Find yourself in this story.
Think about it - when someone sends you a group picture from an event you attended... what do you do? You look for your mug. 'How do I look in this picture? Is it a 'good' shot? (i.e. is it flattering?) Ha, ha we all do it. In fact, last Spring on my Footsteps of Paul journey, when someone snapped a pic of me - say, in Athens or Philippi or even the Forum in Rome ... how blessed to be able to be in the very places Paul taught, was in jail, wrote letters, etc! - when I received it, my hair looked so bad, I went and had it cut in Rome by a woman who barely spoke any English. I showed her a picture and thought 'well anything is better than what I've got now!'
In today's Morning Briefing, I ask you to do something similar in Luke 15: where/who are you in this story? And once you find yourself, will you go get your hair cut? Or, will you take action on what you see?
And why, O why, do I love this chapter of the Bible so very much? Let's see.
The Parable of the Lost Sheep.
Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”
So he told them this parable: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.1
Once again, we do well to consider the cultural context of this passage. Isn't it peculiar that the 'sinners' wanted to be near Jesus, especially when you consider that the Pharisees (uber legalistic Jews) were forbidden to be the guest of any such man or even be in contact with him, including any who did not keep the petty details of the law. They endeavored to keep themselves entirely separate, looking down their noses at such low-lifes. But our Lord attracted these 'sinners'. hmmm...
And as for the sheep in the land - the land was treacherous, unforgiving, and dry - pasture was/is scarce. [I took the above picture of sheep in the Judean desert in Israel; shepherds must lead the sheep if they are to find water sources, and if they are to be safe]
Hmmm... I wonder if Jesus was a little amused at the stories he was about to tell all who listened and the generations who have read them since. Did Jesus think to himself, 'they won't get it now--why shepherds and sheep were far beneath these Jewish snobs! But one day, they will see clearly.'
The fact is Jesus was describing the magnanimous love of his Father for those who are lost, those who are in danger, for those who are far from him. And it is beautiful! He cares so much that he goes looking for them. Friend, your attention please: You and I must never give up on those who are far from God; we must carry him again and again to the Father in prayer.
Interesting that we may give up hope of a sinner; not so God. God loves those who never stray away; but in his heart there is the joy of joys when a lost one is found and comes home. It is 1,000 times easier to come back to God than to come home to the bleak criticism of our fellow human beings.2
Look at this snapshot, will you? If you looked at your hair, I mean yourself honestly, where do you find yourself?
--critical and judgmental of others, like the Pharisees and scribes
--lost, far from the tender heart of your Father
--found, grateful beyond words to know the Good Shepherd, listening for his leading voice, moved by just the touch of his shepherd's crook and never
giving up hope, praying for individuals who need the gospel
What does the Father look like when he rejoices at the coming home of a lost sheep? And for goodness sake, what might a party in heaven be like? Hmmm... dream a bit, won't you? Count on it—there’s more joy in heaven over one sinner’s rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue.3
Here it is: That's My King! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AB-3Av8RYo8
Thankful that I am the One he went looking for,
Christine
1 - Luke 15.1-7
2 - William Barclay
3 - Eugene Peterson, The Message paraphrase
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