Go After the Lost

“What man of you having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?” Luke 15:4

I read a saying years ago that consistently brings conviction to my soul: “Most men who are lost, are lost because no one planned to win them.” Who do you know that is lost and without God? Do you have a plan to reach them?

One of the problems with the prosperity gospel and the self-help Jesus is that people focus on themselves and their needs as opposed to reaching the lost. When your daily priority is you, you most likely will not leave the security of the ninety nine to look for the lost. We need to be sacrificial for souls. Churches are in the soul saving business, period. We as part of the body of Christ need to make it our business, period.

Most would acknowledge that unsaved men and women are lost, but do your actions support your belief? If you say they do, that means you have a plan to reach the lost. Maybe you pass out tracts, take your Bible with you when you go for coffee to be a witness, or try to help someone in need and give the glory to God as opposed to taking it for yourself. The shepherd knew that a lost sheep was in danger from predators and that knowledge compelled him to act. When you know a soul is lost, is anything more important than reaching them for Christ?

I still remember being in the second year of college sitting in the library around midnight briefing the case of Marbury vs. Madison for a government class. The library was about to close and in my friend Alan ran, yes, he ran, into the library. He found me and in a loud voice asked, “If you were die tonight would you go to heaven or hell?” Alan had been witnessing to me for several months and he was determined to get me saved. A month later I did repent and ask Jesus Christ to come into my heart. Alan was looking for the lost.

Are you?