The Motive -

Sunday School Lesson – The Motive – February 3, 2008

We begin a new series of study for the month of February entitled “Giving Away the Gospel.”

February 3 – The Motive – Why witness to others?

February 10 – The Message – What can we say to a spiritually lost person?

February 17 – The Message – What is required to witness?

February 24 – The Model – What actions are needed for effective witnessing?

Our scripture is Luke 15:1-2 and 11-24.

Obedience to our LORD pleases HIM. When believers seek to have a relationship with HIM, HE prepares them for the work HE has for them to do. Often believers try to do the work they think is important. It is important to seek the relationship and get to know the LORD first. Then allow HIM to direct your spiritual activity.

Look back at our studies beginning in October, 2007 with the Beatitudes. We see in the Beatitudes the building blocks for the ideal disciple from GOD’S perspective. Through our ongoing relationship with our LORD these attributes become a natural part of our Christian growth and maturity. When we try to achieve these attributes in our own strength, we will be a basket case. The lessons which followed the Beatitudes led us to examine the motives of our heart. Then we explored the foundation of our faith through the birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension of CHRIST. After the ascension of CHRIST to heaven HE sent the HOLY SPIRIT to indwell each believer. The HOLY SPIRIT confirms in the heart of every believer his or her rebirth in the spirit as GOD’S children and reveals truth. In the month of January we discovered through David’s relationship with GOD that when we have the relationship with our LORD, HE reveals HIS strength, care, comfort and provision. This is Good News. As believers, we all have wonderful news to share with others.

Most new Christians find witnessing easy because they have discovered their wonderful new relationship with their SAVIOR JESUS. They have heard about JESUS but now they are experiencing HIS presence in their lives. It is exciting and HIS Word, the Bible, has become a book they can finally understand. It is like a veil has been lifted from their spiritual eyes and they see truth in HIS Word. The HOLY SPIRIT is now their teacher and revealer.

Believers witness to others whether they want to or not. The very fact that they call themselves Christians automatically puts the eyes of the world and other Christians upon believers. A believer may never utter a word of formal witness to another person but his or her life will say volumes.

To some Christians, witnessing to others seems to be easy and comes naturally but to many of us it is difficult. Many of us fear that we will say the wrong things or fear that we cannot answer all the questions a person has. The list of barriers goes on and on.

This is why all believers must focus on their relationship with CHRIST first. GOD equips believers with the confidence to witness to others as HE directs. When a believer is led by the LORD to speak to another person about spiritual matters, HE gives the opportunity and the message.

To me the most powerful tool Christians can use to witness to others is their testimony. Some people may ask difficult questions to try to divert the conversation when a Christian is trying to witness to them. Some questions are impossible to answer. But there is one thing certain, the Christian can always say, “There was a time in my life that I was a lost sinner or separated from GOD by sin and I was blind to the love of GOD but I confessed my sins to CHRIST, HE forgave me and I received HIS forgiveness. Now I have a new life in CHRIST.” I am not saying that you have to say these exact words but give your testimony about the time you received CHRIST as your SAVIOR. No one can argue with you about your encounter with the living CHRIST and your salvation experience.

If you have not written out your testimony, take a moment to either write it or to at least think about your salvation experience. It is always good to have a short version and a longer version. There are times when the one (1) or two (2) minute version of your testimony is appropriate.

I remember the first time I witnessed to a person. I was scared to death. I trusted the LORD to give the opportunity and HE did. We began to talk and an opportunity came for me to give him my testimony. When I finished the person turned to me and said, “I have been thinking about things like this lately.” GOD had prepared this person’s heart. All I had to do was to be obedient. This person did not pray to receive CHRIST at that time but the LORD gave me the opportunity to tell him how to become a Christian.

It is important for us to keep in mind, when we witness, we may or may not have the opportunity to pray with the person to receive CHRIST as their SAVIOR. Our part may be to spiritually plant a seed, do some watering, a little weeding, adding some fertilizer or reaping the harvest. When we are led by the LORD to witness, the results are always left to HIM. We may think, we have blown it, but in GOD’S hands it is exactly what is needed in that person’s life.

Let’s read Luke 15:1-2:

1 All the tax collectors and sinners were approaching to listen to Him. 2 And the • Pharisees and • scribes were complaining, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them!”

JESUS had been speaking to large groups of people. The crowds were a mixture of those the Jews despised, tax collectors and sinners. Tax collectors were fellow Jews who collected taxes for Rome. They had to collect and pay to Rome certain amount of tax but any overage the tax collector could keep. So the practice was to collect more money than was needed, so there would always be some money left over. Thus the tax collectors became very rich.

Sinners were also Jews who did not keep the law and the over 900 additional rules the Pharisees practiced to be righteous before GOD. Sinners were also, non-Jews or Gentiles.

Then we have the scribes. Scribes copied and studied the scripture. They were often also Pharisees and were considered the experts of the law.

The religious leaders were complaining that JESUS associated with those they rejected and looked down upon. In fact JESUS even ate with them. In that day to eat with someone was to become friends with them. To the righteous Pharisees this was repulsive. How could JESUS be this great religious person and embrace these outcast people?

JESUS knew the hearts of both the self-righteous religious leaders and the tax collectors and sinners. So HE tells them three (3) stories or parables. Notice the numbers JESUS used. First 1 out of a 100, then 1 out of 10 and then 1 out of 2.

HIS first parable is about a lost sheep. The sheep wanders off and gets lost. It likely does not know it is lost but the shepherd knows it is missing. The sheep knows it is in a bad situation but it cannot get out of the situation. The shepherd goes to search for the sheep. He leaves the 99 sheep, safely in the fold, to go find the one (1) lost sheep. When the sheep is found we can picture the tender love the shepherd has for the lost sheep. JESUS shifted the focus of the parable from an earthly situation to focus on GOD’S care for even a lowly sheep. Finding the lost sheep results in rejoicing both here upon earth and in heaven. If heaven will rejoice over a lost sheep, how much more will heaven rejoice over a person lost from GOD being brought to GOD.

The parable of the lost coin. The coin had no part in the fact it is lost and does not know it is lost. But to be found it is totally dependant on the woman to find it. The woman seeks to find the lost coin. The ten (10) coins were likely a wedding gift. They were like a wedding ring. A woman looses one (1) of the coins. This is traumatic for her. So she diligently searches the house for the coin. When she finds it, she rejoices and calls in her friends to celebrate with her. Again, JESUS shifts the finding of the lost coin from an earthly situation to the joy in heaven. GOD rejoices over this.

Now we come to the parable of the lost person. A person has a will and GOD gives him or her the right to choose. In the previous parables the lost sheep and the lost coin were sought. In this parable, the father does not go to seek the younger son but waits for the son to make a decision to come home. The father waits expectantly for the return of his son. The crowd JESUS was speaking to was made up of sinners and Pharisees. The young son represents the sinners and the older brother represents the Pharisees. The father represents GOD. Both the younger brother and the older brother do not have the right relationship with their father. The younger brother leaves home to escape his father and the older brother stays at home. Even though the older brother stayed at home, his relationship with his father is strained.

Let’s read Luke 15:11-16:

11 He also said: “A man had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate I have coming to me.’ So he distributed the assets[3] Lit livelihood, or living to them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered his estate in foolish living. 14 After he had spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he had nothing.[4] Lit and he began to be in need 15 Then he went to work for[5] Lit went and joined with one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to eat his fill from[6] Other mss read to fill his stomach with the carob pods[7] Seed casings of a tree used as food for cattle, pigs, and sometimes the poor the pigs were eating, but no one would give him any.

Jewish law allowed a son to request his inheritance before his father died. In this parable the younger son makes this request of his father. According to Jewish law the young son was entitled to one-third of his father’s estate. The older brother would receive two-thirds of the estate. The father would continue to live on the estate until he died. In fact when some fathers decided to retire from managing the farm, they would turn it over their children. The father would continue to live on the estate/farm until they died.

The father complied with the young son’s request. The young son wasted no time in turning his assets into cash, gathering his belongings and leaving home. He goes to a far country, which generally means he went to Gentile territory. The young son wanted to get as far away from home as possible and he wanted to experience life to the fullest. He attracts some fair weather friends who help him go through his money in a hurry. His money runs out and bam, a famine hits the area. The young man finds himself broke, no friends and hungry.

He goes to work for a Gentile pig farmer. This shows how low he had to go. To a Jew touching a pig was considered unclean. But this young man had to touch and feed the pigs. He was so hungry that even the pig’s food looked good. The pigs were fed carob which has a gelatinous type substance in it. Even some of the poor people ate carob. But they would not even let him eat the carob.

This young man had gone about as low as one can go. Often in life a person has to hit bottom before they come to their senses. Feeding pigs and being hungry causes a person to do some serious thinking. When a person hits bottom there is only one way to look, up.

Let’s read Luke 15:17-24:

17 When he came to his senses,[8] Lit to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have more than enough food, and here I am dying[9] The word dying is translated lost in vv. 4–9 and vv. 24,32. of hunger![10] Or dying in the famine; v. 14 18 I’ll get up, go to my father, and say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. 19 I’m no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired hands.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father. But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, threw his arms around his neck,[11] Lit He ran, fell on his neck and kissed him. 21 The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I’m no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 “But the father told his • slaves, ‘Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger[12] Lit hand and sandals on his feet. 23 Then bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let’s celebrate with a feast, 24 because this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.

Survival is a strong incentive for a person to take action. The young son thinks about home and the fact that his father’s hired servants were much better off than he was. A hired servant had no job security. There were three (3) levels of servants: (1) slaves – Slaves were considered part of the family and they supervised the household servants. (2) Household servants (3) Hired hands – Hired hands are day laborers and could be dismissed at any time. No security. The young son chose the lowest position of hired hand.

This shows that he had swallowed his pride, admitted that he was wrong and was willing to leave his current lifestyle to return to be under the authority of his father. This is true repentance. He had a change of heart. Remember GOD looks upon the heart and it is the heart that needs to change. The heart rules the will. This young man decided to take action and return home.

The young son thought about what he would say to his father. He first acknowledged that he had sinned against GOD and his father.

He thought it through and then put his plan into action. Often, we think of things we should do but we never get around to doing them. This young man meant business. He knew the heart of his father and trusted him to at least give him a job. He fully realized that he made a big mistake.

While the young son was quite a distance from home his father saw a figure coming toward home. As parents we know our children. The father had been waiting, hoping and praying for this very day. While the young son is still far off the father’s heart leapt with joy and he ran like the wind to his son. He had never run so fast in all his life. His joy was overwhelming. The young son was smelly from his journey but the father never noticed the smell. The father focused on his young son. That was all that mattered. His son was returning home.

The father embraced his young son and the son began his speech but the father immediately began to shout instructions to the slaves. QUICK!!! Bring me the things that will show my son that he is still my son of honor and not dishonor – a robe to replace his dirty clothes, a ring to symbolize honor, dignity and authority and sandals to designate son-ship.

Kill the fatted calf and let’s have a party. Such joy is overwhelming. Repentance always brings overwhelming joy to our FATHER in heaven. His young son was considered dead but now is alive again. Repentance had restored him to the relationship with his father and his father welcomed him with open arms.

All of us have gone astray but GOD is patiently waiting and watching for us to repent and to return to him. Do not allow Satan to rob you of the joy of returning to your heavenly FATHER and asking HIM to restore the joy of your salvation and full fellowship with HIM.

All sinners are dead but when we ask CHRIST to forgive us, HE does and we are made alive in our spirit through the miracle of rebirth. At that moment, we receive the gift of eternal life. All believers remain in their bodies or earth suits until we die physically. At that time, our born-again spirits will be released from our earth suits and we will go immediately to be with our heavenly FATHER because CHRIST died for us. CHRIST satisfied the death penalty. All believers will go immediately to live in heaven with GOD until CHRIST returns to earth for the second time. At that moment all believers return with HIM and they will receive their glorified bodies, which will be like CHRIST’S glorified body.

Now that is Good News! Share it with those who do not know it. Sharing the Good News of JESUS is witnessing. If you knew of a cure for cancer and you had a friend dying of cancer wouldn’t you tell him or her? Sure you would. Well, every human will die and stand before GOD either justified through faith in CHRIST or not.

I like a sure thing. My right to enter heaven is through CHRIST. I will enter heaven on HIS credentials and through no merit of my own.

Are you secure in CHRIST? If not ask HIM to forgive you of your sins and to come into your life now. When you do, share this Good News with your friends and family.