LIFE ON
MISSION—Overview
Matthew 4:19 “‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will send you
out to fish for people.’
BIG
IDEA: The mission of the Christ-follower
is reaching lost people.
Luke 15:1-2
“Now the tax
collectors and sinners were all gathering around to
hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the
law muttered, ‘This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.’”
JESUS’
PRIORITY
Jesus’ ministry
prioritized those who were far from God.
Matthew 9:12
“On hearing this, Jesus said, ‘It is not the healthy
who need a doctor, but the sick.’”
Matthew 9:35-38 “35 Jesus went through all the towns and
villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the
kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion
on them, because they were harassed and helpless,
like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the
workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to
send out workers into his harvest field.’”
JESUS’
STORY
Jesus’
story about a lost son is actually aimed at those who think they
are well-behaved.
Luke 15:25-27
“Meanwhile,
the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and
dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked
him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and
your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and
sound.’”
Luke 15:28-30 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So
his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All
these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you
never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has
squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the
fattened calf for him!’”
JESUS’
POINT
Self righteousness and
selfishness blind us to what is important to God.
Luke 18:10-14
“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax
collector. 11 The
Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers,
evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ 13 But the tax
collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat
his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ 14 ‘I
tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God.
For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble
themselves will be exalted.’”
Matthew 7:5 “You
hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see
clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
JESUS’
MISSION
To find
what is lost, we must search for and attract the lost.
Ezekiel 34:6 “My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high
hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one
searched or looked for them.”
ACTION: Join a group and get clear on
how to bring lost people home.