15:1 This verse references the everyday people -- who were both good and bad, who made mistakes like all of us do but were willing and grateful to listen and learn from Jesus. Jesus associates with everybody, remember what He taught us in Luke 5:31-32: Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.
15:2 The Pharisees, who were uppity and had no compassion for those "below them" in rank, complained about Jesus associating with all people.
15:3 Jesus begins the Parable of the Lost Sheep in order to teach the message that God will go above and beyond, will travel a great journey to reach each of His children.
15:4 God loves us so uniquely that even when the majority of His children are gathered with Him and safe, He reaches out for the one lost child. We are each individually important to Him.
15:5 Even though that child was lost, the joy inside of God's heart is immeasurable when that child is finally reached, finally brought into the love and safety that God is.
15:6 Jesus wants to express to you the depth of God's love for you. You're not a number or an unknown to Him, your decision to be with Him creates a joy inside of Him that He wants to spread around the universe.
15:7 The relationship between God and a person who has done wrong in their lives but changed their path is a beautiful one. God is so aware that for a time, it was unlikely that that person would choose Him -- and because they finally do, it's a relationship that's all the more precious to Him. He receives back a child who previously rejected Him, He thought He was going to lose a child He loved so much.
15:4 God loves us so uniquely that even when the majority of His children are gathered with Him and safe, He reaches out for the one lost child. We are each individually important to Him.
15:5 Even though that child was lost, the joy inside of God's heart is immeasurable when that child is finally reached, finally brought into the love and safety that God is.
15:6 Jesus wants to express to you the depth of God's love for you. You're not a number or an unknown to Him, your decision to be with Him creates a joy inside of Him that He wants to spread around the universe.
15:7 The relationship between God and a person who has done wrong in their lives but changed their path is a beautiful one. God is so aware that for a time, it was unlikely that that person would choose Him -- and because they finally do, it's a relationship that's all the more precious to Him. He receives back a child who previously rejected Him, He thought He was going to lose a child He loved so much.
15:8 The Parable of the Lost Coin is similar to the previous parable in that Jesus is explaining just how frantically and completely God searches for a child who is lost to Him. God truly does light a lamp in our lives making everything clear and filled with love; He truly sweeps our house clean... He heals us internally.
15:9-10 Heaven rejoices together when a soul returns back to God; it's a beautiful moment. This is how Jesus explains to the uppity Pharisees that all children are loved by God and that Jesus associates with everyone so that the lost children have the opportunity to join back with a God who loves them so.
15:9-10 Heaven rejoices together when a soul returns back to God; it's a beautiful moment. This is how Jesus explains to the uppity Pharisees that all children are loved by God and that Jesus associates with everyone so that the lost children have the opportunity to join back with a God who loves them so.
15:11-12 The Parable of the Lost Son: is a parable which explains the story of humanity on Earth. God equip us all, in the beginning, with His love and this generous Earth to live on. He fairly divided His blessings between His children.
15:13-16 One of the sons takes advantage of the gifts and uses them unwisely. He becomes disoriented, he leaves his father, lives and spends recklessly and ends up having nothing. He had no food; he had no shelter.
15:17 But this man began to think of his father and of his siblings, who were well cared for, fed and sheltered.
15:18-19 This son has a change of heart, he returns to his father with sincere apology for having wasted all that was given to him. The son shows his apology and his humility by asking to serve the father. This son was born blessed, nothing was asked of him, and yet he wasted the love and generosity of his father.
This story is representative of humanity -- God gave freely to all of us. We each live on this gorgeous, sufficient planet but some of us take advantage of this life and reject God and everything he stands for. But here's what is beautiful: we can say sorry and we can return to our Father, our understanding God.
True children of God are workers of God. They live His purpose -- spreading and giving compassion, being humble, promoting equality. We have a job to do with the blessings He gives us.
15:20 Before we even complete the journey of becoming better people, God sees us trying... and just the sight of us trying fills Him with love and happiness. That is how much we are loved. He has compassion for us and even when we make a complete mess of our lives, He's right there waiting for us when we realize our mistakes.
15:21 And this son certainly realized his mistakes -- he left the perfect love and protection of his father and he greedily wasted everything that was given to him. He did not return to his father expecting much because he was so sincere and apologetic that he did not feel he deserved much.
15:22-24 God is a forgiving force, a patience force, a force of love and light. He celebrates across the galaxies when a child return to Him. All of creation celebrates with God as He welcomes a child home. He does not ignore or reprimand the child... the child learned his lesson, become genuinely apologetic and found humility and compassion within himself -- God rejoices when each of us join with Him, no matter how rough the journey was.
15:25-30 The first son was perturbed that the other brother received so much love and forgiveness -- sometimes in life people resent when others are rewarded for things they've done all along, we don't want to be like that and God will explain why in the following verses -- but remember that God is with all of us and He loves us individually, He accounts for everything we do, we are never forgotten by him.
15:31 God gives to each of his children fairly... He loves us. None of us are neglected for who we are. He's knows us so well, loves us so deeply.
15:32 It is a particularly special moment for God when a lost child returns, when a *spiritually "dead" child comes alive again in God's river of love and life. The idea of losing a child hurts God so much that when that child is found, He's deeply thankful... He wants to celebrate the fact that darkness turned to light when it appeared all hope was lost.
15:13-16 One of the sons takes advantage of the gifts and uses them unwisely. He becomes disoriented, he leaves his father, lives and spends recklessly and ends up having nothing. He had no food; he had no shelter.
15:17 But this man began to think of his father and of his siblings, who were well cared for, fed and sheltered.
15:18-19 This son has a change of heart, he returns to his father with sincere apology for having wasted all that was given to him. The son shows his apology and his humility by asking to serve the father. This son was born blessed, nothing was asked of him, and yet he wasted the love and generosity of his father.
This story is representative of humanity -- God gave freely to all of us. We each live on this gorgeous, sufficient planet but some of us take advantage of this life and reject God and everything he stands for. But here's what is beautiful: we can say sorry and we can return to our Father, our understanding God.
True children of God are workers of God. They live His purpose -- spreading and giving compassion, being humble, promoting equality. We have a job to do with the blessings He gives us.
15:20 Before we even complete the journey of becoming better people, God sees us trying... and just the sight of us trying fills Him with love and happiness. That is how much we are loved. He has compassion for us and even when we make a complete mess of our lives, He's right there waiting for us when we realize our mistakes.
15:21 And this son certainly realized his mistakes -- he left the perfect love and protection of his father and he greedily wasted everything that was given to him. He did not return to his father expecting much because he was so sincere and apologetic that he did not feel he deserved much.
15:22-24 God is a forgiving force, a patience force, a force of love and light. He celebrates across the galaxies when a child return to Him. All of creation celebrates with God as He welcomes a child home. He does not ignore or reprimand the child... the child learned his lesson, become genuinely apologetic and found humility and compassion within himself -- God rejoices when each of us join with Him, no matter how rough the journey was.
15:25-30 The first son was perturbed that the other brother received so much love and forgiveness -- sometimes in life people resent when others are rewarded for things they've done all along, we don't want to be like that and God will explain why in the following verses -- but remember that God is with all of us and He loves us individually, He accounts for everything we do, we are never forgotten by him.
15:31 God gives to each of his children fairly... He loves us. None of us are neglected for who we are. He's knows us so well, loves us so deeply.
15:32 It is a particularly special moment for God when a lost child returns, when a *spiritually "dead" child comes alive again in God's river of love and life. The idea of losing a child hurts God so much that when that child is found, He's deeply thankful... He wants to celebrate the fact that darkness turned to light when it appeared all hope was lost.
