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Have you ever misplaced something important or precious? An item of jewellery, or maybe your passport. Or maybe you’ve experienced the classic case of the missing keys!
Jesus told three stories to illustrate the heart of God for those who are ‘lost’ – meaning those are outside of His family and are unprepared to enter eternity and meet Him. A shepherd hunting for a lost sheep; a woman sweeping the dusty earth floor of her house looking for a precious coin; and a father forgiving and welcoming his rebellious son. All three stories ended with a party! God rejoices when someone who is lost comes home to Him!
Did you see how the son treated his father? He wanted everything his dad could give him, but didn’t value the father himself. That is how people treat God – happy to live in His world and enjoy His gifts, but not interested in knowing Him as their Father. God would have the right to shut us out completely. But He is always ready to welcome and forgive anyone who repents of living in God’s world their own sinful way.
The Pharisees needed to hear these stories, because as usual they had no time for those they labelled as sinful (verse 2). But they were the shepherds of Israel* – they were the ones who should have been reaching out to these people and trying to bring them back to God. They were like the older brother who measured his worth to his father by how hard he worked (verse 29). They also needed to learn what it meant to know God as their loving, forgiving Father.
“There is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Luke 15:10
*Ezekiel 34 records a message from God to the religious leaders of the time - God described them as shepherds who did not care for the flock, and who would be removed from their positions. God went on to say, "I myself will search for my sheep and look after them." (Ezekiel 34:11)
Header Photo courtesy of Lumo Project Films - www.lumoproject.com
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