Jesus tells three parables about lost things in Luke 15. First he describes a sheep lost out in the darkness, away from the rest of the flock. The shepherd leaves 99 behind to go and find the one that is missing. This has famously been portrayed as an act of recklessness. Why doesn’t he settle for the 99 safe at home. One song attributes this reckless love to God:
“Oh the overwhelming, never ending, reckless love of God Oh, it chases me down, fights ’till I’m found, leaves the ninety nine”[1]
However, Jesus’ point is perhaps less to do with recklessnss and certainly suggests no lack of care for the 99 as though they don’t matter. Rather, his point is that he is concerned and accountable for each and every one of his flock. In John’s Gospel, he puts it like this:
And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day.[2]
In a second parable, Jesus describes a woman who has ten coins, each worth a day’s wages. She loses one of them and for whatever reason, be it that they belong together as a set or simply that she cannot afford the loss of that day’s money she setsabout searching until she has found it.
Finally, in a longer strorny, Jesus tells about a Father with two sons, the younger demands his share of the inheritance before dad has even died and then leaves home, heading off to a distant country where he spends everything. He finds himself penniless, alone, abroad in the middle of famine and can only get work tending pigs. Living amongst ceremonially unclean creatures he is so hungry he is ready to eat the pigswill.
He comes to his senses and sets off home. He plans to repent, to acknowledge to his father that he was wrong and ask him to take him back as a hired hand. He recognises that he is unworthy to be received back as a son.
Dad is having none of it though. He has been watching and waiting for his son’s return. He sees him at a distance and rushes out to meet him, hugs him and before the lad can complete his speech has called for new clothes, a ring and a big party. This is seen as good news for all, well almost all. There is of course the fatted calf whose end is brought forward but then there is also the older son, bitter at never having a party for himself. Dad insists that they must celebrate because a lost son has come home, a dead son has returned to the land of the living.
What have these storeis got to do with Advent and Christmas? They don’t seem very festive and we don’t even get a tenuous link to Bethlehem. Well, I want to suggest that they have everything to do with Advent and with Christmas.
The common thread is lostness, a sheep, a coin, a son. Each is of great value and worth, the sheep to the shepherd, coin to its owner and son to his Father. All are found, the shepherd risks his life, the woman search and the father doesn’t give up hope but constantly is on the look out. When each is found, there is great rejoicing and festivity.
These three parables point us to the events of the first Christmas because that’s exactly what Christmas is all about. It’s the story of how God in Jesus sets out to seek and find you and me. When we were lost, he found us, when we were in danger he rescued us. When we were dead, he gave us life.
Our big theme for Advent and Christmas is “Worthy?” The question is all about what you and I are worth. Our starting point is that Christmas tells us that Jesus considered us worth stepping into history, worth finding, worth dying for. Why is that so? Well we are going to discover more as we explore the story of the lost son.
For reflection
- Which of the three stories has the greatest impact on you?
- How do the shepherd, woman and Fathe point us to what God is like?
- How do the sheep, coin and son remind us of ourselves?
Prayer
Thank you Lord Jesus that you stepped down int history that you came to seek out and find me. I do not deserve your great love for me. Thank you for your grace.
Worship
You stepped down from Heaven
Humbly You came
God of all creation, here with us
In a star-lit manger, Emmanuel
Light of the world, here to save
Adore, come let us adore
Oh come, let us adore Him
The Lord, worship Christ, the Lord
Let all that is within us adore
Wise men bring their treasures
Shepherds bow low
Angel voices sing of peace on earth
What have I to offer to Heaven’s King?
I will bring my life, my love, my all
Adore, come let us adore
Oh come, let us adore Him
The Lord, worship Christ, the Lord
Let all that is within us adore
Angels sing, praises ring
To the newborn King
Peace on earth, here with us
Joy awakening
At Your feet we fall
Angels sing, praises ring
To the newborn King
Peace on earth, here with us
Joy awakening
At Your feet we fall
Adore, come let us adore
Oh come, let us adore Him
The Lord, worship Christ, the Lord
Let all that is within us adore
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Martin Chalk / Graham A. Kendrick
Adore lyrics © Worshiptogether.com Songs, Sixsteps Music, Worship Together Music, S.d.g. Publishing, Sixsteps Songs, Vamos Publishing, Common Hymnal Digital, Common Hymnal Publishing, Twelve Lions Music, Rising Springs Music
[1] Reckless Love, Cory Asbury (Caleb Culver, Cory Asbury, Ran Jackson)
[2] John 6:39.
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