ODJ: lost & found
January 23, 2012
The Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost (19:10).
READ: Luke 15:1-24
Everyone has had the dreaded experience of losing something. Mobile phones, keys, wallets, and money are all prime examples. The existence of Lost & Found departments in shopping centres tells me that people losing things is a common experience. Things are lost. Things are found. We’re very glad and relieved when lost things are returned to us!
Why would you relentlessly search for a misplaced fortune, but not bother to go after loose change you misplaced? Lost things of significant value will cause us to make a great effort to recover them. Jesus used this truth to try and open the Pharisees’ hearts and eyes.
Offended by those whom Jesus spent time with, the Pharisees and the religious teachers complained that “He was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!” (Luke 15:2). Intended to be a scathing attack on Jesus’ character, they had instead affirmed the very work Jesus came to do: To save those who knew they were lost sinners (Matthew 9:13; Luke 19:10).
In response to their self righteous attitudes, Jesus told them three different stories—a lost sheep (15:3-7), a lost coin (vv.8-10), and a lost son (vv.11-24). The objects in the tales increase in proportion and importance: Lost sheep (1 of 100), lost coin (1 of 10), lost son (1 of 2).
Luke 15 is like the Lost & Found department of the Bible. All three stories can be summarised by just four words: lost, search, found, rejoice. All three stories paint for us an unmistakable picture of who God is. He is the seeking shepherd, the searching woman, and the waiting father.
And there’s a simple reason for His relentless searching (vv.4,8) and subsequent rejoicing (vv.6,9,24): You are of great value to Him! (vv.7,10, 32).
—K.T. Sim
Why were “tax collectors and other notorious sinners” attracted to Jesus? Would “sinful people” be comfortable with you? Why?
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Tax collectors and sinners were attracted to Jesus because He was seeking after them Himself and appreciates them for who they are, instead of who they could be or should be in a non-judgemental way that anyone would be comfortable with. He genuinely cares for them and they matter to Him, unlike the Pharisees and other teachers of the law who made them obey the ins and outs before accepting them, which is of course nearly impossible.
I would hope so. Because I’m hoping to imitate Jesus and His love for others that would make others feel as welcome in His arms and house as in my life. He said, “by this will all men know that you are my disciples, if you love one another…” so we have to know and show this love to each other, that all may see our good deeds and praise our Father in heaven.