Gospel Reading

Gospel Reading

Luke 15:1-10

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.

8“Or suppose a woman has ten

silver coins a and loses one.

Does she not light a lamp,

sweep the house and search

carefully until she finds it?

9 And when she finds it, she calls

her friends and neighbors together

and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have

found my lost coin.

10 In the same way, I tell you,

there is rejoicing in the presence of

the angels of God over one sinner

who repents.”

Lost and Found

Luke 15:1-10

• 9-11 was this week 12 years ago• That week we were all lost• I remember those who searched for survivors– How frustrated and sad that they could not find one, yet

they did find a few and the rejoicing was incredible– I remember those who thought they had lost a loved one

only to find that they were OK– That is what it is like for God!

What did we lose that day?

• Several thousand lives• Several buildings and Icons• Some of our innocence• For awhile, some of our arrogance• The illusion that we were safe from terrorism

in the USA

What we have to be careful not to lose

• The Good that God has put in us• We must not let evil triumph by making us evil– Evil is anything that separates us from God or each

other– Any act done in hatred is evil– We must not hate because of ethnicity or religion

What we have to be careful not to lose

– We must not hate because of ethnicity or religion• Our Islamic brothers and sisters are not far from us in

belief• Islam means to be committed or devoted to God

– Both Christians and Muslims love God

• One of the main differences between Islam and Christianity is the additional requirement to love our neighbor

What did we find that day?

• Our ability and willingness to care about and for each other – our humanity– How many times did you weep that week for

people and children that you did not know– Volunteers– Blood drives, children selling lemonade– We since have lost much of that

What did we find that day?

• Patriotism and pride in our country• Ability to rally to a cause• Ability to work together– Congress– Those who participated in the relief effort

What did we find that day?

• Realization that things made by human hands are vulnerable and terminal– The Towers– The institutions they represented• Capitalism and finance

– Human beings• Bodies are created by the joining of two human bodies• Our Soul is created by God

– Those lost were found by God

What did we find that day?

• Recognition of our need for God– 91% of Americans prayed that day

Have we lost it all again?

• Little recognition• How many still pray• How many have done anything to remove the

cause of the hatred– If anything we have fueled it

What do we need to find and hold onto?

• Hope– What humans meant for evil, God will use for

Good• Faith– That good will win and evil will be banished

• By the way, careful how you define God’s will. Those who acted on 9/11 believed they were doing God’s will, enough to die for it!

What do we need to find?

• Our willingness to act out of love– Any action out of love shows the face of God• The image of Father Mike who lost his life giving last

rites to a dying fireman

• Daily prayer– For others– For ourselves

What do we need to find?

• Our resolve to share what we have found in Jesus Christ with others

• Our resolve to love as Christ loved us– We are to love enough to share God’s love as a

beacon to help the lost find there way back to God, not do things that will drive them away

We need to find repentence

• It is us who are lost– God knows where we are• Spiritually

• Will we try and find our way home?• Will we let God guide us through the Holy

Spirit• Will we help another of God’s children find

their way out of the darkness?

To do this week

• Repent of those things that separate you from God or others– Let God find you

• Remember those who lost their lives because of hatred and do something to help people not hate

• Share the Good News of God’s love so that there can be a party in heaven.

Will we cause a Party in heaven this week?

As for the Good News for us, in Romans we are told that once we ask Jesus Christ into our lives we

will never be lost again

Rom 8:35-3935 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble

or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

36 As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation,

will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

(NIV)

Hear and BelieveYou are not lost

Be at peaceThe One who loves you has found

you and will carry you on his shoulders into the presence of

God, where a party will be thrown to rejoice at your return.

Hear and BelieveYou are not lost

Be at peaceThe One who loves you has found

you and will carry you on his shoulders into the presence of

God, where a party will be thrown to rejoice at your return.