LOST NO MORE – NESPAPER ARTICLE FOR 4/14/21
Recently, a 91-year-old retired Navy meteorologist received in the mail a wallet he had lost 53 years ago in Antarctica. He served there for thirteen months, and after losing his wallet he eventually forgot about it. His wallet and another lost billfold were found in 2014 when a building on Ross Island in Antarctica was being demolished. It would be another seven years before the owner of the wallet would be located, but the owner was thrilled to get his wallet back after all those years.
“Words from Above” in the Bible have much to say about lost items as well as lost souls. In Luke 15, we read about people who were considered to be sinners gathering around Jesus to hear Him teach about the kingdom of God. The religious leaders of the day quickly criticized Jesus for associating with such people, and so He told them two stories about lost things and one story about a lost son.
He first told them about a man who had 100 sheep, and who lost one of them. Jesus said that the man left the other 99 sheep to seek for the one which was lost. When he found the lost sheep, he laid it on his shoulders, returned home, and celebrated with his friends and neighbors over finding the sheep. Jesus then tells about a woman who had ten silver coins but lost one of them in her home. He said that she lights a candle and sweeps her home until she finds the lost coin. Again, He said that she called both her friends and neighbors to celebrate with her. In both cases, Jesus concluded that there is celebration in heaven when one sinner repents, more than over 99 just people who need no repentance.
Finally, Jesus told about a man who had two sons, and the younger son asking for his share of his father’s inheritance. Soon afterwards, the younger son left home and traveled to a distant land, where he spent all the money in riotous living. He then found himself hungry and ended up getting a job with a pig farmer. He finally realized that back home his father had servants who had plenty to eat, and he decided to go back home and ask his father for a job, because he felt no longer worthy to be called his son. He planned to ask his father for forgiveness for sinning against him. The father, however, welcomed him home with open arms and celebrated his return with a huge party. We, too, must be willing to welcome lost souls into the kingdom of God, and likewise rejoice over them.
Larry R. Steffee is pastor of the Center Hill Brethren In Christ Church on Miller Road in Smithville. Everyone is welcome to attend. For information, you may email lrsteffeetn@yahoo.com.
