“Ooh, bad times for that guy.”  “He deserves being at the end of his rope.”  “Rock bottom is the worst place to be.”  “I’m so glad I’m not like them.”  “Well, just desserts to you, fella.”  We’ve heard or even said one or most of these comments made while seeing someone fall on hard times.  We are quick to judge and slow to respond to the real need.  I say “we” because “all have sinned” in this area of humanity. 

Granted, there are a few noble and wonderful people who work hard daily to help with resources that will aid people as they “get back on their feet” with meals, clothes, and rehabilitation so they can earn a living again.  But those who help the most are the ones who see and know the real need of lost people and also lead them to Jesus.  Jesus is the Way to being found for Life!  Firm footing can be found at rock bottom when we cling to The Rock of Ages—Jesus!

As we read the last story in Jesus’ lost and found trilogy, notice who is “lost” in this parable…

Luke 15, The Message

The Story of the Lost Son

^11-12 Then he said, “There was once a man who had two sons. The younger said to his father, ‘Father, I want right now what’s coming to me.’

^12-16 “So the father divided the property between them. It wasn’t long before the younger son packed his bags and left for a distant country. There, undisciplined and dissipated, he wasted everything he had. After he had gone through all his money, there was a bad famine all through that country and he began to feel it. He signed on with a citizen there who assigned him to his fields to slop the pigs. He was so hungry he would have eaten the corn-cobs in the pig slop, but no one would give him any.

^17-20 “That brought him to his senses. He said, ‘All those farmhands working for my father sit down to three meals a day, and here I am starving to death. I’m going back to my father. I’ll say to him, Father, I’ve sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you; I don’t deserve to be called your son. Take me on as a hired hand.’ He got right up and went home to his father.

^20-21 “When he was still a long way off, his father saw him. His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed him. The son started his speech: ‘Father, I’ve sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you; I don’t deserve to be called your son ever again.’

^22-24 “But the father wasn’t listening. He was calling to the servants, ‘Quick. Bring a clean set of clothes and dress him. Put the family ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Then get a prize-winning heifer and roast it. We’re going to feast! We’re going to have a wonderful time! My son is here—given up for dead and now alive! Given up for lost and now found!’ And they began to have a wonderful time.

^25-27 “All this time his older son was out in the field. When the day’s work was done he came in. As he approached the house, he heard the music and dancing. Calling over one of the houseboys, he asked what was going on. He told him, ‘Your brother came home. Your father has ordered a feast—barbecued beef!—because he has him home safe and sound.’

^28-30 “The older brother stomped off in an angry sulk and refused to join in. His father came out and tried to talk to him, but he wouldn’t listen. The son said, ‘Look how many years I’ve stayed here serving you, never giving you one moment of grief, but have you ever thrown a party for me and my friends? Then this son of yours who has thrown away your money on whores shows up and you go all out with a feast!’

^31-32 “His father said, ‘Son, you don’t understand. You’re with me all the time, and everything that is mine is yours—but this is a wonderful time, and we had to celebrate. This brother of yours was dead, and he’s alive! He was lost, and he’s found!’”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

“Who are lost people?”  Here are some descriptors:

• Lost people do not know God and are not concerned about what God does. 
• Lost people like to be in complete control. 
• Lost people are distracted from who God is. 
• Lost people are deceived by the enemy who entices the lost to stay focused on observing all the laws, adhering to all traditions, doing what is necessary in a “this is the way we’ve always done it” habitual way—without developing relationships with God and people. 
• Relationship requires humility, giving of one’s heart with an openness lost people are not willing to extend. 
• Lost people avoid issues of the heart, mind and soul that lead to an intimately loving, growing relationships with God through Jesus, His Son. 
• Lost people are takers not givers. 
• Lost people demand fairness as they perceive what is fair and deserved. 

Who are “found people”?

• People found in Jesus really believe who He is and what He has done to save us from being lost. 
• Found people readily accept all He has done and given to us—love, mercy and grace so undeserved. 
• Found people discover a new life in Him and a new way of life with Him! 
• The found discover that Jesus’ unconditional love is contagious as it seeps into every crevice of our being and begins to transform us into a new way of thinking and processing life with others. 
• Found people realize that Jesus’ thinking causes new healthy habits to form because of Jesus now living in them. 
• All these wonderful transformations occur in found people because someone told them that Jesus didn’t come to gossip about them, point out all the ways they have failed at life, or judge them for being lost currently—only that Jesus loves and gave His life for us. 
• Found in Jesus revel in a love that is beyond our imaginations! 
• Found people don’t understand His mercy and amazing grace because of past lostness and feel undeserving of this generous demonstration of love—but they readily accept Jesus and give God praise for all He has provided for us.  God is for us, not against us?  Found people marvel at the thought!
• Found people are grateful for all that God has provided. 
• Found people thank God daily for Jesus who gave up His life so our sins could be removed now and forever. 
• Found people humbly walk with God and listen for His Voice to guide them in all they think, say and do. 
• Found people learn to act justly and love mercy so they can show the love of God to others. 
• Found people do not judge with arms folded but welcome others who need Jesus with open arms of His love in them. 

Both sons in Jesus’ trilogy of “lost, found, rejoice” were lost.  One was found; One remained lost. 

The Younger Son dreamed of “enjoying” his freedom far from home and away from his father and older brother. If the sheep was lost through foolishness and the coin through carelessness, then the son was lost because of willfulness. He wanted to have his own way, so he rebelled against his own father and broke his father’s heart.

The Father in Jesus’ parable pictures to us the attitude of our heavenly Father toward sinners who repent: He is rich in His mercy and grace, and great in His love toward them (Ephesians 2:1–10). All of this is possible because of the sacrifice of His Son on the cross. No matter what some preachers (and singers) claim, we are not saved by God’s love; God loves the whole world, and the whole world is not saved. We are saved by God’s grace, and grace is love that pays a price.

The Older Brother is a clear illustration of the scribes and Pharisees. The publicans and sinners were guilty of the obvious sins of the flesh, but the Pharisees and scribes were guilty of sins of the spirit. Their outward actions may have been blameless, but their inward attitudes were abominable (see Matthew 23:25–28).

The Younger Son repented and was forgiven.  He gains firm footing at rock bottom.  The Older Son was given all He needed (half the estate) he was entitled to and more; but he refused to celebrate his brother who he had disowned.  The condition of his heart is revealed as he declares his “Good Son” resume while walking a slippery slope of bitterness with no firm footing.  There is no joy, peace or contentment in harboring bitterness, jealousy, envy, from self-righteousness.

To summarize…“This is a story about two lost sons, not one. If the younger was an unholy mess, the older was a holy one. But which pigpen is worse—the one involving very public sins of the flesh, or the one consisting of deep sins of the heart. Do you see? Without ever leaving home, the older brother was miles and miles from his father!

Jesus’ parable reminds us that only those who admit their need for grace, and receive it, can ever really celebrate it.” —Max Lucado

Lord,

I love how you teach us through your multiple faceted stories that demonstrate your perfect, holy forgiveness.  Thank you for confronting and challenging me again today.  Thank you for helping me go to the next level of your unconditional love, marvelous mercy, and amazing grace with greater understanding of what it means to be lost but now found in You.  I was lost who is now found. I have not arrived but I am not where I was.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

In Jesus Name, Amen