This Sunday we will pick up where we left off with Jesus mid-parables. To Pharisees and scribes who were grumbling about his willingness to receive and eat with tax-collectors and sinners, He told a series of three parables. In the first, one of a shepherd’s one hundred sheep was lost. In the second, one of a poor woman’s ten silver coins was lost. But in the third, parable Jesus throws a curveball – two of a father’s two sons are lost.

By the story’s end, the first son, who epitomizes the sorts of  “sinners” Jesus was receiving and eating with in order to seek and save, has run home to his father’s open and loving arms in stunning repentance. The second son, who reflects the self-righteous and grumbling Pharisees and scribes, offended by Jesus’ mercy reading out to the “unworthy and defiled,” is still standing outside the father’s house refusing to join in the celebration over his lost brother being found.

Just as this father loves both sons and is eager to enfold them both in his gracious and loving arms, so our Heavenly Father loves wayward, high-handed sinners as well as legalistic, self-righteous sinners. He wants all to “run to the Father and fall into grace,” as the song says.

Jason Oakes will be preaching Luke 15:11-32 and Kenny Clark will be leading our sung worship. Would you pray for each as they prepare? And let’s ask the Lord to magnify his infinite mercy and grace and love for us this Sunday as we hear this parable preached, making us humble and bold ambassadors for Him to a lost and dying world.

See you Sunday, Grace. Come hungry!

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Song Link of the Week

The Two Lost Sons by Caroline Cobb

My child, my child, I’ll run out to meet you
Come into my house, what’s lost can be found
My child, my child, come into the party
All I have is yours, don’t stand outside my door