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Who's You One?

Cross Equals Love
Who’s Your One?

Who is your one?  As you read this blog, I want you to be thinking and praying for the one person you want to see have an Encounter with Jesus for themselves.  I am partnering with you, I have my one that I am praying for and believing God will bring him and have an amazing encounter with him this Easter.

Why One?  Luke 15 begins with three back to back stories by Jesus – Parables, as we call them in church.  All three center around the same theme – Lost and Found.  The last one begins in verse 11 – is about a Lost Son, or The Parodical Son. It is an amazing story of a son who left home under bad circumstances, and a father who just would not give up.  Just like our Heavenly father today. He never stops looking and waiting for his son to return.

The second is the Lost Coin. (vv. 8-10). A lady loses a coin – must have been pretty substantial for her.  We know this because she cleans the entire house and searches until she find it – then she celebrates.

I want to jump back though and focus on the the first story today that starts in v. 4 – we call it the Lost Sheep.  Luke 15:4-7(NIV)  “Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn’t you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing, and when you got home call in your friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Celebrate with me! I’ve found my lost sheep!’ Count on it—there’s more joy in heaven over one sinner’s rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue.”[1]
Now, here’s the question – what does this story, finding the one lost sheep have to do with Cross Equals Love?  All three of these stories consist of three elements:
Lostness
Searching
Finding

The cross is the ultimate symbol of this process.

We were lost.  Romans 3:23- (NIV) “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…”[2]

The Father searched for us. Just like he did when Adam and Eve disobeyed in the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3.  Just like the father in the Lost Son – he looks for those who are not in relationship with him. He longs for them.

Jesus redeemed (found) us on the cross.  Romans 3:24- (NIV) “…and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”[3]  

I Corinthians 15:3- (NIV) “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,”

Paul is saying the most important thing he shared with everyone was not the latest game scores, or what someone was doing at Wal-Mart last night.  The most important thing was not what you ate for dinner – even though we would be lost without your daily food posts.  The most important thing we can share with others is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

My prayer today is that you will be encouraged to find you “One”.  Pray for them, ask God for the words to say, and then show them HIS love every day. If you want more information on how to communicate with the one in your life, reach out to us at info@encounterchurch.tvtoday.

[1]Peterson, E. H. (2005). The Message: the Bible in contemporary language(Lk 15:1–7). Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress.
[2]The New International Version. (2011). (Ro 3:23). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
[3]The New International Version. (2011). (Ro 3:24). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

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