The Parable of the Lost Sheep
“Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. And he spake this parable unto them, saying, 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? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.” (Luke 15:1-7 KJV)
The Parable of the Lost Coin
“Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.” (Luke 15: 8-10 KJV)
How Important Are You, As An INDIVIDUAL to God?
How loved and precious are you to God? Even while a sinner? Just look at what God did; sent His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the price for your sins in His blood on the cross. That is how much!! Jesus paid the ultimate price for you! All that pain and suffering is how much God loves you, as an individual. If you were the only person on Earth Jesus would still have come and died for you. You are that precious. That important. That LOVED!
The World
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (John 3:16-17 KJV)
In John 3 when it speaks of ‘the world’ what or who is that referring to? Let’s look at this from the original Greek.
‘World’ in the original Greek is the word ‘kosmos‘. The definition for the word has different meanings, ‘ the world, universe; worldly affairs; the inhabitants of the world; adornment.’
In John 3:16-17 the meaning is by context. One use is talking about the kosmos- the universe. The other two are talking about ‘the inhabitants of the world’.
So go ahead right now and replace ‘world’ with your name in the following verses. I have placed an underline instead of instances where ‘the world’ means ‘inhabitants of the world’. It is Scriptural and sound. And say it out loud so that you brain hears it externally as well. ‘Faith comes by hearing’.
“For God so loved the –your name here–, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn –your name here– ; but that –your name here– through him might be saved”
Jesus is not RELIGION. Jesus is grace. Jesus does not want you to do all these ‘religious things’ to be accepted and loved by God. Jesus wants to save you from all your sins and have a REAL intimate relationship with you, as an individual.
How awesome is our God ?!?
