This
is the account of the lost sheep, the ten silver coins, and the man that went
to a large city and wasted his inheritance in reckless and wild living, and
while destitute he found himself in the midst of a great famine, longing to fill
his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no-one gave him
anything, as told by our Lord Jesus Christ in Luke 15:1-32
Now
the tax collectors and “sinners” were all gathering round to hear Jesus. But
the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, this man welcomes sinners,
and eats with them. Then Jesus told them this parable, which is a simple story
used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson. Suppose
one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the
ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?
And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then
he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, rejoice with me; I have
found my lost sheep.
I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing
in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons
who do not need to repent.
Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does
she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?
And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says,
rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.
In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the
presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.
Jesus
continued, there was a man who had two sons. The
younger one said to his father, Father, give me my share of the estate. So he
divided his property between them.
Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had,
set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.
After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country,
and he began to be in need.
So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that
country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were
eating, but no-one gave him anything.
When he came to his senses, he said, how many of my
father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will
set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against
heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me
like one of your hired men. So he got up and went to his father. But while he
was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for
him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. The son said
to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer
worthy to be called your son. But the father said to his servants, Quick! Bring
the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his
feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate.
For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. So
they began to celebrate.
Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near
the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and
asked him what was going on.
Your brother has come, he replied and your father has killed
the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.
The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his
father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, Look! All
these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you
never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when
this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home,
you kill the fattened calf for him! My
son, the father said, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.
But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and
is alive again; he was lost and is found.
Jesus
Christ is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world. Jesus Christ
opened the gate that was shut at the beginning when God banished the man from
the Garden of Eden by placing on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim
and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to prevent the man from reaching
the tree of life, which would have proved disastrous if we could have reached
the tree of life and live forever in our present mortal state subjected to
suffering, mourning, crying, and pain.
But,
praise be to God for Jesus Christ who is our way back to the Father as
indicated by Jesus Christ in John 11:23-26, Jesus said to Martha right before
Jesus resurrected her brother Lazarus from the dead, “Your
brother will rise again.” Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in
the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to
her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who
believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in
me will never die. Do you believe this?”
Rejoice,
because we were dead, but now we are alive again, we were lost, but now we are
found again, through the redemptive work completed by Jesus Christ on the cross
at Calvary, God is running towards us to welcome us back to His kingdom as it
was at the beginning in the Garden of Eden.
And
as indicated in Romans 8:14-17, “Because those who are
led by the Spirit of God are sons of God, for you did not receive a spirit that
makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by
him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that
we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs, heirs of God
and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we
may also share in his glory.”
Nothing
in all creation can separate us from the love of God through Jesus Christ our
Lord, as indicated in Romans 8:35-39, “Who shall
separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution
or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are
more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither
death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future,
nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation,
will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Rejoice in the Lord always as indicated in Philippians
4:4-7, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it
again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not
be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with
thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which
transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ
Jesus.”
God is good all the time, and all the time, God
is good.
The
LORD is the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love
and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness,
rebellion and sin.
Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His
mercy endures forever.
The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over
all His works.
No one is good but One, that is, God.
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down
from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting
shadows.
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to
your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things
to those who ask Him!
I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of
the LORD in the land of the living.
They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and I will meditate on your wonderful works. They will tell of the power of
your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds. They will celebrate
your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of
the goodness of the Lord.
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the
man who trusts in Him!
Enter
his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and
praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his
faithfulness continues through all generations.
Let
them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for
men, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.
As
a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those
who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.
Teach
me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level
ground. For your name’s sake, O LORD, preserve my life; in your righteousness,
bring me out of trouble. In your unfailing love, silence my enemies; destroy
all my foes, for I am your servant.
The
Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust
in Him.
How
great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which
you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you. In the shelter
of your presence you hide them from the intrigues of men; in your dwelling you
keep them safe from accusing tongues.
Praise
the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul. I
will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I
live. Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save.
When
their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans
come to nothing. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in
the LORD his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in
them, the LORD, who remains faithful for ever.
Praise
the LORD, O my soul, Praise the LORD!!!
Amen
