January 27, 2024

There are a lot of celebrations we have in the church. We celebrate our existence as a congregation—10 years, 50 years, 100 years. We celebrate building structures like new sanctuaries, new educational wings, or new family life centers. Then we celebrate mortgage burnings when we pay those buildings off. I have no doubt that God smiles as we do all of those things and that He is proud of His People for their hard work, effort, and sacrifice. But if you want to know what makes God CELEBRATE, it’s in our passage for today. God parties when His lost children come home.
It’s an important reminder to us. Out of all the things we give ourselves to as churches and individuals, there is no greater cause in the eyes of God than reaching those who don’t know Him. In fact, I often make a statement that makes some people more than a little uncomfortable. “The church primarily exists for those who are not yet a part of it.” Fellowship is great. Worship is wonderful. Educational classes and growing in our faith are exciting and worthwhile endeavors. But Jesus was clear in His mandate to us as His followers. “Go make disciples.” That’s why Jesus came, and that’s why He’s left us here on earth.
That commission has both corporate and personal implications. As a body of believers, our first and primary objective ought to be seeking out and trying to reach those in our community who are lost. It ought to be on the forefront of our planning, and our efforts, and strategically woven into how we “do church.” But it also has a very personal side to it. Jesus has challenged each of us to be “witnesses” of His wherever we go. We are to live lives of attractiveness for Him. We are to “do good” as He did to build inroads to those in our communities. And we are to share with others what Jesus has done for us. We are to be “lights” in a dark world so that others can find their way to God.
My experience has been that the Great Commission has actually been the “Great Omission.” Many churches don’t emphasize it and most believers don’t think about it. But we should. People all around us are in desperate need of the God we’re keeping to ourselves. WE are the Search & Rescue Team that God has put on this world. Every lost soul we reach is a Treasure to the Kingdom of Heaven. In the grand scheme of eternity, it’s the only thing truly worth throwing a party for. Just ask anyone whose lost child has been found. That’s God’s Word for you today.