Luke 15
Luke 15 is the go-to chapter of stories we tell to our lost friends. It’s an amazing illustration of the Father’s love for his lost children. There is not very much I could say that you probably haven’t heard yet, but I do want to point out one thing.
Though we read these parables and feel the weight of God’s love for us, we must not forget the weight of Jesus' sacrifice that led us to experience such a love.
As modern-day Christians, we are soaked with cringy cliches about God’s love, and we often skip over all the really hard stuff that got us there. We like to cover our festering wounds with bandages, our shame with fake smiles, and our fault for the cross with selfies of good works posted on Instagram and Snapchat. Yet, the shepherd rejoices for the lost sheep because of the path made for him. The woman rejoices over the lost coin because of the light that is there to help her find it. The Father rejoices over the lost son because of the sacrifice of the Son. Reading these stories should be weighty because it is never our doing that brought us back - it is the redemptive work of reconciliation done by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Church, when we can feel the weight of the sacrifice Jesus has made, then the weight of God’s love that shines through these parables is so much deeper and sweeter. We can rejoice that God himself did the work to bring us home that out of his loving-kindness, compassion, and mercy, he chose us so that we may rejoice in his glory, his love, and his presence for ALL ETERNITY.
Woah.
Could we rest in that incredible good news? That the love of God is so much greater than we make it out to be when we talk about these parables. Let us feel, rest, weep, mourn, rejoice and be free because of the gospel - that Jesus, God himself, left his spot with the Father to come live the life we were called to but failed at. That he died a death meant for our rebellion, our shame, our sin. And because of his power rose again making a way to freedom, victory and reconciliation for us to be adopted and enjoy our God forever and ever.
