Lost and Found - Luke 15

“Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering round to hear Jesus.  But the Pharisees and teachers of the law muttered, ‘This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them!’” (Luke 15:2)

As a young man, John Newton was known as the most profane man in the British Navy, before he became captain of slave trading ships.  He must have been vile.  His conversion began one night on the eleventh day of a great storm when he had been tied to the helm to keep the ship on course.  As he stared death in the eye, he recalled the Bible’s wisdom in Proverbs 1, taught to him by his mother, that his calamity was explained by the fact that God had called him and he had refused.  Newton’s devout mother had prayed for him to become a Christian minister since he was a young boy.

Her prayers were eventually answered.  John Newton became a prolific preacher and writer, mentoring a young William Wilberforce and encouraging him to persevere in his cause to end the slave trade.  In 1779 Newton published the great hymn Amazing Grace, in which he recalls the experience of LOVE’s salvation that we all share, even if our conversion is less dramatic than Newton’s was: “I once was lost, but now am found.”

One of the best stories Jesus told about finding what was lost is about a teenager who asked for his inheritance early.  He broke his Father's heart, asking, "Dad, can you die now, please?"  The Father, wanting to hold back nothing from his son, gave him his share.  The kid went off and blew the lot, damaging himself and many others in the process.  Finally, he came to his senses.  Faith is not irrational.  Humiliated and miserable, he returned home hoping for a job as a servant, at risk of being lynched by the village for bringing shame on his family.  But the Father, the only one who could save him, had been watching and waiting, intending to do much more besides - he ran down the road, threw expensive clothes and jewellery on his son, and threw a huge party to celebrate the return of his lost son.  God’s LOVE for us is scandalous, lavish and never, ever stops.

The story about the lost son has a sting in the tail.  There was a second son, an older brother, who stayed home, slaving away.  When the father welcomed the younger son back, the older brother was furious.  The older brother had worked hard, trying his whole life to earn an elusive approval.  The father had a dilemma: how could he love his elder son without becoming complicit in his son’s view that his love was conditional?  How could he convince his elder son that he was loved unconditionally?  But the older brother doggedly resisted.  He wanted to be a self-made man.  He was determined to prove he didn’t need unconditional love and that he could earn his father’s approval.  But you can never earn grace.  You can only ever receive it.  Over time, resentment built up.  In his pride, the older brother despised his younger brother’s humble acceptance of his father’s grace, forgiveness and restoration.  It stopped him receiving the very same, the love that the father wished both of his sons could know.

Today let’s pray for the “prodigals” of Bournemouth.  Let’s ask LOVE to help them come to their senses and return home.  Let’s ask LOVE to prepare our own hearts so that when they return we’re ready to show them the same kind of welcome as the Father of the lost son.  Let’s get ready to rejoice and celebrate, throwing massive parties when we see others experience what we have been through: loved, lost, messed-up, returned, found, loved again, then celebrated.

One things for sure: heaven is going to be a huge party of great rejoicing, all arranged by and presided over by our heavenly father, LOVE.  I almost can’t wait!

“Let’s have a feast and celebrate.  For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” (Luke 15:23-24)