Sunday, June 2, 2013

The Lost Sheep That Was Found

May 26, 2013 Sermon Summary

Luke 15:1-7

We had the Lord’s Supper today. When we had the Lord Supper, I believe no one thought,” Oh my, how come that person is also with us? I don’t like it. I wonder why the pastor treats that person in the same way he treats us.” However, in this scene, these exactly criticizing, complaining words came out. ◆Having meal together is the basic thing when we live with other people. Having meal together means that we accept each other as friends. In other words, Lord Jesus became friends with the tax collectors and the sinners. ◆However there were people who saw this and could not tolerate that. They absolutely couldn’t tolerate that Jesus became friends with the sinners. It’s because they had pride in their own righteousness and they thought “we are different from those people.” Jesus told this parable to destroy their arrogance. ◆Perhaps, when Jesus told this parable, the tax collectors and sinners, who became the reason of the criticism, were with him. For them, this parable was nothing more than a great joy (gospel/good news). For them, these words are words that they had never heard before, words that are full of love and mercy. ◆In this way, parables can be judgment or salvation depending on the standpoint of the listener. Now, when we listen to this parable, in which position do we stand? Is it the law teachers’ or the sinners’? ◆Let each and every one of us confirm our position and standpoint. If we can look at ourselves and everyone else around us as “the lost sheep that was found”, I believe that the Kingdom of God will come on earth.