LUKE 15 v 1-10
I am turning to the gospel of Luke, in Chapter 15. This is a very well-known passage which contains a message for people of all ages.
First, there is the shepherd who loses one of his sheep, so he leaves the flock of the other ninety nine whilst he searches for the lost one. He finds, and is so delighted he carries the sheep with joy, back to his friends and neighbors, finding the one who went astray
Secondly, there is the woman who loses one of ten coins from her head-dress, so sweeps the home until she finds the coin, and after finding the lost, calls in her friends to rejoice with her. Although not worth a lot moneywise, it was equal to a day’s wage. It was not difficult to lose a coin but difficult to find. The house would be small with an earth floor covered with reeds and rushes, and there would be a small round window to give little light.
Trying to find a coin in such conditions was hard, and
despite s weeping the floor it looked totally lost. It was a matter of
desperation to the woman, and she could not give in. These people needed food
and were living on the edge, and without finding the coin there would be no
food. But there was also a romantic
reason
In Palestine, the mask of a married woman, was a head-dress
of ten silver coins linked together to form a chain. For years a girl would
save up to collect the coins for her head-dress, which was like the equivalent
of our wedding ring. When she had it, it was a treasure and could not be taken
away. This may be the reason for which she was so disturbed over, and longed to
find. She searched so hard, as a woman today would for a lost ring. She did in
the end find it and clutched it in her hand, full of joy and finding it. God said Jesus is like that, filled with
joy when one sinner returns to him, and angels in heaven rejoice.
Jesus came down to earth to give His life on a Cross, to pay
the price for forgiveness for all who return to Him. He did so to be the ‘good
shepherd’. Always searching for the lost. Jesus always showed concern, He never
just wrote a person off. Parables were
the way Jesus wanted to teach people how to lead their life in a Christian
manner. Here, Jesus was giving a lesson
in forgiveness.
An American story, is of their great President Lincoln, who
was asked after the Southerners were defeated in the Civil War, if he would
claim vengeance, but Lincoln replied, I will treat them as if they had never
been away. God treats us like that. If you repent after offending God or Jesus,
remember God will forgive you.
We see the testimony shown by our Lord towards his
enemies. The Jewish leaders criticised
Him as mixing with sinners. Not everyone
is so charitable as Jesus, but if there has not been any severe harm caused,
life is too short to bear grudges.
This chapter contains two parables told by Jesus, and in each
parable there is a story of something lost, but then found. In to-day’s world,
which moves so fast, in which knowledge advances in almost every year. In fact, it moves so fast, many people cannot
keep pace. Just as in the passage, people are lost. They want all the good
things that life now produces in the technological sphere, but are not able to
afford, and they wander disgruntled. Much pleasure in life will be lost if you
have no purpose or plan for which to
strive for. If you carefully decide on
you’re the career, plan your future.
In our present way, we wish we had thought and acted in in
the past, like our recent manner. Many people I am sure, look back on life and
how they acted, and think if I could only have acted as I feel able to now, how
better life would be. I readily admit I think of my early ministry years, and
think how I did things, and wish I had time to make good. I think of the offers
I had but never took.. Like lot of people, we realize the way we have learned
and improved. Christ is willing to understand, and will graciously pardon us
freely, and offer eternal life. Do not hold back in asking to be forgiven, and
saved.
Difficult times come when students come to the time of going
to University, and that inevitably means living away from home and family. Most
young people here, look forward to what they think life will be, free to do
what they like, which is a disastrous attitude.
Things are not all that wonderful in a strange city, for temptations are
everywhere, and young people cannot resist the lure of alcohol, and the more
deadly drugs which are so prevalent in the cities of our country.
When the age of 19/20 is reached, girls are more ready to
have a steady boyfriend, and some boys
take advantage of this, and girls are likely to face a difficult future
as the boys run off and leave them. I have felt very sorry for the situation
girls are left in. but the hardest word to use in any language is ‘No’. Don’t be afraid to use it.
Billy Graham, was an American evangelist and the greatest
preacher in Christian history, preaching regularly across the world ,to
congregations of 80 thousands or more, once to 250,000. He spoke to a young
persons’ service and advised that young people should not engage in sexual
activity in order to get a quick marriage. If you are a Christian boy or girl,
God will find a suitable partner for you. Many scoffed, but I liked Billy and
took him seriously, and I had the most wonderful girl any man could have, and
we met at a Church club and started to see each other, and were together for
many years until God took her back.
One of my Church
ladies described her as one of God’s special daughters, for she was loved by
all who knew her. I wish everyone of you
young people hearing this sermon will be blessed by God as I was.
I beseech you, don’t act in haste in any circumstances, think
carefully of how you will be best dealing with the consequences. Find a Church, one where the Pastor
preaches from the Bible, not all the preachers do so in Churches. Remember
Jesus died, giving his life on a Cross in a most cruel death, and he did so, in
order that you and I will be forgiven our sins. God said there is no one who is
truly righteous, and he sent Jesus to die for us, so that his death would pay
the penalty for sin. God is a God of justice, and like the judges in civil
Courts has to give a penalty for wrongdoing. In those cases, the offender has
to pay himself, but when we sin God is so upset, only Jesus could pay our
penalty. So if Jesus gave his life for
us, we should give him our presence at worship in Church.
I wish you all every ,blessing, and to any young people, hope
you enjoy your time together, and pray that you will as you go through your
lives, follow Jesus, and have his presence in your life as I did in mine May God bless you and may your lives be
blessed with love and happiness.
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This chapter is well-known to Bible Readers. In these verses
we see the response of The Scribes and Pharisees who mocked scornfully at Jesus
for receiving sinners and publicans, even eating with them. Their remarks were
used by Jesus to show He received such people
in order to pardon them.
The Jews would not understand a preacher mixing with
sinners. The very saying was meant for
reproach, but was adopted by Jesus as a true description of His mission, and it
led to Him telling parables,
The description by the Pharisees were literally true, but
Jesus does care for sinners, he receives to prepare them for salvation. For
this reason He came into this world, not just for the righteous, but sinners
for repentance. He is at the hand of God, and will be to all eternity. He is
really the sinners friend.
If we have committed sin, is there guilt or fear of God’s
anger? Sometimes as we recount our past
lives, er may regret and feel ashamed. Christ will receive us gracefully and
pardon us freely, and still grant eternal life.
We note in the verses, the remarkable figures which Jesus
describes His own love to sinners, We read that in reply to the mocking remark
of His enemies. He spoke parables of the lost sheep, the lost piece of silver,
and a third parable which is not with this passage. They each show Christ’s
willingness to save sinners
The love of Christ is an active working love, Just as the woman would not stand still until
her lost money was found, and the shepherd would not rest, until he found the
lost sheep, they both are meant to show
the same truth, so our Lord did not stand still in heaven having pity on
sinners. He left the glory which He had
with the Father, and humbled Himself to be made in the likeness of of man. He came down into the world to seek and save
that which was lost. And never rested until He made atonement for our
transgressions, brought into
Everlasting righteousness, provided eternal redemption, and
opened a door of life to all who are willing to be saved.
The love of Christ is a self-denying love. The shepherd brought the lost sheep home on
his shoulders rather than leave it in the wilderness. The woman lighted a
candle and swept the house, searching carefully until she found the lost
money. So did Christ not spare Himself,
when undertook to save sinners. He went
to the Cross, was despised and beaten, and laid won His life for His friends.
The love of Christ is
deep and mighty. It is a pleasing thing to stop people from going to hell, He is far more ready to save sinners than
they are to be sought.
Lastly, we see the encouragement which Jesus holds out to
repentance. Oy shall be shown in heaven
when a sinner repents. If a person is
too ashamed to repent, they should cast shame aside. What shall it profit us to know Christ os
love if we don’t use it.
We thank God for His
Holy Gospel and pray He be Glorified
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