I am sure you have read Luke 15 many times, just as I have. But like all scripture, the Spirit continues to unfold riches from this text. In this chapter, we read of ONE lost sheep, ONE lost coin, and ONE lost son. The picture that Jesus draws in the parable of the sheep and the coin is that God pursues the ONE that is lost until they are found. They are of that much worth to God that He will “seek diligently until” (15:8) you are found and brought back into the community and fellowship of others.
We are not told why or how the sheep or coin became lost, but Jesus uncovers the willfulness of the son who wanted to live his way apart from his father’s influence. Thinking he could best live life by getting as far as possible away from his father, he gathers all he had and leaves. God pursues us in different ways. The pursuit of God pictured in the son is different than with the sheep or coin. With the son, God allowed him to expend his own resources until they ran out and he was no longer able to depend on himself. God pursues us when we know we are empty and reminds us of the infinite resources that are His, if only we will return to Him. God has made the ONE THING a continual pursuit after those who try to live without Him. Just remember that this empty condition is not confined to the heathen. There are many right in the church who are very empty because they have not made Jesus Christ their center and ONE THING in life. God pursues such until they return or open the door of their heart to Him. I will write more about this in two days. If you know your life is running on empty, God is pursuing you so that you might know His fulness for you in Christ. STOP RUNNING!
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We have observed “THE ONE THING” that we should pursue as followers of Jesus, but we can’t leave this subject without recognizing that there is only one pursuit with God. As soon as man was separated from God by sin, God begins to pursue man in order to restore that relationship. He does not wait for man to return to Him because God knew that sin will hinder man in any and every attempt. In fact, the very sound of God approaching man in the Garden of Eden caused Adam and Eve to “hide themselves from the presence of the Lord God” (Genesis 3:8). Hiding is the nature of sinful man. We want to hide both ourselves and our sin, while God desires to expose our sin, and draw out confession and repentance so that He can forgive and reconcile.
What should awaken our hearts to the nature and disposition of God is that even when we are blinded by our own sin, God keeps pursuing the ONE THING – to restore a relationship with man. Before sin was introduced, God enjoyed His “very good” creation, especially in man made after His “image and likeness” (1:26). No other part of creation could enjoy “fellowship” with God as man could. Now God pursues us through His Son so that we might be reconciled on the basis of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. “This is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to Himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18). How thankful we must be that God has never given up this ONE THING! He is still calling out to you and me, “Where are you” (Genesis 3:9) if there is any distance between us and Himself. Through the presence of the Holy Spirit in us, God is bringing conviction to our hearts of where we are spiritually hiding or at a distance. Are you hiding from God because of some sin or failure, or because you have not kept Jesus as your ONE THING? Stop hiding and ask Him to restore your relationship back to the freshness of what God has always intended you to have with Him. “I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father” (1 John 2:13).
As “Father’s Day” is celebrated in many places and with many families around the world, I want to remind us of the ONE THING godly fathers do who desire to impact the next generations. They “know Him who is from the beginning”, the Father of our Lord Jesus. They have consistently spent time with THE FATHER learning how to be a father. We often underestimate the power of this type of relationship. Earthly friendships rarely have a teaching element to them, but fathers who “know” THE FATHER grow in understanding His character so it can be replicated in their own lives. The word “know” or “ginõskõ” means “to be acquainted with”. It is more than mere knowledge of someone, but a deeper relationship where something substantive is transferred from them to you. So it must be with fathers in order for them to have an impact on their children and the generations that follow. Your children and those who look up to you will become young men and women. Will your influence pass on to them the model of intimacy with God as Father? Will you take time this “Father’s Day” to ask God to ignite a desire for an intimate relationship with Him and transform your life into a greater reflection of His Fatherhood for others to see? One of the blemishes Paul wanted to keep from spoiling the church was failure in leaders. Though most of his second visits to churches that he, Barnabas and Silas planted were short visits, Paul insisted on establishing and strengthening strong, qualified leaders. He established the first line of defense for the Ephesian elders as he left them with these pointed and strong words, “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which He obtained with His own blood” (Acts 20:28).
Our day has seen too many pastors and leaders who have disqualified themselves from serving as leaders because they did not “pay careful attention to yourselves”. I feel the point of this truth in my own heart. This was a concern in Paul’s own heart. In the context of an athlete, Paul says of himself, “I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27). A position or title does not make a person qualified. The ONE THING needed by all who shepherd the flock is an intimate walk with the Lord. Like many who have gone before us, we must keep ourselves free from sin that entangles (Hebrews 12:1-2). Leadership requires “being an example to the flock…sober-minded, watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:3, 8). One unguarded moment can both ruin our ministry and have a devastating effect on the flock. THEREFORE, KEEP THE ONE THING, THE ONE THING; PAY CAREFUL ATTENTION TO YOURSELF! “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).
Can you imagine any branch of a grape vine bearing fruit if it is not firmly attached to the vine? The branch does not consider this an option or something that it will do today and not tomorrow. The branch does not decide to drink the healthy sap from the vine today and not tomorrow. It remains attached to the vine day and night, under good conditions and bad. Its whole existence is dependent on being attached to the vine. When we realize the importance of this truth, we will pursue abiding in Christ our ONE THING! Paul had this single pursuit; to “gain Christ and be found in Him” (Philippians 3:8-9). David in a similar way echoes this ONE PASSION; “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in His temple” (Psalm 27:4). There is more to abiding in Christ than just reading the Bible and prayer: · Our life as a Christian depends on intimacy with Him. · Without depending on Jesus for everything, we will fail by our own efforts. · It is a life-long commitment and experience that makes us grow and mature. · Through abiding in Him, we see His beauty and glory that cannot be seen otherwise. · Answers to life’s questions are found through this close relationship. Every struggle comes from not abiding in Christ. Are you struggling in any area of life and ministry? Then you also know the solution. Will you pursue your Savior, Lord, Head and Bridegroom? There should be no doubt in our minds that we are being watched very closely by the world to see if our life-style and words agree. This was true of the Early Church. Not long after the Spirit came at Pentecost and the Apostles were speaking in His power as well as working miracles, persecution was thrust in their face. Their reaction to this treatment was being carefully observed by those inflicting the suffering.
What amazed people and rulers alike was that no retaliation or vindictive behavior was found with the Christians, but rather, they became even more bold as the Holy Spirit filled them (Acts 4:8-12). “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished” (4:13). How could such a radical change take place in these “common men”? The answer is found in the next phrase of this verse; “And they recognized that they had been with Jesus”. No one can frequent the presence of Jesus and not be transformed to such a degree that others see the likeness of Christ (see 2 Corinthians 3:18). When we make intimacy with Jesus the ONE THING THAT IS MOST IMPORTANT in our lives, it will speak louder than our words. In the case of Peter and John, the rulers of the temple “had nothing to say in opposition” (4:14). When we KEEP THE ONE THING THE ONE THING, our witness will carry the power of God and the conviction of the Holy Spirit (John 16:8-11). Does your time with Jesus reflect HIM to others? One of the weaknesses of many Christians is they see themselves saved from hell, forgiven by God and His child, and part of the church, but that is all. But their understanding and vision for their purpose does not go much further. I want to show through Mark 3:13-14 that God’s purpose and plan for you is much greater.
““And He [Jesus] went up on the mountain and called to Him those whom He desired, and they came to Him. And He appointed twelve (whom He also named apostles) so that they might be with Him and He might send them out to preach.” This important decision of calling the apostles was not a casual event. Jesus got away from the regular occupation of His ministry to give proper attention to this selection. While the twelve Apostles (capital “A”) were special, it was only in the sense that they were used by the Holy Spirit to launch the Early Church from Jerusalem. In another sense, we should all be apostles (small “a”) as messengers of the gospel to go and “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). Jesus did not call you just to rescue you from a lost eternity, but it was a special call to be His ambassador in a lost world (2 Corinthians 5:17-20), just as He called the twelve. Further, Jesus has “appointed” you as He did the twelve. That word means you have been “assigned to a task that must be performed”. At the end of Mark’s gospel, he comments that the apostles “went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them” (16:20). As you and I see the importance of our calling and appointment, we will be obedient to proclaim Christ everywhere, whether in our private lives, marriage, family, workplace or in ministry. So what is the ONE THING NECESSARY? “That they might be with Him”! Jesus knew that their effectiveness and ours would only be accomplished through a close relationship with Himself. If you seek this ONE THING, Jesus will make you effective in every area of life through the Spirit. There is no greater example of having a single purpose and goal in life than the Lord Jesus. He made this point very clear in John 6:38, “I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will but the will of Him who sent Me.” The will of His Father was totally supreme. It was the ONE THING that governed Jesus’ life from beginning to end, including going to the cross; “Nevertheless, not My will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42).
The question for us is: what helps and enables us to maintain this singleness of purpose? Again, we look at the life of Jesus as a dependent man, as we should be. He maintained this ONE THING by “rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, He departed and went out to a desolate place, and there He prayed” (Mark 1:35). Notice the priority Jesus gave to this habit: 1. His communion with the Father had to be the first thing in His day. 2. He went to a place where there were no distractions. 3. He spent the time in fellowship with the Father. KEEPING THE ONE THING THE ONE THING can only be maintained through a close walk with the Lord and by intimate conversations with Him. Not only must we keep a single attitude, an undivided heart, but also a deep love for the Savior. Are you KEEPING THE ONE THING THE ONE THING? “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8). Read that sentence again, or several times. Before this verse, Paul listed all the achievements in his life that preceded knowing Jesus as his Lord, but to him they were “rubbish” compared to growing in his knowledge and intimacy with Jesus. In this single pursuit, Paul said, “One thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (3:13-14).
A fruitful life in Christ must hinge on that one pursuit--“knowing Christ”. How is this accomplished in our lives? Bible reading and study is essential. Prayer is critical. But “knowing Christ” is only gained through a personal walk of intimacy with Jesus. Every facet of our lives must be considered an opportunity to grow in this relationship. Paul knew from personal experience that “knowing Christ” had “surpassing worth” compared to everything else in life. Can you say that of your relationship the Lord? One way to measure this is by identifying those things you allow to interrupt and steal your time with Him. Even when you are doing ordinary responsibilities, is He very near in your thoughts and heart? David said, “I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken” (Psalm 16:8). Is that how you feel about your pursuit in “knowing Christ”? If not, take this moment to make it your one goal in life. We saw yesterday that there was only one solution for a troubled church; “Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:1-2). Paul maintains the centrality of Christ throughout his ministry. His first letter was addressed to believers who wanted to combine faith and the works of man for salvation. This doctrine resulted in a ‘gospel according to man’ (Galatians 1:11) which always invites boasting in our own works. Paul declares, “Far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world” (6:14).
This principle is affirmed in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” The more we understand what the grace of God has done for us, the more we will realize that boasting in ANY FORM has no place in the mind and heart of a Christian. Our nature, world and culture have always taught us the evils of pride. Crucifixion puts an end to boasting. We must see ourselves as crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20), otherwise the tendencies to pride and boasting will persist. What freedom we have when our only boast is in Jesus Christ! Since we are complete in Him (Colossians 2:10), there is no need to boast in anything or anyone else. These truths bring the greatest joy and satisfaction, and effectiveness in ministry. Paul’s life always pointed to Christ as his life; “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). |
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