Proper 19
September 11, 2016
Luke 15:1–10
Jesus - the Good Shepherd of His Sheep
The factors of forgiveness are simple. There is
simply our need. We stand in need of forgiveness. There is, of course, means,
which lead toward forgiveness. There must also be a response.
The response to forgiveness; is repentance. Mark the Scripture well. “There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents then over
ninety-nine respectable people who do not need to repent…I tell you, the angels
of God rejoice over one sinner who repents.”
1. Jesus seeks the lost.
A. The lost
are sought in the parable. A poor woman loses a coin. It’s something precious
to her. The loss of a single coin is serious. It’s all she has. Without it, she
has nothing!
A
sheep goes missing. In that condition, it becomes the prey of wild animals. Yet
99 are safe. Isn’t that one solitary sheep expendable? Why the anxiety? After
all, isn’t this fuss and bother rather superfluous? Is it all necessary? Why
not simply cut your losses?
That
is the point of the parable! All are necessary! All are important! Let no one
think you are beyond the reach of Jesus’ love. Let no one think you are unnecessary,
helpless, or hopeless. How good it is that Jesus has found you!
The
Pharisees, they too were lost. But they couldn’t accept it. Their sin was pride.
Evidenced in their smugness and disdain for sinners and for Jesus. “Two men went up to the Temple to pray. One
was a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed this
prayer, “O God, I thank You that I’m not like everyone else. I’m not greedy,
dishonest, or living in sexual sin, like this tax collector. I always fast
twice a week. I always give You a tenth of all my income.’ But the tax
collector stood some distance away, and wouldn’t even look into heaven. He
pounded his chest and said, God have mercy on me, a sinner.’ I tell you that
this tax collector went home justified but the Pharisee was not.”[1]
~ Luke 18:10-13 These Pharisees and all the self-righteous find
themselves in the same lost condition because of boastful, selfish, pride and
arrogance.
B. Jesus continues to seek the ones
missing from the Father’s table. He could have left us to wallow in our filth.
He could have left this world of sinners to their doom. He could have left us
to flounder after we had stumbled, fumbled, flopped and fell. He could have
said, “Depart from me, cursed ones, into
the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” - Matthew
25:41
Instead,
He determined to redeem and save us. He demonstrated the Father’s mercy and
love when He came into this world to fulfill God’s law for us and to pay the
world’s debt of sin. “For the Son of Man came
not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” –Matthew
20:28; “But when the fullness of
time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to
redeem those who are under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”
-Galatians 4:4-5
2. What is repentance? It has been boiled down to four
simple steps.
A. I take responsibility for my
actions.
B. I feel remorse. I experience
Godly sorrow for what I have done. I am truly heart sorry.
C.
I attempt to repair what I have broken to the best of my ability. The serenity
prayer helps in this respect, “Lord,
grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to
change what I can the ability to know the difference.”
D. I repeat not! I do not have
license to go back and visit sin.
Note: These four steps; leading to
repentance, come from Dr. Laura Schlesinger. She’s a nationally syndicated
radio talk-show host. She suggests; quite convincingly, that this is all we
need to right a wrong. Yet, one component is still missing. A 5th step
is necessary; the final step, which separates Christians from the rest of the
world; a step, which turns us from following rules to establishing a bond with
the Father Himself.
E. The 5th step
necessary: I receive redemption or reconciliation through Jesus Christ my
Savior.
Inside of me -
Where exactly, I do not know -
Live three voices.
The first voice
roars:
Produce. Do. Achieve.
You need to attend this meeting.
Policies and procedures need to be
revised.
There are deadlines to meet and
reports that need to be
completed.
Budget variances should be corrected.
Goals for the new fiscal year are
due.
Job descriptions should be
re-written.
Performance evaluations need to take
place.
All is of ultimate importance so
Don’t forget anything.
Your worth as a person depends on this.
Don't make any mistakes.
Produce more. Do more. Achieve more.
The middle voice sneers and mocks:
You fraud.
You know you will be found out -
Then what?
You cannot do this work.
You are a sham, an impostor.
Shame on you;
You always make mistakes.
What do you think you are?
The lower voice
just whispers:
You are forgiven.
There is mercy.
All shall be well.[2]
Today marks the 15th anniversary of the
loss of the twin towers in New York City. We face the twin dangers of going
astray by toying with sin or by wicked pride. We need to live in daily
repentance over both. Learn from Jesus. The friend of sinners. Join the angels
praising God. Both, for your own salvation. And, for the progress of the Gospel
in the world.
Words – 1,000
Passive Sentences –4%
Reading Ease –79.1
Reading Level – 4.2
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