Amazing Grace

Meditation on Luke 15

Worship in Renvilla Chapel

                                        Sept. 15, 2013

       Now all the tax-collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, ‘This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.’

       So he told them this parable: ‘Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and 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 people who need no repentance.

       ‘Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, “Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.” Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.'" (Luke 15:1-10)

***

     My friend Lou Ann brought me a photograph this week to copy for our church newsletter.  It was one of those days when my church work was busier than usual, and I was not multi-tasking very well.

    The photograph was probably more than 60 years old.  It was an original, and I am pretty sure there are no copies or negatives.  If something happened to it, it could not be replaced.  It was a picture of a child—one that would bring a smile to anyone who saw it. 

      I was so busy that I set the photo aside and didn’t make a copy of it right away. Other things had to be done---our bulletin, for one, and the agenda and reports for a meeting that night.

      The hours flew by as Lou Ann, who is now our church secretary, and I worked.  I went to my meeting at 6:45 and finished around 9. I began to gather up my notebooks, papers, calendar, and books.  Finally, I could go home and rest after a long but productive day.

     But where was Lou Ann’s photograph?

    I looked through my notebooks, bags, books and calendar.  Then all through my purse, in case I may have tucked it inside. I scoured my desk and checked the copy machine.  Searched through my office and the church office, looked in the recycling box, and went through every page of the books I knew we had opened that day.

   

      No photo.

      I continued to search, alone in an empty church after dark, beginning to feel not exactly panic, but rising concern that the precious photo, the one cherished by a friend of mine and could not be replaced, was really lost.

     I felt bad. 

    Then, maybe it was the Holy Spirit trying to comfort me. Or maybe it was just the voice of reason.  In any case, I began to think that I was tired, and it was late.  It was possible that the photo wasn’t really lost.  Maybe it was right there in front of me all the time, and I would see it in the light of day.  Or perhaps I would wake up and remember where I had put it and immediately go and find it.

     Or maybe—and this thought was the one that gave me the greatest hope—maybe Lou Ann had seen the photo sitting out and had picked it up and taken it safely home.

      I suspended my search and emailed a note to Lou Ann, telling her that I could not find her photo. Could she possibly have taken it with her? I promised to keep on looking until it was found.

     I went to sleep thinking about the photo and praying that the Lord would help me find that which was lost.

***

      Jesus tells three parables in Luke chapter 15.

      

     At the beginning, we learn he is talking to the Pharisees and scribes, who are grumbling and complaining about the tax collectors and other sinners who are drawing near, hungry for Jesus’s teaching.  The Pharisees and scribes think that some people are not worthy of God’s forgiveness and love. God’s Word speaks to all of us today—all who might be reluctant to share Jesus and His love with the whole world, especially with people we find hard to like, let alone love. We might be tempted to have the same bad attitude as the Pharisees and scribes of Jesus’ day.   Truth is—no one is worthy enough for God’s forgiveness and love.  Only by His amazing grace and His work through His Son are we saved. None of us deserve what our merciful God has offered to all as a free gift.

     

     The first parable Jesus tells is about a shepherd pursuing a lost sheep, though it means leaving his other 99 in the wilderness. The third story, of which you are quite familiar, is about the son who demands his inheritance while his father still lives and then leaves and squanders it on his own pleasures.  He comes to his senses, realizes he is starving because of his sinful ways, and decides to return home, beg for forgiveness, and hope to be permitted to stay as one of the hired hands.

     

    The second parable tells of a woman who has lost one of her 10 silver coins, and cannot rest until she has found it—lighting a lamp, sweeping the house, and doing an exhaustive search. 

    

    All three of the stories end with the one that is lost being found.

    

    And all bear the same Good News—that all of heaven rejoices when one sinner repents. 

***

  

    The day after the photo went missing, Lou Ann sent me a note. She assured me that she had, indeed, brought it home with her.

    

      I was overjoyed –and thanked God.  Yes, it was only a picture, but it was something precious that belonged to someone I care about.  Something that cannot be replaced if it were lost or destroyed.

     

       And I thought… Hmmmm…..  If I felt that happy about my friend’s photograph being found, just think how happy the Lord would be if His church were to go and bring into the fold that which is more precious to Him than anything. Our loving Lord longs to draw all people to Himself.  One lost sinner is one too many. He has already paid the price for the sins of every human being. John 3:16 tells us that God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

   

      It is too easy, when we are distracted with our own cares and busy lives, to forget about the Lord’s passion for the lost—His love for all the nations.  And if we love Him, we will obey His call to love and care for all that He loves—our neighbors around the world.

     Jesus calls to us every day.  Every day we have another chance to obey and follow more closely after Him. His soothing voice rises above our tumultuous lives, if we stop and listen for Him. He calls us to walk with Him, rest and find peace in Him, place our burdens on him, and help him build His kingdom one lost soul at a time.

     Friends, hear the Good News! All of heaven rejoices when one sinner repents.

Let us pray.

Lord we come to you now, needing your love and forgiveness.  We are still sinners, Lord, saved by your amazing grace.  Open our hearts so we care more about people in other places, people who live in poverty, sickness and hunger, and in places torn apart by war. Move us to compassion for people who do not have what we have—the hope of salvation in Christ the Lord.  Empower us to be your voice and your light, sharing your grace with all the nations so that what was lost will be found and all heaven will rejoice.  In Christ we pray.  Amen.