Larry Devich
Sunday, July 02, 2006
Sunday of the Fourth week of Pentecost
What is repentance, according to the Lord? Repentance is being found by One Who has endless joy in retrieving us! Repentance is being nothing but rescued! It is being laid, helpless, over the shoulder of another! It is being brought back – from sin, death, and Satan – into joy, light, life, and eternal gladness.
There are those who will tell you that repentance is something else - something poor sinners must do to get back in with God!
Jesus tells a different story. Several, in fact. He tells of the shepherd leaving the ninety-nine who think they need no repentance. What terrible judgment! The shepherd leaves them! He goes to rescue the one who needs rescuing, who is lost, who cannot get himself un-lost.
The same storyline continues with the woman and her lost coin. What a picture of Jesus! Down on His knees, for the joy of saving us lost ones; enduring such shame, such torture, such agonizing labor. Until . . . He has us! Body and Blood safe in His hands! Kill the fattened calf! Roll out the barrel! Christ has His lost ones back!
That’s repentance, says Jesus. Repentance is when God must do the finding and carrying us home! He puts us on His shoulders. And then comes the party! The Finder calls His friends – the angels, archangels, and all the company of heaven – and there is a Feast! Such joy in heaven and on earth when Christ rescues even a single lost sinner! That’s repentance, Jesus-style!
And those who figure they don’t need such a Party? Such Service? Who figure they can get along without such repentance and forgiveness delivered to poor sinners by the One Who alone saves? They stand outside and grumble over Jesus eating and drinking with sinners. They won’t come in. They refuse. No repentance, no Jesus for them!
But you, little coin, little lamb, little lost son or daughter, for you who must be saved, rescued – the Feast is ready. Come to the Feast!
“O God, the Protector of all that trust in Thee, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy, increase and multiply upon us Thy mercy that, Thou being our Ruler and Guide, we may so pass through things temporal that we finally lose not the things eternal.” (Collect for Trinity 3)
Daily Readings
Ecclesiastes 6:1-12
Acts 10:9-23
Luke 12:32-40 ¶ 7/02/2006 06:49:00 AM 0 Comments
“There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.” (St. Luke 15:7)
What is repentance, according to the Lord? Repentance is being found by One Who has endless joy in retrieving us! Repentance is being nothing but rescued! It is being laid, helpless, over the shoulder of another! It is being brought back – from sin, death, and Satan – into joy, light, life, and eternal gladness.
There are those who will tell you that repentance is something else - something poor sinners must do to get back in with God!
Jesus tells a different story. Several, in fact. He tells of the shepherd leaving the ninety-nine who think they need no repentance. What terrible judgment! The shepherd leaves them! He goes to rescue the one who needs rescuing, who is lost, who cannot get himself un-lost.
The same storyline continues with the woman and her lost coin. What a picture of Jesus! Down on His knees, for the joy of saving us lost ones; enduring such shame, such torture, such agonizing labor. Until . . . He has us! Body and Blood safe in His hands! Kill the fattened calf! Roll out the barrel! Christ has His lost ones back!
That’s repentance, says Jesus. Repentance is when God must do the finding and carrying us home! He puts us on His shoulders. And then comes the party! The Finder calls His friends – the angels, archangels, and all the company of heaven – and there is a Feast! Such joy in heaven and on earth when Christ rescues even a single lost sinner! That’s repentance, Jesus-style!
And those who figure they don’t need such a Party? Such Service? Who figure they can get along without such repentance and forgiveness delivered to poor sinners by the One Who alone saves? They stand outside and grumble over Jesus eating and drinking with sinners. They won’t come in. They refuse. No repentance, no Jesus for them!
But you, little coin, little lamb, little lost son or daughter, for you who must be saved, rescued – the Feast is ready. Come to the Feast!
“O God, the Protector of all that trust in Thee, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy, increase and multiply upon us Thy mercy that, Thou being our Ruler and Guide, we may so pass through things temporal that we finally lose not the things eternal.” (Collect for Trinity 3)
Daily Readings
Ecclesiastes 6:1-12
Acts 10:9-23
Luke 12:32-40 ¶ 7/02/2006 06:49:00 AM 0 Comments
