People Who Rise Up Pt. 2: Lost Things - 11/10/2024

Pastor Dale BensonSometimes, in church, people are called "the lost." This term can mean so many things:- They don't know where they are.- We have lost money in the stock market.- We don't know where they are.- Some lost things need to be found.- We don't know where we are.- Some lost things need to be restored.- We have lost our grip on reality.- Some lost things need to be returned.- We have lost our sense of belonging.Luke 15:1-7 (NLT)Parable of the Lost Coin- Luke 15:8-10 (NLT)Parable of the Lost Son- Luke 15:11-31 (NLT)Lost things & lost people need to seek or be sought. Found things & found people need to be celebrated.We put people into categories:- Innocently Lost - Sought After: Celebration when the lost sheep was found- Carelessly Lost - Searched High and Low: Cleaned until the lost coin was found- Willingly Lost - He came to his senses: He went off looking for life and realized he had left it at home.I've witnessed:- What it means to be a part of the kingdom.- People who were innocently lost and who were found.- Shepherds from among the people of The Naz who have gone looking for lost sheep. - Fathers, mothers, and brothers opened their arms to a brother, sister, husband, or wife who returned. - People who have risen in prayer, in action, in generosity.- People who have been innocently lost or wandered away.- People who have lost their sense of the kingdom.We live in a fallen world with fallen people who do fallen things.We can feel lost even among a group of people who are celebrating.If we are careful, we can maintain sight of the Kingdom.