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Hello, I’m the Reverend Jo Musson, and vicar of two churches in Worcester. In this podcast I’m going to be reflecting on the gospel reading for Sunday 11 sept - Luke chapter 15 verses 1-10
When my youngest daughter was just a few years old, I realised to my horror that the front door of our house had been open for some considerable time. I ran through the house looking for her but couldn’t see her anywhere, I rushed outside, calling her name, dreading she might have wandered out onto the road . . .
my mind picturing all the possibilities, which grew more dreadful as the minutes ticked by and I became more and more terrified.
I needn’t have worried. My husband who somehow managed to remain calm throughout the whole drama, found her. She was sitting in her bedroom, the other side of her bed, playing quietly, totally immersed in her own world and unaware of the commotion, I thanked God she was safe.
In today’s reading, Jesus tells two parables about lost things: a lost sheep and a lost coin.
I wonder if these parables have as much relevance for us today? Do people still go to that much trouble to find something?
I guess it depends on what it is. If it’s your child you do!
The conversation takes place whilst Jesus is eating with tax collectors and sinners – Note – Jesus has no qualms about eating with the sinners. He doesn’t wait for them to become well behaved or law abiding before inviting them to join him. He doesn’t avoid their company - he knows that it is by being in his presence they will be transformed.
I wonder how often we, in our churches, reach out to the same sort of people as Jesus? I suspect most congregations would rejoice to have 99 people in the church! But are we more concerned with self-preservation? More concerned with keeping the nominal 99 lambs sweet than risking their wrath to step outside and rescue one lost sinner.
Shepherds were considered as lowly and peasant like. Come to think of it sheep aren’t much better. They are heavy, dirty, skittish, and rather obstinate creatures.
They certainly make for a good illustration of our own nature and our reaction to God’s offer of rescue. We too are at times fickle and easily led astray. Each of us has wandered, some further than others.
Take St Paul, he never ceased to be amazed that God should have taken a man like him into his service. Paul knew what it was to be a sinner, and described himself as ‘a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence’
He never forgot his sins, but celebrated that he was forgiven and that the Lord had poured his grace and love upon him.
Of course Jesus wants to rescue all of us. He wants to pour upon us his grace and love.
There are times when all of us feel lost. The pandemic has demonstrated that. The dramatic rise in the cost of living is daunting.
And sometimes we are so preoccupied with concerns for our loved ones or our jobs we blank out the sound of his voice calling our names.
Each time Jesus welcomes us home, he keeps the lamps lit, drawing us back into the safety and comfort of the fold where he will close the door so we are safe under his loving gaze.
God may well rejoice more over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine who need no repentance, but it doesn’t mean he doesn’t care about the 99, he has just as much joy over them and is as concerned with keeping the found as with finding the lost. After all, we are all God’s children.
Let us rejoice in that! Amen.