04:48.700 --> 00:04:50.780 And so we're going to go and send these adults. 00:04:51.220 --> 00:04:54.340 And all I need you to do, you don't have to teach. 00:04:54.840 --> 00:04:55.580 You don't have to do anything. 00:04:56.100 --> 00:05:01.020 I just need you to go with them so that you can get them there, and you can get them back. 00:05:01.540 --> 00:05:02.500 It's like, no problem. 00:05:02.560 --> 00:05:03.660 I've done stuff like that before. 00:05:04.020 --> 00:05:05.240 So we have our meetings. 00:05:05.360 --> 00:05:06.580 We get everything lined up. 00:05:06.680 --> 00:05:12.180 Me and this team of men and women are going to head down to Bolivia to have this mission 00:05:12.180 --> 00:05:12.500 trip. 00:05:13.220 --> 00:05:15.400 And so the night before, I begin to pack. 00:05:16.040 --> 00:05:17.180 I've got all my clothes. 00:05:17.260 --> 00:05:18.340 I've got everything lined up. 00:05:18.560 --> 00:05:19.340 I've got my wallet. 00:05:20.140 --> 00:05:21.780 I've got my phone. 00:05:22.280 --> 00:05:23.920 I've got everything that I need. 00:05:24.580 --> 00:05:26.240 It's time to now go grab my passport. 00:05:27.360 --> 00:05:30.280 And so I go, and my passport's not here. 00:05:31.180 --> 00:05:32.740 Go to the other place where my passport's supposed to be. 00:05:34.260 --> 00:05:35.160 It's not there either. 00:05:36.100 --> 00:05:41.380 For the next five hours, I turn our house upside down desperately because I need to find 00:05:41.380 --> 00:05:46.620 this passport because I'm afraid that my getting them there and getting them back is making 00:05:46.620 --> 00:05:50.620 sure that I drop them off at the airport, and I don't want to go to my senior pastor and 00:05:50.620 --> 00:05:51.660 say, guess what? 00:05:51.860 --> 00:05:53.680 Your boy lost his passport. 00:05:54.240 --> 00:06:03.880 And then underneath a bunch of files in a file cabinet, several hours later, I find my passport. 00:06:04.440 --> 00:06:10.040 And the excitement that came from me was just something I'd never experienced before because 00:06:10.040 --> 00:06:11.680 now I'm not going to get yelled at. 00:06:11.760 --> 00:06:13.140 I'm not going to let anybody down. 00:06:13.360 --> 00:06:14.220 I've succeeded. 00:06:14.440 --> 00:06:17.340 I've found this passport. 00:06:18.420 --> 00:06:21.520 And all of you can relate to a similar circumstance. 00:06:22.060 --> 00:06:26.860 Whether if it's something small, like you can't find your keys, and so it causes you to be five 00:06:26.860 --> 00:06:31.500 minutes late for work, or whether it's that important document that you need for a closing 00:06:31.500 --> 00:06:37.400 on a house or something like that where panic begins to set in, we've all lost something, 00:06:37.880 --> 00:06:41.500 and we've all experienced excitement when we find it. 00:06:42.260 --> 00:06:48.260 So Jesus is going to tell a parable, and the parable that he's going to share has profound 00:06:48.260 --> 00:06:53.740 theological implications of understanding the gospel and what Jesus came to do. 00:06:53.860 --> 00:07:00.440 But in that moment as he shared it, everyone in the room, just like everyone here, can relate 00:07:00.440 --> 00:07:00.800 to it. 00:07:01.260 --> 00:07:04.280 And so let's look at Luke chapter 15, starting in verse 1. 00:07:05.280 --> 00:07:05.820 It says, 00:07:05.820 --> 00:07:12.640 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him, and the Pharisees and 00:07:12.640 --> 00:07:17.780 the scribes grumbled, saying, This man receives sinners and eats with them. 00:07:18.260 --> 00:07:20.160 So he told them this parable. 00:07:20.880 --> 00:07:26.760 What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the 00:07:26.760 --> 00:07:32.040 ninety-nine in the open country and go after the one that is lost until he finds it. 00:07:32.480 --> 00:07:36.140 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 00:07:36.520 --> 00:07:41.180 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, 00:07:41.520 --> 00:07:45.000 Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost. 00:07:45.540 --> 00:07:52.460 Just so I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 00:07:52.460 --> 00:07:57.460 ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. 00:07:58.400 --> 00:08:04.700 And so Jesus tells a story about something being lost, and then it's found. 00:08:05.540 --> 00:08:08.500 He tells a story that everyone could relate to. 00:08:09.160 --> 00:08:13.420 He tells a story that shows desperation and excitement. 00:08:14.540 --> 00:08:19.500 He shares a story that brings forth from it celebration. 00:08:20.460 --> 00:08:23.840 Let's understand why Jesus is telling this story. 00:08:24.740 --> 00:08:29.300 And in order to, in the very beginning of the setting of what we find, we see the dynamic 00:08:29.300 --> 00:08:32.420 of the relationship between Jesus and sinners. 00:08:33.260 --> 00:08:35.740 You see, there's two types of people in the room. 00:08:36.480 --> 00:08:41.360 There's two types of people in the audience when Jesus tells this parable. 00:08:41.840 --> 00:08:45.800 The first group or the first types are the Pharisees and the scribes. 00:08:45.800 --> 00:08:48.960 And it's important, there's different things that we can talk about them. 00:08:49.500 --> 00:08:56.140 But it's important for us to know that they saw themselves as both religious and good. 00:08:57.000 --> 00:09:02.000 And who they are, they would have seen themselves as very religious. 00:09:03.560 --> 00:09:05.820 Ones being able to uphold the law. 00:09:06.680 --> 00:09:07.880 Good in all they do. 00:09:08.380 --> 00:09:15.260 They would have seen themselves, their view of others and their sin was accurate and was justified. 00:09:15.800 --> 00:09:21.160 And at the very heart of their being, they would have thought that everything they've done 00:09:21.160 --> 00:09:25.280 from their actions to their thoughts to their words would be pleasing to God. 00:09:25.940 --> 00:09:30.620 It's important for us to know that this group of individuals thought that in and of themselves, 00:09:30.820 --> 00:09:37.860 as God looked down on them, he was perfectly pleased with who they are and of what they had done. 00:09:38.520 --> 00:09:44.600 But also in the room is a different set of people, tax collectors and sinners. 00:09:45.240 --> 00:09:48.800 Some of the lowest of the low for the day. 00:09:49.420 --> 00:09:54.580 The tax collectors, a group of people who have betrayed their own ethnic group, 00:09:54.820 --> 00:10:00.900 betrayed their own countrymen, betrayed their own men and women of their faith 00:10:00.900 --> 00:10:05.700 in order that Rome could keep them enslaved. 00:10:06.420 --> 00:10:08.860 But also in the room are the sinners. 00:10:09.620 --> 00:10:14.460 Now there's not one sin that is designated for this group of sinners. 00:10:15.180 --> 00:10:20.160 But in this group of people would have been people who were deemed by everyone, 00:10:20.940 --> 00:10:22.360 culturally accepted, 00:10:22.880 --> 00:10:26.660 to look at this group of people and said that they're dirty. 00:10:27.660 --> 00:10:35.720 They had been people that had had questionable past and more than likely questionable current situations as well. 00:10:36.360 --> 00:10:40.740 And this is the group of people of where we find Jesus. 00:10:41.700 --> 00:10:49.940 I think it's very important for you and I to know and to understand the dynamic of the heaviness of what's going on in the room. 00:10:50.260 --> 00:10:58.000 There couldn't have been two groups of people that would have viewed themselves in more different circumstances. 00:10:58.820 --> 00:11:00.840 But it's important for us to know this. 00:11:01.620 --> 00:11:04.400 Jesus is with both of them. 00:11:05.320 --> 00:11:08.740 And at this time both are with Jesus. 00:11:09.820 --> 00:11:13.220 For whatever reason, both groups have sought him out. 00:11:13.800 --> 00:11:17.520 And we can speculate on the why, but Scripture doesn't tell us. 00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:23.000 But both of them have heard, and there's a part of them, whether it's sinful or not sinful, 00:11:23.140 --> 00:11:26.200 that has sought to be with Jesus in this moment. 00:11:26.420 --> 00:11:28.400 But I think even more important than that, 00:11:28.880 --> 00:11:32.220 Jesus hasn't put a bodyguard at the door and said, stay away. 00:11:33.080 --> 00:11:36.740 That in this moment, Jesus has welcomed them in. 00:11:36.740 --> 00:11:46.820 Jesus has welcomed both of them in. 00:11:47.080 --> 00:11:48.520 And Scripture is very clear. 00:11:48.840 --> 00:11:50.980 It tells us that Jesus is doing two things with them. 00:11:51.800 --> 00:11:56.240 When it tells that Jesus is there with the tax collectors and sinners, 00:11:56.500 --> 00:12:00.680 it means that this, when it says that he received them, 00:12:01.520 --> 00:12:06.500 what that means is, and lack of a better term in a way that we can all understand it 00:12:06.500 --> 00:12:08.600 in the words that I use in everyday life, 00:12:09.080 --> 00:12:10.520 Jesus was just hanging out with them. 00:12:11.620 --> 00:12:13.300 Jesus was just spending time with them. 00:12:13.900 --> 00:12:16.820 Whether he knew them before this interaction or not, 00:12:17.400 --> 00:12:22.600 Jesus was willing to be in a social setting with questionable people. 00:12:23.380 --> 00:12:26.660 Jesus was willing to push everything else to the side 00:12:26.660 --> 00:12:31.860 for the willingness and the moment to engage with a group of people 00:12:31.860 --> 00:12:35.540 who were considered questionable by everyone else. 00:12:36.360 --> 00:12:39.520 But not only is he doing that, but he's eating with them. 00:12:40.140 --> 00:12:41.100 He's eating with them. 00:12:41.140 --> 00:12:41.900 So here's what this means. 00:12:42.000 --> 00:12:43.900 When we see in Scripture, 00:12:44.240 --> 00:12:46.380 and that's a big thing that comes from the life of Jesus, 00:12:46.640 --> 00:12:48.620 that Jesus would eat with sinners. 00:12:49.100 --> 00:12:51.700 So in Jesus' day, and we know this, 00:12:51.760 --> 00:12:53.640 but it helps us get things culturally. 00:12:53.640 --> 00:12:57.580 So picture this, you've been introduced to someone now, right? 00:12:57.660 --> 00:13:00.100 Like you meet him at work, you meet him at church, 00:13:00.160 --> 00:13:02.540 and so you want to get to know them more. 00:13:02.640 --> 00:13:06.380 And so you engage into a conversation to get to know them, 00:13:06.420 --> 00:13:08.020 and you take slow steps. 00:13:08.120 --> 00:13:10.380 It may be that you have conversations on Facebook, 00:13:10.520 --> 00:13:12.700 or you have conversations through text message, 00:13:12.700 --> 00:13:15.020 or you meet up at Starbucks to grab a coffee. 00:13:15.300 --> 00:13:16.960 Well, Jesus doesn't have these means, right? 00:13:17.640 --> 00:13:20.000 And so for Jesus to get to know someone, 00:13:20.080 --> 00:13:21.380 for culturally during this time, 00:13:21.380 --> 00:13:25.420 for them to decide that they're going to invest into a relationship, 00:13:25.660 --> 00:13:27.340 they would share a meal together. 00:13:28.040 --> 00:13:29.520 And the beautiful picture, I think, 00:13:29.560 --> 00:13:32.760 of what God has set in the heart of humanity, 00:13:32.940 --> 00:13:35.020 regardless of what culture you go to, 00:13:35.120 --> 00:13:37.460 or what time you find yourself in, 00:13:37.580 --> 00:13:39.900 if you really want to get to know someone, 00:13:40.380 --> 00:13:43.380 if you really want to invest in the life of someone, 00:13:43.680 --> 00:13:45.760 don't meet at a restaurant, meet at your home. 00:13:46.520 --> 00:13:49.240 Don't sit in the living room, but come to your table. 00:13:49.880 --> 00:13:52.620 And that's what we find in the dynamic of Jesus 00:13:52.620 --> 00:13:55.100 with this group of sinners, 00:13:55.300 --> 00:13:57.780 that there's a depth of engagement, 00:13:58.000 --> 00:13:59.920 of lostness for Jesus. 00:14:00.880 --> 00:14:03.340 The only one who's holy in the room, 00:14:04.340 --> 00:14:08.860 the only one who has a proper standing in his perfection, 00:14:09.380 --> 00:14:12.120 with what we see is he welcomed both, 00:14:12.380 --> 00:14:13.480 he hung out, 00:14:13.600 --> 00:14:17.040 and he begins to invest in a depth of person, 00:14:17.240 --> 00:14:22.080 of getting to know them in a personal way. 00:14:23.320 --> 00:14:24.660 So the question for us, 00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:25.800 even before we look at the parable, 00:14:26.560 --> 00:14:27.560 is for you and I, 00:14:27.640 --> 00:14:29.280 for those of us who gather in a church, 00:14:29.540 --> 00:14:32.360 whether we see ourselves as quote-unquote religious, 00:14:33.500 --> 00:14:34.800 or true followers of Christ, 00:14:35.920 --> 00:14:38.840 are you and I engaging with lostness 00:14:38.840 --> 00:14:40.380 in the depth of which Jesus is? 00:14:41.220 --> 00:14:45.240 Are we taking the time to invest in, 00:14:45.240 --> 00:14:48.040 to build over, to bridge the gap between us? 00:14:48.100 --> 00:14:49.860 Now, here's what I'm not saying, okay? 00:14:50.440 --> 00:14:52.160 I'm not saying that we hand over 00:14:52.160 --> 00:14:53.880 our social security numbers to people. 00:14:54.100 --> 00:14:55.960 I'm not saying that we allow people 00:14:55.960 --> 00:14:57.220 who are making different decisions 00:14:57.220 --> 00:14:59.140 to raise our kids on our behalf, 00:14:59.220 --> 00:15:01.880 or even seek out their advice for marriage or finances. 00:15:02.100 --> 00:15:04.860 But I am saying that if you and I 00:15:04.860 --> 00:15:07.380 are going to invest in lostness in the depth 00:15:07.380 --> 00:15:09.300 and in the way that Jesus does, 00:15:09.440 --> 00:15:12.220 that we have to evaluate and look at our life 00:15:12.220 --> 00:15:13.900 and compare it to the life of Christ 00:15:13.900 --> 00:15:15.800 as he models for us. 00:15:16.500 --> 00:15:18.320 So I have three questions I want to ask you really quick. 00:15:19.240 --> 00:15:21.580 For you and your life of where you are right now 00:15:21.580 --> 00:15:22.760 and the journey that you're on, 00:15:22.840 --> 00:15:25.160 number one, do you know lost people? 00:15:26.160 --> 00:15:27.800 Do you know lost people? 00:15:28.360 --> 00:15:30.860 Now, not people who go to church or don't go to church. 00:15:31.200 --> 00:15:32.900 Do you know lost people? 00:15:33.080 --> 00:15:34.680 Now, let's dig a little bit deeper within that. 00:15:35.220 --> 00:15:38.760 Are you in relationship with lost people, right? 00:15:38.860 --> 00:15:40.700 Are you willing to have lunch with them? 00:15:40.740 --> 00:15:41.780 Do you know their name? 00:15:41.860 --> 00:15:43.940 Do you know about their kids, about their family, 00:15:44.040 --> 00:15:45.600 about the battles and struggles of life 00:15:45.600 --> 00:15:46.220 that they're going through? 00:15:46.220 --> 00:15:48.380 Do you know lost people? 00:15:48.900 --> 00:15:50.720 And then the third question that I would ask you, 00:15:50.780 --> 00:15:52.780 if you say yes to both of those, is this. 00:15:53.100 --> 00:15:55.340 If I were to ask them about you, 00:15:56.120 --> 00:15:57.980 would they say that you care about them? 00:15:58.940 --> 00:16:01.300 Would they say that there's a depth of love 00:16:01.300 --> 00:16:03.020 that is shown from you to them 00:16:03.020 --> 00:16:05.480 that if a crisis hits their life, 00:16:05.660 --> 00:16:07.740 that they're calling you because they know 00:16:07.740 --> 00:16:09.680 that you love them and that you care for them? 00:16:10.480 --> 00:16:11.500 And it's what we see with Jesus. 00:16:12.620 --> 00:16:14.020 That's why they journey to him. 00:16:14.740 --> 00:16:18.020 That's why Jesus is such a magnet to lost people. 00:16:18.380 --> 00:16:20.540 They don't know the story, 00:16:21.140 --> 00:16:22.760 but yet they come to him anyways 00:16:22.760 --> 00:16:25.980 because of his depth of caring. 00:16:26.800 --> 00:16:28.560 And here's why this is so important 00:16:28.560 --> 00:16:30.300 in this moment for Jesus. 00:16:30.980 --> 00:16:34.780 As he's got cultures on either side of him, 00:16:35.180 --> 00:16:39.020 we see Jesus attack the culture conflict. 00:16:39.520 --> 00:16:41.780 You see, for there to be reconciliation, 00:16:42.180 --> 00:16:43.560 for there to be unity, 00:16:43.840 --> 00:16:47.100 Jesus has to break down both sides of the argument, 00:16:47.440 --> 00:16:49.640 both sides of the line that has been drawn. 00:16:49.900 --> 00:16:51.460 And so how does Jesus do that? 00:16:51.640 --> 00:16:52.900 He welcomes them both. 00:16:53.220 --> 00:16:55.700 He doesn't alienate one in the story. 00:16:55.980 --> 00:16:59.420 Instead, he begins to speak to the heart of lostness 00:16:59.420 --> 00:17:00.860 and what he's there to do. 00:17:01.100 --> 00:17:03.420 The parable of the lost sheep 00:17:03.420 --> 00:17:05.200 is the parable for the lost. 00:17:05.200 --> 00:17:07.820 It's the parable that everyone in the room 00:17:07.820 --> 00:17:09.780 except Jesus needs. 00:17:10.760 --> 00:17:13.780 So he shares this with the Pharisee. 00:17:14.200 --> 00:17:16.020 He shares it with the scribe. 00:17:16.500 --> 00:17:18.380 He shares it with the tax collector. 00:17:19.280 --> 00:17:21.760 Jesus shares it with the sinner. 00:17:22.960 --> 00:17:25.280 And Jesus begins to describe a situation 00:17:25.280 --> 00:17:27.340 that just like you, 00:17:27.420 --> 00:17:29.840 as I shared the silly story of my passport, 00:17:30.900 --> 00:17:32.300 Jesus begins to share a story 00:17:32.300 --> 00:17:33.780 that everybody in the room would have understood. 00:17:34.780 --> 00:17:36.800 Everybody in the room would have heard about. 00:17:36.900 --> 00:17:38.740 Everybody in the room would have gone through. 00:17:39.640 --> 00:17:40.480 That there's a shepherd. 00:17:41.620 --> 00:17:43.240 And the shepherd's responsibility 00:17:43.240 --> 00:17:46.300 is this flock of sheep. 00:17:47.220 --> 00:17:49.280 A hundred sheep that this shepherd 00:17:49.280 --> 00:17:50.580 has been entrusted with. 00:17:50.720 --> 00:17:52.840 That his livelihood comes from this. 00:17:53.020 --> 00:17:54.300 That his identity is found in this. 00:17:54.480 --> 00:17:56.380 His job and what he's supposed to do 00:17:56.380 --> 00:17:57.520 is to care for him. 00:17:58.040 --> 00:17:59.480 But there's this one sheep. 00:18:00.200 --> 00:18:02.660 And it wanders off. 00:18:03.660 --> 00:18:06.020 It leaves from where it's supposed to be. 00:18:06.600 --> 00:18:08.360 It leaves from what it knows. 00:18:08.360 --> 00:18:11.260 It leaves from the care and the comfort 00:18:11.260 --> 00:18:13.220 and the love of the flock. 00:18:14.040 --> 00:18:15.940 It leaves from where it's been raised. 00:18:16.260 --> 00:18:18.860 And it wanders off by itself. 00:18:19.520 --> 00:18:22.220 And so the shepherd leaves the 99 00:18:22.220 --> 00:18:24.140 in order to go find it. 00:18:24.140 --> 00:18:26.060 I want to talk about the 99 really quickly 00:18:26.060 --> 00:18:28.400 and the understanding of the shepherd. 00:18:28.940 --> 00:18:30.620 I've heard this talked about before 00:18:30.620 --> 00:18:33.060 that the shepherd is more concerned 00:18:33.060 --> 00:18:34.960 with the one than the 99. 00:18:35.360 --> 00:18:36.480 That's not true. 00:18:37.600 --> 00:18:39.380 There's not more love for one 00:18:39.380 --> 00:18:40.440 than there is for the other. 00:18:41.220 --> 00:18:42.760 You see, because what would have happened 00:18:42.760 --> 00:18:43.720 in this moment 00:18:43.720 --> 00:18:44.960 is that the shepherd 00:18:44.960 --> 00:18:47.560 is equally caring for both 00:18:47.560 --> 00:18:49.920 as he searches out for the one. 00:18:50.300 --> 00:18:51.660 The scripture's clear that it says 00:18:51.660 --> 00:18:52.420 that the shepherd 00:18:52.420 --> 00:18:55.700 left the flock in open fields. 00:18:56.200 --> 00:18:58.000 And so what would happen is this. 00:18:58.140 --> 00:19:00.440 Whenever a sheep would wander away, 00:19:00.560 --> 00:19:01.320 which was common, 00:19:01.580 --> 00:19:03.480 the shepherd would move the flock 00:19:03.480 --> 00:19:04.320 at nighttime 00:19:04.320 --> 00:19:05.940 to the middle of the field, 00:19:06.080 --> 00:19:07.560 away from the woods, 00:19:07.680 --> 00:19:08.840 away from the river, 00:19:09.120 --> 00:19:10.180 and in doing so, 00:19:10.300 --> 00:19:12.500 would move it away from the darkness 00:19:12.500 --> 00:19:14.220 where predators could hide. 00:19:14.740 --> 00:19:16.380 Would move them to the dead center 00:19:16.380 --> 00:19:17.400 of the field 00:19:17.400 --> 00:19:18.980 and then would build a fire 00:19:18.980 --> 00:19:21.180 around where they were 00:19:21.180 --> 00:19:22.320 so that if a predator 00:19:22.320 --> 00:19:23.420 were to think 00:19:23.420 --> 00:19:24.540 that they're going to go out, 00:19:24.620 --> 00:19:26.040 that they would associate fire 00:19:26.040 --> 00:19:26.780 with people 00:19:26.780 --> 00:19:28.300 and not get anywhere near. 00:19:28.640 --> 00:19:29.780 So do you see what is happening, 00:19:29.840 --> 00:19:30.720 what the shepherd does 00:19:30.720 --> 00:19:31.880 when Jesus says 00:19:31.880 --> 00:19:33.080 that he left the flock 00:19:33.080 --> 00:19:34.000 in open field? 00:19:34.280 --> 00:19:34.900 Jesus is saying, 00:19:35.160 --> 00:19:36.780 I'm still caring about the flock. 00:19:37.480 --> 00:19:38.780 In the pursuit of this, 00:19:38.820 --> 00:19:40.160 it's for the good of the flock. 00:19:40.500 --> 00:19:42.460 I haven't forgotten about the flock 00:19:42.460 --> 00:19:44.700 in the pursuit of the one. 00:19:45.700 --> 00:19:46.880 But he goes out 00:19:46.880 --> 00:19:49.160 having cared for the flock 00:19:49.160 --> 00:19:51.080 and he finds the one. 00:19:52.180 --> 00:19:53.220 And when he finds it, 00:19:53.800 --> 00:19:54.660 Scripture tells us 00:19:54.660 --> 00:19:56.840 he doesn't grab it by the neck 00:19:56.840 --> 00:19:57.780 and drag it back. 00:19:58.480 --> 00:20:01.100 He doesn't wrap a rope around 00:20:01.100 --> 00:20:02.280 to use as a leash 00:20:02.280 --> 00:20:02.960 to guide it back 00:20:02.960 --> 00:20:03.960 to where it's supposed to be. 00:20:04.120 --> 00:20:04.920 He doesn't go up 00:20:04.920 --> 00:20:05.720 and kick it 00:20:05.720 --> 00:20:06.200 and push it 00:20:06.200 --> 00:20:07.280 and do any of those things. 00:20:08.440 --> 00:20:10.500 The shepherd reaches down 00:20:10.500 --> 00:20:12.480 and picks up the sheep 00:20:12.480 --> 00:20:14.300 and puts the sheep 00:20:14.300 --> 00:20:17.120 on his shoulders 00:20:17.120 --> 00:20:19.500 so that he can get it back 00:20:19.500 --> 00:20:21.040 where it needed to be. 00:20:22.120 --> 00:20:24.220 The sheep who got itself lost. 00:20:25.140 --> 00:20:26.720 The sheep who put itself 00:20:26.720 --> 00:20:28.360 in that situation. 00:20:29.320 --> 00:20:31.200 The sheep who couldn't 00:20:31.200 --> 00:20:32.220 come back on his own. 00:20:33.140 --> 00:20:34.240 You see, one of the characteristics 00:20:34.240 --> 00:20:34.760 of sheep, 00:20:35.760 --> 00:20:36.920 when they get lost, 00:20:37.780 --> 00:20:39.080 a lot like us sometimes, 00:20:39.680 --> 00:20:40.480 they get afraid. 00:20:41.560 --> 00:20:42.540 And when they get afraid, 00:20:43.100 --> 00:20:44.160 they get anxiety. 00:20:44.800 --> 00:20:45.860 And when anxiety 00:20:45.860 --> 00:20:48.240 begins to build up 00:20:48.240 --> 00:20:49.040 in a sheep, 00:20:49.840 --> 00:20:51.000 the sheep just lays down 00:20:51.000 --> 00:20:52.560 and won't move. 00:20:53.860 --> 00:20:54.600 And so what does 00:20:54.600 --> 00:20:55.460 the shepherd do? 00:20:56.280 --> 00:20:57.600 He reaches down 00:20:57.600 --> 00:20:59.180 into the situation 00:20:59.180 --> 00:21:01.620 where it's gotten itself. 00:21:02.760 --> 00:21:03.040 He says, 00:21:03.120 --> 00:21:04.520 now it's not about you 00:21:04.520 --> 00:21:05.740 coming back to me. 00:21:05.820 --> 00:21:06.640 It's not about you 00:21:06.640 --> 00:21:07.600 coming to find me. 00:21:07.700 --> 00:21:08.280 But it's about 00:21:08.280 --> 00:21:10.200 the holy hands of God 00:21:10.200 --> 00:21:10.920 reaching down 00:21:10.920 --> 00:21:11.460 and picking up 00:21:11.460 --> 00:21:12.200 that which is lost. 00:21:13.280 --> 00:21:14.040 And then you can't 00:21:14.040 --> 00:21:15.180 even get yourself back. 00:21:15.980 --> 00:21:17.480 So I'm going to carry you 00:21:17.480 --> 00:21:18.940 in the weight 00:21:18.940 --> 00:21:19.640 of your burden 00:21:19.640 --> 00:21:22.220 back to the flock. 00:21:23.580 --> 00:21:24.320 Back to where 00:21:24.320 --> 00:21:25.140 you're supposed to be. 00:21:26.280 --> 00:21:27.120 This is where 00:21:27.120 --> 00:21:28.460 the family 00:21:28.460 --> 00:21:29.620 is. 00:21:30.740 --> 00:21:31.740 And then Jesus says, 00:21:32.400 --> 00:21:33.440 that as the shepherd 00:21:33.440 --> 00:21:34.180 returns, 00:21:34.800 --> 00:21:36.020 he tells his neighbors, 00:21:36.160 --> 00:21:37.120 he tells his friends, 00:21:38.080 --> 00:21:39.240 and the rejoicing 00:21:39.240 --> 00:21:40.860 that takes place 00:21:40.860 --> 00:21:42.880 because of the one, 00:21:43.820 --> 00:21:44.700 because of the one. 00:21:46.160 --> 00:21:46.400 Church, 00:21:46.460 --> 00:21:47.480 this is what salvation 00:21:47.480 --> 00:21:48.240 looks like. 00:21:49.200 --> 00:21:50.460 This is what God 00:21:50.460 --> 00:21:51.040 is doing. 00:21:51.820 --> 00:21:53.100 This is what he is 00:21:53.100 --> 00:21:53.980 in the pursuit, 00:21:54.280 --> 00:21:55.320 in his pursuit 00:21:55.320 --> 00:21:56.320 of us 00:21:56.320 --> 00:21:57.180 as we've wandered 00:21:57.180 --> 00:21:57.620 away, 00:21:57.940 --> 00:21:58.740 as we've left 00:21:58.740 --> 00:21:59.400 what we know, 00:21:59.660 --> 00:22:00.180 as we've left 00:22:00.180 --> 00:22:01.040 what has been set 00:22:01.040 --> 00:22:01.740 in our hearts 00:22:01.740 --> 00:22:02.880 for something more, 00:22:03.100 --> 00:22:03.900 that God is 00:22:03.900 --> 00:22:04.700 in the pursuit 00:22:04.700 --> 00:22:05.680 of us. 00:22:06.980 --> 00:22:07.740 And Jesus says 00:22:07.740 --> 00:22:08.620 that this pursuit, 00:22:09.580 --> 00:22:10.780 that it begins 00:22:10.780 --> 00:22:11.540 and is found 00:22:11.540 --> 00:22:12.020 in him, 00:22:12.840 --> 00:22:13.860 and it's a call 00:22:13.860 --> 00:22:14.580 on our part 00:22:14.580 --> 00:22:15.640 to repentance. 00:22:16.900 --> 00:22:17.640 In verse 7, 00:22:18.360 --> 00:22:18.640 I'm going to 00:22:18.640 --> 00:22:19.560 reread that to you. 00:22:20.200 --> 00:22:20.640 Jesus, 00:22:20.860 --> 00:22:21.500 his words, 00:22:22.500 --> 00:22:23.720 just so I tell you, 00:22:24.360 --> 00:22:24.760 there will be 00:22:24.760 --> 00:22:26.100 more joy in heaven 00:22:26.100 --> 00:22:27.760 over one sinner 00:22:27.760 --> 00:22:29.260 who repents, 00:22:30.180 --> 00:22:30.980 who repents, 00:22:31.540 --> 00:22:32.660 than over 99 00:22:32.660 --> 00:22:33.780 righteous persons 00:22:33.780 --> 00:22:34.780 who need 00:22:34.780 --> 00:22:36.320 no repentance. 00:22:37.520 --> 00:22:38.480 So Jesus looks 00:22:38.480 --> 00:22:38.820 and says, 00:22:38.920 --> 00:22:39.460 it's not about 00:22:39.460 --> 00:22:40.240 getting it right. 00:22:40.960 --> 00:22:41.660 Getting it right 00:22:41.660 --> 00:22:42.700 doesn't bring the praise. 00:22:43.180 --> 00:22:43.940 It's not about 00:22:43.940 --> 00:22:44.560 learning how to 00:22:44.560 --> 00:22:45.500 manage your sin. 00:22:45.700 --> 00:22:46.340 It's not about 00:22:46.340 --> 00:22:46.760 figuring out 00:22:46.760 --> 00:22:48.020 how to clean yourself up. 00:22:48.160 --> 00:22:48.700 It's not about 00:22:48.700 --> 00:22:49.500 all of the works 00:22:49.500 --> 00:22:50.160 that you can do. 00:22:50.380 --> 00:22:50.620 He says, 00:22:50.720 --> 00:22:51.520 if you want to hear 00:22:51.520 --> 00:22:52.580 the celebration 00:22:52.580 --> 00:22:53.600 of angels, 00:22:53.760 --> 00:22:54.660 if you want to know 00:22:54.660 --> 00:22:55.700 the celebration 00:22:55.700 --> 00:22:56.440 of God, 00:22:56.600 --> 00:22:57.360 if God's people 00:22:57.360 --> 00:22:58.260 want to know 00:22:58.260 --> 00:22:59.220 what to celebrate, 00:22:59.460 --> 00:23:00.160 it's not about 00:23:00.160 --> 00:23:00.820 a group of people 00:23:00.820 --> 00:23:01.540 sitting in a room 00:23:01.540 --> 00:23:02.320 thinking that they've 00:23:02.320 --> 00:23:03.220 got it all figured out. 00:23:03.320 --> 00:23:04.140 It's about when one 00:23:04.140 --> 00:23:04.920 who's broken 00:23:04.920 --> 00:23:05.380 says, 00:23:05.540 --> 00:23:06.760 I need you. 00:23:08.560 --> 00:23:09.520 It's the heart 00:23:09.520 --> 00:23:10.060 of repentance. 00:23:14.020 --> 00:23:14.820 It's the beginning 00:23:14.820 --> 00:23:15.480 of faith. 00:23:17.100 --> 00:23:17.920 It's the cry 00:23:17.920 --> 00:23:18.520 of the sinner. 00:23:20.060 --> 00:23:20.920 It's what we desperately 00:23:20.920 --> 00:23:21.340 need. 00:23:22.980 --> 00:23:23.620 So that just begins 00:23:23.620 --> 00:23:24.200 with us. 00:23:25.500 --> 00:23:26.500 Our brokenness. 00:23:27.380 --> 00:23:28.340 That you and I, 00:23:29.000 --> 00:23:29.760 regardless of how 00:23:29.760 --> 00:23:30.700 many church services, 00:23:31.080 --> 00:23:32.140 how many mission trips, 00:23:32.420 --> 00:23:33.240 how many offerings 00:23:33.240 --> 00:23:33.820 we've given, 00:23:34.080 --> 00:23:34.740 how many works 00:23:34.740 --> 00:23:35.340 we've done, 00:23:35.560 --> 00:23:36.120 how many people 00:23:36.120 --> 00:23:36.540 we've shared 00:23:36.540 --> 00:23:37.400 the gospel with, 00:23:37.520 --> 00:23:38.400 that you and I 00:23:38.400 --> 00:23:39.520 recognize that 00:23:39.520 --> 00:23:40.160 at the core 00:23:40.160 --> 00:23:41.340 of what establishes 00:23:41.340 --> 00:23:42.220 the foundation 00:23:42.220 --> 00:23:43.180 of the relationship 00:23:43.180 --> 00:23:43.980 in our life 00:23:43.980 --> 00:23:44.860 is for you and I 00:23:44.860 --> 00:23:45.320 to recognize 00:23:45.320 --> 00:23:45.940 we are sinners 00:23:45.940 --> 00:23:46.960 who desperately, 00:23:47.360 --> 00:23:48.540 desperately need 00:23:48.540 --> 00:23:48.860 him. 00:23:49.860 --> 00:23:50.760 And then what we 00:23:50.760 --> 00:23:51.660 can experience 00:23:51.660 --> 00:23:53.580 is the love 00:23:53.580 --> 00:23:54.460 of the shepherd. 00:23:55.500 --> 00:23:56.160 I want to read 00:23:56.160 --> 00:23:57.060 this quote to you 00:23:57.060 --> 00:23:57.620 I found from 00:23:57.620 --> 00:23:59.120 Pastor John Piper 00:23:59.120 --> 00:23:59.840 talking about this 00:23:59.840 --> 00:24:00.100 scripture. 00:24:00.220 --> 00:24:00.840 He said this, 00:24:01.900 --> 00:24:02.980 in spite of his 00:24:02.980 --> 00:24:03.580 majesty, 00:24:04.140 --> 00:24:04.620 holiness, 00:24:05.140 --> 00:24:05.820 and universal 00:24:05.820 --> 00:24:07.360 power and greatness, 00:24:07.800 --> 00:24:09.800 he astonishly cares 00:24:09.800 --> 00:24:11.420 for individual human 00:24:11.420 --> 00:24:12.960 beings one at a time. 00:24:13.560 --> 00:24:16.340 It blows my mind 00:24:16.340 --> 00:24:17.800 to think about this. 00:24:18.440 --> 00:24:19.740 Of all that God sees, 00:24:19.860 --> 00:24:20.940 of all that God knows, 00:24:21.060 --> 00:24:22.460 of all that God is doing, 00:24:22.840 --> 00:24:24.760 God in this very moment 00:24:24.760 --> 00:24:26.300 is not ignorant 00:24:26.300 --> 00:24:27.680 or unaware of you. 00:24:28.760 --> 00:24:29.560 Think about that. 00:24:30.100 --> 00:24:32.140 Of all that is going on 00:24:32.140 --> 00:24:32.960 with the world 00:24:32.960 --> 00:24:34.280 as he upholds 00:24:34.280 --> 00:24:35.080 the universe 00:24:35.080 --> 00:24:36.120 and galaxies, 00:24:36.400 --> 00:24:37.320 as he manages 00:24:37.320 --> 00:24:38.080 governments 00:24:38.080 --> 00:24:39.420 and continues on 00:24:39.420 --> 00:24:40.340 in the movement 00:24:40.340 --> 00:24:41.160 of the church, 00:24:41.500 --> 00:24:42.740 God thinks of, 00:24:43.160 --> 00:24:43.860 knows of, 00:24:44.220 --> 00:24:44.620 sees, 00:24:44.920 --> 00:24:45.720 hears you 00:24:45.720 --> 00:24:47.320 at this very moment. 00:24:48.680 --> 00:24:49.900 And that cannot 00:24:49.900 --> 00:24:50.840 be taken away. 00:24:51.860 --> 00:24:53.040 There is 100 00:24:53.040 --> 00:24:54.740 sheep, 00:24:54.760 --> 00:24:57.580 one wanders away 00:24:57.580 --> 00:24:59.720 and the shepherd 00:24:59.720 --> 00:25:02.180 immediately notices. 00:25:03.740 --> 00:25:04.600 The moment 00:25:04.600 --> 00:25:05.600 never gets 00:25:05.600 --> 00:25:06.520 too big 00:25:06.520 --> 00:25:07.260 for God. 00:25:08.380 --> 00:25:09.080 That God 00:25:09.080 --> 00:25:10.060 in his fullness 00:25:10.060 --> 00:25:11.600 sees all, 00:25:12.060 --> 00:25:12.740 knows all, 00:25:13.080 --> 00:25:14.080 pursues all 00:25:14.080 --> 00:25:14.860 and it's what 00:25:14.860 --> 00:25:15.760 we understand 00:25:15.760 --> 00:25:16.860 in the love 00:25:16.860 --> 00:25:18.200 of the shepherd. 00:25:19.900 --> 00:25:20.520 And then we see 00:25:20.520 --> 00:25:21.640 what God's desiring. 00:25:22.640 --> 00:25:23.260 We see what 00:25:23.260 --> 00:25:24.020 he longs for. 00:25:24.760 --> 00:25:25.440 The whole 00:25:25.440 --> 00:25:27.440 family worship. 00:25:28.300 --> 00:25:28.800 The shepherd 00:25:28.800 --> 00:25:29.620 comes back. 00:25:30.600 --> 00:25:30.960 The shepherd 00:25:30.960 --> 00:25:31.700 comes with 00:25:31.700 --> 00:25:32.560 the sheep 00:25:32.560 --> 00:25:33.640 on his shoulders. 00:25:34.600 --> 00:25:35.560 And now 00:25:35.560 --> 00:25:36.960 the party 00:25:36.960 --> 00:25:37.560 begins. 00:25:38.380 --> 00:25:39.060 Now 00:25:39.060 --> 00:25:40.460 the celebration 00:25:40.460 --> 00:25:41.460 happens 00:25:41.460 --> 00:25:42.160 because 00:25:42.160 --> 00:25:43.420 of what 00:25:43.420 --> 00:25:44.460 the shepherd 00:25:44.460 --> 00:25:45.440 has done. 00:25:46.180 --> 00:25:46.840 We're not 00:25:46.840 --> 00:25:47.500 celebrating 00:25:47.500 --> 00:25:48.180 the fact 00:25:48.180 --> 00:25:50.260 that a sheep 00:25:50.260 --> 00:25:51.900 got lost. 00:25:52.860 --> 00:25:53.480 But we're 00:25:53.480 --> 00:25:54.040 celebrating 00:25:54.040 --> 00:25:54.720 the fact 00:25:54.720 --> 00:25:56.200 that the shepherd 00:25:56.200 --> 00:25:57.200 found 00:25:57.200 --> 00:25:57.980 the sheep. 00:26:00.360 --> 00:26:00.860 Jesus' 00:26:01.080 --> 00:26:01.300 talk 00:26:01.300 --> 00:26:01.980 speaks in 00:26:01.980 --> 00:26:03.460 John 4 00:26:03.460 --> 00:26:05.100 verse 23. 00:26:05.300 --> 00:26:05.540 He's talking 00:26:05.540 --> 00:26:06.120 about faith. 00:26:07.160 --> 00:26:07.500 He's talking 00:26:07.500 --> 00:26:08.080 about worship 00:26:08.080 --> 00:26:08.380 that will 00:26:08.380 --> 00:26:09.240 please God. 00:26:09.500 --> 00:26:09.940 The worship 00:26:09.940 --> 00:26:10.380 that God 00:26:10.380 --> 00:26:11.120 longs for. 00:26:12.100 --> 00:26:12.740 He says this, 00:26:12.820 --> 00:26:13.340 but the hour 00:26:13.340 --> 00:26:13.920 is coming 00:26:13.920 --> 00:26:14.860 and is now 00:26:14.860 --> 00:26:15.300 here 00:26:15.300 --> 00:26:16.860 when the true 00:26:16.860 --> 00:26:17.840 worshipers 00:26:17.840 --> 00:26:18.640 will worship 00:26:18.640 --> 00:26:19.240 the father 00:26:19.240 --> 00:26:20.200 in spirit 00:26:20.200 --> 00:26:21.280 and truth 00:26:21.280 --> 00:26:22.440 for the father 00:26:22.440 --> 00:26:23.420 is seeking 00:26:23.420 --> 00:26:24.680 such people 00:26:24.680 --> 00:26:25.680 to worship 00:26:25.680 --> 00:26:26.460 him. 00:26:27.140 --> 00:26:28.220 The heart 00:26:28.220 --> 00:26:29.380 of what we 00:26:29.380 --> 00:26:30.040 are to be. 00:26:30.720 --> 00:26:31.360 The heart 00:26:31.360 --> 00:26:32.280 of what he 00:26:32.280 --> 00:26:33.080 is calling us 00:26:33.080 --> 00:26:33.320 to. 00:26:33.860 --> 00:26:34.560 What does 00:26:34.560 --> 00:26:35.100 true 00:26:35.100 --> 00:26:35.820 worship 00:26:35.820 --> 00:26:37.340 look like? 00:26:37.500 --> 00:26:38.280 It looks 00:26:38.280 --> 00:26:39.500 like this. 00:26:39.900 --> 00:26:40.260 People 00:26:40.260 --> 00:26:42.240 as God 00:26:42.240 --> 00:26:43.020 seeks them 00:26:43.020 --> 00:26:44.420 who are 00:26:44.420 --> 00:26:45.020 worshiping 00:26:45.020 --> 00:26:45.400 him 00:26:45.400 --> 00:26:47.180 in the spirit 00:26:47.180 --> 00:26:47.940 and truth 00:26:47.940 --> 00:26:49.740 of understanding 00:26:49.740 --> 00:26:50.340 of what 00:26:50.340 --> 00:26:51.440 he's 00:26:51.440 --> 00:26:52.320 done 00:26:52.320 --> 00:26:53.220 for them. 00:26:54.060 --> 00:26:54.440 Would you 00:26:54.440 --> 00:26:54.920 pray with me? 00:26:59.300 --> 00:26:59.780 God, 00:26:59.840 --> 00:27:00.160 we come 00:27:00.160 --> 00:27:00.420 to you 00:27:00.420 --> 00:27:00.960 this morning 00:27:00.960 --> 00:27:04.220 with a 00:27:04.220 --> 00:27:04.560 beautiful 00:27:04.560 --> 00:27:05.060 picture 00:27:05.060 --> 00:27:05.460 of what 00:27:05.460 --> 00:27:05.700 you've 00:27:05.700 --> 00:27:05.920 painted 00:27:05.920 --> 00:27:06.420 for us 00:27:06.420 --> 00:27:06.780 today. 00:27:07.500 --> 00:27:11.600 One sheep. 00:27:13.140 --> 00:27:14.020 One sheep 00:27:14.020 --> 00:27:15.080 matters enough 00:27:15.080 --> 00:27:15.780 to the 00:27:15.780 --> 00:27:16.060 shepherd 00:27:16.060 --> 00:27:18.480 for him 00:27:18.480 --> 00:27:18.920 to go. 00:27:21.200 --> 00:27:21.920 Not to 00:27:21.920 --> 00:27:22.420 leave 00:27:22.420 --> 00:27:24.320 the sheep 00:27:24.320 --> 00:27:24.820 in its own 00:27:24.820 --> 00:27:25.460 circumstances 00:27:25.460 --> 00:27:27.480 to find 00:27:27.480 --> 00:27:27.820 its way 00:27:27.820 --> 00:27:28.200 back 00:27:28.200 --> 00:27:30.500 but for 00:27:30.500 --> 00:27:31.200 the love 00:27:31.200 --> 00:27:32.620 and pursuit 00:27:32.620 --> 00:27:33.720 of the 00:27:33.720 --> 00:27:33.980 shepherd. 00:27:35.720 --> 00:27:36.200 God, 00:27:36.260 --> 00:27:36.540 I thank you 00:27:36.540 --> 00:27:37.180 so much 00:27:37.180 --> 00:27:37.540 that for 00:27:37.540 --> 00:27:38.000 so many 00:27:38.000 --> 00:27:38.260 of us 00:27:38.260 --> 00:27:38.580 in this 00:27:38.580 --> 00:27:38.940 room 00:27:38.940 --> 00:27:41.920 watching 00:27:41.920 --> 00:27:42.560 online, 00:27:42.720 --> 00:27:43.100 it's the 00:27:43.100 --> 00:27:43.700 love that 00:27:43.700 --> 00:27:43.980 we've 00:27:43.980 --> 00:27:44.740 experienced 00:27:44.740 --> 00:27:46.620 when we 00:27:46.620 --> 00:27:47.300 were desperate 00:27:47.300 --> 00:27:47.620 and we 00:27:47.620 --> 00:27:48.440 were lost 00:27:48.440 --> 00:27:49.620 in our 00:27:49.620 --> 00:27:50.000 sins 00:27:50.000 --> 00:27:50.300 and our 00:27:50.300 --> 00:27:50.980 trespasses. 00:27:52.820 --> 00:27:53.660 but you 00:27:53.660 --> 00:27:53.940 and your 00:27:53.940 --> 00:27:54.600 faithfulness 00:27:54.600 --> 00:27:56.180 you 00:27:56.180 --> 00:27:56.560 and your 00:27:56.560 --> 00:27:57.040 righteousness 00:27:57.040 --> 00:27:58.920 you 00:27:58.920 --> 00:27:59.300 and your 00:27:59.300 --> 00:27:59.860 holiness 00:27:59.860 --> 00:28:01.700 pursued 00:28:01.700 --> 00:28:02.800 the 00:28:02.800 --> 00:28:03.380 hearts 00:28:03.380 --> 00:28:04.800 sinful 00:28:04.800 --> 00:28:05.300 people. 00:28:09.800 --> 00:28:10.320 With every 00:28:10.320 --> 00:28:10.800 head bowed 00:28:10.800 --> 00:28:11.100 and every 00:28:11.100 --> 00:28:11.860 eye closed, 00:28:12.860 --> 00:28:15.860 God, 00:28:15.860 --> 00:28:16.520 for those 00:28:16.520 --> 00:28:17.080 of us 00:28:17.080 --> 00:28:18.440 who have 00:28:18.440 --> 00:28:19.040 experienced 00:28:19.040 --> 00:28:19.320 this 00:28:19.320 --> 00:28:19.760 love, 00:28:20.860 --> 00:28:23.320 put 00:28:23.320 --> 00:28:23.840 yourself 00:28:23.840 --> 00:28:25.820 in that 00:28:25.820 --> 00:28:26.320 room for 00:28:26.320 --> 00:28:26.680 a moment. 00:28:29.360 --> 00:28:30.380 what is 00:28:30.380 --> 00:28:30.540 your 00:28:30.540 --> 00:28:30.860 heart 00:28:30.860 --> 00:28:31.080 for 00:28:31.080 --> 00:28:31.700 lostness? 00:28:33.380 --> 00:28:34.180 What does 00:28:34.180 --> 00:28:34.460 it look 00:28:34.460 --> 00:28:34.800 like? 00:28:37.000 --> 00:28:37.840 Is it 00:28:37.840 --> 00:28:38.280 invested 00:28:38.280 --> 00:28:38.740 into a 00:28:38.740 --> 00:28:39.300 relationship? 00:28:40.620 --> 00:28:41.040 Is it 00:28:41.040 --> 00:28:41.460 invested 00:28:41.460 --> 00:28:42.120 into care? 00:28:43.120 --> 00:28:43.480 Is it 00:28:43.480 --> 00:28:43.880 invested 00:28:43.880 --> 00:28:44.560 in love? 00:28:46.720 --> 00:28:47.820 To lead 00:28:47.820 --> 00:28:48.220 them to 00:28:48.220 --> 00:28:48.440 their 00:28:48.440 --> 00:28:48.820 Savior 00:28:48.820 --> 00:28:51.720 who 00:28:51.720 --> 00:28:52.400 desperately 00:28:52.400 --> 00:28:52.940 seeks 00:28:52.940 --> 00:28:53.240 them. 00:28:56.880 --> 00:28:57.600 But I 00:28:57.600 --> 00:28:57.740 want to 00:28:57.740 --> 00:28:58.000 ask you 00:28:58.000 --> 00:28:58.180 another 00:28:58.180 --> 00:28:58.540 question. 00:29:06.260 --> 00:29:06.900 How 00:29:06.900 --> 00:29:07.460 desperate 00:29:07.460 --> 00:29:07.960 are you 00:29:07.960 --> 00:29:08.180 for 00:29:08.180 --> 00:29:08.440 Jesus? 00:29:11.540 --> 00:29:12.180 I'm 00:29:12.180 --> 00:29:12.660 not talking 00:29:12.660 --> 00:29:13.960 about that 00:29:13.960 --> 00:29:14.380 you've done 00:29:14.380 --> 00:29:14.780 religious 00:29:14.780 --> 00:29:15.400 things. 00:29:16.760 --> 00:29:17.400 I'm 00:29:17.400 --> 00:29:17.880 talking about 00:29:17.880 --> 00:29:18.500 a level 00:29:18.500 --> 00:29:20.080 of brokenness 00:29:20.080 --> 00:29:20.360 in your 00:29:20.360 --> 00:29:20.680 heart, 00:29:21.780 --> 00:29:22.300 of true 00:29:22.300 --> 00:29:22.740 repentance 00:29:22.740 --> 00:29:23.480 before him, 00:29:25.120 --> 00:29:25.840 of not a 00:29:25.840 --> 00:29:26.480 10-step 00:29:26.480 --> 00:29:27.160 plan about 00:29:27.160 --> 00:29:27.480 how to 00:29:27.480 --> 00:29:28.020 fix 00:29:28.020 --> 00:29:28.520 yourself 00:29:28.520 --> 00:29:29.380 or figure 00:29:29.380 --> 00:29:29.980 this out. 00:29:32.940 --> 00:29:33.820 But a 00:29:33.820 --> 00:29:34.300 genuine 00:29:34.300 --> 00:29:35.600 desperate 00:29:35.600 --> 00:29:36.560 cry 00:29:36.560 --> 00:29:38.000 for 00:29:38.000 --> 00:29:38.700 brokenness 00:29:38.700 --> 00:29:39.140 because of 00:29:39.140 --> 00:29:39.500 the sin 00:29:39.500 --> 00:29:39.800 that's in 00:29:39.800 --> 00:29:40.260 your life. 00:29:41.000 --> 00:29:41.460 Whether 00:29:41.460 --> 00:29:41.900 you're the 00:29:41.900 --> 00:29:42.660 Pharisee 00:29:42.660 --> 00:29:43.240 or the 00:29:43.240 --> 00:29:43.720 sinner, 00:29:44.780 --> 00:29:44.960 the 00:29:44.960 --> 00:29:45.640 scribe 00:29:45.640 --> 00:29:46.000 or the 00:29:46.000 --> 00:29:46.380 tax 00:29:46.380 --> 00:29:46.880 collector, 00:29:48.900 --> 00:29:49.220 a 00:29:49.220 --> 00:29:49.700 desperate 00:29:49.700 --> 00:29:50.280 cry 00:29:50.280 --> 00:29:52.040 of repentance 00:29:52.040 --> 00:29:52.720 before him. 00:29:56.080 --> 00:29:57.840 God, 00:29:57.880 --> 00:29:58.160 I pray 00:29:58.160 --> 00:29:58.500 this 00:29:58.500 --> 00:29:58.920 morning 00:29:58.920 --> 00:30:02.720 for the 00:30:02.720 --> 00:30:03.100 hearts 00:30:03.100 --> 00:30:03.420 of the 00:30:03.420 --> 00:30:04.160 individuals 00:30:04.160 --> 00:30:05.800 who are 00:30:05.800 --> 00:30:06.380 gathered here 00:30:06.380 --> 00:30:06.840 with us, 00:30:06.880 --> 00:30:07.120 who are 00:30:07.120 --> 00:30:07.740 online, 00:30:08.100 --> 00:30:09.120 for the 00:30:09.120 --> 00:30:09.580 hearts of 00:30:09.580 --> 00:30:09.740 our 00:30:09.740 --> 00:30:10.100 neighbors, 00:30:10.340 --> 00:30:10.580 of our 00:30:10.580 --> 00:30:11.020 friends, 00:30:11.120 --> 00:30:11.340 of our 00:30:11.340 --> 00:30:11.740 family, 00:30:11.820 --> 00:30:12.040 of our 00:30:12.040 --> 00:30:12.300 loved 00:30:12.300 --> 00:30:12.760 ones. 00:30:15.360 --> 00:30:15.840 Lord, 00:30:15.920 --> 00:30:16.660 I pray 00:30:16.660 --> 00:30:16.900 that you 00:30:16.900 --> 00:30:17.340 would bring 00:30:17.340 --> 00:30:17.940 them back 00:30:17.940 --> 00:30:18.500 to you. 00:30:19.160 --> 00:30:19.620 Lord, 00:30:19.660 --> 00:30:19.880 that they 00:30:19.880 --> 00:30:20.720 would respond 00:30:20.720 --> 00:30:21.180 to your 00:30:21.180 --> 00:30:21.920 kindness and 00:30:21.920 --> 00:30:22.940 love with 00:30:22.940 --> 00:30:23.720 brokenness and 00:30:23.720 --> 00:30:24.600 repentance and 00:30:24.600 --> 00:30:25.080 that in 00:30:25.080 --> 00:30:25.960 that moment 00:30:25.960 --> 00:30:27.300 is where 00:30:27.300 --> 00:30:27.920 the celebration 00:30:27.920 --> 00:30:28.600 begins. 00:30:28.960 --> 00:30:29.480 In that 00:30:29.480 --> 00:30:30.280 moment is 00:30:30.280 --> 00:30:30.800 where life 00:30:30.800 --> 00:30:31.360 happens. 00:30:31.680 --> 00:30:32.060 In that 00:30:32.060 --> 00:30:32.840 moment is 00:30:32.840 --> 00:30:33.280 where people 00:30:33.280 --> 00:30:34.140 move from 00:30:34.140 --> 00:30:34.760 dark to 00:30:34.760 --> 00:30:35.200 life. 00:30:35.480 --> 00:30:35.860 In that 00:30:35.860 --> 00:30:36.500 moment is 00:30:36.500 --> 00:30:37.100 where people 00:30:37.100 --> 00:30:38.340 move from 00:30:38.340 --> 00:30:39.320 death to 00:30:39.320 --> 00:30:40.300 eternal joy 00:30:40.300 --> 00:30:40.820 with you. 00:30:49.920 --> 00:30:50.520 Jesus, 00:30:51.280 --> 00:30:52.500 may we be 00:30:52.500 --> 00:30:54.220 willing to 00:30:54.220 --> 00:30:54.820 be broken. 00:30:56.240 --> 00:30:57.160 May we be 00:30:57.160 --> 00:30:57.820 willing to 00:30:57.820 --> 00:30:58.460 be vulnerable. 00:31:00.180 --> 00:31:00.660 In your name 00:31:00.660 --> 00:31:01.120 we pray. 00:31:01.840 --> 00:31:02.120 Amen. 00:31:03.700 --> 00:31:04.620 In just a 00:31:04.620 --> 00:31:05.060 moment we're 00:31:05.060 --> 00:31:05.240 going to 00:31:05.240 --> 00:31:05.660 stand, 00:31:07.040 --> 00:31:07.380 we're going 00:31:07.380 --> 00:31:07.920 to respond 00:31:07.920 --> 00:31:08.460 in worship. 00:31:09.940 --> 00:31:10.700 We just 00:31:10.700 --> 00:31:11.120 talked about 00:31:11.120 --> 00:31:11.440 the heart 00:31:11.440 --> 00:31:11.740 of worship 00:31:11.740 --> 00:31:12.080 that God 00:31:12.080 --> 00:31:12.740 longs for. 00:31:14.320 --> 00:31:15.080 A heart 00:31:15.080 --> 00:31:15.620 that's desperate 00:31:15.620 --> 00:31:16.620 for repentance, 00:31:17.460 --> 00:31:18.000 that's desperate 00:31:18.000 --> 00:31:18.860 for lostness. 00:31:19.920 --> 00:31:20.440 A heart 00:31:20.440 --> 00:31:21.560 that worships 00:31:21.560 --> 00:31:22.340 and sings 00:31:22.340 --> 00:31:23.560 and responds 00:31:23.560 --> 00:31:24.180 not out of 00:31:24.180 --> 00:31:25.060 comfort or 00:31:25.060 --> 00:31:26.040 ability to sing 00:31:26.040 --> 00:31:26.800 but because of 00:31:26.800 --> 00:31:27.300 a redeemed 00:31:27.300 --> 00:31:28.660 life before 00:31:28.660 --> 00:31:28.960 Him. 00:31:30.220 --> 00:31:31.080 If you've 00:31:31.080 --> 00:31:31.880 been saved, 00:31:33.140 --> 00:31:33.800 whether you're 00:31:33.800 --> 00:31:34.460 sitting on your 00:31:34.460 --> 00:31:35.320 couch at home 00:31:35.320 --> 00:31:36.380 or you're 00:31:36.380 --> 00:31:36.900 gathered in 00:31:36.900 --> 00:31:37.280 here, 00:31:38.620 --> 00:31:39.700 worship Him 00:31:39.700 --> 00:31:40.460 like it 00:31:40.460 --> 00:31:41.000 matters. 00:31:42.240 --> 00:31:43.020 Worship Him 00:31:43.020 --> 00:31:43.480 because you 00:31:43.480 --> 00:31:44.040 were dead 00:31:44.040 --> 00:31:44.480 and He 00:31:44.480 --> 00:31:44.880 brought you 00:31:44.880 --> 00:31:45.220 back to 00:31:45.220 --> 00:31:45.560 life. 00:31:45.980 --> 00:31:47.060 Worship Him 00:31:47.060 --> 00:31:47.520 because you 00:31:47.520 --> 00:31:48.060 were lost 00:31:48.060 --> 00:31:48.260 and you 00:31:48.260 --> 00:31:48.660 were found. 00:31:49.040 --> 00:31:49.740 Worship Him 00:31:49.740 --> 00:31:50.480 because you 00:31:50.480 --> 00:31:50.960 and I 00:31:50.960 --> 00:31:51.520 were like 00:31:51.520 --> 00:31:52.000 one of those 00:31:52.000 --> 00:31:52.680 sheep and 00:31:52.680 --> 00:31:53.260 we wandered 00:31:53.260 --> 00:31:54.060 off and He 00:31:54.060 --> 00:31:54.780 loved us too 00:31:54.780 --> 00:31:55.420 much to leave 00:31:55.420 --> 00:31:55.980 us out there 00:31:55.980 --> 00:31:56.520 so He 00:31:56.520 --> 00:31:56.880 went and He 00:31:56.880 --> 00:31:57.200 brought us 00:31:57.200 --> 00:31:57.720 back in. 00:32:00.840 --> 00:32:01.540 Then there's 00:32:01.540 --> 00:32:02.440 something else. 00:32:02.560 --> 00:32:03.120 You're here 00:32:03.120 --> 00:32:05.220 in the 00:32:05.220 --> 00:32:05.960 auditorium with 00:32:05.960 --> 00:32:06.340 us today. 00:32:06.700 --> 00:32:07.040 I'm going to 00:32:07.040 --> 00:32:07.560 be back out 00:32:07.560 --> 00:32:08.060 in the hallway, 00:32:08.320 --> 00:32:08.660 all right? 00:32:10.800 --> 00:32:11.400 And if you 00:32:11.400 --> 00:32:11.740 want to come 00:32:11.740 --> 00:32:12.420 talk to somebody 00:32:12.420 --> 00:32:13.180 about repentance, 00:32:14.320 --> 00:32:14.680 let's not talk 00:32:14.680 --> 00:32:14.960 about how to 00:32:14.960 --> 00:32:15.500 fix everything. 00:32:15.620 --> 00:32:15.940 If you just 00:32:15.940 --> 00:32:16.260 want to get 00:32:16.260 --> 00:32:17.300 to the heart 00:32:17.300 --> 00:32:18.660 of a salvation 00:32:18.660 --> 00:32:19.460 conversation, 00:32:19.560 --> 00:32:20.440 about Jesus 00:32:20.440 --> 00:32:20.960 Christ, 00:32:21.100 --> 00:32:21.800 it begins 00:32:21.800 --> 00:32:22.380 with repentance. 00:32:23.200 --> 00:32:23.600 We're not 00:32:23.600 --> 00:32:23.920 going to talk 00:32:23.920 --> 00:32:24.240 about how to 00:32:24.240 --> 00:32:24.640 fix all the 00:32:24.640 --> 00:32:25.200 problems, 00:32:25.480 --> 00:32:25.720 but we're 00:32:25.720 --> 00:32:25.920 going to talk 00:32:25.920 --> 00:32:26.700 about brokenness. 00:32:27.600 --> 00:32:28.120 We're going to 00:32:28.120 --> 00:32:28.920 pray and cry out 00:32:28.920 --> 00:32:29.800 to God for that. 00:32:30.580 --> 00:32:31.020 I want to 00:32:31.020 --> 00:32:31.480 encourage you to 00:32:31.480 --> 00:32:32.220 come talk to me. 00:32:32.900 --> 00:32:33.460 If you're at 00:32:33.460 --> 00:32:34.060 home and you're 00:32:34.060 --> 00:32:35.240 watching this right 00:32:35.240 --> 00:32:35.940 now, here's what I 00:32:35.940 --> 00:32:36.400 want you to do. 00:32:36.540 --> 00:32:37.280 I want you to get 00:32:37.280 --> 00:32:39.040 online, send us an 00:32:39.040 --> 00:32:40.300 email, like send us 00:32:40.300 --> 00:32:41.340 the text message that 00:32:41.340 --> 00:32:42.600 Pastor Dave has put 00:32:42.600 --> 00:32:43.180 through for us. 00:32:43.340 --> 00:32:44.040 We want to have a 00:32:44.040 --> 00:32:44.980 conversation with you. 00:32:45.620 --> 00:32:46.380 We don't want the 00:32:46.380 --> 00:32:47.520 moment of the delay 00:32:47.520 --> 00:32:48.800 of you being at 00:32:48.800 --> 00:32:49.420 home and the 00:32:49.420 --> 00:32:50.180 internet to stop 00:32:50.180 --> 00:32:52.620 this, because 00:32:52.620 --> 00:32:53.820 salvation and 00:32:53.820 --> 00:32:55.100 eternity hangs in 00:32:55.100 --> 00:32:55.400 this. 00:32:57.080 --> 00:32:58.280 God desperately, 00:32:58.560 --> 00:33:00.040 desperately loves 00:33:00.040 --> 00:33:00.280 you. 00:33:08.280 --> 00:33:09.280 He's calling. 00:33:10.620 --> 00:33:11.540 He's calling. 00:33:13.020 --> 00:33:14.000 We'll stand and 00:33:14.000 --> 00:33:14.460 worship Him. 00:33:28.800 --> 00:33:29.840 Thanks again for 00:33:29.840 --> 00:33:30.520 listening to the 00:33:30.520 --> 00:33:31.300 Willow Ridge Church 00:33:31.300 --> 00:33:32.080 weekly podcast. 00:33:32.580 --> 00:33:33.280 We hope that you 00:33:33.280 --> 00:33:34.120 enjoyed listening to 00:33:34.120 --> 00:33:34.900 this week's message. 00:33:35.180 --> 00:33:36.080 If you'd like to 00:33:36.080 --> 00:33:36.900 learn more about who 00:33:36.900 --> 00:33:37.960 we are or explore 00:33:37.960 --> 00:33:38.920 additional resources, 00:33:39.500 --> 00:33:40.700 visit us online at 00:33:40.700 --> 00:33:43.960 www.willowridgechurch.com 00:33:43.960 --> 00:33:45.440 or by searching for 00:33:45.440 --> 00:33:46.460 Willow Ridge Church on 00:33:46.460 --> 00:33:47.520 Facebook and Instagram.