Let’s take a look at the stories as a whole.  What seems to be the main themes?  

The first thing that strikes me is the aggressiveness of God in pursuing failing humanity, regardless of humanity’s condition or how they got into that condition.

The second thing this leads me to consider is how pitiful is our own righteousness.  And, how humble I need to be about pride in living to any set of rules.  I don’t think I can out-Pharisee the Pharisees in keeping rules and Christ’s stories are pointed right at the Pharisees. 

Most pastors only speak of the Prodigal Son. And true, that’s the most touching and exciting part. But there’s another half story AFTER the story of the prodigal son. That’s the story of his brother, the “righteous” son. But it’s really only half a story…

One of the most beloved storied in the Bible is recorded in Luke 15:11-24.  It is the story of the “prodigal son.”  He was sick of living on the farm. He wanted lights, music, action!  He actually asked his father for his inheritance before his father died.  Talk about rejecting one’s father!  And get this, his father loved him so much that he actually liquidated half of his holdings and gave them to his son.

Jesus continues his story telling in Luke 15:8-10 with a quick snapshot of a woman who lost a silver coin in her house, then searched and swept till she found it.  Then she was so excited that she found it that she threw a big celebration and invited all her neighbors.

I could never figure this one out.  OK, so she lost one of 10 coins.  What was the big deal?  And how many coins did she have to spend to celebrate finding the one?

 In Luke 15:4-7 Jesus relates the story of the lost sheep. In a room above our piano we have a Nathan Green giclée that depicts this iconic story and shows the ruggedly handsome Jesus carrying a black-faced sheep. I love it!

Ever been lost?  I remember when I came back from Bangladesh as a student missionary.  I arrived in Seattle and there was no one to greet me.  I called my sister who lived in Walla Walla and something had come up and they couldn’t meet me.  I was out of cash, had no credit cards and told her I would hitchhike home.  I admit that I was a little grumpy about finally being back on US soil with no welcoming party.  With literally my last dime (yes, back then there were still pay phones and they cost 10 cents), I called a college friend in Seattle.

OK, you wrote a life purpose statement, now what? 

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