Luke 19:10 (KJV)
¹⁰ For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

        The story is told of a man traveling through the country came to a crossroad. Not knowing which road to take, he asked a little black boy. He pointed one way and asked, "Where does this road lead to?" The little boy said, "I don't know." He pointed in another direction and asked the little boy the same question, "Where does this road lead to?" Again the boy's answer was the same, "I don't know." The man then asked the boy, "Then what do you know?" the boy said, "I know I ain't lost?"

        Teeming multitudes can't say that because they are lost. They are lost spiritually because they have never accepted the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. The majority of people are lost. Jesus made that very clear.

Luke 19:13 (KJV)
¹³ Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

Matt. 7:21 through Matt. 7:23 (KJV)
²¹ Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. ²² Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? ²³ And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

        Lost -- one of the saddest words in our language. Archibald, in his book, "This Is Our Gospel" says, "How that one little word LOST can completely destroy the peace and well being of a home. The husband comes home and says, "I have lost my job."

        Quite often someone wanders off. A child or older person, and is lost and the plea comes for help to find that person. Jesus and his apostles frequently used the word lost.

        "This my son was lost."

        "But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel"

        "But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost."

        "I am come to seek and to save that which is lost."

        The Bible puts all men in two classes and only two -- the saved and the lost; those who are on the way to heaven and those who are on their way to hell. The Bible does not classify men as priviledged and under priviledged, the rich and the poor, the cultured and the ignorant, the rulers and the masses. The Bible puts man in one of two classes -- the saved and the lost.

        Robert Louis Stevenson said, "Stab me into reality." Oh, that the Holy Spirit would stab all God's people into a realization that so many are lost and will go to hell unless they are led to accept Jesus, the Savior.

        What do we mean when we say people are lost? Jesus said one must be born anew, born of the Holy Spirit, born from above if he is ever to become a child of God. Those who have never experienced this birth are lost, and will continue in that state until they come to Jesus for salvation.

I.   The Bible Gives Us The Awful Condition Of Those Who Are Lost.

        1. They are condemned.

John 3:18 through John 3:19 (KJV)
¹⁸ He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. ¹⁹ And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

        2. They are dead spiritually. They are alive physically but dead in their relationship to God.

Rom. 6:23 (KJV)
²³ For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

        This death is progressive. One who is lost is dead and is dying by degrees. He'll be deader tomorrow than he is today. If he isn't saved before he dies, he'll experience eternal death which is death in hell.

1 Tim. 5:6 (KJV)
⁶ But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.

Eph. 2:1 (KJV)
¹ And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

        A smart alek youth came to an evangelist after service and said to him, "You tell about the burden of sin. I feel none. How heavy is it -- ten pounds, eighty pounds?" The evangelist answered, "Tell me, if you laid a 400 lb weight on a corpse, would it feel the load? The youth replied, "No, because it's dead." The evangelist said, "That spirit too is dead which feels no load of sin."

        I call your attention to the word "quickened."

Eph. 2:1 (KJV)
¹ And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

Col. 2:13 (KJV)
³¹ And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

1 Pet. 3:18 (KJV)
¹⁸ For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

        This word "quicken" means to make alive. When a lost person repents of sin and accepts Jesus as Savior, the Holy Spirit makes him alive spiritually. He is "born from above." He is raised out of death into life.

John 5:24 (KJV)
²⁴ Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

        He is saved and becomes a child of God.

        Jesus came and died on the cross in order that He might give life to the dead. "I am come that you might have life." Salvation is simple God sharing His life with a dead sinner when that sinner repents of sin and accepts Jesus as his Lord and Savior.

John 5:24 (KJV)
²⁴ Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

John 3:36 (KJV)
³⁶ He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

John 6:32 through John 6:35 (KJV)
³² Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. ³³ For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. ³⁴ Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. ³⁵ And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

John 5:40 (KJV)
⁴⁰ And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.

        One has said, "The gospel is not to make bad men good or good men better, but to make dead men alive. For man's trouble is not so much that he is sick and needs a doctor, or ignorant and needs a teacher, or stubborn and needs logic or wayward and needs a guide -- but man without Christ is dead and needs life."

        3. The lost are under the wrath of God.

John 3:36 (KJV)
36He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

        Notice that God's wrath "abideth on him." That is in the present tense meaning he is under God's wrath now.

Rom. 2:5 (KJV)
⁵ But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

        The wrath of God can be likened to a dam built. Water begins to boil up and pressure is exerted against the dam. The water rises higher and higher and the pressure against the dam becomes greater and greater until eventually the dam breaks and the water is turned loose. According to God's Word, the lost who reject Jesus, harden their hearts against the drawing of the Holy Spirit, will one day have God's wrath let loose on them.

        4. The lost are under the judgment of God.

John 3:18 (KJV)
¹⁸ He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

        The lost are condemned already because he has not received Christ as Savior. He will continue in that state until he becomes God's child through faith in Jesus.

        5. The heart of the lost is getting harder. Sin is hardening the heart.

Heb. 3:15 (KJV)
¹⁵ While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

        Anyone who wants to be saved can be saved.

Rom. 10:13 (KJV)
¹³ For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

        But the terrible tragedy is that by continual rejecting Jesus the heart gets harder and harder and one loses his "want to." God doesn't change but the lost person does. By rejecting the Saviour the lost is making it harder and harder to say yes and easier and easier to say no. The longer a lost person puts off accepting Christ, the harder it become.

        I visited a lost man several times and talked with him about becoming a Christian. I could tell he was under conviction but he kept putting it off. One Sunday morning he was in the worship service and I hoped he would make public his decision to accept the Savior but he didn't. He stood with tears in his eyes but still refused. I said to him after the service, "I was hoping you'd make you decision for Christ this morning." He said, "Preacher that is the hardest thing I've ever tried to do." He was never saved while I was there but I certainly hope he was after I left.

        One can put off being saved so long that he becomes as the Holy Spirit through Paul says, "part feeling."

Eph. 4:17 through Eph. 4:19 (KJV)
¹⁷ This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, ¹⁸ Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: ¹⁹ Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

Rom. 1:18 through Rom. 1:24 (KJV)
¹⁸ For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; ¹⁹ Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them. ²⁰ For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: ²¹ Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. ²² Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, ²³ And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four footed beasts, and creeping things. ²⁴ Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves:

        6. The lost person is helpless. The lost person is dead and there is nothing a dead person can do to help himself.

Eph. 2:1 through Eph. 2:5 (KJV)
¹ And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; ² Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: ³ Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. ⁴ But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, ⁵ Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

        A blacksmith who was in prison thought he could break the chains that bound him, but when he examined them he found they were chains he himself had made. They were too strong for him to break. The lost sinner forges his own chains and he finds himself bound and unable to free himself.

        One has said, "People tell us that God helps those who help themselves but we believe God helps those who can't help themselves."

        7. Hell is the destination of the lost. Those who die having never accepted Jesus as Savior will hear say:

Matt. 25:41 (KJV)
⁴¹ Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

        How awful is the description of hell as found in the Bible. It is pictured as a place:

        -- Of fire

Matt. 5:22 (KJV)
22But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

        -- Unquenchable fire

Mark 9:43 through Mark 9:44 (KJV)
⁴³ And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: ⁴⁴ Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

        -- Everlasting fire

Matt. 18:8 (KJV)
⁸ Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.

        -- Fire and brimstone

Rev. 21:7 through Rev. 21:8 (KJV)
⁷ He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. ⁸ But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

        -- Furnace of fire

Matt. 13:41 through Matt. 13:42 (KJV)
⁴¹ The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; ⁴² And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

        -- Place of torment

Luke 16:28 (KJV)
²⁸ For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

        On the Canadian side of the Niagara River, just above the Horseshoe falls, there are remnants of a ship that was wrecked at that point some years ago. It had broken away from the tug boat and was stranded on a rock. Two men who spent the night on that ship had a frightful story to tell when they were rescued the next day. Their hair had literally turned white. What terrible thoughts had tortured their minds and what cruel agonies tore their souls as they anticipated what lay ahead in the thunder of the falls, facing a death that seemed sure and soon. One shudders as he tries to imagine what it was like. The very thought of the awfulness of hell should cause a lost person to cry out, "God have mercy on me.'

        Sinner friend pray that prayer and God will forgive you and save you. You'll be justified (made right with God) as the old publican was.

Luke 18:13 through Luke 18:14 (KJV)
¹³ And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. ¹⁴ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

        8. If you're without Christ your life is empty. You do not have real peace. You may not be conscience of it but there is a real emptiness in your life. Augustine said, "We were made for Thee and our souls are restless til they find rest in Thee."

        Clarence Darrow was an infidel. A minister visited him and Mr. Darrow said to him, as he took the Bible and turned to Luke chapter 5, "Sir, let me read you the story of my life, "And Simon answering said unto him. Master we have toiled all night and have taken nothing.'" Then he said, "This is my life. I have toiled, I have worked but I have taken nothing. My life is empty."

        Lost friend you do not know real joy and peace until you come to Jesus for salvation. You may think you're living life to it's fullest but you/re not. The world cannot give you real peace and joy. That comes from Jesus and Jesus alone.

John 14:27 (KJV)
²⁷ Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

John 16:33 (KJV)
³³ These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Rom. 5:1 (KJV)
¹ Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

        Being justified means "being made right with God" and when you're in a right relation to God you have peace.

Eph. 2:14 (KJV)
¹⁴ For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

Phil. 4:7 (KJV)
⁷ And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

        Surrender your life to Jesus and you'll have joy you never dreamed of. His desire for you is that your joy be "full" as these verses plainly tell us.

John 15:11 (KJV)
¹¹ These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

John 16:24 (KJV)
²⁴ Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

1 John 1:4 (KJV)
⁴ And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

2 John 1:12 (KJV)
¹² Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.

        Jesus came that we might have life; but not just life, but abundant life; life that is full and running over.

John 10:10 (KJV)
10The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

        I like the poem by Tim Spencer. The truth is that a person who lives his life without Christ is, in the truest since of the word, throwing it away.