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LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2004, Page 100

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

CONVENTION BIBLE STUDIES
tion that God has reconciled all people to Himself in Christ.
As His ambassadors, having this message we take it to,
who else, the lost ones that our Savior Himself came to
save. The message of reconciliation, the message of the
Gospel in our own lives is the reason we grieve for the lost
and work to get the Gospel to them. It must be a priority
in our Synod, in our Districts, and in our churches. It is the
greatest priority to God—He showed us that by sending His
own Son. Now it must be our greatest priority too.
“The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost”
(Luke 19:10). There is no greater task given to us as the people of God. There is no message more important than the
Gospel. As the people of God, God will work in us a heart like
His for the lost. In the forgiveness we have in Jesus Christ,
we go forth to seek the lost with our Lord by our side.

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Closing Prayer: Gracious Lord, who loved us even when
we were lost, You did not spare Your only Son but sent Him
to seek and to save the lost. Through the message of forgiveness and life, work in us a heart like Yours that as a
church body and as Your churches all over this nation and
around the world we may bring the Gospel of our Lord
Jesus to the lost ones in a culture that does not know You.
Empower us by Word and Sacrament to grieve for the lost
and to bring the Gospel to the lost. Open the hearts of the
lost ones to hear this precious message. Grant that through
Your powerful and dynamic message of Jesus Christ and
what He has done for us, many would come to believe in
Him as their Savior. In His name we pray. Amen.
David S. Smith, Senior Pastor
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church
Des Peres, MO

2004 Convention Proceedings