Make Disciples… Sure, But What Ever Happened To Seeking The Lost?

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Make Disciples… Sure, But What Ever Happened To Seeking The Lost?

The dialogue about the word “Go” in the Great Commission continues. Whether one should Make Disciples “as you go” about your daily life, or assume a posture of “having gone,” or even maintain an attitude of urgency and intentionality by getting up off your butt and “going” all the time, it’s go, go, go…

I think the the word “go” in Matthew 28:19,20 is best understood as “go, and having gone.” Neither sense is sufficient independently. I think, for the most part, we can wrap our brains around that. But, what ever happened to pursuing, searching for, or seeking the lost? It’s one thing to make disciples of those who are “found” within our spheres of influence, but quite another to actively seek the lost. The tendency is to divide the two and act accordingly. For example, there are some who think that they can find the lost, get them saved, and then hand them off to others for discipling.

Aubrey Malphurs provides insight into the importance of the word “go” and the practice of pursuing the lost:

“The Savior clarifies what He means by this word in such passages as Luke 5: 27-32, Luke 15: 1-10, and Luke 19: 1-10, where He develops the concept of seeking lost people such as Levi the tax-gatherer and his friends, tax-gathers and sinners in general, and Zacchaeus. Far too many churches are waiting for lost people to come to them . . . the church will have to take the initiative and pursue these lost people. [1]

“For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.” (Luke 19:10)

The concept of “Lostness” has been abused by the church. All sorts of discriminating behavior has been justified by dividing people into the camps of “lost” & “found.” It is further complicated in the post-modern age where everyone considers themselves as “finding” and searching for meaning. They are neither lost nor found and don’t wish to be labeled, tagged, or classified as such. They, in their own estimation are not “lost” (Matthew 15:24) or “sick” (Mark 2:17) or “condemned” (Mark 16:16) The Church, it seems, is being convinced into the same line thinking. It’s almost as if it has become fearful in identifying those who are “in Christ,” (Galatians 3:27) and those who remain “outside” of Christ (Ephesians 2:1-3). Does the church no longer believe that they were “lost but now found,” and that others too are lost and need to be found?

Take a look at this quote from “Disciple Making Is . . . How to Live the Great Commission with Passion and Confidence” by Dave Earley and Rod Dempsey

“Jesus told several parables to reveal the importance of intentionally seeking the lost. In Luke 14, He speaks of going out “into the streets and alleys” to bring in “the poor, maimed, blind, and lame!” (Luke 14: 21). Luke 15 opens with the Pharisees rebuking Jesus for eating with tax collectors and sinners (Luke 15: 1– 2). Jesus responded by telling them two parables about the need for a passionate pursuit of the lost. The first is about a shepherd who left his flock of ninety-nine sheep to find the one that was lost (Luke 15: 3– 6). The joy of the shepherd over finding his one lost sheep was compared with the joy in heaven when a lost sinner repents (Luke 15: 7). Next, Jesus told of a woman who diligently searched to find one lost coin. Again, this is compared with the great joy in heaven when one lost sinner repents (Luke 15: 8– 10). [2]

I do not wish to create a false dilemma or dichotomy here, but do wish to ask a few questions:

1. What, is your estimation is the relationship between seeking the lost and Making Disciples?

2. Are all believers to seek the lost?

3. Do we as believers ever have the right to tell others that they are “lost?”

[1] Aubrey Malphurs, Planting Growing Churches for the Twenty-First Century (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1992), 42.

[2] Earley, Dave; Dempsey, Rod (2013-08-01). Disciple Making Is . . .: How to Live the Great Commission with Passion and Confidence (Kindle Locations 156-162). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.