Part three: Lost while still in the fold?: Values

Where are our values today? Are they in things material or in Spiritual things? In th second parable of Jesus as it is recorded in Luke 15, Jesus asks this question vs.8: “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it?” Verse 9 says, “And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors
Together; saying, “ Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!” Now verse ten, “Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repents.”
Is this parable all about a coin? No prosperity doctrine here, He’s talking about souls….your soul and mine that once was lost and bound for hell but we have been redeemed by the shedding of blood. His blood. All we have to do is accept it by faith.
One sinner who repents causes all heaven to rejoice. Heaven is a joyful place. And when a sinner repents it is of much greater importance than a discovering of a lost coin. But Jesus uses this analogy so that we can understand better.
I can’t help but think however about the circumstances. This coin was lost at home. The thought came to me of how many of our loved ones right in our own home are lost today? I repented of my sins many years ago and accepted Christ as Savior in a little Baptist congregation after the pastor of that church invited me to do so. But the real influence was my parents example that led me to the Lord. Right in our own home the Gospel was lived out every day. Are we doing the same thing and in that way sweeping and searching carefully until we find that lost one at home? A coin is worthless compared to a soul. Jesus did not say anything about rejoicing over a lost coin as far as heaven was concerned. He repeats the same message that He told when that lost sheep was found in the first parable in Luke ch. 15 There is rejoicing in heaven when a soul finds salvation….when he/she repents.
You can be lost while still at home,that is why it is important to sweep the house every now and then to find that lost one…..the angels will rejoice….never give up on them.

Part four: never give up on that lost one.
The next parable from Luke ch. 15 is the parable of the prodigal son. It is really about the love of a father….the love of our Heavenly Father. You can read it in ch. 15 verses 11 through 32. I think this is one of the most outstanding parables Jesus ever told. It offers great hope to that mum or dad whose son or daughter has strayed far from home. If the path you’ve trod takes you far from home (a line from a song called "your in Father’s house, you are not alone"); the prodigal son had gone down that path and he found himself living in a pigpen, starving to death. But the Bible says that while he was in that pigpen that he came to himself. If your son or daughter is in a pigpen of sin somewhere then pray that prayer first. That he/she will come to themselves. VS. 17 says, “But when he came to himself, he said, “how many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!” That was the first step in his return home…he came to himself. He began to think straight. Sinful living is riotous living…it is mob psychology it doesn’t think right. It lives from one sinful act to another; it is only intent on gratifying the flesh. The old philosophy of the so-called “new morality” that rose up back in the sixties said, “if it feels good…do it” That is not thinking right. It only satisfies the flesh but unfortunately that satisfaction does not last very long. The prodigal son ended up homeless and hopeless thinking like that. But then he came to himself. He began to think straight. And he thought of home. Perhaps you are reading this blog somewhere today or tonight and it has caused you to think of home, heaven and home. You can do what the prodigal did…come to your senses. Sin is not sensible.
It will destroy you. “Sin when it is full grown, brings forth death.”
James 1:15. Don’t let sin become full grown. The Bible states here in James’ epistle ch.4 vs 7: “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” Firstly you have to submit to God because you cannot resist the devil in your own strength. The first thing you have to do is to repent like the prodigal son did. He said, “I will arise and go to my father, (that was the smartest thing he had ever done up to this point in his life) That is the first step in repentance….to acknowledge your sin…and so did the prodigal son, because he said ,I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned “
That is what the Father wants to hear us say…”Father I have sinned”….I’m a sinner not worthy to be called Your son. But the Father is always there waiting for that lost son to return home…in fact He is always waiting and watching because the Bible says here inLuke 15:20, “But when he was a long way off, his father saw him and had compassion……it didn’t matter what he had done..he had compassion…..he saw his son and he had compassion. I believe that is a picture of how God looks at us. He sees us and He has compassion. There does not seem like there is a lot of compassion in this day and age. Compassion is a God given quality. The compassion is God’s part. Forgiveness is God’s part. Repentance is our part. We must come to ourselves. And oh the rejoicing! A line of a song goes like this…”what rejoicing on that day, when the saints arise, headed for that jubilee, yonder in the skies….oh what singing, oh what shouting on that happy morning when we all shall rise”. I believe it is the same rejoicing as there is in heaven when a sinner returns home….when a sinner repents. Do you want to make all heaven rejoice? Confess your sins to Jesus..repent....I have