Last year I attended my first quinceañera. Danielle wore the most beautiful ball gown with her dark brown curls cascading down her back. She looked wonderful and her escort was pretty cute too. Best of all, the whole room was celebrating her. I was a little bitter that my parents never threw me a quinceañera. Sure, we aren’t exactly Mexican, but I was born in California and that’s like Mexico 2.0, right? And I wasn’t the only one. I overheard three other white girls ask their parents, “Can I have one too?” It’s not just young girls who like to feel special.
What you’re witnessing in today’s scripture passage is a new definition of God’s salvation and the Pharisees really didn’t like it. Remember the story of the great banquet. Everyone was invited, they only need to respond. But wait, weren’t we supposed to be God’s chosen favorite people? This was supposed to be an exclusive club, and how they just let anyone in. Remember the words of the Lord’s prayer. “…Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.” As it is in Heaven!!!!! Heaven is rejoicing!!!!! Lots of speculation out there about what constitutes a “notorious sinner.” The Pharisees dedicated much time studying and perfecting their practice of the law. It’s possible that these sinners were simply people who had to work for a living and were not afforded the luxury of studying the law. Jesus’ choice in company was less than reputable. Truth is, I dig this about Jesus. Can I tell you, some of my best friends are convicted felons. I know we say that we don’t judge, but what would you think if you saw your pastor throwing a party for a notorious drug dealer? How about a sex worker? When was the last time you shared a cup of coffee with an adult film star? Check yourself, lest you identify too quickly with the wrong character in this story. Be like Jesus. Have dinner with a notorious sinner. Scratch that. Have dinner with a person. Not to preach at them, but to treat them as a person loved by God. Here’s the simple truth of Jesus’ message: God loves people. The message of God’s salvation was always for the whole world and Jesus is simply reminding Israel of their purpose to be a blessing to all nations. The new-old standard is being set. No longer do you have to be born a Jew and an authority in the law. Instead, anyone who is willing to repent and follow Jesus is not only saved, but all of heaven rejoices! That’s really reallygood news for all of us. Do you know that you are precious and treasured by God? It’s true. God’s grace goes before us, seeking us out, calling us to repentance. Will you respond? That’s cause for celebration. Luke 15.1-10 Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. 2 This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them! 3 So Jesus told them this story: 4 “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? 5 And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. 6 When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 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! 8 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins[a] and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and sweep the entire house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin.’ 10 In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.”
2 Comments
C Allen
3/23/2017 04:51:51 am
Been reading all your devotional sleep and love them!
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James Moore
3/23/2017 07:03:46 am
Wish I coukd love instead of just like this one. If facebook lets me see it when it comes up there, I will.
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AuthorThe Pastors of Cornerstone Wesleyan Church Archives
July 2017
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