| No Matter What God Seeks Me |
“No Matter What: God Seeks Me”
Luke 15:1-10
September 30, 2007
Last Sunday I began a series called “No Matter What!” What is it that I
understand to be true about God no matter what? No matter what occurs
in my life, if I can remember four basics, I believe my life will be full and I
will be victorious over any obstacle I encounter. Here they are:
No Matter What: God Loves Me
No Matter What: God Seeks Me
No Matter What: God Gives Me Another Chance
No Matter What: God Works Through Me
The scripture this morning includes two of Luke’s three “lost-and-found”
parables. The “lost sheep” and the “lost coin” stories. They are followed
by the familiar “lost son” story, perhaps better known as the story of the
“prodigal son.”
“Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear
him. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man
welcomes sinners and eats with them." Then Jesus told them this
parable:
"Suppose one of you 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 goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors
together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' I tell
you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one
sinner who repents than over ninety nine righteous persons who do not
need to repent.
"Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not
light a lamp, sweep the 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."
Parables are story-telling devices that Jesus used to point his listeners
toward a truth. Birthed in a common experience, they don’t state in black-
and-white answers what the truth is... O, it might seem that way when the
concept is finally grasped... but, in reality, the parables only guide us
toward the answer rather than hammering us over the head with it.
I want to share a parable with you:
(Wizard of Oz -scene where Dorothy leaves the Munchkins and then
meets the Scarecrow)
On this journey we call life it seems that we are often seeking something.
We seek direction… we seek a sense of home... we seek greater
knowledge... we seek to be more compassionate or even seek ways to
handle the adversities without fear. We forge ahead, sure that the
answer to our endeavor lies somewhere else... in someone else. Yet, in
the midst of the seeking, rather than finding what we are looking for, we
are more likely to find ourselves at a crossroad... lost. We hesitate for a
moment... perhaps listening to the suggestions of those around us who
are also lost, thinking we are getting our bearings, and, then, we travel
on down the “Yellow Brick Road” with renewed expectations.... until we
again recognize that we are lost. We are the Dorothys or the
Scarecrows or the lost lambs or the lost coins....
The parables suggest, I think, three things: The first is that all of us,
really, are lost... In writing to the church in Rome Paul says, “...for all have
sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Rom 3:23 NIV). In our own
ways, somehow... each of us, at some point... has become separated
from God. As John Newton, the author of the song “Amazing Grace”
wrote: “I once was lost, but now am found.” Yet, even when lost I know
that no matter what: God seeks me!
The second truth that the parables point to, is that those who are lost
cannot find their own way... someone has to start looking for them.
Those who are lost will stay lost until someone begins to search for
them. It is not a matter of finding the right path to Oz. It is not a matter of
being able to open the gate to reenter the fold. It is not a matter of the
coin suddenly becoming an animate object and jumping back into the
coin purse. Someone has to want to look for that which is lost. No matter
what: God seeks me!
The third point of the parable is the joy that is shared with all... when
even one who is lost is found. Remember the scene when Dorothy
wakes up. Everyone is gathered around her and rejoices that she has
returned. The gospels are filled with story after story of the joy that God
experiences... and all can experience, when each is brought back into a
relationship with God. Restoration to a sense of wholeness occurs as a
result of being found by God. It is truly a divine gift... A gift that makes it
possible for all involved to express joy, including “the angels of God.”
There is rejoicing because no matter what: God seeks me!
So what does this all mean for me... and of course each of you? What
does all this mean today... tomorrow.... wherever we might be?
Perhaps this: We don’t need to look any further than where we are right
now to find God. Jesus stated that “The kingdom of God is within.” God
is not lost... but there are those times when we are. It is in those times...
times when I am feeling confused, shattered, lonely... lost... It is in those
times that God seeks me. There is the good news. No matter what: God
seeks me!
And when I am able to say, “Here I Am Lord... I once was lost, but now
am found,” the result is a joy that permeates all of creation.... even the
celestial beings. AMEN
Luke 15:1-10
September 30, 2007
Last Sunday I began a series called “No Matter What!” What is it that I
understand to be true about God no matter what? No matter what occurs
in my life, if I can remember four basics, I believe my life will be full and I
will be victorious over any obstacle I encounter. Here they are:
No Matter What: God Loves Me
No Matter What: God Seeks Me
No Matter What: God Gives Me Another Chance
No Matter What: God Works Through Me
The scripture this morning includes two of Luke’s three “lost-and-found”
parables. The “lost sheep” and the “lost coin” stories. They are followed
by the familiar “lost son” story, perhaps better known as the story of the
“prodigal son.”
“Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear
him. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man
welcomes sinners and eats with them." Then Jesus told them this
parable:
"Suppose one of you 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 goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors
together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' I tell
you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one
sinner who repents than over ninety nine righteous persons who do not
need to repent.
"Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not
light a lamp, sweep the 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."
Parables are story-telling devices that Jesus used to point his listeners
toward a truth. Birthed in a common experience, they don’t state in black-
and-white answers what the truth is... O, it might seem that way when the
concept is finally grasped... but, in reality, the parables only guide us
toward the answer rather than hammering us over the head with it.
I want to share a parable with you:
(Wizard of Oz -scene where Dorothy leaves the Munchkins and then
meets the Scarecrow)
On this journey we call life it seems that we are often seeking something.
We seek direction… we seek a sense of home... we seek greater
knowledge... we seek to be more compassionate or even seek ways to
handle the adversities without fear. We forge ahead, sure that the
answer to our endeavor lies somewhere else... in someone else. Yet, in
the midst of the seeking, rather than finding what we are looking for, we
are more likely to find ourselves at a crossroad... lost. We hesitate for a
moment... perhaps listening to the suggestions of those around us who
are also lost, thinking we are getting our bearings, and, then, we travel
on down the “Yellow Brick Road” with renewed expectations.... until we
again recognize that we are lost. We are the Dorothys or the
Scarecrows or the lost lambs or the lost coins....
The parables suggest, I think, three things: The first is that all of us,
really, are lost... In writing to the church in Rome Paul says, “...for all have
sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Rom 3:23 NIV). In our own
ways, somehow... each of us, at some point... has become separated
from God. As John Newton, the author of the song “Amazing Grace”
wrote: “I once was lost, but now am found.” Yet, even when lost I know
that no matter what: God seeks me!
The second truth that the parables point to, is that those who are lost
cannot find their own way... someone has to start looking for them.
Those who are lost will stay lost until someone begins to search for
them. It is not a matter of finding the right path to Oz. It is not a matter of
being able to open the gate to reenter the fold. It is not a matter of the
coin suddenly becoming an animate object and jumping back into the
coin purse. Someone has to want to look for that which is lost. No matter
what: God seeks me!
The third point of the parable is the joy that is shared with all... when
even one who is lost is found. Remember the scene when Dorothy
wakes up. Everyone is gathered around her and rejoices that she has
returned. The gospels are filled with story after story of the joy that God
experiences... and all can experience, when each is brought back into a
relationship with God. Restoration to a sense of wholeness occurs as a
result of being found by God. It is truly a divine gift... A gift that makes it
possible for all involved to express joy, including “the angels of God.”
There is rejoicing because no matter what: God seeks me!
So what does this all mean for me... and of course each of you? What
does all this mean today... tomorrow.... wherever we might be?
Perhaps this: We don’t need to look any further than where we are right
now to find God. Jesus stated that “The kingdom of God is within.” God
is not lost... but there are those times when we are. It is in those times...
times when I am feeling confused, shattered, lonely... lost... It is in those
times that God seeks me. There is the good news. No matter what: God
seeks me!
And when I am able to say, “Here I Am Lord... I once was lost, but now
am found,” the result is a joy that permeates all of creation.... even the
celestial beings. AMEN
DeWitt United Methodist Church
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