The Values of Jesus' Church
“If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? .....In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away! (Luke 15:4, 7 NLT)
I wonder what some churches value more than people who don't know the Father...
Because it's pretty clear from Luke 15, the Father's heart beats for lost people. Jesus has just dined with a Pharisee in Luke 14. He is no doubt fed up with religious pretension and show. He is going to be as emphatic as possible so that those who may not yet know where His values lie will be absolutely certain. Three parables, all with equally stunning statements of the Father's love for lost sons and daughters.
The problem is. We rarely see this value in some churches and in many Christians. We will value tradition, denomination, affiliation, music style, carpet color or even flowers on the stage. We will value the liturgy, the building, the pews or the furniture. We will value the style of the worship, the temperament of the pastor, the size of our church "as it is right now."
But what about a reckless abandon for lost PEOPLE? Are we reflecting the Father's heart? Becuase Jesus cannot be more clear than He is in Luke 15.
The shepherd has 99 good sheep and one lost sheep. He will leave the 99! Did you see that? If you're not willing to move out for the lost with Jesus, He will leave you behind. Emphatic. Serious.
The woman throws a part for a coin??? Sounds crazy to us. But not in Jesus' day. Young women in Jesus' day had a crown they wore for their wedding with 10 coins interwoven into it as part of a dowry. One lost coin would mean forever loss as these were her coins were hers even if the marriage ended. She finds it and throws a party. So does God as He wishes to lose NONE of us.
Then of course the parable of parables, the prodigal son. "Prodigal" means wreckless. The son is reckless, but so is the father. Seeking to save even at the expense of formalism and notoriety (men in those days did not run as that would have exposed their legs). A small village would have known the history of hurt this son left behind when he selfishly went his own way. The Father doesn't care. He wants his son back at all costs.
We shouldn't simply value lost people because God does in such strong terms. We should value lost people in such a strong way because that is what God did for us! We were once the lost coin, the lost sheep and the lost son. We were once outside the house, but now we have been brought in!
There's only one person who ends up NOT in the house or fold in Luke 15. Its the older brother. Caught up in bitterness and resentment. All the Father had was his and didn't realize it. At any moment he could have thrown a party but didn't. And worst of all, he saw his service to the Father as slavery. Such a shame. In the end, the older brother is the only one who truly didn't KNOW the Father.
PRAYER:
FATHER, help me to know you and your heart for those far from you. I thank you that I have been brought near through the blood of Christ. I thank you that you have shown your compassion toward me in everlasting love. I praise You! I ask you for a heart for those who do not know you. I ask you for a burden for the lost. May I long to share your love with them as you long to do. In Jesus' Name! Amen.
Because it's pretty clear from Luke 15, the Father's heart beats for lost people. Jesus has just dined with a Pharisee in Luke 14. He is no doubt fed up with religious pretension and show. He is going to be as emphatic as possible so that those who may not yet know where His values lie will be absolutely certain. Three parables, all with equally stunning statements of the Father's love for lost sons and daughters.
The problem is. We rarely see this value in some churches and in many Christians. We will value tradition, denomination, affiliation, music style, carpet color or even flowers on the stage. We will value the liturgy, the building, the pews or the furniture. We will value the style of the worship, the temperament of the pastor, the size of our church "as it is right now."
But what about a reckless abandon for lost PEOPLE? Are we reflecting the Father's heart? Becuase Jesus cannot be more clear than He is in Luke 15.
The shepherd has 99 good sheep and one lost sheep. He will leave the 99! Did you see that? If you're not willing to move out for the lost with Jesus, He will leave you behind. Emphatic. Serious.
The woman throws a part for a coin??? Sounds crazy to us. But not in Jesus' day. Young women in Jesus' day had a crown they wore for their wedding with 10 coins interwoven into it as part of a dowry. One lost coin would mean forever loss as these were her coins were hers even if the marriage ended. She finds it and throws a party. So does God as He wishes to lose NONE of us.
Then of course the parable of parables, the prodigal son. "Prodigal" means wreckless. The son is reckless, but so is the father. Seeking to save even at the expense of formalism and notoriety (men in those days did not run as that would have exposed their legs). A small village would have known the history of hurt this son left behind when he selfishly went his own way. The Father doesn't care. He wants his son back at all costs.
We shouldn't simply value lost people because God does in such strong terms. We should value lost people in such a strong way because that is what God did for us! We were once the lost coin, the lost sheep and the lost son. We were once outside the house, but now we have been brought in!
There's only one person who ends up NOT in the house or fold in Luke 15. Its the older brother. Caught up in bitterness and resentment. All the Father had was his and didn't realize it. At any moment he could have thrown a party but didn't. And worst of all, he saw his service to the Father as slavery. Such a shame. In the end, the older brother is the only one who truly didn't KNOW the Father.
PRAYER:
FATHER, help me to know you and your heart for those far from you. I thank you that I have been brought near through the blood of Christ. I thank you that you have shown your compassion toward me in everlasting love. I praise You! I ask you for a heart for those who do not know you. I ask you for a burden for the lost. May I long to share your love with them as you long to do. In Jesus' Name! Amen.
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