“I didn’t do it!” 

“Everyone is doing it!” 

“He did it first!” 

“Yes, I did it.”

A student caught by the teacher in the act of disobedience responds in this way in exactly this order.  Sometimes they will add, “Yeah, well, he did worse things than I did!”  Children rank and file each other’s’ behaviors.  Children’s first thoughts are to deflect their wrong behaviors by shifting the focus to the bad behavior of others.  Children throw other people “under the bus” so they can go on about their business and be saved from the discipline that follows. 

Children self-promote, blame others for what they are doing, while being “complacently pleased with themselves” as they act as if they’ve done nothing wrong just because they haven’t been caught doing wrong—yet. But they are children.  Children copy what they see and hear.  Children will follow who leads them.  They are moldable and shapable when love, dignity and respect is honestly demonstrated to children.  C.S. Lewis said, “Children are not a distraction from more important work. They are the most important work.” 

Children are given as gifts to us by God no matter how or when they arrive.  God also gives parents the help of His Holy Spirit to teach a developing human in the ways of God.  As parents, we teach them the love of God by loving them enough to confront and redirect our children when they say and do things unbecoming of God’s character. 

However, we can only lead children as far as we ourselves have been in our own maturing process as we lean on God’s love, mercy, and grace.  His Holy Spirit teaches us to develop and “bear the fruits” of His character.  (See Galatians 5 for the list of God’s character traits!)

“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.”  1 Corinthians 13:11.

Who am I?  Childish or childlike in my walk and talk with God?  Do I still rank others as a way to evaluate myself?

Am I complacently pleased with myself, thinking I am good while I look down on others I deem “not as good”?  Let’s see what Jesus says…

Luke 18, The Message

The Story of the Tax Man and the Pharisee

^9-12 He told his next story to some who were complacently pleased with themselves over their moral performance and looked down their noses at the common people: “Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax man. The Pharisee posed and prayed like this: ‘Oh, God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, crooks, adulterers, or, heaven forbid, like this tax man. I fast twice a week and tithe on all my income.’

¹³ “Meanwhile the tax man, slumped in the shadows, his face in his hands, not daring to look up, said, ‘God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner.’”

¹⁴ Jesus commented, “This tax man, not the other, went home made right with God. If you walk around with your nose in the air, you’re going to end up flat on your face, but if you’re content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself.”

Luke follows up this point with Jesus’ demonstration of God’s love for infants and children.  Parents bring their children to see Jesus—to feel His touch of blessing on them because they believe He will.  But they are met with resistance!  Jesus uses this as a “teachable moment” for his disciples and for all who are watching.   Read on…

^15-17 People brought babies to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. When the disciples saw it, they shooed them off. Jesus called them back. “Let these children alone. Don’t get between them and me. These children are the kingdom’s pride and joy. Mark this: Unless you accept God’s kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you’ll never get in.”

WHAT DO LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Do we rank and file people?  Yes, we do.  “Everybody does it!”   

The apostle Paul, a zealous Jew radically changed by Jesus with Kingdom of God thinking explains the danger of being complacent pleased with ourselves who think we are good and better than that “sinner” over there…

“What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.

As it is written:

“There is none righteous, no, not one;
There is none who understands;
There is none who seeks after God.
They have all turned aside;
They have together become unprofitable;
There is none who does good, no, not one.”  Romans 3:9-12

Most days, we are pretty complacently pleased with ourselves, but it comes at the expense of judging others as being not quite as good as we are.  We decide we are better than most as “law abiding” citizens, according to our self-evaluation of inner goodness, wealth, behaviors, generosity, and righteousness.  Yikes, Jesus (and later Paul) teaches us how dangerous this thinking is!   This selfishness is a slippery slope to self-righteousness that is unacceptable to God.  This is arrogant thinking which has no place in God’s Kingdom.

“Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God.  For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.” Romans 3:19-20

The “incident” of children being shooed off by Jesus’s guys is another perfect example of arrogant behavior on their part and fits this line of teaching.  Hey disciples!  Are these precious babies with their parents “less than” you who follow Jesus daily?  We know you gave up a lot and work hard to follow Jesus, but…Are they not worthy of the touch of Jesus on their lives?  Why are you so annoyed with parents bringing their children into the what you deem the more important work of Jesus?  Weren’t you a baby once?  Jesus was.  Jesus came into this world as a baby, born in a cave with animals looking on, to young parents God chose and trusted to nurture His Son!  Does this not prove how valuable EVERY life is to God?  God gave us HIS SON as a demonstration of His love for us! 

“But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago.We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood.”  Romans 3:21-25

Good deeds do not save us.  Being good enough as we see it or at least better than that guy over there, does not save us.  Only God is good.  Because of His goodness, through the sacrifice of His Son, we are made right with God.  Our relationship is sealed forever.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16  It’s about knowing that Jesus is enough to cover our sins. 

Our response—Ask God to help us cease our judging, ranking, assumptions and presumptions of others and remove this “trait” from our being.  Come as a child with childlike faith but cease childish behavior.

We cannot do it without Him.  But with Him—all things are possible!

Lord,

I’m disgusted with my own complacency on those days when I think that I have arrived at “goodness”.  Yikes!  I repent.  You are God and I am not.  You are the definition of Good, I am not.  I am so grateful you paid our debt of sins and self.  By this we are set free to love everyone you created like you love us—without conditions—only belief in you.  Lord, it’s actually a burden to rank and file others—to see and evaluate who I am in the “standings” of life when I should be focused on my standing with You. 

Continue to teach us. Continue the daily process of cleansing our hearts, transforming our thinking and restoring the joy of your salvation at work within us.  Help us to hear you above all the voices of this world who distracts us from you.

In Jesus Name, Amen

“You just don’t give up!” This has been said of me a few times in my lifetime.  This is a blessing and welcome affirmation if what I am resolute in honoring God with my life and growing my faith in ways that are holy and unwavering.  This is a curse with cause for dismay and intervention if I am not giving up on wanting my own way, hurting people who get in my way, while forcing life to happen through my own feeble attempts at controlling life.

Jesus knows us well and knows our hearts.  He tells us yet another story to show us that our persistence for God’s mercy and grace is rewarded by His love for us!  God hears our cries for help. 

When we feel invisible to others in this world, God sees us.  From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind” (Psalm 33:13). Like Proverbs 15:3 explains, “The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.” God is keeping an eye on everyone. Nothing that happens in the world is out of His view.

When we feel unheard, God listens to every word uttered from our lips as well as every thought that is on our minds.  “The LORD hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles.” Psalm 34:17

In fact, all of heaven stops to rejoice when our persistent, sincere prayers of repentance begin.  Heaven knows “His compassions fail not”—God’s promise.  God does not lie.  God responds.  God’s plan of forgiveness is secured through Jesus.  God’s love is everlasting and cannot be taken from us.  Yes, God never gives up on us.

Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I hope in Him!”  Lamentations 3:22-24, NKJV

God never gives up on us.  Repeat this as often as necessary.  Don’t give up on God!

Luke 18, The Message

The Story of the Persistent Widow

18 ^1-3 Jesus told them a story showing that it was necessary for them to pray consistently and never quit. He said, “There was once a judge in some city who never gave God a thought and cared nothing for people. A widow in that city kept after him: ‘My rights are being violated. Protect me!’

^4-5 “He never gave her the time of day. But after this went on and on he said to himself, ‘I care nothing what God thinks, even less what people think. But because this widow won’t quit badgering me, I’d better do something and see that she gets justice—otherwise I’m going to end up beaten black-and-blue by her pounding.’”

^6-8 Then the Master said, “Do you hear what that judge, corrupt as he is, is saying? So what makes you think God won’t step in and work justice for his chosen people, who continue to cry out for help? Won’t he stick up for them? I assure you, he will. He will not drag his feet. But how much of that kind of persistent faith will the Son of Man find on the earth when he returns?”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Let us pause to reflect on what Jesus is telling us as we evaluate the depth of our faith because what flows from our hearts will be seen in our behaviors today. 

We must be still before God, let go of our agenda items floating around in our brains and ask ourselves:

• Do I really believe that what God says and does really real? 
• Do I believe God truly loves the world (everyone) so much He gave His Only Son to save whoever believes in Him?  Am I one of the “whoevers”?
• How persistent am I in asking God for help believing that He will intervene with love, mercy, justice, and grace?
• Do I trust God with every part of my life—all the details? 
• Do I really love God back with all my heart, all my mind, and all my soul? 
• Do I love others, including those unlovable people who don’t know God, like He loves me?

Then consider this…

Could it be that in believing our faith fuels our passionate, persistent cries for help—assured that He will answer with exactly what we need when we need it?

“But how much of that kind of persistent faith will the Son of Man find on the earth when he returns?” –Jesus, asking His friends…

Lord,

I will never give up on you because you never gave up on me.  I am not perfect but I know and am assured that I am perfectly forgive by you.  Your love never runs out and never gives up on me.  Your mercies are new and fresh, filling my soul each morning as we talk together.  My persistent prayer is for you to cleanse my heart, remove all that is not you, renew my mind, transform my thinking, refresh my soul with your compassionate mercy, and restore the joy of your salvation at work within me.  I am convinced that you love even me.  I am assured that you are with us always—to the end of this age when you will come back to claim your own.  Great is your faithfulness!

In Jesus Name, Amen

“Are we there yet?” 

“How much farther?”

“What time will we get there, in five more minutes?” 

“I am not at maximum comfort!”  (One of our kids came up with this one. As a new reader, she “sounded out” the words maximum comfort written under the switch to control the air conditioning flow.  We wished she had a switch to control her demands for comfort! Ha!)

Whether traveling to a vacation spot, to grandparents’ house, to the park, zoo, or merely to the store, the backseat gang would shout these phrases with whiny, anxious voices as they grill their parents with these questions.  Kids want to know exactly how much time it will take to get to their final destination.  And seriously, what is “time” to a child?  Bunch a Pharisees…

Luke 17, The Message

When the Son of Man Arrives

^20-21 Jesus, grilled by the Pharisees on when the kingdom of God would come, answered, “The kingdom of God doesn’t come by counting the days on the calendar. Nor when someone says, ‘Look here!’ or, ‘There it is!’ And why? Because God’s kingdom is already among you.”

^22-24 He went on to say to his disciples, “The days are coming when you are going to be desperately homesick for just a glimpse of one of the days of the Son of Man, and you won’t see a thing. And they’ll say to you, ‘Look over there!’ or, ‘Look here!’ Don’t fall for any of that nonsense. The arrival of the Son of Man is not something you go out to see. He simply comes.

^24-25 “You know how the whole sky lights up from a single flash of lightning? That’s how it will be on the Day of the Son of Man. But first it’s necessary that he suffer many things and be turned down by the people of today.

^26-27 “The time of the Son of Man will be just like the time of Noah—everyone carrying on as usual, having a good time right up to the day Noah boarded the ship. They suspected nothing until the flood hit and swept everything away.

^28-30 “It was the same in the time of Lot—the people carrying on, having a good time, business as usual right up to the day Lot walked out of Sodom and a firestorm swept down and burned everything to a crisp. That’s how it will be—sudden, total—when the Son of Man is revealed.

^31-33 “When the Day arrives and you’re out working in the yard, don’t run into the house to get anything. And if you’re out in the field, don’t go back and get your coat. Remember what happened to Lot’s wife! If you grasp and cling to life on your terms, you’ll lose it, but if you let that life go, you’ll get life on God’s terms.

^34-35 “On that Day, two men will be in the same boat fishing—one taken, the other left. Two women will be working in the same kitchen—one taken, the other left.”

³⁷ Trying to take all this in, the disciples said, “Master, where?”

He told them, “Watch for the circling of the vultures. They’ll spot the corpse first. The action will begin around my dead body.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

The Pharisees want to know more about the Kingdom of God from Jesus.  But their motivation for knowing more is more about how they can control the Kingdom. To say they obeyed the Law is questionable for themselves.  The Pharisees, religious teachers and scribes were immersed in every detail of The Law.  They debated with each other over each detail and argued over who was in perfect obedience of The Law.  Why?  Because in their thinking, perfect obedience to The Law bought them a place in the Kingdom of God! 

Who judges human “perfection”?  The Pharisees and others “in charge” and in control influentially, politically, and powerfully!  God was a minor consideration while His Law became their major focus.  To make matters worse, they added to The Law to make it more perfect in their thinking.  Wow.  The enemy of God was having a good time as he led these leaders to focused on condemnation, judgement, punishment with fines while using God’s Law as a powerful tool to oppress and control God’s people who were living under the oppression of the Roman government.  Two oppressions in one! 

Then Jesus comes and walks into their neighborhoods.  Jesus changes everything.  Jesus answers their grilling questions explaining who the Kingdom of God is with who is truly “in charge and in control.”  This new information does not appease, resolve, or delight the Pharisees in the “backseat of government” who are trying to control the lives of God’s people, gain power for themselves, while politically maneuvering the Roman leaders over them.  In fact, this new information from the Son of God infuriates the Pharisees!

The disciples ask with trusting hearts, renewed minds and hungry souls committed to hanging on every word Jesus says. So, having answered the Pharisees, Jesus then turned to His disciples to instruct them about the coming of the kingdom. He warned them not to become so obsessed with His return that they ended up doing nothing else but trying to track Him down.

This is a good warning to believers who do nothing but study prophecy. Certainly we should look for His return and long to see Him come, but at the same time, we should be busy doing His work when He comes. 

The Gospel According to Luke concludes where Acts begins, namely, with Christ’s Ascension into heaven. Luke, according to most Biblical scholars, also wrote the book of Acts.  In this passage, the resurrected Jesus gives his beloved disciples His “last words” of instructions before leaving earth for heaven.  This is a reminder to all believers then and now of the work to be done:

“When they were together for the last time they asked, “Master, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now? Is this the time?”

He told them, “You don’t get to know the time. Timing is the Father’s business. What you’ll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world.”

These were his last words. As they watched, he was taken up and disappeared in a cloud. They stood there, staring into the empty sky. Suddenly two men appeared—in white robes! They said, “You Galileans!—why do you just stand here looking up at an empty sky? This very Jesus who was taken up from among you to heaven will come as certainly—and mysteriously—as he left.”  Acts 1:6-11, MSG

Jesus IS coming back, you know.  Time is not as important as being ready with joyful anticipation.  We are not perfect but we are perfectly forgiven.  Believe and be saved.

The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”  Zephaniah 3:17, NIV

Lord,

Thank you for these words the fill our hearts, renew our minds, and refresh our souls as we offer our lives to you in full this morning as a pleasing sacrifice back to you for all you have done for us. 

In Jesus Name, Amen

Sing them over again to me, wonderful words of life,
Let me more of their beauty see, wonderful words of life;
Words of life and beauty teach me faith and duty.

Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life,
Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life.

As humans we seem to want most what we need least.  We want sustained control.  We want to be served quickly and efficiently with over-the-top hospitality.  We want to live life without problems and are shocked when they arise.  We want to be immediate fixers with a quick solution when troubles come into our view.  We want life to be fair as we see it.  We want others who we think are not pulling their weight or working as hard as we do to be more like us.  We want life to line up with our well thought out plans.  We pray for God to intervene in our lives according to our agendas, spreadsheets, and time lines.  If He doesn’t, we turn away from Him, blame others, or make trouble for those we think has made life difficult for us causing our discontent.  We surely are not the one causing these disruptions of life, are we?

Who (not what) we need most is Jesus.  Jesus changes everything.  Jesus does for us what we cannot do for ourselves—saves us.  Be the one who turns to Him, backs to the world, falling to our knees in gratitude for the One who saves us.

Luke 17, The Message

A Kernel of Faith

^1-2 He said to his disciples, “Hard trials and temptations are bound to come, but too bad for whoever brings them on! Better to wear a concrete vest and take a swim with the fishes than give even one of these dear little ones a hard time!

^3-4 “Be alert. If you see your friend going wrong, correct him. If he responds, forgive him. Even if it’s personal against you and repeated seven times through the day, and seven times he says, ‘I’m sorry, I won’t do it again,’ forgive him.”

⁵ The apostles came up and said to the Master, “Give us more faith.”

⁶ But the Master said, “You don’t need more faith. There is no ‘more’ or ‘less’ in faith. If you have a bare kernel of faith, say the size of a poppy seed, you could say to this sycamore tree, ‘Go jump in the lake,’ and it would do it.

^7-10 “Suppose one of you has a servant who comes in from plowing the field or tending the sheep. Would you take his coat, set the table, and say, ‘Sit down and eat’? Wouldn’t you be more likely to say, ‘Prepare dinner; change your clothes and wait table for me until I’ve finished my coffee; then go to the kitchen and have your supper’? Does the servant get special thanks for doing what’s expected of him? It’s the same with you. When you’ve done everything expected of you, be matter-of-fact and say, ‘The work is done. What we were told to do, we did.’”

^11-13 It happened that as he made his way toward Jerusalem, he crossed over the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten men, all lepers, met him. They kept their distance but raised their voices, calling out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

^14-16 Taking a good look at them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.”

They went, and while still on their way, became clean. One of them, when he realized that he was healed, turned around and came back, shouting his gratitude, glorifying God. He kneeled at Jesus’ feet, so grateful. He couldn’t thank him enough—and he was a Samaritan.

^17-19 Jesus said, “Were not ten healed? Where are the nine? Can none be found to come back and give glory to God except this outsider?” Then he said to him, “Get up. On your way. Your faith has healed and saved you.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Jesus came to earth seeking the lost to save them.  Jesus said so Himself.  We see many instances of God leading Jesus to expand his gracious love and compassion to “all nations” who are lost without God.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 

Jesus’ mission was first to save those descendants of Abraham, Moses and others God originally freed from slavery, led through the waters of the Red Sea, and who He guided and provided for on their wilderness journey to the Promised Land, along with other spectacular miracles for their protection.  But over the centuries, many  hearts turned cold and became hard as stones. 

God sent prophets to speak for Him, but most did not listen—especially those who rose to power as earthly leaders and turned from Him.  God sent signs and wonders to declare his glory but moments later His people returned to routines. The Light of glory they once experienced would dim until it was too dark to see God.

The prophets spoke of the Promise of a Messiah, “one who saves.”  This Messiah would come to save the people from all their sins.  But since He didn’t come on their time table and they grumbled once more.  His people’s view of salvation was more akin to God waving a wand over their oppressed lives to make life all nice and cozy, rich and comfy—without being in relationship with God. 

God stopped talking.  For four centuries, God was silent.  Then God said, it is time to fulfill the Promise.  God sent His One and Only Son as the Promise.  Jesus is Messiah, God’s One and Only Son.  Jesus was given by God to not merely atone (cover over) the sins of people; Jesus willingly paid the price as our human sacrifice to remove all sins from all the people of the world who believe that He did! This sacrificial, once and for all, act of Jesus reconciles (reconnects) all people who believe back to God the One who created them!  How amazing!  How wonderfully compassionate!  How excruciatingly painful… but it was what the world needed most.

God’s people read about Jesus in their meeting places each Sabbath.  They traditionally put an empty chair as the honorary place for “the One who is to come to save us” at the table when celebrating the Sabbath meal, all according to the Laws of Sabbath.  But when The Promise came, the Messiah was not recognized or believed by the leaders.  Reading about Him became “routine” and easy to do but believing and following Jesus as the One Promised seemed impossible.  They were happy with the way life was and did not want to BE different.   

The attitudes of the religious leaders led them to making adamant false statements which revealed their hearts and showed their lack of faith:

• Jesus could not have been the Messiah, for He was poor, disadvantaged from birth, educated from small town leaders from Nazareth “of all places—what good can come from Nazareth?” 
• He followed all the commands of The Law but interpreted the meaning of the Law untraditionally. 
• What was customary in the behaviors of priests, scribes and other teachers of the Law took on a different meaning when the One and Only spoke, related to people—all people—in ways considered despicable in the eyes of those who no longer knew God and had stopped asking what God wanted. 
• They only knew The Law.  In fact, they knew it so well, they created loopholes for themselves as leaders and choke holds on those they lead.

This is why it is imperative that we don’t miss Jesus’ words after healing ten lepers.  The only one who came back to thank and praise Jesus for healing him was an “outsider.”  To solidify this point, Luke adds, “He kneeled at Jesus’ feet, so grateful. He couldn’t thank him enough—and he was a Samaritan.”  Jesus response to the kneeling Samaritan— “Get up. On your way. Your faith has healed and saved you.”

Samaritans were thought of as “less than” by the Jews. The Samaritans didn’t enjoy being around Jewish people either because of previous long-standing feuds.  Each stayed in their own territories, hating each other, and despising each other’s ways of living life. 

Then Jesus comes with words and actions that are so counter culture, it blows the minds and rocks the boats of the “chosen”—unsettling all that is customary and traditional to God’s people and to those within hearing distance.  Jesus is hardpressed to do the will of His Father, God, “to seek and to save the lost.  Jesus knows all are lost. As He walks from town to town, He sees all are in need of salvation.  Jesus knows that He is the way to new life that never ends with God, accompanied by a new way to think, speak, and behave, that is more like God. 

Yes, Jesus, The Messiah, is all this and more—He is Way back to God.  He is Truth whether we choose to believe Him or not—Truth has come to save us from all that is false.  He is Life eternal for all who lose their agendas and follow His plan.  He is for all who decide to believe and want to be with Him.  He is for all who hear and faithfully follow where He leads.  Joy overflows from a grateful heart who knows what God has done in and through a seeking soul.  These are the ones who stop, turn and run to Jesus with thanksgiving overflowing from their hearts.

The One who couldn’t thank Jesus enough knew the joy of salvation.

The One saved knew Jesus did what he could not have done for himself.  We also can’t save ourselves—only Jesus saves us and reconnects us to God in a relationship that is forever!  God is the One who loves to pour out His blessings of spiritual restoration and healing that brings health to our being.  He loves to work within us, developing the fruits of His character that will soon rise up in our transformed behaviors because of this relationship! 

And that’s not all!  Jesus saves us from an unbelieving world led by His enemy who attempts to distract, deceive, with thoughts to destroy us with his perpetual lying and scheming.  But if we follow Jesus with every part of our being, we overcome.  Jesus promised.  Jesus is The Promise.  So, we must follow Jesus realizing that Jesus does not follow us.  We pick up HIS cross of sacrifice, not one of our own creation.  We lay down our ways for His way of living.

And because we are human and weak, we must do this daily—

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2

Be the one who stops suddenly to turn, look up, and give thanks to God because of all He has done and is doing.  Be the one who falls at the feet of Jesus in humble praise and gratitude for a healing and restoration of heart, mind, body, and soul.  Be the one who follows Jesus.  Be the one who asks for His will be done in every detail of life.  Be the one whose praise is ever on our lips with behaviors so gracious that others want to know why…and then be the one to tell them about the One who saved us and gave us what we needed most—Jesus!

Lord,

Thank you for all these thoughts that teach us who you are and how you want us to live.  I love you with all my heart, mind, and soul.  Continue to cleanse my heart, keep me focused on gratitude for all you have done, renew my thinking to be more in line with your thinking.  Thank you for restoring the joy of your salvation at work within me.  To you be the glory, honor, and praise forever!

In Jesus Name, Amen

What will it take for lost people who are rich in material goods to see the need for a Savior?  What will it take for people who depend only on themselves for survival and the consumption of the goods of life allow Jesus to be Lord of their lives? What will it take for people who worry consistently about having more and getting more turn to a God Person who has it all and generously provides all we need? 

What will it take for souls to break free from this seemingly impossible hold of the enemy, let go, and grab the hand of Jesus? What will it take to seriously and completely trust in the one who created us? Will it take losing all their possessions?  Will it take losing all relationships that led us to this bondage?  What will clear the path to freedom?

Will it take Someone with power to release us from the chains of imprisonment the enemy has placed upon us? Will it take this Someone standing in our place and take the punishment for our sins?  Will it take Someone who loves us so much He would go to hell and back again for us?

What if this Someone died and then came back to life, scars and all, and proving to the world that he did indeed defeat death?  Would we listen, then?

Luke 16, The Message

The Rich Man and Lazarus

^19-21 “There once was a rich man, expensively dressed in the latest fashions, wasting his days in conspicuous consumption. A poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, had been dumped on his doorstep. All he lived for was to get a meal from scraps off the rich man’s table. His best friends were the dogs who came and licked his sores.

^22-24 “Then he died, this poor man, and was taken up by the angels to the lap of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell and in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham in the distance and Lazarus in his lap. called out, ‘Father Abraham, mercy! Have mercy! Send Lazarus to dip his He finger in water to cool my tongue. I’m in agony in this fire.’

^25-26 “But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that in your lifetime you got the good things and Lazarus the bad things. It’s not like that here. Here he’s consoled and you’re tormented. Besides, in all these matters there is a huge chasm set between us so that no one can go from us to you even if he wanted to, nor can anyone cross over from you to us.’

^27-28 “The rich man said, ‘Then let me ask you, Father: Send him to the house of my father where I have five brothers, so he can tell them the score and warn them so they won’t end up here in this place of torment.’

²⁹ “Abraham answered, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets to tell them the score. Let them listen to them.’

³⁰ “‘I know, Father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but they’re not listening. If someone came back to them from the dead, they would change their ways.’

³¹ “Abraham replied, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the Prophets, they’re not going to be convinced by someone who rises from the dead.’”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

In the last verse of this passage Abraham explained that only one thing could prevent the five men from eventually joining their brother: They needed to hear the Word of God and respond to it by faith. Moses and the prophets tell sinners how to repent and be saved, and the Jews heard them read every Sabbath in the synagogue. Though miracles can attest to the authority of the preacher, they cannot produce either conviction or conversion in the hearts of the lost.

Believe and be saved.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  John 3:16  Of all the messages Jesus’ story of Lazarus and the Rich Man conveys, don’t miss this one: God takes you however he finds you—rich or poor. No need to clean up or climb up. Just look up. God’s “whoever” policy has a “however” benefit.

Lord,

Cleanse my heart, remove all that is not you.  Renew my mind and transform my thinking to line up with your Kingdom thinking.  Refresh my soul with your new mercies.  Restore the joy of your salvation at work within me that changes who I once was to who you created me to be.  Thank you for always being with us.  Thank you for saving us!

In Jesus Name, Amen

Every generation goes through a time when the elders of that generation are deemed “hopelessly out of touch” by the younger.  Especially when the elders continue to enjoy living more simply, realizing what is important and uppermost and what is not—all because of the lessons through experiences they have learned.  What was once monumental to achieve in life is not as important as staying close to the Master.  What is more important is continuing to love God back with all their hearts, minds, and souls, while listening for His direction with obedient desires—all because of the love He has graciously and mercifully given beyond measure to all of us. 

I suppose I am “hopelessly out of touch” as I not only think but know that God is still the One and Only God who sees inside our hearts, knows what’s on our minds even before we think it, and loves us so much that He sent Jesus to save us from ourselves—our lack of self-discipline, self-control, self-managing, and just plain selfishness.  I am hopelessly out of touch to think I must lean into God’s understanding and wisdom as the world around me thinks there is no God. 

My “out of touchness” lately has caused more attacks on my belief in Jesus as I proclaim daily who God is by telling others what His Word says.  I’m only relaying what God says in His Word—word for word. So, I am told I’m super “out of touch” to think that God’s Word is still relevant for today’s way of living.  I actually believe that what was wrong in relationships and in doing life then is still wrong today.  Yes, I am “hopeless” by world standards.  But little do they know, I have real Hope—Hope of eternal proportions—within me Who is always on my side, in front of me, and beside me, guiding me!  You take the world but give me Jesus!  (Yes, there is a song,,.)

In today’s passage I learn that I am in good company!  Jesus was also deemed “hopelessly out of touch” as he told another parable explaining who God is and who the Pharisees and others who put God aside were not.  So, when we are led to say or do what is right in the eyes of God—expect the eyerolls of the unbelieving world.  Be assured and know, without a doubt, you are in good company.

 Luke 16, The Message

The Story of the Crooked Manager

16 ^1-2 Jesus said to his disciples, “There was once a rich man who had a manager. He got reports that the manager had been taking advantage of his position by running up huge personal expenses. So he called him in and said, ‘What’s this I hear about you? You’re fired. And I want a complete audit of your books.’

^3-4 “The manager said to himself, ‘What am I going to do? I’ve lost my job as manager. I’m not strong enough for a laboring job, and I’m too proud to beg. . . . Ah, I’ve got a plan. Here’s what I’ll do . . . then when I’m turned out into the street, people will take me into their houses.’

⁵ “Then he went at it. One after another, he called in the people who were in debt to his master. He said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’

⁶ “He replied, ‘A hundred jugs of olive oil.’

“The manager said, ‘Here, take your bill, sit down here—quick now—write fifty.’

⁷ “To the next he said, ‘And you, what do you owe?’

“He answered, ‘A hundred sacks of wheat.’

“He said, ‘Take your bill, write in eighty.’

^8-9 “Now here’s a surprise: The master praised the crooked manager! And why? Because he knew how to look after himself. Streetwise people are smarter in this regard than law-abiding citizens. They are on constant alert, looking for angles, surviving by their wits. I want you to be smart in the same way—but for what is right—using every adversity to stimulate you to creative survival, to concentrate your attention on the bare essentials, so you’ll live, really live, and not complacently just get by on good behavior.”

God Sees Behind Appearances

^10-13 Jesus went on to make these comments:

If you’re honest in small things,
    you’ll be honest in big things;
If you’re a crook in small things,
    you’ll be a crook in big things.
If you’re not honest in small jobs,
    who will put you in charge of the store?
No worker can serve two bosses:
    He’ll either hate the first and love the second
Or adore the first and despise the second.
    You can’t serve both God and the Bank.

^14-18 When the Pharisees, a money-obsessed bunch, heard him say these things, they rolled their eyes, dismissing him as hopelessly out of touch. So Jesus spoke to them: “You are masters at making yourselves look good in front of others, but God knows what’s behind the appearance.

What society sees and calls monumental,
    God sees through and calls monstrous.
God’s Law and the Prophets climaxed in John;
Now it’s all kingdom of God—the glad news
    and compelling invitation to every man and woman.
The sky will disintegrate and the earth dissolve
    before a single letter of God’s Law wears out.
Using the legalities of divorce
    as a cover for lust is adultery;
Using the legalities of marriage
    as a cover for lust is adultery.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

This particular manager forgot that he was a steward and began to act as if he were the owner. He became a “prodigal steward” who wasted his master’s wealth.  Jesus did not commend the steward for robbing his master or for encouraging others to be dishonest. Jesus commended the man for his wise use of opportunity. “The sons of this world” are experts at seizing opportunities for making money and friends and getting ahead. God’s people should take heed and be just as wise when it comes to managing the spiritual affairs of life.  God sees and knows the motivations of our hearts.  God intervenes in our lives with what is right.  We have a choice to turn back to what is right or not.  Our behaviors reflect our true hearts. 

Let’s lean into the wisdom (skills of being smarter than the world) of Jesus…

“As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.

“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” –Jesus, Matthew 24:1-14 (Read the whole chapter!)

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” –Jesus, Matthew 24:35

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”           —Jesus, John 16:33

“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” –Jesus, 1 John 4:4

Be smart, live smart.  Look for all the angles in the world to survive the world.  “I want you to be smart in the same way—but for what is right—using every adversity to stimulate you to creative survival, to concentrate your attention on the bare essentials, so you’ll live, really live, and not complacently just get by on good behavior.”—Jesus, Luke 16

Seek what God first and do what HE says is right…blessed is the one who does!

“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.^” –Jesus, Matthew 6:31-33

Jesus came to “seek and to save the lost.”  All have sinned so all are lost without God.  Be found by the Seeker who desires to save us from our own selfishness and foolishness.  Begin to live, really live, with the Living Hope of eternity.  Be one who is hopelessly out of touch with the world but in touch with Jesus, our Savior and Lord.  I was lost but now I’m found—and I’m glad to be found!

Lord,

Thank you for the contentment you give from being hopelessly out of touch with the world.  We live in the world but we are not of this world.  Guide us.  Lead us.  Cleanse our hearts of all that is not you.  Renew our minds.  Refresh our souls with your new mercies that bring peace.  Restore the joy of your salvation at work within us to keep us hopelessly out of touch with the deceiver, our enemy, but wise enough to dismiss him.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

In Jesus Name, Amen

“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

About this time of year, the movie classic, “It’s a Wonderful Life” is aired or streamed on various platforms.  I’ve watched it the night before Christmas many times while doing last minute gift wrapping or putting something together for kids and then grandkids.  The movie, for me, is synonymous with something lost but now is found.   There may be some of you who haven’t yet taken the time to study this classic for it’s meaning and significance because of the hustle and bustle of the season, but it’s worth your time at least once in your lives.

Background:  It’s a Wonderful Life is a 1946 American Christmas supernatural drama film produced and directed by Frank Capra. It is based on the short story and booklet The Greatest Gift self-published by Philip Van Doren Stern in 1943.   The film stars James (Jimmy) Stewart as George Bailey, a man who has given up his personal dreams to help others in his community.  But when faced with a crisis of losing funds from the savings and loan bank where he is employed, thoughts defeat overwhelm him and he considers ending his life.  Thoughts of losing a life on Christmas Eve brings about the intervention of George’s guardian angel, Clarence Odbody who appears in the physical form of a man. Clarence shows George all the lives he touched and what the world would be like if he did not exist.

George is lost.  He is caught up his emotions over losing money, void of meaningful significance because he has lost control as the “boss”, mentally exhausted with seemingly no hope on the horizon, and spiritually bankrupt (at least in my estimation of George). 

Clarence was sent to save George from self-destruction by showing him the way back home. George was lost but now he is found.  Watch the movie for yourself and evaluate the implications of lost and found.  It is a age old scenario of life.  Being found is a “wonderful life” to live.  George returns home to a party thrown in his honor.  All that was lost is found. 

Celebrating being found prompts a spontaneous party of rejoicing by the angels in heaven!  How do we know?  Jesus said so in part two of His trilogy about being lost but now found!

Luke 15, The Message

The Story of the Lost Coin

^8-10 “Or imagine a woman who has ten coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and scour the house, looking in every nook and cranny until she finds it? And when she finds it you can be sure she’ll call her friends and neighbors: ‘Celebrate with me! I found my lost coin!’ Count on it—that’s the kind of party God’s angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Jesus was a master parable-teller; he loved to explain the deeper truths of God’s kingdom through stories. The trilogy of lost and found includes a lost sheep, a lost coin, and a lost son. Through these illustrations, Jesus conveyed the immeasurable love of the Father for his children.  Whenever we’re ready to leave our mess, our heavenly Father is ready to accept us with open arms.  What is lost is found with celebration.

In fact, three words summarize the message of Jesus’ trilogy: lost, found, and rejoice. Jesus told these parables to answer the accusations of the Pharisees and scribes who were scandalized at His behavior. The Jewish religious leaders did not yet understand that the Son of Man “came to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Even more, they were still blind to the fact that they themselves were among the lost. 

Luke makes it clear that there is one message of salvation: God welcomes and forgives repentant sinners.  These two parables help us understand something of what it means to be lost. To begin with, it means being out of place. Sheep belong with the flock, coins (of inheritance) belong on the chain, and lost sinners belong in fellowship with God. But to be lost also means being out of service. A lost sheep is of no value to the shepherd, a lost coin has no value to the owner, and a lost sinner cannot experience the enriching fulfillment God has for him in Jesus Christ.

The people who first heard them must have been shocked. Jesus was saying that God actually searches for lost sinners! No wonder the scribes and Pharisees were offended, for there was no place in their legalistic theology for a God like that. They had forgotten that God had sought out Adam and Eve when they had sinned and hidden from God. (Genesis 3) In spite of their supposed knowledge of Scripture, the scribes and Pharisees forgot that God was like a father who pitied His wayward children.  God knows us, loves us, and sent His Son to save us.

What kind of love is this?  Unchanging, never-ending, relentless, and forever. 

“What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.”

“Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, ‘For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.’) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.”

“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:31-39

Are you lost?  Are in search of a “wonderful life”?  Turn around and face our wonderful, awesome, relentless God of love!  Believe in Jesus who demonstrated the love of God by taking away our repented sins with his own life in exchange for our lives.  Come home to the One who knows you best and is, at this moment, looking “down the road” for your return.  “I was blind but now I see.” “I was lost but now I’m found” are the proclamations of the found!  And the angels in heaven party over each one found!

Still lost and need directions home?  Follow this road which includes important “rest stops” for thought and prayer:

• Rest Stop 1 | Romans 3:23. “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…”
• Rest Stop 2 | Romans 5:8. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Come as you are.
• Rest Stop 3 | Romans 6:23. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  At this stop, we choose life or death.  If you chose life, then move on down the road to the Good News!
• Rest Stop 4 | Romans 8:1. “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.”
• Rest Stop 5 | Romans 10:9. “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Amazing grace! how sweet the sound,
  That saved a wretch; like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
  Was blind, but now I see.

Angels, let the party begin!  I was lost but now am found!  Note:  I’m pretty sure this salvation party is never-ending as lost souls find their way home to our everlasting Father!

Lord,

You are Life to me!  The circumstances are not always “wonderful” here on this journey of learning, growing, and solidifying our faith in You.  But it is always full of love, mercy, and grace given as eternal gifts of Your Holy Spirit who lives in us to help us on the journey home.  When we seek you first in all we think, say, or do, we seek Life to the full with Love everlasting.  Being found in You brings peace that replaces discontentment.  Being found in you springs eternal, inexhaustible joy as your love flows through us.  As I define wonderful, I think only of You.

In Jesus Name, Amen

Have you ever put a precious item in a special place so it would be safe—then forget where the special place was?  Do you give up looking?  Sometimes.

Have you ever laid your keys down only to have someone else pick them up and put them back on the hook where keys are hung as a favor but forget to tell you?  Do you ask for help or give up?

Have you ever gone to shopping with your children and one of them stays focused in one area of the store as you continued gathering supplies?  And now you can’t find that wandering child?  Do you decide that you have enough children anyway so you leave without the lost child?

Have you ever walked into a room to find what you need only to forget why you walked into said room?  Do you stay there until you remember?  Or decide it’s not worth the time or effort?

Have you ever begun a conversation with another person, lose focus, derail, and begin a new conversation until the first topic comes back to mind?  I have many times. Losing focus is a disease most of the population seems to have!

Have you ever walked into a room of your beloved children wrestling in a brawl similar to WWE and lose your mind over what you see?  Do we give up and let the strongest one survive?

Have you ever had a child who once knew and followed Jesus to wander away, is now lost with little to no belief in the One who loves him/her most?

There are many ways to be lost but only one way to be found.  Jesus begins another trilogy of stories about lostness but with a twist—all are found!  Not only are the lost found—being found is celebrated! Don’t you want to be around a Person who always knows where the lost are with the Way to be found?!

Let us begin with part one of lost and found.  However, we must realize the attitude and posture of those listening in to Jesus’ stories. He is speaking to religious leaders who are not only appalled but disgusted at the “company” Jesus befriends with love and compassion— “the lost.”  We must also realize that these leaders are also lost but don’t know it—but Jesus knows.  

Jesus does not give up until lost people are found and brought back to God, the Father.  And I was one of them…I am so glad He never gave up on me? Can I get an amen?!

Luke 15, The Message

The Story of the Lost Sheep

15 ^1-3 By this time a lot of men and women of questionable reputation were hanging around Jesus, listening intently. The Pharisees and religion scholars were not pleased, not at all pleased. They growled, “He takes in sinners and eats meals with them, treating them like old friends.” Their grumbling triggered this story.

^4-7 “Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn’t you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing, and when you got home call in your friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Celebrate with me! I’ve found my lost sheep!’ Count on it—there’s more joy in heaven over one sinner’s rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Luke is known as the gospel writer bent on celebrating all the ways the Lost are found by believing in Jesus.  Dr. Luke is adamant in telling us that no matter who is lost, all are pursued by Jesus who relentlessly seeks lost people and forgives their sins.  All who believe are no longer lost but found!  Believing in Jesus reconciles no longer lost people to God, the Father! 

Found people are restored to a growing, loving, intimate relationship with Him.  Found people are given new life with purpose and significance. 

Found people are now called “children of God.”  “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.”  1 John 3:1 

Found people are no longer lost but now belong to the One who knows us better than we know ourselves and never loses His love for us.  The apostle Paul, once a lost Pharisee like those Jesus is talking to in our passage, was driven to destroy believers in Jesus.  But Jesus found him on the road to Damascus and blinded him from his mission.  He then transformed his zealousness from death to life!  Here is his testimony:

“But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”  Philippians 3:7-12, NIV

 “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Jesus reminds and repeats often to followers and hecklers of His mission.  Jesus will say it again as he brings salvation to the home of Zaccheus, (another questionable sinner) as we will read later in Luke 19:10.

Our response?  Be found by Jesus, believe in Him, and be saved because of Him.  He knows us and knows where we are.  He is running after us with open arms of love.  Turn, run toward Him, not away from Him in fear.  Jesus not only saves us but is preparing a special place for all found people in God’s Kingdom!  So…

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” John 14:1-4

Lost but now found people might doubt like Thomas who said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”  John 14:5-7

Only One way to be found—Run to Jesus!

Lord,

I love to tell your stories again for once I was lost but now I am found in you.  I trust you with all my life.  My hope is in You for you are Hope eternal.  I am so glad you never gave up on me!  I believe.

In Jesus Name, Amen

Your love never fails
It never gives up
It never runs out on me…

We make hundreds of decisions all day long.  Some are decisions are done without thinking.  We decide to get out of bed and stumble to the kitchen.  We decide we not only want but need that coffee we are now making as we yawn.  We then decide if eating breakfast is “really the most important meal of the day” thinking is it worth the time and effort to prepare.  As coffee is consumed, we decide what to wear from shoes to shirt.  We decide we need help in this decision so we turn on the news and weather to check what will be appropriate for this day. We make decisions and pick from options before us.  Whatever we choose will affect the agenda ahead of us. 

Whatever the situation or circumstance is before us—we gotta pick one or the other.  That’s life—making choices.  Mentally we count and calculate the cost of our decisions and choices. Emotions (how we feel that day) can sway our choosing.  Our physical abilities can play a huge part in our decision making as well.  At this point we think we are in charge as we make decisions in all the details of our lives. 

But have we stopped to consider the Spiritual implications of our choices?  Jesus says, we must “let it all go if we decide to follow Him.”  What is it?  It is life as we see it from our limited and sometimes skewed perspectives.  Relying solely on our own, decisions are merely human without the benefits of His holy plan, purposes, and presence in and for us.

“Are you listening, really listening?” Jesus asks as he leans in with love and compassion. Do you understand, really believe Me, and understand what I am asking of you?

Luke 14, The Message

Figure the Cost

^25-27 One day when large groups of people were walking along with him, Jesus turned and told them, “Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters—yes, even one’s own self!—can’t be my disciple. Anyone who won’t shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can’t be my disciple.

^28-30 “Is there anyone here who, planning to build a new house, doesn’t first sit down and figure the cost so you’ll know if you can complete it? If you only get the foundation laid and then run out of money, you’re going to look pretty foolish. Everyone passing by will poke fun at you: ‘He started something he couldn’t finish.’

^31-32 “Or can you imagine a king going into battle against another king without first deciding whether it is possible with his ten thousand troops to face the twenty thousand troops of the other? And if he decides he can’t, won’t he send an emissary and work out a truce?

³³ “Simply put, if you’re not willing to take what is dearest to you, whether plans or people, and kiss it good-bye, you can’t be my disciple.

^34-35 “Salt is excellent. But if the salt goes flat, it’s useless, good for nothing.

“Are you listening to this? Really listening?”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

As we make the decision to follow Jesus (or not) we must “count the cost”:

• There is no holding back any part of our being.  We do not “add” Jesus to our lives and agendas—He is our life.
• There is no putting one foot in step with Jesus while keeping the other foot in step with the world.  Imagine it—that’s actually physically and spiritually impossible!
• There is no giving a piece of us but the whole of us to Jesus. We are all in or all out.  No in-between.  “This is war, and there is no neutral ground. If you’re not on my side, you’re the enemy; if you’re not helping, you’re making things worse.”—Jesus, Luke 11:23, MSG
• Once we decide—there’s no turning back.
• Life is Jesus or not—we gotta pick and stick with Him—at all costs!
• Not following Jesus is too great a cost.

Max Lucado writes—

“While these characteristics are all too common, Jesus’ stories explain that pride, laziness, and the desire for honor have no place among his disciples.

Being a disciple of Christ requires humility, commitment, and servanthood.

Make no mistake, Jesus saw himself as God. He leaves us with two options. Accept him as God or reject him as a megalomaniac. There is no third alternative.”

“When it comes to Christ, you’ve gotta pick. Call him crazy or crown him as King. Dismiss him as a fraud or declare him to be God. Walk away from him, or bow before him, but don’t play games with him. Don’t call him a great man. Don’t list him among decent folk. Don’t clump him with Moses, Elijah, Buddha, Joseph Smith, Muhammad, or Confucius. He didn’t leave that option. He is either God or godless. Heaven sent or hell born. All hope or all hype. But nothing in between.  Putting Christ first in all things takes practice and persistence. Day after day we learn to follow him.”

We are not perfect.  God knows that.  But through Jesus, we are perfectly forgiven.

We must choose this day whom we will serve.  Decide wisely.

Lord,

I have decided to follow you, through the good times and challenging times of this life, I will follow you.  Where you guide, you provide.  Where you lead, you protect.  You have provided all that I need in so many ways since making this decision.  When the enemy attacks, you have already won the war and this assures me of victory in my skirmishes with evil.  Yes, there is no turning back, seriously, no turning back.

In Jesus Name, Amen