TLC Lesson 5 - The Living Christ Seeks Lost People

Introduction

Friends, have you ever been lost? Did you need someone to show you the way? Our spirits are lost from God. Is there someone to show us the way back to Him? Jesus Christ knows the answer. Let us learn from Him as we look at these pictures one by one.

Picture 37. The Two Ways of Life

Matthew 7:13-14

Jesus Christ said there are two ways in life. He said, "Go in through the narrow gate. The gate to destruction is wide, and the road that leads there is easy to follow. A lot of people go through that gate. But the gate to life is very narrow. The road that leads there is so hard to follow that only a few people find it." How can they find that way to everlasting life? Look at the picture. Jesus is pointing to the narrow path. He is trying to stop the people from following the wide path because it leads to the fire of hell. People who go that way will be lost forever but if they follow Jesus they will find everlasting life.

Picture 62. Parable of the Lost Sheep

Luke 15:1-7

God sent Jesus to earth so that He could rescue people from death and hell. He does not want anyone to be lost. Jesus told this story. It shows how much He cares about each one of us. He said, "If any of you has one hundred sheep, and one of them gets lost, what will you do? You will leave the ninety-nine in the field and go and look for the lost sheep until you find it. Then you will be so glad that you will carry it home. You will call in your friends and neighbours and say, 'Let us celebrate! I have found my lost sheep.'" Jesus said, "In the same way there is more happiness in heaven because of one sinner who turns to God than over ninety-nine good people who do not need to repent." The lost sheep is like a person who has wandered away from God. The shepherd is like Jesus who looks for that person until He finds him. God and the angels in heaven all rejoice when a person turns from his wicked ways and follows the way of God. That is the way to heaven and life after death.

Picture 74. Parable of the Lost Coin

Luke 15:8-10

Jesus told another story to show how God rejoices over one lost person who turns to Him. "What will a woman do if she has ten silver coins and she loses one of them? She will light a lamp, sweep the floor, and look carefully until she finds it. Then she will call in her friends and neighbours and say, 'Let us celebrate! I have found the coin which I lost.'" Jesus said, "In the same way God's angels are happy when even one person turns to Him." God is seeking you. So turn from your sinful ways, obey Jesus, and you will find God. You are lost without Him.

Picture 75. Parable of the Lost Son

Luke 15:11-13

Jesus told another story to show how much God loves us. The young man in this picture wanted to leave home. He said to his father, "Give me my share of your property." So the father gave him his share. The father loved his son. He was very sad when he left home. The son went to a far country. He found some friends and he wasted all his money in wild living.

Picture 76. The Lost Son Among the Pigs

Luke 15:14-19

Here you can see the same young man. When all his money was gone his friends left him. There was a famine in the land. Soon the young man had nothing to eat. The only job he could get was caring for pigs, but he was still hungry. Finally, he came to his senses. He said to himself, "My father's servants have enough food and here I am starving! I will go back to my father and say to him, 'Father, I have sinned. I don't deserve to be called your son. Make me one of your servants.'" So he set out for home.

Picture 77. The Lost Son Returns Home

Luke 15:20-32

The son sinned against his father, but the father still loved him very much. When he saw his son coming he felt great pity for him. The father ran to meet him. He received him with great joy. He forgave his son for the bad things he had done. He took him back into his house as his own son. We are rebellious like that son. God is like that father. He still loves us. He is waiting for us to turn away from sin. He wants us to come back to Him and be saved. How can we do that? Jesus has made this possible.

Picture 87. Jesus and Zacchaeus

Luke 19:1-10

How can Jesus save those who are lost from God? Let me tell you. The man you see up in the tree is called Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector. He was very rich. One day Jesus came to his town. A great crowd of people went out to see Him. Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus, but he was too short. So he climbed into the tree. Jesus saw Zacchaeus up there. He said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down! I want to come to your house today." Zacchaeus came down and welcomed Jesus gladly. The people were amazed. They knew that Jesus was a good man. Zacchaeus was not. But Zacchaeus wanted to change. He said to Jesus, "Lord, I will give half of my goods to the poor. If I have cheated anyone, I will pay back four times what I have stolen." Jesus said, "Today salvation has come to this house. For I came to seek and to save people who are lost." Jesus can save us too because He is God. If we confess our sins to Him, He has the power to forgive our sins.

Picture 120. Jesus Will Return

Revelation 1:7-8

Jesus is in heaven today, but He will come to earth again. He still seeks lost people. He is seeking you. Are you separated from God like a lost sheep? Have you gone your own way like the rebellious son? Then pray to Jesus. Tell Him you are sorry. He hears and answers when you call to Him. Be like Zacchaeus. Turn from your sin and receive Jesus. He will give you salvation. You will not fear death and hell anymore. Instead you will rejoice with God and the angels in heaven.