Author: missionspaul

Emergency love

 

Luke 15: 8-9 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? ⁹ And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbours together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ ¹⁰ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

 

In 2006 the church where I served held a building fund offering day. On the given Sunday morning, just over £35,500 was given, a remarkable offering that was the largest in its history. As I closed the morning service and inviting people to come to the evening service I told them to go looking for coins down the sides of their chairs, under the bed, in their clothes, all the hidden places in their houses. In effect sweep the house clean for the coins! That evening we saw the offering rise to £36,000!

Lost coins are all around us, we just don’t go looking for them.

Remember, Jesus is telling this story because the religious were murmuring at him welcoming sinners.

Jesus reveals just what ‘welcoming’ sinners really means to him. He doesn’t just welcome them, he goes looking for them. He turns on the light, cleans the house thoroughly and searches carefully. He is meticulous in his search. Joy waits until the search is over and the sheep and the coin are found. For now it is the emotion of desire. This is emergency love. This is industrial grace. The coin must not stay lost. Whether or not this was part of the woman’s jewellery (they would often have coins on a necklace around their head indicating they were married) what is clear is that this woman cares. Her life is agitated not by the 9 coins that she still has but the 1 coin that is lost. She is not comforted by the 9 that are left. The 9 only remind her that the 1 is lost. But when she finds it then the party begins. How can she party with the 9 when 1 is lost?

May our churches rejoice again! Not because of the great music and the powerful words we sing. But because of the lost people that have been found that week.

 

 

Keep an eye out on the small numbers

Luke 15: 3-7 “Then Jesus told them this parable: ⁴ “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? ⁵ And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders ⁶ and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbours together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ ⁷ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”

You have 99 sheep. You have only lost 1.

Why be concerned about the 1?

The 99 never strayed away, they never got lost and they never gave you any problems.

But this one sheep not only got lost, but you lost it. It may be its own fault for getting lost but you assume the responsibility for it.

If you can apportion blame then you don’t need to do anything, you don’t need to go searching, it is not your fault.

If you can blame it then you can focus on the larger number that is left.

But you don’t.

This sheep is no longer in the safety of the flock.

It began to drift.

It stopped coming to the home-group.

It reduced the Sunday attendances.

Finally it dropped off completely.

Weeks have gone by.

Are you bothered? It is only 1 member, you still have 99.

It is just 1 widow.

1 young person.

1 poor person.

1 not very gifted person.

Are you concerned about the small numbers?

If you want to see growth then don’t be tempted by the largeness of 99 that you forget it is made up of 99 individuals who could all get lost.

To get back to 100, you have to keep an eye on the smallness of one.

This is mission.

Lost people and the Church

Luke 15

V1 Now the tax collectors and “sinners” were all gathering round to hear him.

V2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them.”

V3 Then Jesus told them this parable …

V8 “Or suppose …

V11 Jesus continued …

 

The religious saw those around Jesus as sinners and they had probably just reason for doing so. There were people who collected taxes for the Romans who were oppressing God’s people and making a living out of it. Then there were others who were so distanced from ever being able to be accepted by God either because of their lifestyle or background.

The religious were offended and angry not only with the lost but with the One who was seemingly enjoying being with them and at the same time claiming to be sent from heaven to do so. They were in fact protecting God from such incredulous impure connection. God is holy.

 

Three stories from Jesus.

Sheep, coin and a son. All three were lost and all are found in different ways. Jesus is responding to the criticism of being focused on the lost with these parables. Jesus doesn’t say they are not lost. He is not just welcoming everyone into the Kingdom without the need to follow him. The parties, celebrations and rejoicing come after the repentance. They are lost and he has come to lead them.

The challenge for the Church and Christians who are trying to be like Jesus today is this:

Who is gathering around us that results in such criticism?

Who are the ‘lost’ today?

What stories do we have to tell that explain why we spend more time reaching lost people than spending time with those who think they are righteous?

 

 

 

Don’t hang out with grumblers

Luke 15:1-2 “1 Now the tax collectors and “sinners” were all gathering round to hear him. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them.”

Who surrounds your life?

Who is wanting to hear you?

Who are you welcoming?

Who do you eat meals with?

It’s probably a whole lot more enjoyable if it isn’t the religious mutterers and grumblers of this life.

The salt of discipleship

Luke 14: 34-36 “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? ³⁵ It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out. “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

Luke is obviously writing to the early Christians and using these words of Jesus to the Jews reminds the early Church that it influences the world and that makes it a better place. Salt.

It ends a passage that was difficult to read as much in our present day as it was for the first Church and as it was for the Jew to hear it. Salt.

The Church.

Salt that has become unfit. Manure is better.

Is that possible that we could become like this? Has it happened?

The world has many family divisions, unfinished towers and we live surrounded by fights.

Discipleship, costly obedience, sacrificial Christianity means that we will be right in the middle of our world influencing it for the good. The world needs the Church to be salt.

Between 2000-2018 I increasingly wept over the price Christians around the world are paying right now to be salt in their communities. This last year, in a new chapter of my life, the Lord has taken me to weep new tears. It is tears for my own nation. It is to weep for ‘Christians’ who carry a deep sense of justice for what should happen in Church, for those whose feelings are hurt, for the offended, the greedy and selfish. The world waits. God is waiting. Will the Church become salty again? Can it?

I believe in resurrection. It comes only after a death. The Church needs to stop displaying the cross and instead get on it. Perhaps discipleship then has a chance. Maybe our world can experience salt.

The argument isn’t worth it.

Luke 14: 31-33 “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? ³² If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. ³³ In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.”

To the Jew, it was Rome. That was for sure. That was the enemy they wanted to fight and Rome was ready. But they certainly didn’t know the full might of Rome and Jesus’ warning to them ahead of their destruction in AD70 is poignant, just like Herod’s construction project.

If only we knew the plans and the battles that are in our mind that distract us from being a true disciple of Jesus.

Most days I am walking into someone’s battle. It is usually not with an enemy as such though they have made it so. It is with another Christian, maybe an authoritative figure or just a fellow member of their Church. Often they haven’t counted the cost of their argument. They haven’t considered what they would lose, the damage they would cause to themselves and to others. They neither ask for peace and they never get on to the cross. The one word I never seem to hear is the one word everyone is fighting for, ‘sorry’.

I said to one person who was in a fight with their Pastor, “Do you not realise the damage this is causing you? Even before we think of the people in the Church. If you carry on like this then you will die a sad, old, bitter person with bad memories.”

The person said they had sent a card telling the Pastor they had forgiven him.

I told the person to go and get onto the cross: to apologise to the Pastor and ask for forgiveness.

“But I have done nothing wrong,” the member objected.

I replied, “Neither had Jesus. Sinless Jesus died a sinner’s death for you, so be a disciple and follow him.”

The member had not considered this before.

So my advice is today if you have woken up angry:

Consider the battle you want to have.

Is it worth it?

You may think you can win but what will you lose by winning?

Make peace.

Give up.

Follow Jesus.

The battle is to be a disciple.

He finished

Luke 14:28-30

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’

 

There’s only one who was able to finish.

He counted the cost. He completed the task.

Jesus.

In Haggai’s time the Temple had laid unfinished for 15-16 years because the people had said, “The time has not yet come to rebuild the Lord’s house” (Haggai 1:2).

Only Jesus was able to finish on time.

Herod completed the temple in 19-20 AD, it was destroyed by the army of Titus in 70AD and has never been rebuilt since.

Only Jesus was able to finish and remain complete for all time.

There is a Temple Movement who since 1987 have been working towards a third Temple rebuild believing that it will herald the world’s redemption. It is slow progress!

Only Jesus was able to finish and bring redemption.

We also look unfinished but, “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6). He finished and he will bring us to the finish also!

The weight of the cross

Luke 14: 27 “And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”

We have to carry our cross with us because we never know when we will be asked to get on it.

This week a church planters 12 year old boy in Cameroon was set upon by some youths. He was told to deny Christ which he refused to do. The mob so viciously attacked him that he died. He didn’t know that day would be his last day of his short life on this life, but he left his house carrying his cross.

I wonder what decisions or reactions we would make today if we felt the weight of the cross on our shoulders.

Empty the crowds

Luke 14: 25-26 “Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said:  “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.”

At first reading this of course sounds harsh!

However, Jesus is actually quoting from the prophet Micah, 7:5-6:

“Do not trust a neighbour; put no confidence in a friend. Even with the woman who lies in your embrace guard the words of your lips. For a son dishonours his father, a daughter rises up against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— a man’s enemies are the members of his own household.”

The Jewish thought was that prior to the Messiah coming there would be family discord. This would come about by an attack from an outside enemy resulting in the very essence of society, the family, breaking down. Therefore, Jesus is simply announcing his Messiahship.

Jesus is not saying we must hate. However, he is saying that his presence means that the very fabric of society (the family) will fall apart when the Messiah comes. Relatives will be divided because some will break free from sinful family customs.

There are tremendous and powerful loyalties within family. However, Jesus commands even a higher price of loyalty to him.

The crowds will soon dissipate with such news.

 

So who gets to sit at the table?

Luke 14: 16-24

“Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’ “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’ “‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’ “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full.  I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.”

 

Look who gets to sit at the upside down banquet table!

The poor, the crippled, the blind, the lame, the misfits, the homeless, the hurting and the lonely. That’s who is around the table of the Lord!

Where are the normal ones? Where are the organised ones? Where are the ones who have been blessed with land? Where are the ones blessed with cows? Where are the ones blessed with marriages? The so-called blessed ones are not here. They are too busy enjoying their so-called blessings. They could not make it this time. They hope to get to the next dinner. But they don’t realise there is only one banqueting table.

The distracted don’t sit at the table.

The rejecters of the Messiah don’t sit at the table.

Those with no need don’t sit at the table.

The table is for the desperate.

The table is for those who have nowhere else to go.

The table is for those who have been brought in to the banqueting hall.

The table is for us.

He brought me in and continues to do so.