There
are some scripture passages that we read so many times that we miss some of the
important aspects of the passage. One those is the three parables in Luke 15.
The
first is the lost sheep in verses three through seven.
A
shepherd has a flock of one hundred sheep and one of the hundred wanders off.
The shepherd leaves the ninety-nine and goes to seek the one who had wandered off.
The
nature of sheep is to wander off. The shepherd pursues the sheep and brings him
back to the flock. Then once the sheep is back in the flock, they celebrated
the wandering sheep’s return.
Our
old nature is to wander away from Jesus. Jesus nevertheless pursues us and when
He has brought us to His body, the church, there is a celebration. The
celebration should be by the body but, if not, there is absolutely a
celebration in heaven.
Raise
the Roof and Remove the Walls is Jesus pursuing the wandering person to
bring them to Him and His body.
The
second parable is the lost coin in verses eight through ten.
A
woman has ten coins and loses one of them. She seeks that coin diligently until
she finds the coin and invites her friends and neighbors to celebrate that she
has found it.
The
coin was lost because of a circumstance. The coin is important because it’s
part of the bridal veil. It represents a love relationship with her husband.
She spares no effort to seek and find the coin. She seeks the coin till she
finds it and, again, there is a celebration.
We
may find ourselves lost because of circumstances. We may not have the
opportunity to really hear the gospel or to understand the reality of Jesus’
love. Jesus will still pursue us because He created us to have a relationship
with Him and He will pursue us to establish it.
Raise
the Roof and Remove the Walls is Jesus pursuing a love relationship with us
no matter the circumstances.
The
third parable is the lost or prodigal son in verses eleven through thirty-two.
A
man had two sons and the younger son demanded his part of the inheritance. The
father didn’t have to give it to him but he sold some of his property and gave
the money to him. The young man squandered the money in reckless living. A
famine hit the land and the young man found himself feeding pigs. He realizes
the foolishness of this and goes back to his father seeking to be a hired
servant. The father sees the young man returning a long way off and goes
running to greet him. The father hugs him and restores him as his son. There is
then a celebration that a lost son is found and that a son thought dead is
alive.
The
young man made a choice to leave his father and pursue his will and not his
father’s will. The father welcomed him
back as a son, not a servant, and celebrated his return.
We
make ungodly choices that separate us from Jesus and lead to reckless living.
Jesus will welcome everyone back who sees their sin and returns to Jesus. He
will restore us as His children and welcome us back into the family.
Raise
the Roof and Remove the Walls is recognizing our sin and coming to Jesus so
we can become children of God.
Life
is not hopeless because Jesus pursues us if we wander away or circumstances
push us away.
Life
is not hopeless because no matter how badly we sin, if we confess our sins and
come to Jesus, He will accept us and make us children of God.
Many
people think that it is too late to experience God’s love and be accepted by
Him as His child – It Is Not!
Many
people think that they are too bad to experience God’s love and be accepted by
Him as His child – It Is Not!
Jesus’
invitation is to come to Him and follow Him, and it is given out to all.
Knowing and Following
Jesus
by Raising the Roof and
Removing the Walls,
Joe
No comments:
Post a Comment