Temple Baptist Life

As you read this the Team Impact event we hosted in Salida has ended. It was a great time and we saw some amazing things. We saw some great feats of strength and we saw some awesome spiritual things come to pass.

Lives were changed and some people will never be the same. There were a total of 173 decisions recorded and 101 of these were first time professions of faith. I stood in awe of the power of God as the invitation was given each evening and saw those who came forward. WOW, WHAT A BLESSING!

I think Team Impact is just one way of reaching out to those around us. We had people come to the Andreas Field House that would never have darkened the doors of a church. We live in a state that between 65-70 percent of the people are unchurched. They will not nor do they desire to enter the doors of a church. For those of us who are a part of a church that fact brings us to a quandary. Why do the lost not want to enter a church since we as believers enjoy it so much? And, how do we as a church reach these people who need Jesus?

We have to be very sensitive to reaching others where they are, just as Jesus did. We have to have a love for the lost of our community that we are motivated to reach out to anyone, anywhere, anytime, in anyway we can.

Was the work and funds we spent worth it? Was the effort that had some of us feeling those sore muscles worth the effort? Were the sacrifices made financially to put on this event worth it? Was the time allocated to the preparation and the event worth it? How do you put a price on a lost soul? Jesus was willing to give His all for the lost and we can do no less. After all sacrifice is that which cost you something. If it does not cost you in time, effort and money it is truly not a sacrifice.

We cannot lose a generation because we have chosen to be selfish and not to sacrifice. We must be willing to pay the price to see this lost generation won.

I read a story sometime ago about a little girl who confessed to a terrible mistake. When I read it, I thought about how the current generation of Christians may be in danger of dropping our opportunities to reach our world for Christ. Here is the story: A little girl called out, “Mommy, you know that vase in the china cabinet, the one that’s been handed down from generation to generation?”

“Yes, dear, I know which one you mean. What about it?”

“Well, Mommy, I’m sorry, but this generation just dropped it!”

Let’s not drop our chance to pass on the greatest gift ever given – the gift of eternal life provided through Jesus Christ.

Everyone one of us have a living relationship with Jesus because the generation before us was willing to pay the price to reach our generation. I am so glad the generation before my generation was willing to reach out to me. I know I think their effort and their sacrifice was worth.

How do you put a value on a lost soul? I have heard it said all my life that, “If I had been the only person born or the only sinner needing to be saved, Jesus would still have come to die just for me.” I can definitely tell you today that I am so glad Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice for me. I would imagine you are too, if you are a believer.

A teenager lost a contact lens while playing basketball in his driveway. After a fruitless search, he told his mother the lens was nowhere to be found. Undaunted, she went outside and in a few minutes returned with the lens in her hand. “I really looked hard for that, Mom,” said the youth. “How’d you manage to find it?”

“We weren’t looking for the same thing, son” she replied. “You were looking for a small piece of plastic. I was looking for $150.”

So what are we looking for in this lost world? Our own glory? What we can get out of it for our own gain? Our own advantage so we can boast in what we have done? To get all we can and can all we get and then sit on the can? What are you looking for?

I want us to look for the lost and win them. I want us to look for the lost and share what we have with them. I want us to look for the lost and sacrifice to reach them at all cost. I want us to look for the lost and be willing to reach out to them. I simply ask you this one question, What do you want?

Is it worth it? Just ask those who met Jesus last week. Yes it is!