HANDOUT FOR SERMON: November 6th, 2022, Manchester, TN                                                THE TASK OF SOUL SEEKING AND IMPORTANCE OF HUMILITY

Introduction: We have been called and saved by God for the purpose of going out and looking for the lost and helping them get to know the Savior. It is our responsibility to go out on “missions of mercy.”  Remember the song: “seeking the lost.” (# 571 in our songbook). When was the last time YOU went afar to find someone that needs Jesus.   My hope and prayer is that we not only sing about this but we actually do this!                                                                 Scripture: Luke 19:5-11 The story of Jesus and Zacchaeus.  This is a story about Jesus who stopped, found the man named Zacchaeus and reached out to him. Jesus made time for him. There was a difference between Jesus and the religious elites of His time. It seems Jesus was never in a hurry.

Lesson:                                                                                                                                                                    1. WE NEED TO LOVE PEOPLE LIKE GOD LOVES. Luke 15 (three stories).

Shepherd & sheep. (Verses 4-7) Jesus cares more about one soul that is lost than 99 righteous. Are we really like Jesus? Do we leave the 99 and go out and actively look for the one lost?
Woman & her 10 coins. (Verse 8-10). How much energy do we use the find the lost, then bring them back and then celebrate over them? What do we do when one leaves the Church or gets lost in the world?
Father & the son. (Verse 11-32) This is all about the father’s love. The older brother made two mistakes: the older brother thought more about himself, and he compared himself to the younger brother. He should have compared himself to the Father! Missions of mercy will never work if it is all about YOU!

HOW CHRIST WANTS US TO BE AND BEHAVE. Mathew 18:1-35

Be Humble, (verses 1-4) The disciples were focusing on: Who is the greatest in the kingdom? Don’t we do the same: the best preacher? the busiest workers? which is the best congregation?
Be Careful, (v.5-11) We are thoughtful of others. We are not to be a stumbling block. Awareness of others and we help others carefully and with wisdom. We consider our tone, our heart, and our words.
Be Useful, (verse 12-17) All of us are to do this. This is a group focus. We must stop making excuses. All are to serve Jesus Christ the Master and He says GO & DO!
Be Merciful (verse 21-35) We get out there and carry with us God’s mercy! We point people to God and teach them that with God “all things are possible!” We glorify the giver of MERCY=GOD! We who have received the mercy of God are the best ones to speak of it.

WE WILL NEVER BE SUCCESSFUL STEWARDS OF GOD’S MESSAGE AND MERCY WITHOUT LOVING THE LOST LIKE GOD LOVES THEM AND WITHOUT BECOMING HUMBLE SERVANTS.

We must experience humility before the throne of God.
We must learn to “get on our knees” and stay on our knees!
This is difficult for us because our society doesn’t really do humble anymore!
We are a proud people, who are very slow to admit mistakes, wrongs, and sin.
We are so proud we end up being divisive, even our service and with the word of the Lord.

WE MUST LEARN TO BE HUMBLE AND WE MUST STAY HUMBLE.

Humility is the center of what it means to be a follower of Christ. We can be better at it. There is room for improvement among God’s children. You are not the centerpiece of all things! You cannot love people like God does until you learn genuine humility.  You cannot be “careful”, “useful” or “merciful” until you truly know YOUR PLACE before God.  We must be humiliated before the throne of God.  We need to become a church that literally and symbolically gets down on our knees before our Lord and Master.                                                                                        Scripture:                                                                                                                                              Isaiah 6:1-12 & Isaiah 66:1-2                                                                                                                  Isaiah 6:8 “WHOM SHALL I SEND? And who will go for us?

“Here and I, send Me!” Once Isaiah was humble, he understood it all and went!
I will look on him who is poor and contrite of spirit.
2 levels of humility: The first is: Where you are impressed by God and fearful of God. The second is: Where you take on God’s character upon yourself. You take on the heart of God.
Isaiah 66:1-2 God looks on the person who is poor and contrite of spirit. The one who trembles at His word and who humbly responds to His word.
Compare Isaiah with Jonah. God told both to arise and go.
Jonah did not obey, he arose and fled! He ran because he was not a humble man.
Jonah was a believer, a man of faith but God had to teach him humility before he would be ready to serve God properly.
Read: Jonah 2:1-10, Jonah 3:1-3, Jonah 4.
Jonah did learn but he was a hard learner, so are we often!

SUMMING UP.   The Apostle Paul as an example for us today.                                                Scripture: 1 Timothy 1:12-27 The Lord is on His throne. I am ruined before His glory, and He alone saves me from my sins. (A vision and message of humility!) Paul felt unworthy and unclean. He was a persecutor and a murderer, yet Christ showed his love on Paul.  Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 Who will go? When will you go? Remember you must be humble in your methods. The moment Paul or we stop seeking souls, is the moment we stop serving God! If you want to be a partake of the Gospel, then you must be a sharer of the Gospel.  Seek & Save the lost = that is who Christians are.