"How Did You Find Jesus?"

Luke 15: 1 - 10

It really doesn’t make sense, does it? Does God really rejoice more over one sinner who repents than 99 who are righteous? It sounds as though Jesus is making a point. Nevertheless it is a lesson which we all need to hear. We all tend to be critical of the lost, and somewhat resentful that they can just walk back and say sorry. God however is never resentful, he rejoices without any feeling of bitterness. If the lost knew that when they returned they would receive rebuke and criticism, then they might be less likely to come home in the first place. There need be no such worry where God is concerned, he always welcomes the sinner, the prodigal… the lost sheep.Imagine how the father of the prodigal son must have felt when his son asked him for his inheritance and went off to squander it on the wrong sort of lifestyle. The poor father must have had so many conflicting emotions, sadness at the lack of wisdom shown by the son, perhaps some resentment or even anger. We will never quite know, but we do know that he let the son go. He did not try and make him stay, or change his mind. He knew that the son had to go and find out for himself, so he allowed him to make his mistakes. Sometimes this is the only way that we can really learn, from our own mistakes. Frequently parents see children make mistakes and they know that these are exactly the kinds of things which they themselves did! Sadly we cannot put old heads on young shoulders. All that we can do is to be there when they come home, perhaps realising the error of their ways, and make sure we don't say I told you so.This is how God is with us. God allows us to make mistakes, even big mistakes, and we learn the hard way… or sometimes we don’t learn the hard way… God is there for us and welcomes us back without the hint of recrimination, just love and forgiveness. The Gospel lesson this morning shows that God cares deeply for those who are lost and far from him. God isn't resentful when they are found or angry that they strayed, but rather God rejoices. Perhaps we should all ask ourselves, ‘are we able to rejoice in welcoming back the lost or would we be more likely to tell them that is was their own fault?’ It is hard for us to be prepared to accept people when they seek forgiveness. It is a human trait to be critical and willing to judge, we naturally think God wants people to be punished. To err is human but to forgive is divine. Its hard for us to forgive, it has to be conditional; and measured and not to freely given in case it encourages bad behavior .

We tend to think like public utility companies and we want every drop of God's grace metered and paid for. It's hard for us to forgive. We often think that forgiveness has to be earned in some way, even if it is only by asking for it properly. Forgiveness however is easy for God, it is God's nature. Jesus tells us about going in search of the lost sheep. Why does the shepherd search for the lost sheep? Is it because it is a favorite sheep? Is it because the sheep is a special sheep? Or because its coat is woolier than the rest of the sheep? No! The only qualification the sheep has which justifies leaving the other sheep and going off after it, is that it is lost.

So too Jesus cares for the lost, because they are lost and seeks them out. We so often get concerned about our qualifications for God. Are we good enough for him to bother with us? And perhaps the church has and still does reinforce this, making hurdles over which we have to cross before we are good enough. Think of Paul’s writings of the Lord’s Supper… Does Jesus, who shares his last meal with the disciples only come after those who have passed the test? Or does he come after the lost sheep?As your pastor, my glad task is to reassure people of God's forgiveness, and as members together of the Body of Christ, that is something which we are all called to do. God calls us to share together in that priestly task… sharing God’s grace is not only my job, it is your job too. Jesus shows us from the cross that he forgives even when people do not ask for it. The Christian faith teaches us that God cares for all of us, especially the lost. The Christian faith teaches that we are never beyond redemption, we are never so far from God that he gives up on us. The message of the day is that the further we have fallen, the deeper is God's grace to rescue us. The will of God can never lead you where the Grace of God can not cover you.Self righteousness and begrudging attitudes are alive and well, they didn't die out in 1st century Palestine. There are those who like the brother of the prodigal son will resent the fact that God is so forgiving. For many people recovery of the lost means that we are only happy when people decide that they want to join us and be like us. For Jesus recovery of the lost meant taking time to befriend and to associate with the lost. Even if it meant getting his own reputation tarnished. Think of the stories and gossip which there must have been about Jesus as a result of the company which he kept. Think of the Gossip around Jesus’ befriending Zaccheus, the tax collector… or Mary Magdalene… or the Lepers… or the sinners…We can sometimes begrudge the mercy of God being so freely given to the undeserving. We don't like people who threaten us… who invade our comfort zones… who appear different from us… who don't measure up to our standards.

Yet Paul’s words to us from Romans 15:7 are to “receive one another, then, just as Christ received you, in order to bring glory to God the Father…

This morning we need to see Christ Jesus as Shepherd… I wonder whether or not we know him as our shepherd today… We repeat the words of the 23rd Psalm… “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want…”
He is the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for the sheep…
He is the Great Shepherd that was brought back from the dead…
He is the Chief Shepherd who is coming again…
He is the Shepherd and Bishop of Souls…
He is the Shepherd of the sheep, who gathers the lambs with his arms, and who carries them in his bosom…
He is the Shepherd of Israel…
He is Jehovah’s Shepherd…
So it is that Jesus tells these two stories from our lesson this morning to show that God has time for each one of us. Even when the rest of the world thinks that we are too far gone, Jesus comes after us and carries us home.

A young man named Yam Sing, was asked upon joining a church in San Francisco, “How did you find Jesus?” He answered “I did not find Jesus at all… He found me…”

A little boy, in a Chinese Christian family wished to make a profession of faith and join the church. He was told that he was too young to join the church… He replied “Jesus has promised to carry the lambs in his bosom… I am only a little boy… it will be easier for Jesus to carry me…”

I Bid You Peace...

Pastor Ken+