August 30. Luke 15. James Findlay
Lost and Found
In this chapter of Luke, Jesus offers three parables that are sparked by yet another Pharisee misstep. They question why the Son of God would welcome and eat with sinners (Luke 15:2). While addressing the very sinners the Pharisees are muttering to themselves about, Jesus knows the heart of his audience. He is not only talking to those who are labeled sinners, but also the ones questioning why he would spend time with such people.
Each parable has very specific similarities. Someone or something of value is lost, there is a search, and they are eventually found. It sounds very basic, but as you read each parable you can begin to identify why each of them ends in rejoicing. Jesus describes each scenario as the rejoicing being like a sinner who repents and specifically saying the rejoicing is greater than one who is righteous and does not need to repent (Luke 15:7). I wonder how the Pharisees felt when Jesus drove that point home.
How interesting is it that Jesus finds a way to use examples of things that we all hold very dear to us such as possessions (The Parable of the Lost Sheep), money (The Parable of the Lost Coin), and family (The Parable of the Lost Son). These are things that we can easily identify why each were sought after and rejoiced for when found!
It’s the same way God looks at sinners. He finds us where we are, and that is not always where we look our best. My personal story relates most to “The Parable of the Lost Son”. I know what it’s like to be enticed by the allure of the world, to leave my faith, and go spend everything on myself. Then soon after, being hit by a “famine in the whole country” (Luke 15:14) better known as the recession of 2009. It was in these moments that I knew God was getting my attention. I lost everything, my job, my home, my faith. While I felt like I was losing it all, God was busy searching and seeking for me and my heart to be found. When He found me, there was nothing more to do then for me to go to Him and repent!
How grateful we should be that we were once dead as sinners, but now we are alive again through repentance (Luke 15:32). As Jesus taught the crowd that day, he was reminding us how important we are to God. Even though we make major mistakes, He loves us enough to forgive us and bring us into His family. He wants us to know that, as our father, He will go out to get us. Let us celebrate and be glad today that God found us, and let us find those who are seeking Him and ready to repent!