Feeling Lost?

THIS WEEK’S GOSPEL: LUKE 15:1-10 (MESSAGE)

By this time a lot of men and women of doubtful reputation were hanging around Jesus, listening intently. The Pharisees and religion scholars were not pleased, not at all pleased. They growled, “He takes in sinners and eats meals with them, treating them like old friends.” Their grumbling triggered this story.

“Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn’t you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing, and when you got home call in your friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Celebrate with me! I’ve found my lost sheep!’ Count on it—there’s more joy in heaven over one sinner’s rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue.

Or imagine a woman who has ten coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and scour the house, looking in every nook and cranny until she finds it? And when she finds it you can be sure she’ll call her friends and neighbors: ‘Celebrate with me! I found my lost coin!’ Count on it—that’s the kind of party God’s angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God.”

Have you ever felt lost?  I don’t just mean on a street you don’t recognize or in an area of the city that you don’t really know?  I mean a deeper kind of lost in terms of your vocation or with your friends or even in the pursuit of your dreams and goals and hopes.  We lose all kinds of things: direction, faith, friends, focus, ground, hair, hope, heart, head, keys, mind, mobility, perspective, respect, spark, sanity, sight, teeth, temper, touch.  Most of us feel lost a lot of the time.

Today’s lesson reminds us that even if we do all things right, go to church every week and live a good life, we can still be lost.  The joy in the lesson is knowing that we will not always be lost.  In fact, we will always be found because each one of us matters to God – righteous and sinner alike.  When we are found, we can be confident that there will be a celebration! 

So, if life has us down or if we are feeling more lost than usual, be assured we matter to God. In God’s great love for us, we will not be lost for long.  Thanks be to God.  Amen.

Please join us Welcome Back Sunday, September 15 at 10:00am in Christ Church where everyone matters and belongs.  Looking forward to seeing you in Church!