Light Service Sermons for the Month

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Jesus Takes Care of Every Single One
DATE: February 5, 2000
TEXT: Luke 15:1-7

You may or may not know that the single adult population is the fastest growing segment of the United States population today. In fact, there are more singles in the United States than married folk. There are many reasons for that: 1) people are living longer and healthier lives; 2) many people are choosing not to get married; 3) many people are choosing to wait longer to get married; and 4) divorce.

Single adults face the issue of trying to find a place where they can have safety. They're looking for a place where they can come and feel safe to meet new people, to meet friends and to grow in their Christian faith. Safety is a key issue. We need to provide a safe place here at Faith.

It has hung heavy on my heart for many years, that the Christian church is generally not very "single friendly." Much of what we do around here is family oriented. Now I want to say that is not bad but because that often is the natural tendency, without meaning to we unintentionally exclude the biggest population in America.

Single adults face the issue, so far as the traditional church is concerned, that many churches focus primarily on the family and neglect the single adult population. Many single adults come hoping to find a sense of identity. But many come not finding that sense of belonging.

Many single adults who are single again through divorce have a very difficult time coming into a church. Lots of shame, lots of guilt, lots of frustrations. One of the greatest fears for a person who is single again, who has been in the church as a couple, is to walk through that door for the first time into a church. "What are people going to say? What are they going to think? Am I going to be accepted? Am I going to be judged? What's my identity? I no longer identify with the couple; I'm single and alone."

A final issue that most single adults face on a daily basis is having to live life alone--having to take care of everything by yourself--doing it alone. You have to cook the meals, buy the groceries, fix the car, gas the car, pay the insurance, fix the house, take the kids to the doctor.take care of all these major issues of life alone. Single again members of Faith have told me over the years that the toughest part of being single is that you are not first in anyone's life. I think that kind of sums it up right there.

The text today, Luke 15, is about the lost sheep. I chose that text for a specific reason. It's a simple text. It's a text about the lost lamb. It's a text that has a simple message. And that simple message is: Jesus cares for every single one of us. He will leave behind whatever he needs to do to go and find that one.

Jesus cares about you.

When we think about it, we all stand before God--we all stand before Jesus as an individual--as a single person. That's where we stand. Our faith and life we must find for ourselves. We can't get it through somebody else. Somebody else can't stand in proxy for you. You won't be able to claim your spouse's giving as your giving. You won't be able ride in on her apron strings. Faith and life must come to you as an individual. Joy and significance must come to you as an individual.

Now how many of us have felt lost and lonely? How many of us have felt lost in the crowd? Lonely in the crowd? Lost in the church? Lonely in the church? How many have felt lost in your relationships? Lost in a marriage? How many single adults have come to me and said, "I'm so lonely. If only I were married." And unfortunately, how many married couples have said, "I wish I wasn't married; I wish I was single because then I could have lots of friends and then not be lonely."

The issue is that you and I as individuals, as singles, as lost sheep, need to be found by a God who cares for us. The message in that text is this:

If you are a lost person, if you are feeling lonely, if you are in this audience today feeling lonely, alone and lost, guess what? You are the one that Jesus is looking for. You are the one that he will seek out and find. You are the one that he wants to give life to.

Jesus as the good shepherd is going to go and get all of his Holy Spirit-led Border Collies and go out looking for you. Only you.

Jesus Christ, the greatest single person that every lived, wants to tell you that you are first in his life. Let's let Faith be a community that supports one another; married, unmarried, single, single again. Let us find our redemption, let's find our Faith in the one who has made it and the one who has found it and the one who has called us and let's move on. Let's grow and follow the call that God has for all of us here at Faith Lutheran Church.

Let's pray..

Dear Father, we pray that Faith Lutheran Church might be a place of safety for all people who come here. For our young, for our elderly, for our families, and especially for our singles. Let this community be a place where they might know and feel the love of God in Jesus Christ.

AMEN