Sunday, November 13, 2016 - LOST & FOUND
Bro. Kenneth Gerel A Marcos
Nov. 13, 2016
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE LOST?
To be lost: Unable to find one’s way; not knowing one’s whereabouts
HOW AND WHY DO WE BECOME LOST AS CHRISTIANS?
- Doubt
- Temptations
- Sins
HOW CAN WE BE FOUND?
1. COMPASSION
Sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others.
Colossians 3:12
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with COMPASSION, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
James 5:19-20
19 My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, 20 you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.
Psalm 86:15
But you, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.
Don’t be static, be dynamic
Less laziness more actions
2. EFFORT
A vigorous or determined attempt.
Colossians 3:23
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.
1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
Percentage of teen and young adult dropouts
- 16 - 17 yrs old - 10%
- 17 - 18 yrs old - 14%
- 18 - 19 yrs old - 13%
- Young adults - 70%
Who in the Bible was lost?
Samson (Judges 16:4-5)
4 Some time later, he fell in love with a woman in the Valley of Sorek whose name was Delilah. 5 The rulers of the Philistines went to her and said, “See if you can lure him into showing you the secret of his great strength and how we can overpower him so we may tie him up and subdue him. Each one of us will give you eleven hundred shekels[a] of silver.”
Jonah (Jonah 1:1-3)
1 The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”
3 But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.
Paul (Acts 9:1-7)
1 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
3. PERSISTENCE
firm or obstinate continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition.
Galatians 6:9
And let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
Proverbs 24:16
For the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.
1 Philippians 1:6
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
2 Timothy 2:15 - 17
15 Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth. 16 Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior. 17 This kind of talk spreads like cancer, as in the case of Hymenaeus and Philetus.
Romans 6:1-8
1 Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? 2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? 3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? 4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.
5 Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. 6 We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. 7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. 8 And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him.
CONCLUSION
John 3:36
And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.