A Searchlight Church (Luke 15.1-10)

November 12, 2006
Sermon by: Robert Austell

Last week we talked about what it means for us to be a “lighthouse church” and “lighthouse Christians.” We are to be obedient, involved, and prepared with the good news of Jesus Christ. This week we will look at a second picture of what it means to be faithful Christians and a faithful church: God wants us to be “searchlight Christians” and a “searchlight church.” We will see that not only is our God a searching God, not only did Jesus come to seek and save the lost, but all of Heaven rejoices when a lost one is found. God’s people and God’s church are to join in this mission to the world and in celebration when God accomplishes His salvation in a human life.

What Does a Searchlight Do?

Before we look at our passage, let’s think for just a moment about what a searchlight does. For example, it is used in the dark. It is used to find something or someone (or at least look!). It shows the way: if you are searching in the dark, you don’t want to become a casualty yourself. The light from the searchlight pierces the shadow – pressing through ahead of you to the nooks and crannies that are hard to reach. The purpose of a searchlight is just what the name implies – to go and find in the dark. A searchlight can be a flashlight in the hands of one searching; it can be the floodlight on a helicopter or search-and-rescue vehicle. It is not dissimilar to a lighthouse – but it is mobile or at least “on the lookout” while a lighthouse is fixed as a point of reference.

So we are to be with the light of Jesus Christ. We are to be a lighthouse – a fixed point of reference welcoming all who see us into the sanctuary of the presence of and relationship with God. But we are also to be a searchlight – getting up and going out into the dark places of life, our community, and people’s lives to share the light and life of Jesus.

Let’s see what Jesus had to say about it.

Jesus as a Searchlight

We talked a few weeks ago about the grumbling over the company Jesus was keeping. Talking and hanging out with sinners and tax collectors didn’t look good in the eyes of some. That was when Jesus said that the healthy do not need a doctor… but the sick do. He came to seek and save the lost.

In today’s text we have the first two of three short stories Jesus told to illustrate his (and God’s) perspective on those who are lost. I use the word “lost” because that’s the word Jesus uses. These “lost” are indeed sinners, just like we are! We are just “found sinners” – found by God. Jesus is talking about “lost sinners” – those who are just like you and me, but who do not know God and who are lost with respect to God.

He tells two stories. In the first, a shepherd who has 100 sheep leaves the 99 to go look for one that is lost. Jesus was speaking to people who knew about sheep and shepherds. This was a real-life example that made sense. If it doesn’t connect with you, don’t worry, the next one is about losing money!

Let me just highlight a few things in this first story:

What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not LEAVE the ninety-nine and GO AFTER the one which is lost… (Luke 15: 4)

One of the qualities of being a searchlight Christian is mobility – a willingness to get up and get out, to “leave and go after” like the shepherd in the story. This is, in fact, what God did! Jesus left heaven to come to earth to go after us… the ones lost to God because of human sin.

Let’s keep going. He leaves and goes after the one… UNTIL HE FINDS IT. When he has found it, he LAYS IT ON HIS SHOULDERS… (vv. 4-5).

A second quality of being a searchlight Christian is caring persistence. We are to keep getting up and going out because we care about those who would never wander in here on their own. And we don’t give up easily. One flyer in the mailbox is neither caring nor persistent. We are to search and search until we find those God wants us to find… then caringly show them the compassion and love of God, tending to their hurts and wounds if necessary.

Let’s look at the second story for a moment. In it, a woman loses one of ten silver coins. I’m sure you remember losing something important as a child. In our case, the new dog has made off with several of the girls’ possessions: dolls, pencils, and more. You’ve probably also had the experience of leaving a purse or wallet somewhere. Well the woman in the story loses one silver coin of ten. And what does she do?

Doesn’t she LIGHT A LAMP and SWEEP the house and SEARCH CAREFULLY?

Another quality of being a searchlight Christian is permeability. By that I mean something a little different than persistence. I’m trying to describe the thoroughness with which we search. A quick once-over of the house is unlikely to turn up the missing coin, though we might try that once in hopes of an easy discovery. She had to turn up the light, sweep all the floors, and probably get on her hands and knees. As we think about being “searchlight Christians” in our near-neighborhood, we will have to permeate the neighborhood… not just give it a once-over.

Notice, too, that the woman was also persistent. She kept looking until she found the coin.

Let’s take those three qualities (mobility, permeability, and persistence) then, and ask what is the quality of our “searchlight” as a church and as individual Christians.

What is the Quality of our Searchlight?

What does it mean for us to be a “searchlight church” and how can we improve as one? Let’s consider the three qualities revealed in our text today.

1. Mobility

Mobility is the “leave and go after” aspect of carrying the light of Christ. It is the “get up and get out” factor, and we can’t effectively be searchlights for Christ without it. Yes, we can be a great lighthouse church and do a great job with people who come to us, but Jesus’ clear teaching involves getting up and out into the world as salt and light.

It’s easy to fool ourselves. Some of our seemingly best “outreach” ideas only have a strong lighthouse factor. We fail to consider the real outreach or searchlight component. For example, I recently was talking to Kathy about the exciting idea of sharing our drama ministry beyond the walls of the church. We were talking about taking the drama on the road to other churches or inviting people from other churches to act in one of our dramas. It’s truly an excellent idea! And it’s a lighthouse idea… a good one. But, what if we open it up to the community, so that people could audition for a role whether they were a church member or not? Would someone do that… act in a clearly Christian church-produced play? They might, if they loved to act and lived nearby. What better opportunity to be exposed to a vibrant and mature Christian faith than to work with Kathy to understand the character and plot of one of her plays. The same person might run as fast as they could from preaching, but could be “found” through a dramatic role in a gospel-centered play.

Or take a conversation I’ve had with the elders on several occasions. We have wonderful music, arts, and other great features here at Good Shepherd. Why don’t we advertise on 91.9, the Christian radio station? I think with a little publicity and marketing that we could fill up our church, build buildings, and max out our plot of land here, entirely with Christians from all over Charlotte who would flock to the particular style and blend of arts, music, and worship we have here. But is that the work of the Kingdom of God?

2. Permeability

I believe the specific mission and challenge God has given us is to be one of God’s churches for this neighborhood – over 10,000 people live within a mile or so of our church. I can just about guarantee you that 5,000 and maybe more like 7,000 or 8,000 do not attend church regularly and do not have a personal relationship with the God of the universe. Even if my numbers are wrong… even if only 1000 or 500… those people are the ones God would have us show the light of Jesus Christ. We don’t have to convert them or make them believe or save them. But God would have us go to where they are with the hope and light and life of Jesus.

That means a once-over the neighborhood won’t do. When I started here I used the image of “low-hanging fruit” with the elders. Sure, we can send out a few flyers and invite folks to some special events and we’ll attract some folks who are ready to fall out of the tree and into a chair in church. That’s the low-hanging fruit… it almost picks itself. But remember the woman in Jesus’ story? She cranked up the lights, swept the floor and looked diligently for the lost coin. Some folks aren’t going to invite themselves to our Christmas cantata. Some folks are going to toss the flyers we mail them. Some folks are not going to answer the door when we come Christmas caroling down their street. And those are the folks God would have us reach with the light of Jesus. Those are the folks who need to hear, “God loves you and has not given up on you; neither do we.”

3. Persistence

We need to keep going back to the same streets, the same houses, the same folks again and again, not in an annoying way, but in a caring and persistent way, thinking of new and different ways to meet and invite them. We may well find that the door closes not because of who we are, but because of wounds or hurts suffered over the years. That is why we are called to a caring persistence… Is there anything we can do for you as a church? We can pray… we can provide food or counseling or friendship… I say we keep going back to Swan’s Run, Bon Rea, Rea Road, Candlewycke, Chadwick, Old Providence, Brighton Place, the elementary school, and hanging out at the Colony & Rea shopping center until we find all those God wants us to find!


In order to be a searchlight church, we need to be searchlight people. That means applying all this on a personal level. We need to get off the path that runs from our garage to work to church and meet our neighbors. We need to seek out co-workers and ask meaningful questions. We need to meet our children’s friends’ parents and get to know them better. As we do that individually, so we will do it as a church family.

I know most of you have already filled out your commitment cards and have them with you today. One of the sections of that card is a commitment to be a searchlight Christian. I encouraged you there to write down for yourself the names of some folks that God might want you to search out. Maybe you start simply by praying for them. Maybe you move to socializing and talking with them. Maybe you are ready to listen to their story and share your story. Maybe it’s time to invite them to church or to one of the “beacon” events like the Christmas cantata or the Christmas play. Maybe God will give you the opportunity to invite them to Christ. Whatever it is, make a plan; be intentional; write it down and pray over it. The woman in Jesus’ story turned up the lights and got the broom out. Let’s be intentional like that and be the kind of searchlight Christians God is calling us to be!

There are a lot of exciting “searchlight ideas” before us for the coming year… Christian yoga classes, a CATS commuter coffee ministry, community drama and community choir, VBS-on-the-road at Brighton Place in addition to VBS here. There are many more ideas. I’m looking for your ideas as well. The best and most effective ministries are those God places on your heart. If you come to me, like Shannon did with the Christian Yoga idea, I will do my best to work with you and bless you with church resources.

If we can really embrace this idea of being a lighthouse and searchlight church for Jesus, this will become the “best lit” neighborhood in Charlotte, to God’s glory!

Celebration!

Let me end with one last observation. In both stories that Jesus told, the story ends with rejoicing. And this is not just a little rejoicing, “Oh I found my lost coin”… it is a come home, call your friends, throw a party, rejoicing! So Jesus says it is when even one who was lost to God is found.

I’m ready to shelve the word evangelism – it scares people; it sounds like Christianity for the advanced super-Christian. What God wants is simply people who are so full of Jesus Christ that they light up a room, even light up a neighborhood. I’ve seen you light up this room as you welcome folks and worship God. I know you can light up this neighborhood because I know the source of your joy and hope and life. And I’m ready to celebrate what God is going to do! Amen.

SEE ALSO: lighthouse/searchlight blog and short definitions here