Sunday, September 15, 2013

LOST STORIES


Jesus Found the Lost Sheep
courtesy photobucket.com
 
Again I gleaned as Pastor Jerry ministered on Sunday, and he read from Luke 15:1-10 

Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.” 3 So He spoke this parable to them,

Jesus was a story teller as well as a prophet.  It seemed at every turn he was criticized and his answer was usually in the form of a parable. 

He began to speak of Lost things.  We are all familiar with the story of the lost son who was welcomed home by his father, but not by his brother.  The father called all his friends to rejoice because his Son who had been lost was now found.

Jesus began to tell of the Lost Sheep and how the shepherd left the 99 and searched until he found his lost sheep.  Then he called all his friends for a celebration to rejoice.   

The woman with the lost coin lit her lamps with the expensive oil and turned her house upside down until she found her coin.  To her this coin was of much value.  Having searched until she found her coin, she then called for her friends to rejoice with her, because that which was lost had been found.

Jesus stated that the angels in heaven rejoice over one lost sinner who is found.

Pastor told a story on himself when he took his six year old sister to the mall, and as he turned his back for a second, she was gone.  What a gut punch that was until he realized after searching for some time she was found one aisle over playing with some toys.

Jesus takes the position of a shepherd, a woman and of a Father, searching for the lost.

God hasn’t given up the search for lost souls.  He is still seeking the lost even those who seem of little value to many.  ALL who come to him, He is willing to save.  We too must celebrate when sinners are found and brought into the fold.

Paul spoke in I Timothy about himself being the vilest of sinners and was lost by thinking he was working for God.  Then the Holy Spirit shined his light upon Saul revealing Jesus. and he was given his new name of Paul.

This is good news for us, for often we may feel lost and undone as we fall short of what we know is right. 
 
Yes, we are lost sinners in one way or the other.  The Amazing Grace of Jesus is when we confess our sins he will forgive.

God is still seeking the LOST, but a better story is the story about those who have been FOUND.   Thanks be unto God.

This post is shared with Charlotte’s Spiritual Sundays

 

2 comments:

TC Avey said...

I am so glad that God isn't satisfied with having 99, otherwise I might not be part of His family.

He is a wonderful God. A God who seeks us!

Floyd said...

How easy it is to forget that our Father loves each and every soul He created, even when they hate Him. We should be that Light to the lost world. Thanks for the reminder, Hazel.