LOST AND FOUND

Text: Luke 15:8 – 10

Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find [it]?  (9)  And when she hath found [it], she calleth [her] friends and [her] neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.  (10)  Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

Introduction

From the above passage, it becomes clear that no one is ever happy having lost a valuable stuff until such stuff is found. The Lord Jesus, in this parable of the Lost Coin painted a picture of the kind of joy that will fill the heart of the coin owner after finding the lost coin. But whist the coin is still being sought for; there was no joy in view. This morning we will examine the importance of this teaching as it is related to us individually.

The explanation of the parable

Few characters played out in this parable:

1.    The woman who owns the lost coin, which today is the symbol or type of Jesus Christ.  And by extension, the church of God to whom the work of reconciliation has been committed – Luke

 19:10; 2Cor. 5:18 - 19

2.    The lost coin itself, which is the typical example of everyone who had wandered away from the love of God –

3.    The God figure whose love for mankind is unquantifiable. There is great joy in heaven anytime mankind responds to God’s love – John 3:16

4.    And of course the angelic beings whose duties are to minister to mankind at God’s command, and also to rejoice at whatever gladdens the heart of God

Some of the lessons drawn from the parable

1.    The coin loses its purpose as long as it is remaining in its lost position. No one can ever find the true meaning of existence and purpose outside of God. It is in God that our lives consist. We existed in Him first before our mothers’ womb, and consequently before we were born – John 15:4;

2.    The value of the coin is lost as long as it remains missing. Even though in its lost state the coin pretends to retain its value, it is useless as long as it is not being put to valuable use

3.    The coin loses its core function of productivity and profitability as long as it not yet recovered.- Mat. 25:24-27

4.     The coin neither become useful to itself or anyone else in that state of being lost

5.    The coin loses its beauty and being covered by all sorts of dirt in its lost state – Rom. 1:28

6.    The coin diminishes and becomes totally irrelevant if remains in the lost state.

Pastor Femi Atode

THE HEART OF A LEADER

THE HEART OF A LEADER
Hebrews 3:4

Who is a father? A father is a pioneer, a leader, a pacesetter, a progenitor, an originator, cultivator, entrepreneur, investor, seed-sower, a builder, a pillar...

A right decision or choice made by one man can unlock the destiny of a generation.
One step in the right direction of a man today could positively affect his wife and children. When you fix a man, you fix the world around him.

In Matt 12:33, Jesus said ‘Make a tree good and its fruits will be good...’
It all begins with God, the Father of all life, the Father of all spirits.
God builds the man, the man builds the woman and the woman builds the house.

The wisdom of the woman would be frustrated if she is not under the leadership of a God-built man.
At the root of any significant building (in terms of family, career, ministry, organization, nation) is a God-made man upon whom has been endowed governmental grace.
Good governance brings peace and orderliness. As a man, you are a building made by God. Jesus said, ‘…follow Me and I will make you…’ The making of a man or a leader starts with the renewal of the heart.

In Gen 12:2, God said to Abraham (formerly called Abram), ‘I will make of you, a great nation…’
Many times, we seek for God’s blessings without His making. 

In any progressive society, there must be men of foresight. There must be men who can see ahead, and not just the hour. The sons of Issachar had the understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do, therefore their brethren were at their command.

Godly men don’t just see things as they are, they see things as they should be – from God’s perspective.
God is looking for men whom He would use as agents of change, those who would embark on good works. There can never be good works without the transformation that comes through the renewal of the heart (Rom 12:2).
In Gen 18:17-19, God had declared a good testimony concerning Abraham, even before Isaac was born.

Are you setting the pace on acceptable service unto God for your yet unborn generations? (Psalm 78:1-7).

Remember, God is counting on you, the world is waiting for, expecting your manifestation. 

You will not fail in the delivery of your God-given mandate. You are a change-agent! Rise up, take the lead, as the Lord strengthens you and stretches your capacity…

PASTOR NATHANIEL SADELA

Resident  Pastor

A Humble Service

A Humble Service (Phil 2:5-11)

In the passage we just read, Paul the Apostle wrote to the church of Philippi instructing them on how they are to live. Showing Jesus as their perfect example, and that by following His example they can successfully live their Christian life. We also today, God expect us and I to follow and to emulate the character of Jesus.

Phil.2:5 says, Have this mindset, this attitude, in you which was in Christ. If we are to comply with the admonitions found in verses 1-4 we must possess the same mind and the same attitude of Christ. Phil 2:1-4. So, the only way to achieve all these requirements of a perfect church is by following the example Jesus Christ as set for us in Verses 5-11

This is what confirms our new birth (nature) in Christ. 2Cor 5:17. You cannot have Christ living in you and not be in the place of service. You must be prepared to do what Jesus did, think what Jesus thought, have the understanding of service that He had. Remember, an attitude will remain abstract and intangible until it is physically expressed, it is unknown until it is exercised in actions. Our attitude should always determine our actions. James 2:18

The Timeless Principles of Jesus toward service

·      There are five things Jesus Christ exemplified about service in this passage which we also must adopt in our lives if we must pattern after Christ.

1. Being a servant means giving up our rights for others

in verse 6 the Bible says “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God”. Christ always has been, is, and always will be God. But Paul is saying, because we have Jesus living in us, we too must demonstrate the divine nature and overcome the desire to live for self. John 1:14. Jesus was not looking out for Himself, but for others. He surrendered His rights, for you and me.

By Christ standard, he who would be the greatest among us is he who must take the role of a servant, servanthood means giving up our rights for others.

2. Being a servant means becoming less so others can become more

Look at verse 7 (⁷ But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men)

Jesus Christ emptied himself and made Himself nothing by taking on the form of a slave. From Heaven to the cross, from Robes to rags, from being served to serving, from being exalted to being executed. In our own case, it is all about getting instead of giving, being served instead of serving, God obeying us instead of us obeying God. If we are going to be like Jesus, we must become servants, allowing others to become more at our expense.

3. Servanthood means being obedient at whatever cost

Look at verse 8. (⁸ And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.)

Jesus humbled Himself. He who made all men, who knew the hearts of all men, who had all authority over men, humbled Himself and allowed Himself to be executed. John 1:11-12. Therefore, genuine discipleship involves being obedient to Christ at whatever cost. We can’t have selective obedience. There are no part time or partial disciples.

4. Servanthood will be rewarded

Look at verses 9-11. (⁹ Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: ¹⁰ That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; ¹¹ And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father)

(remember “He has not called the house of Jacob to serve Him in vain”) Prov. 22:4, Matt 23:11-12, James 4:10

5. Being a servant is more about BEING than it is about DOING

There is no genuine life in Christ without the power of the Holy Spirit which transforms us into the likeness of Christ. Any one that puts self above others is not and cannot be a true Christian. We are to serve others instead of being served, give rather than get, obey rather than dominate.

Conclusion, Are you here to serve or are you here to be served? Is your attitude like the world's or is it like Christ's? Are you going through the motions of service or are you becoming a servant? The example has been set; the call is clear. All that remains today is your response, your decision, your commitment. Will you be like Jesus today or not?

Shalom

Pastor Lanre Areola