WHERE TO LOOK WHEN I AM LOST

Jesus was often challenged by the self-righteous actions of some of the religious leaders who saw themselves as guardians of God’s law.  He did not approve of their religious pride or their blindness to the needs of ordinary citizens and sinners. 

Many tax collectors and sinners came to listen to Jesus.  Then the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to complain, “Look, this man welcomes sinners and even eats with them!”  (Luke 15:1-2 ERV)

Jesus told people a story – a parable – to help them understand why God had sent Him into the world.  Jesus said that if a man owned a hundred sheep and one of them wandered from the flock, the owner would leave the ninety-nine in the field and go and search for the one sheep that was lost.  When the sheep was found the man would rejoice with his friends and neighbours. 

Then Jesus made a connection between the sheep and us:  In the same way, I tell you, heaven is a happy place when one sinner decides to change. There is more joy for that one sinner than for 99 good people who don’t need to change.  (Luke 15:7 ERV)

We are like the lost sheep who wandered away from our Heavenly Father.  The religious leaders saw themselves as the 99 good people who did not need to change.  Some of us are like them too.  We look at and judge what Jesus has done for us but fail to acknowledge that Jesus is our only way back to God.  By acceptance of Jesus’ death and resurrection we can be free from sin and adopted into God’s family.  Today if we choose to turn our will and our life over to God’s care, heaven will be a happy place.

Here is what Christ wants us to beg you to do. Come back to God!  Christ didn’t have any sin.  But God made him become sin for us.  So we can be made right with God because of what Christ has done for us.  (2 Corinthians 5:20-21 NIRV)

Prayer:  Loving God, I have wandered from Your ways and know I am lost without You.  I accept all that Jesus has done to restore me into Your family.  Help me to believe that Your Presence is ever with me and trust You to guide me in all my ways.  Amen