How He Loves US…

How important are you to the Lord? 

In Isaiah 49:16 the Lord says he’s engraved your name in the palm of his hands… In Zephaniah 3:17 The Lord states that He rejoices over you with singing…

In Luke 15:1-32 The Lord declares over and over that you are the treasure that he has sought after… So much so that your value is worth the life of His son… You are incredibly loved and you are not alone! 

Just how good, and how deep is this love of God for you? When you expand on Luke 15 you find a setting that is quite usual for Jesus – He is sitting in the midst of all kinds of people that the Pharisees and religious leaders despised and stayed away from. Jesus? He welcomed them. What type of a person has “sinners” – those knowingly embedded in unethical and immoral activities, gladly sit down with him while he explains the kingdom of heaven? I’ll tell you what type – the type that loves in spite of knowing our inside story… the type that would rather hang out with us and be delighted to enjoy our company… and not judge the externals or the internals – He just relates the Father’s love, acceptance and forgiveness… and, he is the type that is fun to be around! People generally don’t gravitate to grumpy, judgemental people. Unless of course, that is their bent!

So Jesus, surrounded by the “unworthy” on one side of the table, and the arrogant Pharisees standing there too on the other side tells three stories of lost items – lost treasure. One is a sheep, one is a coin, and one is the son of a landowner. With each story, Jesus is revealing the heart of His Father. In triplicate would define the absolute of the matter in Jewish thinking. 

The first story must have truly connected with each person who had lived a life of sin… I can only imagine the flashbacks each one had – of the moment they stepped over the line – the first occurrence that led them down that road to hiding in their obsessions… the pain and regret of being their loss… of being lost…

The lost sheep is the next story – as Jesus explains how a good shepherd goes after the one…

The Pharisees on the other hand probably were overjoyed that Jesus was setting the table – setting the trap. In Jewish culture, the one who left the fold was left in their own wilderness, outside of Jewish ceremony and acceptance. But wait a minute, Jesus finished the narrative with a kind, understanding, and passionate shepherd – leaving the 99 to find that one, lost sheep. What grace and joy for each “lost sheep” at that table… They KNEW he was talking about them… to them – REJOICING that they had come!

What shock and distaste from the Pharisees; except for those who possibly had a place in their hearts for grace and truth. I personally believe Jesus was trying to reach both groups – more about that in a few moments. 

Now each person, each group was listening with rapt attention. 

And Jesus continued. The coin that was lost.

He narrates the next short story, describing the shock of the one who lost the coin. “There must be ten! “I’ve saved ten for my dowry! I cannot be married with what is incomplete!” This woman – who appears to be a poor peasant, would have been despised by the Pharisees. More than that, she was searching in the dirt – something entirely distasteful to the Pharisees as well. The correlation? This is Jesus – searching through the dust and dirt of the world – to find you – to find me. Jesus reveals again the Father’s heart through this story – God wants a complete set… each of us is a coin – a treasure – He is not willing to have what is incomplete to Him.  The wedding dowry will not be complete without YOU. The wedding banquet that Jesus is alluding to is that which He will hold in heaven. In Luke 14 Jesus speaks about the rich and lazy not accepting the Father’s invitation to the wedding supper and then commanding his servants to “Go to the highways and byways and compel others to come to the banquet!” Jesus speaks to John the Apostle in the Revelation about the banquet that is set for His followers. Jesus is revealing what God intends to do. 

Finally, Jesus relates the story that separates the light from the darkness.

Jesus’ third story is about a brash young man who demands of his father his share of the estate. While this is entirely audacious and premature, The father allows for this and the young son straight away leaves for another country where he squanders the inheritance with wild living. You probably know the rest of the story. This young lost soul decides to head back home where he goes to be hired by his father as a worker… he believes he is not welcomed as a son any longer – he has embarrassed his family.

As he stumbles onto the road that leads to his home his father sees him afar off… he has been searching the horizon for his son ever since he left… what’s this? Against all decency, this father lifts up his clothing and runs – he runs towards his son. An elder – someone respected in the Jewish community NEVER ran – it required what was an embarrassment- to lift your cloaks and reveal your bare legs… never happened! Running – never happened – a slow deliberate walk for the noble. But putting all nobility aside, this father runs to his son, kisses him, and exclaims that he is found – he has returned! At this point the “sinners and tax collectors” sitting at the table,  must have leaned in – the Pharisees – they began to stare at each other in bewilderment.

Jesus then goes on to explain how this father treats the wayward son – he kisses him – he shouts and calls out to those listening nearby: “Quickly  – get the BEST robe and put it on him! Put a ring on his finger – put new sandals on his feet – kill that fattened calf and let’s party! My lost son is back!

As Jesus finishes the story there must have been a sparkle in his eyes as he looked longingly at these wayward ones near him. They too must have been wondering – is this true? Am I invited to this party too??!! 

Of course – they were. Of course… we are. Jesus went to great lengths to explain His father – and himself – and their love for every person. That is YOU – that is ME. We need to camp out there – in God’s audacious, incredible love for us!

This is Jeff Henderson with 99:1 Ministries. God bless, keep and sustain you my friend 🙂