Story of Jesus, December 15th

Luke Chapter 15

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus teach. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law grumbled and complained, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

So Jesus told them this story: “If a man has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and carries it home. And when he gets home he calls together his friends and neighbors and says, ‘Rejoice with me, I have found my lost sheep.’

In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!”

“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and sweep the entire house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me, I have found my lost coin.’

In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

To illustrate the point further, Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate now that is coming to me.’ So he divided the property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he wasted all his money in wild and reckless living.

After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs he longed for. But no one gave him anything.

When he came to his senses, he said, ‘At home even my father’s hired men have food enough to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy of being called your son; make me like one of your hired men.’ So he got up and went to his father.

But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him. He ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’

But the father said to his servant, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother is back,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him, but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once disobeyed your orders. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your money on prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

And he said to him, ‘My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again. He was lost, but now he is found!'”