City Life Starter

Written by Scott Fiddler

The Word

Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near Jesus to listen to Him. ² And both the Pharisees and the scribes began to complain, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

³ And so He told them this parable, saying, ⁴ “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the other ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? ⁵ And when he has found it, he puts it on his shoulders, rejoicing. ⁶ And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost!’ ⁷ I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.

Luke 15:1-7 (NASB)

Commentary

The Pharisees and the scribes judged Jesus because He spent time with those who did not know God. So, Jesus told a parable to make the point that what He was doing was purposeful: the non-religious needed to be reconciled to God and that would only happen if those who knew God built relationships with those who didn’t. 

Jesus’ model was simple: He built relationships with the lost, invited them to follow Him, and then taught them about God. While spiritual truths and processes are always more than mere formula, frameworks for understanding those processes can be good guides. With that caveat, there is a very simple way to remember the process Jesus used so successfully to make disciples and apply it today. That framework is: invest, invite, and recite.

Invest in relationships with non-Christians. This is where it begins, and it is the point Jesus was making in the parable of the lost sheep. If you are not making friends with non-Christians you are not making disciples. It is that simple. It is tempting for Christians to just spend time with those at church. After all, we share the same worldview, goals, and beliefs. It’s just easier. But that is why Christians must be intentional in investing in relationships with those who don’t know God.

Invite them to church. At church is where one can hear about Jesus. Inviting someone to church is asking them to listen without yet committing. Studies show that today people are usually converted to a community before they are converted to Christ. That means if you aren’t inviting people to church you are probably not leading anyone to the Lord.

Recite: Share the gospel with them. Whether it is the Four Spiritual Laws, the Romans Road, or the God Test, Christians should be able to explain the gospel to others. The word “recite” is appropriate, not only because it is alliterative but because it’s a reminder that some preparation is required to explain the hope that is in us. 

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.

1 Peter 3:15

But here is the good news: if you are investing in relationships with non-Christians, and you are inviting them to church, you are bringing them into a community of people who will share the gospel with them. One man sows and another waters (I Cor. 3:6-9).

Application

That is it: invest, invite, and recite.

So, with whom are you building relationships? Who are you inviting to church? With whom are you sharing the gospel? 

Prayer

Lord, help me see opportunities to build relationships with those who don’t know You. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.