The Gospel of LUKE
Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus.
But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
Then Jesus told them this parable:
“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?
And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders
and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’
I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?
And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’
In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons.
The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.
After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.
So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.
He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!
I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’
So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate.
For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.
So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on.
‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.
But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.
But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.
But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US!!
Content source: New International Version (NIV) of the Holy Bible
Image source: Our media Team
Heavens rejoices when a sinner gives his life to Christ and repent of his sinful ways. The one sheep(sinner) that got lost among the 99 remaining sheep(believers) and was found(repented), God will be happy because of that one person because Heaven is now added with that one.
The prodigal son went and came back to repent after he has realized his mistakes. No one can never be comfortable without being in Christ, until he finds Christ and repent,then he would have a peaceful life,that was in the case of the prodigal son.
Though we have gone away far from God,He will still embrace and forgives us when we come to him.
In this chapter Jesus gives rise to two parables, which illustrate the love and concern of God for sinners, his attitude is totally opposed to those who believed themselves righteous.
The Pharisees correspond to the 99 sheep, the 9 coins and the older brother.
The publicans and sinners correspond to the lost sheep and the lost coin.
Both parables show us that God cares for the one who has been lost and rejoices with his recovery, those who in a legalistic way are considered righteous are not aware of their need.
The sheep are left unarmed and refuse to move, but when Jesus shares with sinners it is celebrated with joy, just as when a shepherd shares with his friends the joy of finding a lost sheep.
Our God is a God of eternal mercy!
This verse has said it all "But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found." I have been enjoying your reading @reliquary.
The prodigal son story is one we can learn a lot from..
After every thing had been spent by the prodigal son, he said something striking..
He said something in vs 18-19
He said he was ready to serve, and that opened him up to sonship rights..
Most people are not ready to serve..in church, at work, for anybody etc..and for you to be the greatest, you have to serve.
Are you ready for selfless service?
That's your key to enthronement.
The story of the prodigal son always reminds me of the fact that, the love of God for His children is immense and immeasurable. God does not want us to die in our iniquities but have time for our repentance. He is always ready to receive us back to Himself if we repent of our sins. What a loving Father we serve.
God loves the sinner, he came to save us ... to take us out of sin where we were and to give us eternal salvation. That is why we are his precious treasure, when a sinner repents, God rejoices, because he loves us ... more than anyone in this world!
Every time I hear of Luke 15, I remember "the Father's love" which he bestows on the less worthy. The level of extravagance that the father lavished his love on the spending son unique and tells us how much of God's love is reserved for everyone who will quit his/her erring ways and return to God (the father). How far we've gone does not matter. What matters is the willingness to return.
Thank you @reliquary.
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Jesus the friend of sinners, for Jesus came purposely for those who have lost the way. Thanks @reliquary.