Are We Heartbroken for the LOST?
“Then Moses did just as the LORD commanded him; he took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation.
(Numbers 27: 22-23 NASB)
Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, just as the LORD had spoken through Moses.”
If we want our lifework to carry on, to flourish, to last beyond our life here on earth, then we need to consider (just as Moses did) WHO might continue the work of God whenever the LORD brings us home.
This week, we lost a most beautiful, saintly woman. Frances was beloved within our church family; she will be so missed! We can only pause to hear the words Frances spoke, & We only need to look toward the church office to think about the face of this wonderful lady, & We only need to see Frances motion toward us to remember how we are to love like Jesus. Frances loved the hurting; Frances loved the hungry; Frances loved those who were walking in grief; & Frances loved her church.
WE LOVED FRANCES BECAUSE IT WAS SO APPARENT THAT FRANCES LOVED GOD!
FRANCES HAD A PASSION FOR THE LOST!
- Who will be in heaven because of your witness?
- Who will arrive in heaven & stand in the presence of God because of your influence upon their life?
- Who will depart from this life & NOT be cast into utter destruction and total separation from God—all because you spoke the Gospel?
These are serious questions each Christian needs to ask himself. We who believe in Jesus and have accepted Him as our Savior have been commissioned by Jesus Himself to go and to make disciples. This is not a request. Jesus did NOT tell His disciples to squeeze in some “church work” when life demands allowed, nor did Jesus NOT tell His disciples to have a burden for the lost whenever they had time. That would be like God telling us to tithe our last ten percent of our salary as our offering to the LORD.
- GOD EXPECTS OUR BEST!
- GOD EXPECTS OUR FIRST!
- GOD EXPECTS OUR EVERYTHING!
- GOD EXPECTS OUR LIFE TO BE LIVED IN 100%, TOTAL OBEDIENCE TO HIS WILL!
- GOD EXPECTS OUR HEARTS TO BREAK IN THE SAME WAY AS HIS SON’S HEART BROKE FOR THE LOST!
How are we doing with God’s expectations?
Are We Heartbroken for the LOST?
“The eyes of the LORD are
(Psalm 34: 15-18 NASB)
toward the righteous;
And His ears are toward
their cry for help.
The face of the LORD is
against evildoers,
To eliminate the memory of
them from the earth.
The righteous cry out, and
the LORD hears
And rescues them from
all their troubles.
The LORD is near to the
brokenhearted
And saves those who are
crushed in spirit.”
We must have an intense love for God!
- We must be filled with grief for the lost (just like our Savior Jesus Christ modeled)!
- We must be filled with sorrow over those who remain lost (just like our Savior Jesus Christ modeled)!
- We must be filled with pain deep in our hearts for the lostness seen in the world (just like our Savior Jesus Christ modeled)!
Our hearts must be so intertwined with God’s that the world cannot separate the two!
Yes, that’s right. We must be “brokenhearted” & “crushed in spirit.”
How are we doing with God’s expectations?
Are We Heartbroken for the LOST?
Our spiritual inheritance can be found in the lives of those who come after us. We were led to believe in Jesus, to confess our sins against God, and to accept the LORD as our Savior ALL BECAUSE someone shared Jesus with us.
- Who did we share Jesus with last week?
- Last week, who did we love as Jesus loved?
- Yesterday, who did we feed like Jesus fed?
- Today, who will we speak to about the love of God & salvation He offers—Just as Jesus taught us to do?
We will soon pass from this life into eternity, and when we stand in the presence of Almighty God, may we be prepared for the question that we may just hear—“Welcome child of God. Who did you bring?”
“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, [to His disciples & to us] saying,
(Matthew 28: 18-20 NASB)
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”