Teachings / Sermon
Lost in the World, Found in His Grace
The sheep does nothing about being lost. The coin can’t even know it is. The son walks into the far country on his own two feet. In all three, the finding is done by the One who owns what was lost — and the Father was looking down the road before the son ever turned around.
- 01
The finding is done by the one who owns what was lost.
The sheep is lost, and it does nothing about it. The shepherd leaves the ninety and nine and goes after it. The coin is lost, and it can’t even know it’s lost. The woman lights a candle and seeks diligently. In both, the finding is done by the one who owns what was lost.
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 KJV - 02
He walked into the far country on his own two feet.
The third picture is the lifestyle. This son isn’t carried off. He asks for his portion, gathers all together, and takes his journey. Now look at what it gave him. Riotous living, and it lasted right up until “when he had spent all.” That’s when the famine arose. The far country was glad to have him while he had something to give. Once it was gone, he began to be in want. Then he joins himself to a citizen of that country, and that citizen sends him to feed swine. That’s what the world does with us once it has what it wanted. And the text says it plainly: “no man gave unto him.” The place that welcomed him with open arms had nothing to hand him when he was hungry.
And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
Luke 15:13 KJV - 03
Two evils.
Leaving the fountain, and digging something that never holds. Family, that’s the far country. It isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s just a cistern we keep drinking from, wondering why we’re still dry. Lost is a real place. Some of us are in it now, and some of us are only just realising how long we’ve been there. But notice who is doing the counting in these three pictures. The shepherd knows the count. The woman knows the coin. The Most High has not lost sight of any of us.
For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
Jeremiah 2:13 KJV - 04
The Father is the subject of every verb.
Start with “when he came to himself.” He’s still hungry and still with the swine. Nothing has changed except that he sees — and what he sees is his father’s house, where there’s bread enough and to spare. His plan is to ask for a hired servant’s place, because that’s the most he thinks the Father has left to give. Now watch what follows. His father saw him. Had compassion. Ran. Fell on his neck. Kissed him. The Father is the subject of every one of those verbs. And the son wasn’t close — he was yet a great way off. The Father saw him before the speech and before the apology. He met him before the son could say anything.
And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
Luke 15:20 KJVA great way off is not too far for Him.
- 05
He answers what we haven’t asked.
The son starts his speech, and the line about hired servants never gets said. The Father is already calling for the best robe, the ring, and the shoes. Those are a son’s, not a servant’s. The Father answers what the son hasn’t asked. And He is the one who names it — this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found — and the one who calls the feast. Now look at what the far country gave him: a field, swine, husks, and no man gave unto him. Then look at what the Father gave him: a robe on his back, a ring on his hand, shoes on his feet, a table, a feast, and music. Everything the far country promised and never delivered, the Father already had.
But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.
Luke 15:22 KJV - 06
He goes out to both sons.
The older son is angry and won’t go in — “therefore came his father out, and intreated him.” The same Father who ran down the road now walks out to the field. Two sons, two different places, and the Father goes out to both. His word to the one who stayed is, “Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.” And notice what the Father never does. He never scolds. The world has done enough of that. The Most High is not standing at the gate with a list of everything we did. He’s looking down the road — He was looking before the son ever turned around. Rich in mercy. Great love. Even when we were dead. Every word of that is about Him and none of it is about us.
But uSomandla, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Ephesians 2:4–5 KJV, as we read it
Closing
Family, let’s be honest before we go. We’re walking out of here into a world that hasn’t changed. It will still be loud, and it will still make promises. Some of us are carrying things we haven’t put down, and some of us still feel a great way off. But a great way off is not too far for Him. He saw the son before the son said a word, and He sees us now. So if you’ve been lost, hear this. You don’t have to come back clean. You don’t have to have your speech ready. Come as you are. The world already gave you the scolding and the cold shoulder. The Most High is waiting with open arms, a place at the table, and everything we’ve been searching for in all the wrong places. Lost in the world. Found in His grace. It was always with uSoNINI NaNINI.
Reading assignment
Proverbs 3:5–6
Carry into the week
Which cistern have you kept drinking from, wondering why you’re still dry — and what would it take to stop walking back to it this week?
Priestly increasings
Now unto uSoNINI NaNINI, who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us — unto Him be glory in the assembly throughout all ages, world without end.
May uSoNINI NaNINI increase you and keep you. May He make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you. May He lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.
And let the Assembly say, HALALELA.
Recording
The recording of this Samba is in the BCA Telegram for members. These notes are the teaching. Join the Telegram
These notes are a summary of the teaching in Brother Jaylon’s words, not the full message as given.