A CHURCH FOR THE LOST AND BROKEN

BY: DR. LARRY LAMB

An invitation can change people’s eternal destiny and unfold God-ordained possibilities.

• Where there are people in the world, there will be the lost and broken, and it’s wise for churches never to forget Jesus’ global attitude toward people.
• Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
• The actual language is: “As you are going.” Churches and Believers are not to be passive but to be on a .
• • GO = Go to people
  • Make disciples = Train people
  • Teach these new disciples = Grow people
• The danger is that a church slowly drifts off its mission when it forgets that “Inviting the lost and broken” is close to Jesus’ heart.

According to God’s Word, every person is lost before Christ.

• The only way to remove our sin is through Jesus’ substitutionary on the Cross, which is the Gospel (meaning, THE GOOD NEWS).
• Romans 3:23-24 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 24 Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.
  • Sinfulness is the life of person.
  • God has a , and we’re incapable of meeting it.
  • is receiving what we do not deserve. It is the kindness of God. Grace is love that seeks us out when we have nothing to give in return.
  • How? He did this through Christ Jesus when he us from the penalty for our sins.
  • What’s the penalty of sin? .

• Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
• Sin causes physical death, but sin also causes death in relationships.
• Sin has the allurement of attractiveness, but it can only usher in death, regret, separation, and heartache.
• It’s a perfect day when a sinner recognizes their separation from God’s holiness, acknowledges their sin, stops their futile rationalization, comes before God in , and calls out to Jesus in faith for salvation.

• One primary reason people remain lost before God is .
• Idolatry is anything or anyone before the Lord Jesus.
  • I’ll live any way I want to…
  • I’ll submit to no one…
  • I’ll make up my truth…
  • I’ll die in my sin, separated from God forever, because I the gospel.

• Titus 3:3-7 Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. 4 But—When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, 5 he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. 6 He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. 7 Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.

Everyone gets broken. That’s because problems, sin, struggles, and a variety of difficult seasons are .

• Brokenness can occur for three reasons:

1. We live each day in a fallen and broken world.
2. We make decisions that are based on idolatry and not the gospel (1 Peter 4:15; Proverbs 26:17).
3. Others think, say, and do sinful and destructive things that cause us to be broken.

• Luke 15:18-19 I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, 19 and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’
• Our mission is more than just a statement. We want to live it. “INVITING THE LOST AND BROKEN…”

1. To the Lost – The only hope you have is in the person of .
2. To the Broken – Would you be willing to look at the suffering ? Look at His suffering on the Cross as the infinite suffering for you, for me.

When a church full of people grasps this, they go on mission and make an eternal difference for the lost and broken, people whom God loves.

Dear God, I know that I am on the wrong path. I admit I am a sinner on the road headed away from You. I want to turn around and journey with You on the road to eternal life. I know that I cannot do that by myself. I know You sent Your Son, Jesus Christ, to die for my sins. Right now, I trust in Jesus as the only One who can provide true life, the life found in You. I trust in Jesus as the One who did for me that I cannot do for myself. I trust Jesus as the only One who can place me in an eternal relationship with You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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