August 13

Luke 15:1-10 (Click to see scripture)

Bible in One Year Passages:

Journal Entry

Scripture

Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. (v. 7)
Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents. (v. 10)

Observation

The Pharisees and the scribes were unhappy that Jesus hung around the tax collector and sinners who were considered the scum of the society at that time. Judging from Jesus’ response, it doesn’t seem like their indignation was purely due to religious reasons. The law did say that the righteous people shouldn’t hang around with the unrighteous. But it also seems that the religious leaders were jealous because Jesus, famous among the people, did not spend enough time with them. He would rather spend time with the sinners than with them, how dare he!
In today’s text, Jesus clearly lays out the priorities of His Kingdom. Saving the lost is more important by a long shot than making the ones who are saved more comfortable and assured. Jesus illustrated this with circumstances that would be familiar to people of that time, using the parables of lost sheep and lost coin. Finding the lost sheep or the lost coin is extremely important to the owner even though what is lost is a small fraction of his total possession. Each piece is precious to the owner and he will go to the distance to find what is lost. If the piece that is lost is not precious, the owner wouldn’t care. And that is exactly the point that Jesus is making: each person is extremely precious to God. Those who are in his fold are safe already. But those who are outside need his help desperately!

Application

If God’s priority is saving the lost, then shouldn’t our priority be the same? How and with whom are we spending time? How do we spend our talent? What should be the priority of our church? Does our church budget and programs reflect God priorities?
Two things come to my mind in light of today’s passage. One, I spend way too much time with Christian friends and hardly any with my non-Christian friends and coworkers. In fact, I don’t think I have too many non-Christian friends. Furthermore, my circle of friends comes mostly from one church (YNCC). So, how healthy could this be? I must make a conscious effort to interact better with non-Christian acquaintances and friends that God places on my path. If God placed them on my path for a purpose, should I just brush them off?
The second thing that comes to my mind is how we should use our resources to reach the lost, even at the expense of some of our own internal needs. Again, how we use our resources should mirror God’s priority. If we should spend disproportionate amount of resources to reclaim the lost for His Kingdom, then it is the price that we should gladly pay.

Prayer

Dear Lord, help me to feel your yearning and pain for each of the lost in this world. Help me to reprioritize my life so that it reflects your priorities. Help me so that I don’t grumble when your focus is on the lost and not on me. Amen.

--tchang