Luke 15:1-10 (NRSV)
Read Luke 15:1-10 on biblegateway.com
Chapter 15Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. Verse 2And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, "This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them." Verse 3So he told them this parable: Verse 4"Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? Verse 5When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. Verse 6And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.' Verse 7Just 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. Verse 8"Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? Verse 9When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.' Verse 10Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."
Devotion
Today and tomorrow focus on Sunday’s gospel text. These twin parables about a lost sheep and a lost coin are couched in terms of this week’s theme of repentance and of this week’s promise of joy in heaven. Luke tells us that there was much grumbling among the religious folk over Jesus’ association with tax collectors and all manner of sinners. And so these two stories are told to lift up God’s joy over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people who have no need for repentance.
Of course, the question is: where could you find such people, folks who have no need to repent? And, truth be told, we couldn’t! So whether our sin is that of breaking the Ten Commandments, or that of self-righteousness, when it is acknowledged, God’s joy knows no bounds.
Prayer
Holy Spirit, stir up our hearts to confess our sins, and then work faith in our hearts to trust in our heavenly Father’s joy in granting us forgiveness. In Jesus’ name. Amen.