Lost & Found
Have you ever lost something important? I mean something that caused you to stop everything you’re doing and roll out a full scale search and rescue mission? Perhaps this has happened with your car keys, right when it’s time to pick the kids up from school and somehow get them to practice, rehearsal, the orthodontist, etc. It’s time to drop everything, retrace your steps, and find those keys, only to be left wondering how they ended up in the freezer next to the ice-cream.
I recently “misplaced” a student. Correction – a student misplaced himself while we were downtown for WinterJam. Before you begin writing letters of protest, he was never out of sight of our group or vehicles. He simply got separated from the group for several minutes. But as you know, those several minutes can seem like an eternity of chaos. I couldn’t see him, my head count was one short, and I went into search and rescue mode. Teams of leaders were deployed. Emergency contact numbers were readied. Adrenaline was rushing. In a matter of minutes he was reunited with the group, I had my personal moment of relief, and the rest of the bus rejoiced. Don’t you love happy endings like that?
Three similar stories are found in Luke 15. First, there is the shepherd, who upon realizing he’s missing one, drops everything, and searches until it’s found.
Then there is the woman with ten coins. Except she realizes she now only has nine. She turns up the lights, moves the furniture, and scours the house. I imagine she searches long into the night, only relenting once she finally has her prize.
Lastly, there is the father who lost one of his sons to the alluring world. We don’t read much about the father’s search and rescue mission. I envision him walking to the end of his property each day, looking up and down the road. I picture him sitting on his porch, watching, wishing, hoping, and praying. We’re told that he saw him coming from a long way off. Filled with compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and welcomed him home.
Each of these stories has a happy and similar ending. The shepherd calls his neighbors together, asking them to rejoice with him. The woman calls all of her friends together to share in her joy. The father celebrates by giving his son new clothes, sandals, jewelry, and throws a party to commemorate this momentous occasion.
Similarly, there is an epic search and rescue effort underway. Souls are lost, and are being found, and we are celebrating! It’s my privilege to share with you that in the last two weeks, we’ve seen three teens in our youth ministry trust Christ for salvation. Will you celebrate with us? Luke 15 tells us twice that every time a lost soul is found, God and the angels rejoice. I can only begin to imagine what that celebration is like.
Will you join in this search and rescue mission? What is lost must be found. It’s a matter of life or death, heaven or hell. What’s at stake is more important than keys, sheep, or coins. Eternal souls are in the balance. Will you join in helping people find Jesus Christ?
If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17)
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost. (Luke 19:10)
