Lost and Found (Luke 15: 1-10)
We all have experiences of trying to find a lost object, or being lost ourselves.
The heart of the Christian Gospel has to do with lost and found! It is indeed good news when Jesus tells us that he came to seek and save the lost! There is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents. Or, in the words of Amazing Grace: “I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see!” Grace is always amazing. Grace that can be calculated and "expected” is no longer grace.
In Philip Yancey’s book What’s So Amazing About Grace, he talks about “the New Math of Grace”:
In Luke’s story, Jesus tells of a shepherd who left his flock of 99 and plunged into the darkness to search for the one lost sheep. It is indeed a noble deed, but let’s think for a moment on the underlying arithmetic. Jesus says the shepherd left the 99 sheep in the wilderness, which presumably means they were vulnerable to wolves and other predators, or their own natural desire to wander off. How would the shepherd feel, if he returned with the one lost lamb slung across his shoulders only to find 23 others now gone missing?
It may seem absurd for a shepherd to do such a thing. Anyone with business sense would never do that! Let’s say that a sheep costs $100, would you leave behind $9,900 worth of your inventory to try to find that one lost sheep? It just does not make good sense. But the shepherd is willing to risk losing everything for the sake of the one, the same way that God would do for us, even in what seems to be unreasonable ways. This parable also makes a further point about throwing a party to celebrate with neighbors and friends about the recovery of this lost sheep. Same with the woman who lost her silver coin, how much does it worth? Roughly 10 days of wages, which is not very much? But the recovery party she threw for her friends and neighbors probably cost her more than that. The point is that God’s grace is not based on that kind of business calculation. Thank God, it is not; otherwise, there is no room for salvation for ordinary people like you and me!
Unless someone or something is lost, then there is no one or nothing to be found. However, there are different kinds of lostness -- emotional (grief), existential and spiritual… how we feel lost at various times of our lives. Many people are spiritually lost or homeless; they do not know where they truly belong. Money, wealth, fame and power do not buy them any happiness. They cannot be at home with themselves. Deep down they simply lack peace!
There are two groups of people: the finders of the lost and those who were lost but now have been found. In the end, both groups are invited to the kingdom feast of celebration where our heavenly Father rejoices with all the angels in heaven, even when one lost soul is found and saved! When have we done anything that would trigger such a joyful celebration not only here on earth wit friends and neighbors, but with all the heavenly hosts above?
Indeed, Celebration belongs to the Kingdom of God! Our worship as the kingdom people should always reflect that. Culpepper (Luke, New Interpreter's Bible) writes in his commentary on this text:
In both parables, rejoicing calls for celebration, and the note of celebration may be exaggerated to emphasize the point. Neither sheep nor coins can repent, but the parable aims not at calling the “sinners” to repentance but at calling the “righteous” to join the celebration. Whether one will join the celebration is all-important, because it reveals whether one's relationships are based on merit or mercy. Those who find God’s mercy offensive cannot celebrate with the angels when a sinner repents. Thus they exclude themselves from God's grace. [p. 298]
Would you find it offensive to have a Party Sunday in our church? For us good Anglicans, the celebration of the Holy Eucharist is always Party Sunday! “Join me at my table,” the God of Jesus says. “Let us eat and celebrate. This is still the place on earth that I welcome sinners and dine with them!”
God still asks us today: “Will you rejoice with me?” the same way the father asked the older, resentful brother at the end of the parable of the Prodigal Son. “Will you join in the celebration?” What is your answer, my friends?
Fr. Victor +
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