In the last post, I shared my struggles with the tensions between Evangelicalism and Discipleship. This may be our collective mistakes in attributing more value to those with the gift of evangelism, and less value on people who are gifted differently. I am pretty confident this is a mistake and contrary to several clear Scriptures.
But looking at the three parables here, the Shepherd's lost sheep, the widow's lost coin, and the Father's prodigal son. This last parable, it occurred to me many years ago, is badly titled, and this matters because the title takes us in the wrong direction.
So, the context is king, and what is the context that led Jesus to share these three parallel stories. The Jewish leaders (Pharisees), were criticizing Jesus for eating with, fellow-shipping with sinners. A LOGICAL response would be stories explaining, not the sheep, the coin, the son, but Jesus, the Christ! That is, Jesus probably would NOT be talking about evangelism, but his own heart.
Sooooo, let's re-read the story, and focus on: 1) The Shepherd, 2) The widow, and 3) The Prodigal's father. What do we see? NOT the lost sheep, coin, son, which may be Believers, but on Jesus. Jesus who seeks the lost, Jesus who was "about His father's business", day and night, and Jesus who "killed the fatted calf" over one sinner who repents. That sinner may be a Believer who repents, or a Poor Lost Soul, who repents of his sin, and accepts the Christ for the FIRST time.
So, in my view, the KEY story of Luke 15 is The Christ, his love and forgiveness for ALL- the Christian and the non-Christian alike.
What say ye?
But looking at the three parables here, the Shepherd's lost sheep, the widow's lost coin, and the Father's prodigal son. This last parable, it occurred to me many years ago, is badly titled, and this matters because the title takes us in the wrong direction.
So, the context is king, and what is the context that led Jesus to share these three parallel stories. The Jewish leaders (Pharisees), were criticizing Jesus for eating with, fellow-shipping with sinners. A LOGICAL response would be stories explaining, not the sheep, the coin, the son, but Jesus, the Christ! That is, Jesus probably would NOT be talking about evangelism, but his own heart.
Sooooo, let's re-read the story, and focus on: 1) The Shepherd, 2) The widow, and 3) The Prodigal's father. What do we see? NOT the lost sheep, coin, son, which may be Believers, but on Jesus. Jesus who seeks the lost, Jesus who was "about His father's business", day and night, and Jesus who "killed the fatted calf" over one sinner who repents. That sinner may be a Believer who repents, or a Poor Lost Soul, who repents of his sin, and accepts the Christ for the FIRST time.
So, in my view, the KEY story of Luke 15 is The Christ, his love and forgiveness for ALL- the Christian and the non-Christian alike.
What say ye?
It's been there a long time. All we have to do is "Come."
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