Passion for the Lost
Does your heart break for those who are lost and do not know Jesus? Are you passionate about the salvation of your brothers and sisters who do not know Jesus or have a relationship with him?
As followers of Jesus who are saved by grace through faith, we should have a deep desire and passion for everyone to know the salvation and the love of God that we have through a relationship with Jesus.
The Apostle Paul wanted the believers in Rome to understand his broken heart for the Jewish people who did not accept Jesus as the Messiah. Paul desired the salvation of the Jewish people so greatly that his passion was their salvation, even at the loss of his own. Paul’s passion for the lost was so great, that he was willing to be destroyed, accursed, or cut off from Jesus, so that the Jewish people could be saved.
In Romans chapter nine, Paul wrote, “I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises.” (Romans 9:2-4, ESV).
Paul’s heart broke for the lost. His deep concern for their salvation motivated him to share the love of Jesus and to serve God by sharing the good news sacrificially. Paul had a passion for the lost.
We are also called to have a passion for the lost. Like Paul, we should also treasure the salvation that we have been given by God, and not throw it away or take it for granted as some had done in the days of the Apostle Paul. Our passion and desire for the treasure of our salvation should extend to those around us as we give of ourselves so that they might enjoy a relationship with Jesus and be saved as well.
May we have the same passion for the lost that the Apostle Paul had, and may we serve the lost with our lives, as we treasure our salvation, and as we share the good news of Jesus with those who do not know him.
A Collect for the Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 14): “Almighty God, give us the increase of faith, hope, and love; and, that we may obtain what you have promised, make us love what you command; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” (Book of Common Prayer, 2019).
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