The God Who Searches for People | Pastor Scott Marshall | March 16th, 2025

We all want to be seen and valued. But what if the search for meaning isn’t just one-sided? What if, instead of us searching for God, He is already searching for us?

This message challenges the idea that faith is about proving ourselves or following rigid rules. Instead, Jesus paints a different picture—of a God who actively seeks us out, no matter where we are. Whether we’ve wandered far, feel forgotten, or doubt our place, this is a reminder that we are pursued, found, and worth celebrating.

Join us as we explore what it means to be sought after by a God who refuses to give up on us.

Scriptures from Sunday

Luke 15:8-10 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Luke 15:1-2 “Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, ‘This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.’”

Luke 15:4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?”

Luke 15:20 “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.”

Luke 15:28-32 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

Matthew 23:4 “They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.”

Matthew 23:15 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.”

Mark 11:12-14, 20-21 “The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, ‘May no one ever eat fruit from you again.’ And his disciples heard him say it… In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, ‘Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!’”

James 3:9-10 “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.”

Psalm 33:1-3 “Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.”

Glossary of Helpful Terms

Agnostic – Someone who is unsure whether God exists or believes that it’s impossible to know for certain.

Blind Men and the Elephant – A well-known analogy used to suggest that different religions are just different perspectives of the same God. This message challenges that idea by pointing out the flaw in assuming one person can see the whole truth.

Cultural Christianity – Identifying as a Christian because of tradition or upbringing rather than personal belief in Jesus.

Conversion – A change in belief, often referring to someone deciding to follow Jesus.

Disciple – A follower of Jesus who seeks to live according to His teachings.

Deification of the Self – The modern cultural idea that personal happiness and self-fulfillment are the highest priorities.

Far from God – A phrase used to describe someone who feels distant from or disconnected from faith.

Grace – The unearned kindness, love, and forgiveness of God.

Messiah – A title for Jesus meaning “the chosen one” or “the Savior.”

Mormonism – A religious movement that follows the teachings of Joseph Smith, differing significantly from mainstream Christianity.

Muslim/Islam – Islam is a major world religion that believes in one God (Allah) and follows the teachings of Muhammad.

Pharisees – A group of religious leaders in Jesus’ time known for strict adherence to rules. Jesus often criticized them for missing the heart of God.

Prodigal – A word meaning “recklessly extravagant.”

Sin – Actions, thoughts, or attitudes that separate people from God.

Spiritual Clutter – The distractions, misconceptions, and burdens (from religion, culture, or personal experience) that get in the way of knowing God.

Theism – Belief in the existence of God or gods.

 

Discussion Questions

(1) Thinking back on the sermon this week: Anything you heard for the 1st time, or was there something that caught your attention, moved you, challenged you, or confused you?

 

(2) When you read the parables in Luke 15, what do you see first? Discuss.

 

(3) Scott suggested the parables were for the purpose of changing people’s minds about God. If you read the parables through that lens, who do you see first?

 

(4) What keeps you from seeing God as a “seeker”? What gets in the way of anyone seeing God that way? Is God’s seeking dependent in some way on your seeking? If so, where does Jesus teach that in these parables?

 

(5) Why is what we think about God so important to consider? How does it affect our faith and our daily life? What shift do you need to make in your understanding of God as revealed by Jesus? What other sources have you used to consider the nature and character of God other than Jesus? Discuss

 

(6) Commit to doing the practice at right* and discussing what you discover next week.

 

*Practice your faith this week by: Read the parables in Luke 15 each day this week. Ask: What do I think God is like? Pray that to God.

 

 

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