Finding the Heart of God
Luke 15:1-7
David Clark, minister of Central Christian Church in Beloit, WI was invited to speak at Lincoln Christian University in 2007 during a conference “Leading your church to be a missional community”
David was told to share his story of how the church grew from the hundreds to the thousands. David said that people would normally come to him and asked him about his success. He said that he just broke himself before God. “Brokenness is good because only broken hearts find the heart of God.” “You know what happens when you get a heart well broken and it melts with the heart of God, you get a heart for lost people.” David Clark
David told the story of how he got broken before God, the leadership team and then the whole church and this was the reason why they were being missional in their community.
If you are not familiar with the heart of God, then you just have to read Luke 15; this passages spells out for you what makes God happy.
Luke 15 We read that tax collectors and sinners were always around Jesus. Jesus was very popular and the outcasts and reject of society would always gravitate toward him. This truly bothered the religious leaders. “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
In this society, Jewish teachers would not hang out with tax collectors and sinners, but Jesus would spend time with them and would go to their house if they happened to invite him.
Jesus explained here why he would welcome sinners and tax collectors. (v.3-7)
Lost people matter to God. He has been going after lost people; God has been on an urgent pursue for lost people, people without hope in the world. HE is like the shepherd in the story who embarks himself on a journey to look for the lost sheep. Jesus had said that he came to seek and save the lost. Luke 19:10
When the shepherd finds his lost sheep, he rejoices and tells everyone. He throws a party.
Heaven goes crazy when sinners are found. (v.7) There is more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety nine righteous persons who don’t need to repent.
This brings unprecedented joy in heaven when a sinner turns to God. It makes God and the heavenly host happy when sinner repents
God spoke through the prophet Ezekiel regarding this. Ezekiel 18:23; Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?
Ezekiel 33:11. “Say to them, ‘As I live!’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel? NASB
The word repentance carry the idea of feeling sorry what you’ve done and choosing to step in the direction toward God.
Do you want to know what makes God tickled, what makes him happy? When someone finds Jesus. When someone repents of their sins and comes to him.
God has a heart for lost people and is evident in the party heaven throws over one person who comes to Jesus.
So many churches have not found the heart of God yet because they are getting excited over trivial things and are not concerned for the lost.
What are you excited about? When we find the heart of God we will be happy with the things that make God happy and nothing makes God happier than when someone finds Jesus.
Jesus said there is more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner and 99 gathered together who don’t need repentance because they are not lost.
Our hearts need to melt with the heart of God and then we will also be concerned and passionate about lost people.
A church has not found the heart of God when you are more excited about a community Day, Travis 4th of July parade or any other activity rather than someone coming to Jesus.
If you got more joy from the Travis community or the 4th of July parade, than over the baptisms we have had this year, then you don’t know the heart of God.
When you find the heart of God and your heart melts with His heart, then you will have a passion for the things of God. Then you will be passionate about introducing lost people to Jesus.
Casting Crowns sing the song. Jesus friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours.
How often we as a church are just concerned about what makes us happy and ignore what truly makes God happy. We don’t exists to be happy, but to bring our Creator glory with our existence.
The heart of God. Luke 15:7, 10
0 Comments