September 12, 2010. Luke 15:1-10
Pastor Michael Harman,
St. Peter LCMS - Newell, IA
vacancies at ...
Immanuel, Pomeroy and
First Evangelical, Fonda
How much do you care about lost souls?
I don't mean a person who loses track of time and will be late; or a
person lost in a good story; or a person lost in a big city. I mean a person
who will spend eternity in hell, lost from life forever. How much do you care
about the lost souls around you?
Jesus told ONE parable, three ways. The first version stresses the
lostness of a soul; the second, the searching for a soul; the last, the
restoration of a soul. We cover the first two.
The scribes were religious writers whose job was to keep order in church.
The Pharisees had other jobs, but were very serious about religion.
They were in shock that Jesus was not just preaching to "them" for
repentance. Jesus was even considering them close friends! Consider this:
would you invite a known robber or traitor to lunch? If a convicted 9-11
terrorist or felon invited you out for coffee, would YOU go? It was okay for
Jesus to speak with those sorts of people. But not to eat with them! and be
friendly!
Luke records that the lost sheep (those considered 'outside of society')
were coming to hear Jesus in record numbers. You'd think more souls would make
others happy. We'd be happy if more members and visitors came to God's House!
Wouldn't we?
The Pharisees & Scribes weren't. 'In response to their grumbling, Jesus
told a parable.' The first part talks about how God searches for those who
have wandered away from His flock.
Our Triune God says, "Behold, I, I Myself will search for My sheep and
will seek them out." God is not willing to cut His losses and forget about His
people.
Ezekiel also warns God is not pleased with those who push others away
because they feel superior. God promises to seek and rescue His sheep, then
restore them to the flock, and make things right. So, Christ says the same
idea in one parable told three ways.
They were HIS sheep. THEY had drifted away: thru the cares of the fallen
world, indifference to God, or what ever. The Owner organizes a rescue party:
Himself. He leaves the other sheep in safety, to hunt for the lost one.
God does not beat stray sheep for getting lost, as we might. He is filled
with joy and HE carries him or her home.
God calls to His friends and neighbors, you and me, and says, "Rejoice
with Me! I, I myself searched and rescued My sheep." Then, in case we are too
dull, Jesus gives the meaning of the parable. There is joy in heaven over each
and every sinner who repents.
Scholars argue a bit about the last half of the verse. Jesus is not
saying there are people who need no repentance. He is warning people who feel
they do not need repentance to think it over carefully.
So then Christ talks about money. We can relate to that. You may have
lost years of pension earnings in the crash two years ago: "lost for good".
Maybe you lost a big chunk of land to the rains: lost crops, or things in a
basement. We may cut our losses, accept we won't get our property back, then
we move on with life. But God is not like that. He does not treat us like
property: God values each and every soul.
So now the second version of the one parable is about searching. God
searches inside of His House. How one coin got lost in the cracks of the floor
is not important. What is important is God does not cut His losses. The
search is diligent. His joy is genuine. God again seeks, finds, then restores
lost souls. "Angels and archangels and all the company of heaven laud and
magnify His glorious Name" for search, rescue, and restoration by God's grace.
Do you? Do you rejoice?
God did not say to the sheep: 'find your own way'. He did not command
the coin 'jump back in the piggy bank'. When the promises of his father pull
him home, the "prodigal son" thinks he is going to be a slave; but God restores
him as a son! God has made the sheep His own. He restores them when they
wander: to God's right place.
This is a dual argument. If an average man has sympathy to rescue one of
his sheep, and a normal woman searches so diligently for one coin, then how
much greater is God's search and rescue for any lost soul! In the second
direction, if God and the angels rejoice over one sinner, shouldn't we do more
than grumble?
Jesus' goal isn't happy hearers. He is preaching repentance. God seeks
sinners, driving them with the Law to see their sins and how they can not ever
free themselves. He turns us to Christ who paid our price.
Then it is God alone Who gives forgiveness. He does not give approval.
He does not say to the lost sheep, 'now I know where you are, lost in sin; stay
there in sin.' He picks up every sinner and carries them home. God does not
approve, endorse, or wink at your sin. Your sin cost Him dearly: the blood of
the Son of God.
But do YOU care about lost souls? That's how God wants you to be:
compassionate and caring and involved in the search and rescue for His sheep
outside these walls and the treasures that have fallen between the cracks. He
wants you to be filled with His Holy Spirit, eager to help or join in the
search.
But many times we think: search and rescue is a pastors' job. God's Word
says the opposite. We are all called to reach out to family, friends, and even
those who don't like us. We are each to reach out in the same compassion He
has for each of us.
He wants you to identify with the lost sheep, coin, and kid. Because such
are you!
Grammar is important in the Bible. Think of St. Paul. He faced courts
and kings, was beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, imprisoned, people vowed to kill
him, and worse. But he took the strength God gave him (1st Tim 1:13) to serve
Christ. Then what does he say of himself? After nearly 2 decades of service
as a Christian apostle, missionary, & servant he says in verse 15: "Christ
Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I, myself, am chief or
foremost." (Present tense.)
Paul realized that apart from Christ he was a lost sheep or coin. He was
an example of a self-righteous sinner who did not think he needed to repent.
But the Holy Spirit convicted Paul of his sins and turned him to the cross of
Christ. For the joy set before him, Paul did what he could to tell others the
Good News of Jesus.
Paul rejoiced that God had mercy and saved him. In the joy of that
return, Paul went to tell the world about Christ. You can, too.
God HAS put away all your sins. You ARE His child. For example, I would
not say, "I was married". I would say "I AM married." Present tense.
We should not think of God making us His own in Holy Baptism as a past
event that we did. So, instead of saying, "I WAS Baptized," think of it as "I
AM Baptized into Christ." Present tense, now and always as our hymn sings,
rejoicing with the angels of God.
God works to change our mourning over our sins into dancing for joy at His
rescue. He works in the power of His holy Word to bring us to faith and keep
us there. Not only do we rejoice at our own rescue, but God invites us to
rejoice with Him when any lost sheep or coin is returned to where he or she
belongs.
God is serious about sinners. If HE does not scour the countryside or
sweep in the cracks thru you, a soul is lost forever in hell. God does not
say, "Too bad; I'll cut My losses and forget him or her." He cares about you.
You are valuable to Him. All souls are. Christ paid for your eternal life and
the sins of the whole world with His blood in His life and death for us. The
LORD God and all the angels rejoice when any sinner repents: yourself included.
The Holy Spirit works in us to restore unto us the joy of His salvation
(Psalm 51): for our own selves, and for many others. There is still plenty of
room in heaven! May we, as God's own children, rejoice with all of heaven when
any sinner (even ourselves) is rescued: brought to repentance and faith in
Christ! Amen.
Okay. So the main joke this time is about the JEWISH PIGGY BANK. Don't think
too hard. I resisted lots of references to 9-11; but then again not too many
9-11 hijackers can invite you to lunch. More seriously, the hymns included
"Chief of Sinners Though I Be", "I Am Jesus' Little Lamb", and "God's Own
Child, I Gladly Say it." The standard (assigned) CPH lessons were Psalm
30:2-5, 11-12; Ezekiel 34:11-24, 1 Timothy 1:12-17, and Luke 15:1-10. Ragweed
is 9.5 today AND I have a very bad cold - so I hope I have enough voice for 3
congregations and a nursing home...
