Carried Home

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

CARRIED HOME

Luke 15:1-7

15:1 Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them." 3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 "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? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' 7 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.

NIV

Is this not about that old thinking of us four and no more? Although the Pharisees looked to the law for their righteousness, in fact, Jesus had called them white-washed tombs, or told them about cleaning the outside of the cup while the inside was dirty, or in need of cleansing, they were still trying to obey God in some form or another, while these tax collectors and sinners, needed the gospel. Of course, the Pharisees were also in need of the gospel. There is no question we the ninety-nine should always be in a state of rejoicing. There should be no time in our day that we should not be rejoicing. We cannot stuff our rejoicing until Sunday morning in church. Although we have even seen a muted form, if not a void of rejoicing in the congregation. There may even be the same form of thinking in the manner of the Pharisees, looking to work, and good deeds, as the way of life for the believer. However, we are told to rejoice and told again to rejoice in Jesus. He told the Pharisees that all of heaven rejoices when one lost soul is found and carried with gentleness and joyfully brings that sinner home, into the kingdom of God. Rejoicing should be the way of life for believers for we already live in the kingdom of God. We have changed from our former way of thinking and have turned to Jesus for our salvation. However, we have so much more in that salvation. We have inherited eternal life which includes Jesus having prepared a place for us in the New City of Jerusalem and that he is coming back to take us there so we can live with him. God will dwell with us and be our God and we will be his people forever and ever in this paradise Jesus has made ready for us. We can just imagine and rejoice in that imagining of Jesus putting us on his shoulders and carrying us to our eternal home.