July 2, 2017: Luke 15 Part I, The Parable of the Lost Sheep

Have you ever been lost? It's an important question we all must all wrestle with as we consider the three parables. Today's Scritpure reading was from Luke 15:1-7. Jesus tells these stories in response to the Pharisees and Scribes grumbling and complaining about Jesus' social habits. These three stories are meant to be taken as a single unit. In addition to the Pharisees and scribes, we also want to consider the the tax collectors, sinners, and Jesus himself in this famous chapter from Luke's Gospel.

This is the first sermon in a four-week series by Pastor Mario. The first of the three stories begins with a lost sheep in the wilderness and a shepherd who will gladly search until he finds it. This first story ends with a party that the community throws when the lost sheep is found. This story is a glimpse into repentance, reconciliation and restoration. Join us, as we journey together, into the heart of Luke's Gospel and into the heart of Jesus.

*For further reading, see Kenneth Bailey's, The Cross and the Prodigal: Luke 15 Through the Eyes of Middle Eastern Peasants. *