Lost Dog

“There is joy in heaven over one sinner who turns away from sin.” Luke 15:10 (NIrV)

Props: picture of dog, lost dog flyer

I’m sure a number of you here today have a pet at home.  Some of you may have a dog.  Raise your hand if you have a dog.  How about a cat?  (Allow for response).  A hamster?  Fish?  How about a pet orangutan? 

Whatever kind of pet you have, I’m sure you love it.  At least, I hope you do.  But sometimes pets run away.  At least the ones with legs do.  And then the owners have to put out a sign like this.  (Show lost dog sign).   It’s a really sad thing to lose a pet you love so much.  Owners will sometimes even offer big amounts of money if a pet is returned.  They are willing to pay so much because they love their pet.  It’s worth a lot to them to get it back.

Each person is important and valuable to God.  Maybe you remember the stories Jesus told about a lost sheep and a lost coin.  The owners took great care to find them.  We belong to God, but sometimes people choose to wander away from Him and go their own way.  God will go a great distance to bring someone back to Himself, because each person is loved by God.  He cares about you, me and everyone so much that if one of us wanders from Him, He will search for us.  He has already shown us His great love by allowing Jesus to die on the cross for our sins.  And He still reaches out for us by showing us His love over and over. 

God is not happy until each person is close to Him and living for Him.  He loves us and He will go to great lengths to bring us back to Himself.