Messengers of the GospelSýnishorn

A Lost Son

How much do lost people matter to God? We might respond to that question with the shallow answer of “a lot.” While it is true that God cares a lot about the lost, this answer obviously falls far short of explaining God’s heart for those separated from Him. Instead of trying to sum up the heart of the Father with a shallow phrase, Jesus chose to use the parables that we have been focusing on this week.

Parables are vivid and powerful because they use everyday situations and emotions that we have all experienced. We all have lost something important to us. As Jesus told these stories back-to-back-to-back, it’s clear that He did not arrange these three parables in random order. He purposefully escalated the value of what was lost in each parable.

In the parable of the lost sheep, the shepherd has lost one out of 100 sheep. Sheep are his livelihood, so each one mattered. When he finds the lost sheep, he celebrates that he has found the missing one. The religious leaders would have been shocked that Jesus was valuing each “sinner” like a missing sheep. That must have seemed like a lot of value to place on a person they considered worthless.

But then Jesus told the second parable. In the parable of the lost coin, a woman has lost one of her ten coins. The celebration that ensues is prompted by the recovery of 10% of the woman's wealth. One sheep out of 100 is nothing compared to 10% of a person's total wealth.

But Jesus was not done.

The last of these three parables was the lost son. In this parable, the value of that which has been lost skyrockets. There is a father who has two sons. One of the sons has been waiting impatiently for his inheritance. He doesn’t care about his father’s rules or even the relationship. He only cares about the inheritance that will set him free from his father. He goes to his father and demands a withdrawal.

There is no “please” or “thank you.” It is just a selfish demand: "Give me my share of the estate” (Luke 15:12 NIV).

The son then goes off to the proverbial sin city and blows all the money he has. Soon, he finds himself broken, hungry, and dreaming of home.

Can you relate? Have you ever thought to yourself, “How did I even get here?”

This story is one of the greatest stories in all of Scripture, because we all have been that son. But thank God that He did not give up on you (or me)! As the old hymn “Amazing Grace” states, “I once was lost but now am found”.

Like the father in the parable, your heavenly Father welcomed you back home!

“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” (Luke 15:20 NIV).

And then the party begins!

“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” (Luke 15:23-24 NIV).

Lost people matter to God. How much? Try filling in the blank below with the name of any person you know who has not yet come home to the Lord.

“For God so loved ____________ that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 NIV).

How much does each lost person matter? They matter enough that He gave His one and only son for them. In other words, they are priceless.

Reflection:

What can you do today to let someone on your prayer list know how much they matter to the Lord?