Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Lost Sheep (Matthew 18:12-14, Luke 15:4-7) (02/01/24)
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TITLE: Seek and You Will Find | Previous Challenge Entry
By Debra Brand
02/08/24 -
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Worship brought an awareness of the Spirit’s movement throughout the congregation. Born-again believers raising their hands to heaven singing along with the angelic choir. They took their seats in anticipation of the Word of God, their thankfulness and fellowship with one another as the body of Christ in full evidence.
The Pastor strode to the podium. He surveyed the room. The people quieted with questioning looks. Why wasn’t he starting? What was going on? This was so out of character and order; they couldn’t comprehend his actions.
“Is there anyone here who doesn’t know Jesus Christ as their Savior?” He asked.
The people looked around amazed that he was starting the service this way. He always waited until the end of the sermon for the altar call.
“I say again, is there anyone here who doesn’t know Christ as their Savior?”
No one responded. “So, we are all family here, correct?” Agreement with nods and the Amen's confirmed his suspicion.
“I feel the Lord telling me that we are missing someone, but that person isn’t saved. So, since we are all saved, there must be one more somewhere. My sermon today will begin shortly but there is something the Lord is asking me to find.”
He walked down the altar steps and through the main aisle of the Sanctuary. Upon entering the foyer, he saw a woman outside the front window. On the sidewalk, she hunched over her bagged belongings. Her fingers, stiffened from the cold, worked to replace a sticker on the bottom of a plastic bottle. A blue lighter fell from the bag onto the frozen ground.
“Do you need help?”
She looked up at Pastor. He could see she was homeless by the bundled unwashed snarled black hair. Her thin lips betrayed the missing and rotted teeth she struggled to hide.
“I’m blind and can’t put this together! I’m blind!” She reached down and picked up the blue lighter.
“May I offer you warmth and security? Come inside to the church.”
“Church! Church? Is that what this place is?”
Pastor smiled and said, “We have something in this place just for you. Let me help you inside.”
She slowly rose up, took his arm, and let him lead her into the building. And after she knew who she was in Christ, she learned to love herself.
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