Going After the lost

I. Introduction and Context

• Pastor’s introduction of Brother Lawrence and connection to his preaching in Liberia.

• Purpose: prepare God’s people for the coming harvest (Easter, witnessing, inviting, praying for family and friends).

II. Liberia Experiences and Personal Testimony

• Brother Lawrence’s joy in returning “home” to Victory Church.

• Repeated trips to Liberia (and Israel) despite earlier reluctance to travel to West Africa.

• Observation: high percentage of professing Christians in Liberia; strong biblical knowledge, even among children.

• Humbling experiences with Liberian believers’ excellence in dress and worship; story of being underdressed and then over-preparing, only to need borrowed attire.

III. Transition to the Message and Text

• Framing the message as a serious word from the Holy Spirit and a “gift from Liberia.”

• Link to upcoming events: Easter, baby dedications, baptisms.

• Call to open hearts and ears.

• Scripture text announced: Luke 16:19–31 (rich man and Lazarus).

IV. Reading and Setting of Luke 16:19–31

• Jesus speaking in the presence of disciples, tax collectors, sinners, and Pharisees.

• Pharisees questioning Jesus for associating with sinners and tax collectors.

• Reading the parable:

  • Rich man clothed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury.

  • Beggar Lazarus at his gate, full of sores, longing for crumbs; dogs licking his sores.

  • Death of both men: Lazarus carried to Abraham’s side, rich man in torment in Hades.

  • Rich man’s plea for relief and Abraham’s answer about the great fixed gulf.

  • Rich man’s request to warn his brothers; Abraham’s reply about Moses and the prophets and the refusal to believe even if one rises from the dead.

V. Clarifying the Real Issue: Pride, Not Possessions

• Warning against quickly judging the rich man and assuming wealth itself is evil.

• Affirmation: God gives power to get wealth and desires to bless His children.

• Real problem: pride and selfishness—wealth becoming an idol that controls the heart.

• Evidence of selfishness: refusal to help Lazarus despite great abundance and space.

VI. Jesus’ Definition of True Wealth

• Reference to Matthew 13:44–46:

  • Treasure hidden in a field, man sells all to buy it.

  • Merchant finding one pearl of great price, selling all to get it.

• Teaching: the kingdom of heaven is the true treasure and lasting wealth.

• Contrast between God’s definition of wealth and the world’s (cars, status, luxury).

• Scripture as our manual for teaching, correction, and equipping; having answers but still making wrong choices.

VII. Applying the Parable Personally: “I Am the Rich Man”

• Call for each believer to identify as the rich man spiritually.

• Believers are “filthy rich” in spiritual terms—rich in the gospel and knowledge of Christ.

• Question: Are there spiritually hungry “Lazaruses” we pass every day?

• Description of spiritually starving people:

  • Coming for prayer, asking questions, clearly in need.

  • Trying to fill their inner void with sin, addictions, relationships, and pleasures.

• Challenge: how many such Lazaruses are ignored or postponed (“I’ll talk to them tomorrow”)?

VIII. Illustrative Story: Daniel and Mike

• Daniel as a faithful Christian, hard worker, devoted family man, regular church attender.

• Coworker Mike searching spiritually, marriage failing, feeling empty.

• Daniel intending to share the gospel “when things slow down,” continually postponing.

• Mike moves away amid crisis; Daniel never shares Christ with him.

• Daniel’s conviction and resolve afterward: no longer treating evangelism as optional or “when I have time.”

IX. Scriptural Call to Kingdom Priority and Mission

• Matthew 6:33: seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

• Mark 8:36: what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul?

• Matthew 28:19–20: the Great Commission—go, make disciples, baptize, teach.

• Acknowledgment of ongoing worries (finances, health, stress), but insistence that they must not block obedience.

• Question: how many Lazaruses suffer or die spiritually because of our worries and delays?

X. Heaven’s Joy over the Lost: Luke 15

• Context before the parable: Luke 15 (the “lost” chapter).

• Parable of the lost sheep (leaving the 99 for the one; joy in heaven over one sinner who repents).

• Parable of the lost coin (diligent search, rejoicing with neighbors when found).

• Emphasis: explicit description of joy in heaven and among the angels over one repentant sinner.

• Point: this is what makes heaven rejoice; this is God’s heart.

XI. Identity and Responsibility of Believers

• Believers as spiritually rich and left on earth for a mission, not taken immediately to heaven.

• We are ambassadors for Christ, with God pleading through us for people to be reconciled.

• We are co-laborers with Christ—He works through us, but we must say “yes” and step out.

• Reframing the rich man: rather than condemning him, examine our own response to the spiritually needy.

XII. Visual Demonstration of the Great Commission

• Acknowledgment of different learning styles; some need a visual example.

• Calling members from the congregation to the front to represent the disciples.

• One person symbolically identified as Judas and sent back; replacement mentioned from Acts 1.

• Jesus’ command reenacted: “Go and make disciples of all nations…”

• Instruction to each “disciple” to go into the congregation, grab two people, and bring them up.

• New group then commissioned the same way and told to each get two more.

• Repetition of the exercise, stressing getting out of comfort zones and “whether they want to or not” as a dramatic illustration.

XIII. Visualizing Heaven’s Goal and Hell’s Loss

• Congregation asked to look around at the now-filled front area as a picture of how heaven should be.

• Statement: this multiplication is God’s plan for mankind; we are rich and must not leave Lazaruses behind.

• Evangelism and disciple-making presented as:

  • Respect and obedience to Christ.

  • The first priority of anyone who calls themselves Christian.

• Reminder: Satan’s main strategy is to distract believers from this mission with stress, finances, and life problems from the moment they wake up.

XIV. Final Emphasis

• Repeated warning that “God is not playing around with us” on this issue.

• Call to leave comfort zones and embrace our identity as spiritually rich ambassadors.

• Exhortation: no more ignoring Lazarus at the gate—bring them, fill heaven, and “empty the gates of hell.”