Parable of the Lost Sheep
1Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. 2This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!
3So Jesus told them this story: 4“If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? 5And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. 6When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ 7In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!
Parable of the Lost Coin
8“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins* and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and sweep the entire house and search carefully until she finds it? 9And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin.’ 10In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.”
Parable of the Lost Son
11To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons. 12The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.
13“A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. 14About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. 15He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. 16The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.
17“When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! 18I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, 19and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’
20“So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. 21His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.*’
22“But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. 23And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, 24for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.
25“Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, 26and he asked one of the servants what was going on. 27‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’
28“The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, 29but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. 30Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’
31“His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. 32We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’”
October 21 Reflection & Worship
Going with the Gospel
IT IS GOOD TO BE A CHRISTIAN AND KNOW IT; IT IS BETTER TO BE A CHRISTIAN AND SHOW IT.
LOOK BACK Mark presents Jesus as the Selfless Servant, laying down his life for others: “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).
Luke presents Jesus as the Perfect Man, keenly interested in the human condition. “For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost” (Luke 19:10).
Mark and Luke are two of the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew being the third), so called because they recount many of the same events from the life and ministry of Jesus and so can be profitably studied side by side (synoptic comes from the root idea “to see side by side”).
LOOK UP Be careful where you get your information; your facts will be no more reliable than your source.
After reading the Christmas accounts in the Gospels, try this Christmas story trivia quiz. It may surprise you to learn how many of the “facts” that you thought you knew are merely the stuff of Christmas cards and carols.
____ 1. How did Joseph and Mary travel to Bethlehem? (a) by donkey (b) by camel (c) on foot (d) the Bible doesn’t say.
____ 2. Which animals were present at Jesus’ birth? (a) cows, sheep, and goats (b) cows, donkeys, and sheep (c) sheep and goats (d) the Bible doesn’t say.
____ 3. What did the angels sing? (a) “Joy to the World” (b) “Alleluia” (c) “For unto Us a Child Is Born” (d) “Glory to God in the Highest” (e) none of the above.
____ 4. How many wise men came to see Jesus? (a) three (b) more than three (c) less than three (d) the Bible doesn’t say.
____ 5. Where did the wise men find Jesus? (a) in the manger (b) in a stable (c) in a house (d) in an inn.
____ 6. What is frankincense? (a) a precious metal (b) a precious fabric (c) a precious perfume (d) an Eastern monster.
____ 7. Where do we find the Christmas story in order to check up on all these facts? (a) Matthew (b) Mark (c) Luke (d) John (e) all of these (f) only a and b (g) only a and c (h) only a, b, and c (i) none of the above.
Answers: 1. d, 2. d, 3. e (the Bible doesn’t say they sang), 4. d, 5. c, 6. c, 7. g
LOOK AHEAD Good news deserves to be shared. As you continue to read through the Gospels, notice how Jesus engages in conversations with those who need to know God’s love firsthand. Some individuals come to him with questions and needs (Luke 8:41-42; 10:25); at other times, Jesus initiates the conversation (Luke 9:1-5).
Today, you will likely experience both kinds of encounters: those you initiate (such as shopping at a store or greeting a coworker) and those initiated by others (such as having your mail delivered or someone making an appointment to see you at work). In both cases, follow the advice of 1 Peter 3:15: “And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.”