God's Last Words

“Eternity’s Lost and Found” Luke 15  (NRSV) 

I see some of you here without your husbands. Are they missing like Dick was last week? He suffered a run in with a bad car battery. We missed him.

 

Ladies here's some advice for when your hubbies' missing:

 

A lady calls the police to report her husband is missing. The police arrive and ask for a description. She tells them he’s 6 foot 2 inches tall, blonde wavy hair and has a smile that makes everybody love him.

The police then go to the next door neighbor to verify this report and the lady next door tells the police, "You can’t believe her. He’s 5 foot 4 inches tall, has no hair and he’s always frowning." The neighbor then goes and asks the lady why she gave the police such a false report. She replies, "Just because I reported him missing, doesn’t mean I wanted him back!" 

I don't know why I didn't realize this sooner. The reason why I weight so much is because of the shampoo I use in the shower. When I wash my hair, the shampoo runs down my whole body, and printed very clearly on the shampoo label is the warning: 'USE FOR EXTRA VOLUME AND BODY'.

No wonder I have been gaining weight. I am getting rid of the shampoo and am changing to my dishwashing liquid, instead. It “'DISSOLVES FAT THAT IS OTHERWISE DIFFICULT TO REMOVE.” Problem solved. 

A father passing by his son's bedroom, was astonished to see the bed was nicely made, and that everything was picked up and tidy. Then, he saw an envelope, propped up prominently on the pillow. It was addressed, 'Dad.'

With a sinking feeling, he opened the envelope and read the letter, with trembling hands.

Dear Dad: It is with great regret and sorrow that I'm writing to you. I had to elope with my new girlfriend, because I wanted to avoid a scene with mom and you.

I've discovered who I am when I’m with Stacy, and she is so nice, but I
knew you would not like her, because of all her piercings', her leather clothes, and because she 15 years older than I am.

But it's not only our friendship, Dad. She's wants a life together.

Stacy said that we will be very happy. She owns a trailer in the woods, and has a stack of firewood for the whole winter. Stacy has opened my eyes to the fact that we can live on the cans and bottles we gather along the roadsides of the town.  

In the meantime, we'll pray that science will find a cure for all those infections Stacy has because of her homemade tattoos, so she can get better. She deserves it!

Don't worry Dad, I'm 15, and I know how to take care of myself. Someday, I'm sure we'll be back to visit, so you can get to know your grandchildren.

Love, your son, Joshua.

P.S. Dad, none of the above is true. I'm over at Jason's house. I just wanted to remind you that there are worse things in life than the report card that's on the kitchen table.    

 

Let’s read Luke, Chapter 15:

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 persons 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.” 

Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.’ So he divided his property between them.

A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living.

 

When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs.  He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything.  

But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger!  I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.”’  

So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’  

But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’  

And they began to celebrate. 

“Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing.  

He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.’ Then he became angry and refused to go in.

 

His father came out and began to plead with him.  But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends.  

But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’

Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.’” 

Luke’s Chapter 15 contains three parables: “the Lost Sheep,” “the Lost Coin,” and “the Lost Son.” In all three Jesus emphasizes the need for, and importance of seeking after those things and people God has given us responsibility for. He also assures us of Heaven’s rejoicing as “lost” people are found.

These three parables have OT parallels in the Book of Jeremiah, the Book of Ezekiel, and the Book of Deuteronomy. It is from these passages that the interpretations of meaning, as scripture is used to interpret scripture, is used.   

From this passage I think Jesus is telling us that there are three things that distract us from His kingdom and love, but that God’s Love overcomes.  

Sometimes we just get lost in the world around us and we’re incapable of finding our way and need help. He’s there for us. 

Other times we get lost in accumulating wealth and status,  and become upset when we feel we’ve lost or are threatened with losing what we’ve earned so that our whole life is caught up in it. He’s there too. 

Lastly, there are those who are caught up in the sensory pleasures and pursuits of the world so much so that nothing else matters. He’s there to pick the pieces up as well. 

The Holy Spirit works to overcome these conditions, convince us of our sins, and lead us to repentance and reconciliation. What a time for rejoicing and celebration that is. 

The final thought we have is this: Jesus is so irritating, the way he loves people. His love frequently doesn’t work the way we expect it too. Amen.