The Lost

by Joey Davis

Last night, Brother Tom Holland used Luke 15 as part of his sermon's text. This is one of the richest sections of Lukan narrative. Luke uses the words of Jesus to drive home several convincing and convicting points.

It has occurred to me that many of us have overlooked Jesus' real message and His audiences. There were two audiences, you know. The Christians and the Pharisees. His message to the Christians is that we are important. To God, the idea that one of us is lost is more heart-wrenching than we can imagine.

However, I feel that the most powerful point is to the Pharisees. You know who they were. . . the religious people who claimed to helve the truth and use this status to become an exclusively elite group. They looked down their noses at others who were not like they were. They were willing to intimidate others with their religious standing. And the problem became that they were so caught up in their "cowboys club" mentality that they no longer cared about real people with real problems.

Jesus used penitent Christians in His lesson by calling them lost sheep, lost coins, and most interesting of all, d lost son. He spoke of the tragic nature of their separation from safety and of the urgent desire for their return felt by their shepherd, owner, and father.

Then Jesus called the Pharisees "older brothers." They saw people regaining a relationship with their Father, seeking to be servants although being adopted as sons. And this angered them. So Jesus used this parable to silently pose this question not only to Pharisees, but to those who claim to be religious toddy. If you lost an animal, maybe a pet, would you scour the countryside to find it? !f you lost d twenty dollar bill would you turn your house upside down in your search? There are lost people out there. Aren't they more important than animals and money?

Life is about priorities. The great commission is not the "great suggestion" it is a circular commandment that orders us to go, make disciples, baptize, and teach your converts to go, make disciples, baptize, and teach. . . and so on,. So the question now rests on our hearts. Who do we most resemble. . . the prodigal or his brother?

• 2005 Reviewing the Numbers -Dec 18, 2005
• When the Fire Goes Out -Aug 09, 1998
• Am I My Brother's Keeper? -Apr 07, 1996
• Ollie-ollie-oxenfree! -Nov 28, 1993
• Being a Militant Church -Jun 21, 1992