“And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” (Luke 21:24)
It took Noah 120 years to build the ark, seven days after the door of it was closed by God, that age of man came to a close, everything that breathed air died. For four hundred years while Israel suffered under the hard bondage of the yoke of Pharoah, the Lord was working in the hearts of those who lived in the land of Canaan, Isaiah then Jeremiah warned those of the children of God that Nebuchadnezzar was coming, and that by the will of God, because of their open rebellion against the Most High. When King Zedekiah’s eyes were put out after he watched all his children killed in front of him, the age of the Gentiles began.
“For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.” (Romans 8:19)
We have been sent out to search for the lost and one day the last one will be found, at that moment the Rapture will happen, the end of the age of grace will come to a close, the time of the Gentiles will be fulfilled. To those of you who await that blessed day when “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” (1st Thess. 4:17) yet do little more than watch continuously for the “next sign,” I offer you this, why are you not searching for that last sheep?
“What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?” (Luke 15:4)
When you compare the two in your life, which are you doing more of, searching for those signs of these last of days, or for the lost to bring them to the knowledge of the grace of God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? If you are in a hurry to go home, so to speak, I think you know what the answer should be.
Do you feel foolish speaking to them? “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” (1st Cor. 1:18)
Do you believe you are not well enough versed in the Scriptures to do so? “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Phil. 4:13)
Are you embarrassed to speak His name in public? “But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” (Mat. 10:33)
One last sheep, that is what we are looking for. “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10)
Did the Lord find them all before He went back to sit at the right hand of the Father as our High Priest. No, or He would not have told us to, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15) There are many who have been born-again who indeed study to show themselves approved, who have done all they can by the grace and mercy of the Lord in the strength of the Holy Spirit to not be conformed to this world, to keep themselves unspotted from it, yet who will not speak His name to that person they meet at the marketplace, at the restaurant, in public places.
They are not searching for that last lost sheep.
For whatever reason, for whatever excuse they have concocted, there is one answer, we are ambassadors of the Kingdom of the Most High, we have been sent to give a message of hope and love, not just to sit in the pews on Sunday morning and receive it. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:” (John 10:27)
Are you being that voice for Him?
