one. Boy, that is the question, isn't it? Thankfully, Kay Campbell was somebody's one.
Thankfully, you were somebody's one. And so I want to encourage you today to think through
who is your one. I want to share a quote with you before we jump into our recap of the last
couple of weeks. And this is by one of the greatest preachers and ministers that God has
used on our planet, Billy Graham. He said, our faith becomes stronger as we express it. A growing faith
is a sharing faith. Our faith becomes stronger as we express it. Can we say these last words together?
A growing faith is a sharing faith. Is your faith growing? And by that I'm asking,
are you sharing it? Are you sharing it? Are we sharing it individually and as a church?
This is our last Sunday in this series called Who's Your One? That first sermon came from the
man you saw in the video just a moment ago, J.D. Greer, pastor of Summit Church in Raleigh, Durham,
North Carolina. God used him powerfully through that sermon series in his church to start a movement
that spread throughout their church and even around this nation as the North American Mission Board
picked it up as an evangelism campaign to roll out to churches. And so we're looking at it now
and asking ourselves the same question so many have asked, who's your one? You heard the sermon last
Sunday that a member of his staff preached in that series to their church, kind of tailored a little
bit for our church. But the question remains the same week after week, who's your one? A few weeks ago,
we looked at this verse, Matthew chapter 6 and verse 10. Your kingdom come, God. Your will be done. Part of
the Lord's prayer, that model prayer that Jesus was teaching to his disciples. This is how you ought to
pray. God, your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. So we kind of drew this
conclusion. Let's say it together, can we? His will be done. So who's your one? One more time. His will be
done. So who's your one? And that is the question that I believe God has for our church in this moment.
If we want his will done on earth, then who's the one that he's going to send us to right now?
Our takeaway that week was, what is your next step? Let's get practical with it. Jesus's invitation
first was come and see. Come and see the great things that I'm going to do. I'm going to heal the
blind. I'm going to heal all manner of sicknesses and diseases. I'm going to provide food for thousands.
But more than that, I came to seek and to save the lost. I'm going to provide a spiritual answer.
The gospel of Jesus himself to those who needed to hear it. Bring light to that darkness. He said,
come and see. Walk with me as we do this. And then he said, come and die. Well, that's the hard message,
isn't it? That's the hard invitation. We don't think of Jesus saying, come and die. But over and over again,
he required his disciples to turn from what they do. Die to their own passions. Die to their own
pleasures. Die to their own lusts. Die to their own designs and plans and embrace his for their lives.
And he took them to levels that they never dreamed of. He took them to accomplishments that these
ordinary fishermen who hadn't made the cut could have never imagined for themselves. But he said,
you got to die to your way and embrace the Jesus way. And the Jesus way leads us to this final
invitation, which is go and tell. Jesus gave us this commission in Matthew 28, in Mark 16, all
throughout the gospel records. We see these men who walked with Jesus writing down his words that say,
go into all the world and make disciples, baptizing them, teaching them to observe all the things that
I've commanded you. Go and tell my message. Go and tell my truth. And that's what we're all called to do.
So what's your stage? Does God want to move you from come and see to come and die? Does he want to move
you from come and die to go and tell? Where are you lacking? That was our invitation a couple of weeks ago.
And then we moved on to last Sunday. And our takeaway there was, do you have a burden? So we looked at
these men who literally tore a roof apart to get their friend to Jesus so Jesus could heal him.
So this guy's got a problem that only Jesus can fix. So do you have a burden? Is there someone in your
life who's your life? Who's your one that needs to hear about Jesus? And is it time to dig a hole in
the roof? In other words, are there, are there obstacles that you've got to get through? But
because your burden is so great for their salvation, you're going to do whatever it takes to get that
person to Jesus. Who's your one? And then Jesus said, we're going to be fishers of men. We close with that
story. Kind of putting the microscope on ourselves, wouldn't it? Talking about this fishing company that
would do everything in the world except fish. And they talked all about it. They knew all about it.
They told others to do it, but they never actually did it themselves. So our challenge at the end of
last Sunday was actually go out and fish. Jesus said, you're not going to fish for fish anymore.
Now when you walk with me, you're going to fish for people. So how many of us are actually fishing
for people like Jesus commanded us to do? So that brings us to today. And today we're going to look
at Luke chapter 15. If you would take the word of God with me and turn to Luke chapter 15. Matthew,
Mark, Mark, Luke. It's in the New Testament. Luke chapter 15. We'll read from verse 1 down through
verse 10. We're talking about the value of one. While you're turning there, are you aware that the value
of the dollar has dropped a little bit? Why are y'all laughing? You're aware? In 1913,
one dollar was worth about $26 today. Isn't that crazy?
You have one dollar back in 1913. It's about like having $26 today. You can do a lot with $26,
can't you? You can go get a nice meal at a restaurant for one person. Not too nice.
And you better not order dessert. Listen, we know the value of the dollar has dropped significantly.
There are many in your lifetime. You have seen this play out. I remember when I was little
and I was looking at, we had these, we were living in Oklahoma City at the time and we had these gas
wars happening and gas got down to like 97 cents a gallon. Some of you are like, yeah, I know when it
was cheaper than that. But man, I couldn't believe that. Could you imagine today if our gas stations
here in town all of a sudden put up 97 cents a gallon? They'd run out of gas in five minutes.
Things change, don't they? Values change. Inflation happens. Anybody ever remember a museum for kids
called Free Enterprise USA? It was in Oklahoma City many years ago. It's been closed for a long time.
I didn't know if by chance any of you had ended up there when you were younger.
My parents took me and my brother there and it was this museum that was really dedicated to teaching
kids all about inflation, all about economics and the free enterprise system and all that.
And it was really hands-on. They worked in cartoon figures and you got to do things and invest in the
stock market and all this kind of stuff. And I guess I was nerdy into that stuff. So I really liked it.
But I learned, they showed this kind of kid-oriented video about inflation and how much the value of the
dollar has dropped over the years. And I remember panicking a little bit when I was about 10 years old
thinking, oh man, we got to stop this. Somehow, some way, we got to go back to using gold for everything.
And I didn't realize how unlikely that seems to be in our world.
But isn't it interesting that as our paper money diminishes in value,
one thing that will never change is the value of a soul, the value of a human being.
The value of my car dropped significantly the moment I drove it off the lot.
The value of your home may rise or fall, but the thing that never changes is the value of one.
So let's read about that. Luke chapter 15 and verse 1.
And all the tax collectors and the sinners were approaching Jesus to listen to him.
The Pharisees and the scribes were complaining, this man welcomes sinners and eats with them.
How dare he?
This rabbi with shmeha, remember that from a couple weeks ago?
That crazy Hebrew word that's so much fun to say, let's all say it. Ready?
Shmeha.
Shmeha. Very well. Yes, that was good.
Satisfying, isn't it?
It means authority.
It means you are the cream of the crop.
You've reached the highest level.
You can introduce new biblical truth to people.
People need to shut up and listen when you're talking.
I'd like to think I have shmeha, but I know better.
All right.
Luke chapter 15.
They're listening to him and he's up there teaching.
And they can't believe that this great rabbi that people from everywhere are talking about and following
is welcoming and eating with sinners.
Can't believe he would associate with those wicked people.
So Jesus tells them a story.
Tells them this parable.
And he says,
What man among you who has a hundred sheep and loses one of them does not leave the ninety-nine in the open field?
You realize he's not talking to the Pharisees here.
They're not out there tending sheep.
He's making a point in front of them.
But he's talking to the common people.
They hear this murmuring among the Pharisees.
They hear this undercurrent of discontent, disapproval from these religious leaders.
So he says,
Which one of you?
You had a hundred sheep.
You lose one.
You're not going to leave the ninety-nine and you're going to go chase the one that's lost
until you find it.
And when he has found it,
he joyfully puts it on his shoulders.
And coming home,
he calls his friends and his neighbors together and says,
Rejoice with me because I've found my lost sheep.
I tell you,
in the same way,
there will be more joy in heaven
over one sinner who repents
than over ninety-nine
righteous people
who don't need repentance.
Continue on,
verse eight.
What woman
has ten silver coins
and if she loses one coin,
she doesn't light a lamp,
sweep the house,
and search carefully
until she finds it?
Of course she would.
One silver coin?
That was worth a lot of money.
Back in 1913,
if you lost one dollar,
I bet you'd go looking for it,
wouldn't you?
When she finds it,
she calls her friends
and neighbors together
saying,
Rejoice with me.
I've found the silver coin
I lost.
She had nine others.
They didn't go astray.
They stayed there.
But she went and chased down
the one that was lost.
And I tell you,
verse 10,
in the same way,
there is joy in the presence
of God's angels
over one sinner
who repents.
If you think about it,
the most significant number
in God's kingdom
is one.
Now, I want more than one person
in this church.
I want to see this church
filled until we've got to
bring in extra chairs.
We saw it last Easter Sunday.
I pray God lets us see it again.
I want the building and grounds committee
have to figure out
how we can expand the sanctuary
and fit more people in.
Because that means
that so many lost ones
were found.
the most significant number
in God's kingdom
is one.
Jesus
was the one sacrifice
for all of us.
He died,
the Bible says,
once
for all.
It only took one.
One time.
That's why you don't need
to get saved
or put your faith in Jesus
again
after you've done it.
Because you have then
become God's child.
You don't have to go
get baptized again.
If you made a genuine conversion
decision to place
your faith in Jesus
and then you went public
and were baptized
into a local body
of believers,
you don't have to go
do that again
because one time
was enough.
One sacrifice
by Jesus Christ
was enough
for past,
present,
and future.
Do you realize
that you and I
were dead in our sins?
We had no choice
but to go to hell
and pay this horrible
payment
for all the wrong
that we have done.
The sin that we were
born into.
Nobody had to teach us
how to lie,
cheat,
and steal.
We just knew it
and we did it
from the time
that we were birthed.
I hate to tell you
those sweet,
precious babies
that we prayed over today,
they're sinners.
And you were too
and so am I.
God says
there's a place
of punishment
reserved
for Satan
and all those
who have sided
with him
and all those
in his kingdom
and God wants
to rescue us
from the kingdom
of darkness
and bring us
into his kingdom
and so that's
why he came.
That's why he was born
and that's why
he hung on that cross
and that's why
he willingly allowed
himself to be killed
and that's why
he proved
that he was God
when he didn't let
death defeat him
and he rose up
from the grave.
Easter Sunday
is coming pretty quick,
isn't it?
We're all going
to be focused
on that Jesus
final victory
over death,
his resurrection.
Reality,
we should be focused
on that every day.
That's what gives us life.
That's what gives us
a chance.
That's what gives us
something to put
our hope in,
to build our family on,
put our faith in.
He's different.
He came back to life.
So that one time
was enough
for all of us.
The most significant
number in God's kingdom
is one.
All it takes is
one man.
By one man,
sin passed on
to the whole world.
That was Adam.
That original sin
back in the Garden of Eden.
And just like that,
by one man,
Jesus Christ,
a way of escape
was provided.
a way to reconciliation
with God,
restore that broken
relationship
with God.
So the most significant
number in God's kingdom
is one.
Isn't that interesting?
See these churches
using all kinds of tactics
to get thousands in?
one.
But really,
God cares about
one.
If we ever become
a church
that values
big numbers
over the value
of one,
we've missed
our mission.
We've missed
our calling.
So I want to
challenge you.
God's mission
for this church
is this.
each one
reach one.
Each one
reach one.
Would you take me
up to the next slide
there?
For some reason,
this thing quit
working on me.
I'm going to turn it off
and turn it back on.
Each one
reach one.
Should be,
if you click the space bar,
it'll go,
or one of the arrows.
Sorry about that,
y'all.
The devil doesn't like
what we're talking
about here today.
Each one of us
can reach
one.
And we must.
Each one of us
has the ability
to reach one.
See,
I can't be a Billy Graham,
okay?
I can't go out there
and hold big crusades
and have thousands
of people
turn to faith
in Jesus.
Well,
you might be able
to do more
than you think
you can do
with God's power.
However,
I know
that you can reach
one.
And there is one
right now,
thank you,
there is one
right now
that God has
in your life
that he wants
to place
on your heart
and give you
that burden
for like those
men who tore
through the roof.
There's one
that God
wants to place
this insatiable
burden
for their salvation.
And they need
you to care.
they need you.
They may not
even know it
yet,
but they need
you to care
enough
to share
Jesus with
them.
So what are
we supposed
to do?
Well,
there's two
things.
One,
pray.
Pray.
I lied.
There's three
things.
The first one
is pray.
We must pray.
We talked
about a little
bit in our
starting point
class this
morning.
How often
do you and
I pray
for the lost?
We'll pray
about any
number of
other things
and that's
good.
We should
bring our
needs and
our requests
and the
burdens on
our heart
to the Lord.
The Father
cares.
He cares about
the little bird
that falls out
of its nest.
He cares about
you.
He cares about
your daily
food.
He cares about
your daily
needs.
He cares about
your health
and he has
the power to
heal.
But you know
what should be
one of the
chief burdens
on your heart?
The lost
around you.
your lost
cousin,
your lost
daughter,
your lost
grandson,
your lost
neighbor,
your lost
co-worker,
your lost
friend at
school.
Are you
praying for
their salvation?
You know what
the scary thing
is about praying
for someone's
salvation?
God might use
you to do
this next thing.
Invite them.
God might
then take it
up to the
next level
and say okay
you've been
praying now
you're the
vessel I
want to
use.
You're the
one I
want to
use to
go have
a conversation.
Again you
don't have
to be an
expert in
theology to
share what
Jesus has
done in
your life.
But that
begs the
question doesn't
it?
Has Jesus
done anything
in your
life?
Do you
have anything
to share?
Do you
have a
testimony of
his goodness?
Do you
have a clear
moment when
you turned
from sin
and turned
to the
savior?
And can
you share
that with
someone else?
Say well I'm
shy.
Well maybe
God will give
that person a
pass on paying
for their
sins with
an eternity
in hell
because you
were shy.
Or maybe
God can
help you.
Maybe God
knows exactly
how shy
you are
because he
created you.
Maybe he
gave you
that personality.
But maybe
he can help
you overcome
whatever
obstacles are
in your
way and
dig through
a roof
to get
to that
person.
So can
you at
least invite
them?
Invite
them to
church.
Invite
them.
Hey let's
not even
get there
first.
Invite
them to
your home.
Invite
them over.
If they're
a neighbor
say you
know we
need to
we've been
living together
well living
together we've
been living
next to each
other for
how long
now?
I hope
that you're
sharing the
gospel with
the people
that you're
living together
with.
That would
be great.
If you're
not please
do it.
But first
invite them
to your
home.
Say come
over for
dessert.
If you
don't make
desserts there's
a lot of
people in
this church
that do.
Go ask
them to
make you
a dessert
so you
can share
the gospel
with your
neighbor.
I bet
they'll do
it.
I know
my wife
will.
Invite
them to
your home.
If
that's
out of
their
comfort
zone
invite
them
out
to
a
restaurant.
We
got
a
church.
This is
where they
will hear
the gospel
preached.
They will
meet all
kinds of
people.
Some of
them they
may know
already who
could help
build a
bridge to
that person
and let
them know
we love
you.
Jesus
loves you.
We want
you to
put your
faith in
him like
we have
because he
can make
all the
difference.
and then
maybe you
invite them
to your
d-group.
Maybe you
invite them
to your
Sunday
school
class.
Not a
bad idea.
Sometimes
those get
into things
that might
be a little
bit over
their head
if they're
not a
lifelong
church
person.
Might be a
little
intimidating.
But you
know your
class and
if that's a
good opportunity
to invite
someone who's
not already
a Jesus
follower into
that class
then do
it.
Maybe they
can meet
some people
there.
That's what
d-groups are
designed for.
So if you're
not in a
d-group
get in a
d-group.
We got
the
candidates
going on.
We got
Wade's
on Monday
night.
David
Sizemore
starting
one.
We got
opportunities
to meet
in homes,
meet in
places
outside of
Sunday,
outside of
Wednesday
night,
and get
in a
community
of
believers,
encourage
one another,
sharpen
each other,
and sometimes
that's a
less intimidating
place.
To invite
somebody who's
not used to
coming to
church,
isn't a
follower of
Jesus,
but they
might come to
somebody's
house,
eat something,
and enjoy some
fellowship,
and they'll hear
about the
Savior there.
So what can you
invite somebody to
today,
tomorrow?
Who can you
go home
and say,
come over to my
house for dinner?
here.
Let's figure out
a date.
Here's the
three times I'm
at the
available,
can you do
any of
these?
Let's nail
it down.
And then
number three,
we share.
Praying is
where we must
start,
but it's not
enough.
Inviting is
usually the
next step,
but it's not
enough.
We must share
the gospel.
We must share
the good news.
Praying for
someone moves
the hand of
God,
but do you
know what
the hand of
God then
moves?
His people.
Praying moves
the hand of
God,
and then God
moves his
people.
So his
people must
put feet to
their prayers,
and God
must use
them to get
his good news
out.
That's how he
set it up.
That was his
method.
So,
we must share.
If you
don't know
how to
share the
gospel,
think through
how you
were saved.
Maybe it
was recently,
maybe it
was a long
time ago.
But if
you've been
in church
for any
length of
time,
especially
this one,
you've
heard the
gospel preached
many,
many times.
That is
the story
of Jesus
and our
salvation.
That's
what saves
them.
They must
know they're
sinners,
just like
all of us
are.
They must
know that
Jesus died
for their
sin out
of his
love for
us.
They must
know that
he proved
he was
God by
God raising
him from
the dead.
And then
they must
know that
the only
way of
salvation is
placing their
faith in
him for
the forgiveness
of their
sins.
And then
they can
become God's
child.
Once for
all.
Once forever.
So we've
got to share
it.
one of
the best
ways to
share it
is telling
your own
testimony.
So you
know I
was raised
in church
and when
I got
old enough
to understand
a Sunday
school teacher
or my
mom or
whoever it
was shared
this with
me.
And I
was old
enough to
understand
that I've
got to put
my faith
in Jesus.
And I
want to
share that
with you.
And this
is what
God has
shown me
over the
years.
I said
it a few
weeks ago.
Your story
is somebody
that nobody
can argue
with.
Your story
is something
that nobody
can argue
with.
Your story
is unique
to you.
They can
argue until
they're blue
in the face
about something
they read
in the Bible
or something
they heard
at church.
But they
can't argue
with what
you have
experienced
where God
has brought
you.
And you
can use
that with
scripture.
If you're
only telling
your experience
that's not
going to get
them anywhere
good.
But if
you share
the word
of God
with them
at least
give them
John 3
16.
Okay?
Can we
all say
John 3
16?
Let's try
it.
Ready?
For God
so loved
the world
that he
gave his
only,
his one
and only
son,
only begotten
son,
that whosoever
believes in
him should
not perish
but have
eternal
or everlasting
life.
We got
that one
most of
us.
If you
don't
commit
that one
to memory
alright?
Pull out
your little
Bible app
on your
phone or
grab your
paper Bible
and look
at it and
read John
3 16
until you
know it
backwards
and forwards
upside down.
John 3
16 has
the whole
gospel in
it.
There's
many many
other verses
you could
share to
help lead
somebody to
Jesus but
at least
get the
gospel in.
Share your
testimony.
Share this
quote with
you.
One of the
greatest
evangelism
professors I
ever heard
in my
seminary
training was
this.
If a man
hears the
gospel and
receives it
God's
responsible.
It's true
isn't it?
We can't
take credit
for that.
When you
heard the
gospel and
you received
it God
was responsible
for that.
He made
that happen.
If he
hears it and
rejects it
he's responsible
for that.
He rejected
he had an
opportunity and
he didn't
accept it.
He rejected.
God knew he
would reject
it.
Still allowed
him to have
this time on
this earth
but he
rejected.
He's
responsible but
if he
never hears
that's on
us because
our job is
to get the
gospel out.
I don't
exactly understand
how that
works.
God could
just plop
a Bible in
front of
everybody on
earth and
have it fall
open to
John 3 16
and make
sure they
hear.
He could
do that
if he
wanted to.
But instead
he chose
to tell us
to go do
it.
And in
some way
even though
God's in
charge of
all this
and he
knows and
all his
children are
going to
come into
the kingdom
it still
depends on
us going
and getting
it out.
So you
can't just
sit back
and say
well I
don't have
to do
anything
because God's
responsible for
it all so
he'll sort
it out.
He'll sort
the sheep
from the
wolves you
know.
Thank God
I'm a
sheep.
Nope
that's not
what he
said.
He said
you're
responsible
to take
this good
news out
so go
do it.
Go
and
tell.
So
our
takeaway
today
is
this
praying
inviting
and
sharing.
You know
what happens
if all
God's
people win
one
we win
the world
and I'm
convinced
that Jesus
isn't going
to come
back
until
every
corner
of this
earth
has had
a chance
to hear
the gospel.
So it's
our job
to get
it out.
Win
one
win
the world.
What do
you need
to do?
Are you
already
praying
for the
lost?
Do you
need to
take the
next step
and invite
them?
Have you
already
invited
them but
you've
never
actually
shared
the gospel?
Where do
you need
to go?
What
step do
you need
to take?
Pray
invite
share.
Would
you bow
with me
right now?
God
give
every
man
woman
and
young
person
in
this
room
one.
Give
them
one
right
now.
Give
them
a
face
that
is
burned
into
their
brain
and
they
can't
get
it
out
of
their
mind.
!
If
y'all
will
hold
on
we've
got
a
couple
we've
got
one
more
thing
to
do
hey
if
you
guys
will
tell
them
to
come
back
in
for
just
a
second
we've
got
one
more
thing
to
do
before
we
leave
God
I don't
want to
miss
I don't
want our
church
to miss
this
we've
got
a
very
special
opportunity
here
to
see
you
save
hundreds
through
the
group
of
people
in
this
room
you
want
to
do
it
the
only
question
is
will
we
go
and
tell
so
give
us
that
one
burn
that
face
in
our
brain
burn
it
in
our
mind's
eye
and
let
everyone
see
the
path
forward
the
next
step
with
that
one
pray
for
them
invite
them
share
you
with
them
and
it's
in
Jesus
name
we
pray
amen