Let us pray: Make us to know Your Ways, O LORD JESUS CHRIST; teach us Your Paths. Lead us in Your Truth, and teach us, for You are the LORD of our Salvation; for You we wait all day long. Amen.
EVERY SOUL IS PRECIOUS TO GOD, EVEN YOURS! That is what the Gospel is trying to tell us this morning. The Pharisees and the Scribes are criticizing JESUS, because He received sinners. They are astounded that someone like JESUS would spend His time with “publicans and sinners.” They are stunned that He would receive such wicked and evil people. In response, JESUS tells them three parables. Each of these parables is designed to teach the same great truth: “Every soul is precious to GOD, even yours!”
In the first and second parables (which we didn’t read), He tells the story of a shepherd who, having 100 sheep, loses one. Leaving the other 99, he goes after the lost sheep, finds it, and rejoices, calling his friends and neighbours to celebrate — a story trying to illustrate GOD’s immense joy and effort to find and rescue those who have strayed, emphasizing that the rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner is greater than over 99 righteous people.
In the second parable, a woman who has ten silver coins loses one. She lights a lamp, sweeps her house, and searches carefully until she finds it. Then, she calls her friends and neighbours together to celebrate, saying, “Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin!” — a story trying to illustrate GOD’s joy and rejoicing when a sinner repents, emphasizing that finding even one lost soul is worth celebrating.
The third parable, which we will focus on this morning — the Parable of the Prodigal Son — illustrates GOD’s boundless love and forgiveness, emphasizing the joy of welcoming repentant sinners back into His fold, even when others, like the elder brother, may resent it.
According to JESUS, the prodigal son represents those who have strayed from GOD, living a life of sin and self-indulgence, those who have decided to deviate from the Word of GOD because of their worldly desires, who have seen their sinful ways as better in their own eyes than the righteous ways of GOD; as the Proverb says, “There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way to death.” (Proverbs 14:12). They chose that way of sin that leads to destruction! But when they come to their senses, because of the punishment that has befallen them for their foolishness, they remember that they once had a parent, GOD Himself, and they begin to acknowledge their sin and to regret their evil deeds. And, according to GOD’s Word, every time there is repentance, there is forgiveness from GOD, because a broken and a contrite heart GOD will never despise! He always opens His arms to those who repent, for GOD’s desire is for the sinner to repent, turn from evil, and be reconciled to GOD, his/her Creator. As the HOLY SPIRIT says today in the letter to the Corinthians: “All this is from GOD, who reconciled us to Himself through CHRIST; for our sake He made Him to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of GOD!”
Today is the Fourth Sunday of Lent, when the Church is examining itself. If I may ask: How is your relationship with GOD since you became a Christian? Where have you strayed from His Word and decided to follow your own desires rather than His Word? Or do you consider yourself righteous in your own eyes like the Pharisees, do you sit there (with a red pen as a teacher) looking at those who stray from the right path and criticizing them for their sins because yours are hidden, no one can see them? Well, GOD can see them. Listen, as the Father of the prodigal son, GOD is always waiting for you to come back, that is why the HOLY SPIRIT is urging you today: “Be reconciled to GOD!”
If you do not reconcile with GOD because of your pride, you will be jealous like the Pharisees when you see repentant sinners sitting with JESUS, eating the blessings of their repentance! For all who repent of their wickedness are blessed! They eat with JESUS at the table of the Kingdom of Heaven. That is why David, in today’s Psalm 32, proudly says: “Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Happy are those to whom the LORD imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.” For all those who repent are forgiven and all spiritual blessings from GOD descend upon them, because it’s written in the Gospel according to Matthew that: “Blessed [forgiven, refreshed by GOD’s Grace] are those who mourn [over their sins and repent], for they will be comforted [when the burden of sin is lifted]. [Is 61:2]” (Matthew 5:4). — And when GOD forgives you, He makes sure that He takes away all the shame that came to you because of your sin, just as He took away from the Israelites the shame of the Egyptians at Gilgal, where Joshua circumcised their foreskins! He covers you with a glorious garment! A robe of righteousness that symbolise holiness, righteousness, and divine favour! He also gives you the ring of authority that makes you a full member of His Kingdom, and He covers your feet with shoes in readiness to preach the Gospel of reconciliation, as the SPIRIT says: “He has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in CHRIST, GOD is reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us!”
Now the question is: How can you convey the message of reconciliation to the world if you yourself are not reconciled with GOD? I’m not saying you are sinners, but you yourself know where your heart stands with GOD. As we are in this season of Lent, examine yourself to see if your heart is not condemning you! If your heart condemns you, the SPIRIT is reminding you this morning that when you came to CHRIST, you were “circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. CHRIST performed a spiritual circumcision — the cutting away of your sinful nature! (Colossians 2:11) He removed the the shame of your sins. Therefore, strive to be reconciled with Him every day, so that you can convey the message of reconciliation to those who have not been reconciled with GOD.
EVERY SOUL IS PRECIOUS TO GOD, EVEN YOURS — because each person is created in His image, possesses an eternal spirit, and holds immeasurable value in His eyes. GOD values our souls so highly that He sent His Son to redeem them and to reconcile with Him.
Now go home remembering that A REPENTANCE IS A GIFT THAT IS BIGGER THAN ANY SIN! For the repentance of one sinner there is joy in Heaven. GOD always welcomes repentant sinners back into His fold, no matter what others say!
Hear what the SPIRIT is saying to GOD’s people!