Lost Without Christ: A Wake-Up Call for the Church
**This podcast is taken from our Global Video Report: EMPOWER CONNECT April Edition**
The Reality of Lostness
Scripture: John 3:16 – 18, Luke 13:22 – 30, Hebrews 10
RON:
Hello friends.
Today, I want to speak about something that has been very near to my heart over the years.
It is a topic that has shaped my life and ministry.
That topic is this:
Lostness.
A Question from Around the World
Everywhere I go, in country after country, I meet with pastors and leaders.
And the same question keeps coming up:
What motivates these workers to give their lives to reaching others with the Gospel?
Why do they go out tirelessly, often at great cost?
The answer is always the same.
They understand that people are lost.
The Foundation of the Gospel
They know that without Jesus, people remain separated from God.
This is not a secondary issue.
This is the foundation of the Gospel.
In places like China, believers are constantly in the Word of God.
They read it.
They memorize it.
They live it.
And they are continually reminded of this truth:
People need to be saved.
John 3:16 and Beyond
We often quote John 3:16:
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son…”
But we must also understand what follows.
“Whoever believes in Him is not condemned.”
Which means that apart from Him, there is condemnation.
And then it says:
“The Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness rather than light.”
This is the condition of humanity apart from Christ.
From Darkness to Light
In many of the places where the Gospel is advancing rapidly, people are coming out of deep spiritual darkness.
And when they come into the Light, the change is unmistakable.
Because they know what they have been rescued from.
And because of that, they cannot stop thinking about those who are still in darkness.
A Sense of Urgency
This is what drives them.
They are not casual about the Gospel.
They are not passive.
They feel the urgency.
They know what is at stake.
The Narrow Door
Jesus speaks about this in Luke 13.
Someone asked Him, “Will only a few be saved?”
And He responded:
“Make every effort to enter through the narrow door.”
This is not about earning salvation.
It is about recognizing the seriousness of the decision.
There will come a time when the door is closed.
And not everyone who expected to enter will be there.
A Sobering Reality
Jesus describes people who say:
“We were there. We heard You. We were close.”
And yet they are not known by Him.
Then He says that people will come from every direction — north, south, east, and west — and take their place in the Kingdom.
Some who were expected to be there will not be.
And others, who were never expected, will be there.
What Truly Matters
This challenges us.
Because it is not about how often we have heard the message.
It is about how we respond.
Do we recognize our need?
Do we come to Christ?
Do we receive the Truth?
The Weight of Eternity
There is a reality that Scripture speaks about clearly.
There is a finality to the choices we make.
There is no second opportunity beyond this life.
This is why the message of the Gospel carries such weight.
Why It Matters So Much
Years ago, I heard a teaching that deeply impacted me.
It described the seriousness of being lost — separated from God — and the permanence of that condition apart from Christ.
It shook me.
It brought clarity to what the Gospel truly means.
And it gave me a sense of responsibility.
A Balanced Calling
Now, I want to be clear.
We are called to care for people.
To help.
To serve.
To meet real needs.
And the workers we partner with do exactly that.
They pray for the sick.
They share food.
They care for people in practical ways.
But they never lose sight of what matters most.
The Priority of the Gospel
They will tell you this:
Most of their effort is focused on sharing the Gospel.
Because while meeting physical needs matters, it is temporary.
The Gospel is eternal.
We are not called to improve someone’s life for a few decades, but to see them reconciled to God forever.
The Example of Jesus
This is exactly what Jesus did.
He healed the sick.
He fed the hungry.
He showed compassion.
But He also went to the cross.
Because the greatest need is not just physical.
It is spiritual.
A Call to Remember
So today, I want to bring us back to this truth.
Lostness is real.
And it matters.
Not to bring fear.
But to bring clarity.
And to remind us why the Gospel is so important.
A Final Encouragement
Let this truth shape how you live.
Let it shape how you pray.
Let it shape how you see others.
Because this is what we are seeing around the world:
People who understand what they have been saved from.
And who are determined to see others come into the Light.
