A BURNING HEART FOR THE LOST (1)
JULY 3, 2026
TEXT: Luke 15:1-7
KEY VERSE: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?” (Verse 4)
Evangelism commences first from the heart. The majority of the emotions expressed during evangelism must have already taken place in the heart. He who is passive towards soul winning generally must already have a mental disposition that is reluctant or unwilling to evangelize. Many believers today find it extremely difficult or burdensome to share the gospel because they see it as merely an assignment that does not have anything to do with them. After all, why do we have evangelists and pastors? Is it not their own duty to evangelize? That is the emotional disposition of the average believer, even though he might not voice it out directly.
According to the Scriptures, evangelism should flow with love, sympathy, passion, and a heavy heart that is uncontrollably burdened for lost souls. A believer with a burning heart for perishing souls sees humanity the way God sees it (Luke 19:10).
Jesus did not come only to perform miracles and heal people. He also came to “heal” the lost and the distracted. Thus, our hearts should also reveal the compassionate nature of our Master, whom we so much claim to love and follow.
A lot of people are totally far from Calvary, blinded by the cares of this world, worldly pleasures, and tribulations, and these have prevented them from understanding spiritual truth.
God is so much interested in the plight of the lost, as reflected in our given text, where a shepherd reportedly left behind ninety-nine healthy and whole sheep to seek just one that had gone astray. The shepherd in that parable represents our God, who can do and undo in order to ensure the salvation of lost souls, as God is not desirous of anyone perishing. God does not measure value by numbers. Every single soul matters in the agenda of God (Luke 15:8-10).
A person’s current condition does not stop or diminish his value before the Creator. You may be morally broken, rejected, ostracized, despised, or poor, but a soul is a soul in the agenda of God. This explains why Jesus Christ was quite intentional about the salvation of people like the Samaritan woman (John 4), Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10), and others.
SEARCHLIGHT: God wants us all to spread the Word to those out there as a form of commitment to the same agenda that actually birthed our own spiritual journey with Him.
PRAYER: O LORD, equip me with a burning passion for lost souls, in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.
BIBLE READING: Psalms 9-11, 3 John 1
PASTOR MICHAEL OMOLE
