Luke 15. Ah, the parables of the lost things. Think about something you have lost – maybe your luggage? It’s annoying to live in the same clothes and not have your stuff for a few days. How happy were you when your luggage finally arrived (if it ever did)?! Or maybe you’ve lost your car keys? That’s so frustrating. How happy were you when you finally found them? We lose all kinds of stuff – credit cards, wallets, phones, air pods, etc. (Thank goodness for air tags!) What if you have ever had a pet go missing – your most precious furry love has wandered off? That’s a terrible feeling too.

Jesus shares three “lost things” parables in Luke 15 and they all have the same point. He is speaking to the religious rulers of the day, who complained that Jesus was hanging out with “sinners” (15:1-2). (We talked about this in Luke 5, remember Everyone Is Welcome at the Table?) The point of all three parables is that people are very valuable to God! The shepherd goes hunting for the lost sheep (15:3-7) and when he finds it there is much rejoicing, more joy, and a call to others to rejoice. The woman goes hunting for her lost coin (15:8-10), she seeks diligently with intention and great effort. When she finds it, she calls others to rejoice with her.

The parable of the prodigal son (15:11-32) is the longest and most involved of the three stories, but the main point is the same. His father saw him, felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. The father called others to come and celebrate, my son was dead and is alive again, he was lost and now he is found. The lost son was very important to the father – just as every human being is very important to God! There is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents (15:10).

Key truths: People are very valuable to God. God is compassionate, forgiving, welcoming, and there is no behavior that would cause Him to not welcome a wanderer home with rejoicing. The lost son is different than the sheep and the coin, because he chose the wrong path and then finally came to his senses – but that reveals more of God’s character to us. It also fits in with Jesus’ constant call to repent (turn around) and come build a relationship with God.

The last little twist in the story of the lost son is how angry the self-righteous older brother was about the whole thing (15:25-32). As Jesus was telling this parable to the haughty religious leaders of the day, perhaps they felt the sting of being painted into the story? There’s a famous Rembrandt painting of this parable, and he has the older son standing off on the side with his arms crossed in annoyance. I think that’s how the religious leaders feel – annoyed that people with complicated stories are flocking to Jesus and Jesus is embracing them and showing them how much He loves them.

Where do you see yourself in the parable of the prodigal son? Are you the lost one who chose poorly? Do you need to find your way back to God? He’s waiting for you with open arms. Are you the judgmental older brother, uncomfortable with people and their complicated back stories? Maybe you need to be more welcoming and remember that all people are valuable to God. Could you be the father-figure, waiting for a prodigal to come home? Be at peace, God knows your story and He’s diligently seeking the lost one too.

What stood out to you in Luke 15?