Lost People Matter to God
Unit 1
Rev. Soper commented that “these are not so much the values of The Alliance, as they are the values of Jesus.” How do you see these values being lived out in the life of Jesus? Lost People Matter to God.
There are many examples where Jesus has shown compassion on lost people. Some are religious, some worship their own way, some are looking for God and some are without God.
Some of these examples are:
Religious, John 3:1-18; Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews came to Jesus by night. He was at a crisis moment in his life. He was seeking the truth and believed Jesus was a teacher from God. He believed this because he said in John 3:2 “For no man can do these miracles that you do, except God be with him.” Jesus starts to tell him that he needs to be born again of the spirit in order to enter the Kingdom of God. Nicodemus questions Jesus “how can that be?” and Jesus’ reply was, “Are you a master of Israel, and know not these things?” Jesus goes on to give Nicodemus an example from the Old Testament that would usher in the New Covenant and God’s will for salvation, in verse 14-16 “But even as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up, so that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes on Him is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God” (John 3:14-18 MKJV).
Jesus has given Nicodemus an either/or decision. In a sense Jesus was saying, you are condemned or you can have eternal life because God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. BUT if you do not believe you are condemned already.
Jesus gave the religious leader of that day the truth because lost people matter to Him and in this particular situation He even met Nicodemus is private because of the sensitive circumstance Nicodemus was in.
Some people worship in their own way, John 4:6-42; The Samaritans were considered dogs or less than people. Yet Jesus while sitting on a well in Sychar, (a city in Samaria), took time to talk to a Samarian women. This is even more unusual as Jews had no dealings with Samarians much less a women, (see verse 9). Jesus begins to challenge her spirituality by offering her living water for eternal life. He then prophesizes to her about her past relationships and she recognizes Him as a prophet. After some more dialogue about worship she says “I know the Messiah comes, which is called Christ. Jesus answers her by saying, “I that speak unto you am He.”
After this the women goes back and tells her whole town and they invite Jesus to come and stay for a few days, (verses39-42). This resulted in many believing that He indeed is the Christ, the Saviour of the World.”
Jesus cares for lost people even if society thinks they are dogs.
Jesus cares for those who are looking for a sign and need to be healed. (John 5:1-9).
The Jews (John 5:16-47).
He taught and fed 5000+ and then 4000+.
He healed a man that was demon possessed and restored him to a sound mind.
There are many more examples.
Jesus cares for lost people and the proof is He came and died for them. Phil 2:5-9
In Christ,
Greg