March 25, 2022

Dear Road Church Friends,

This week’s message comes from three of Jesus’ most familiar and best loved stories that bring us nearer to the heart of God.

SCRIPTURE: Luke 15:1-32        SERMON TITLE: “Lost and Found”

When the religious leaders saw that tax collectors and sinners that were listening to Jesus they were critical saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So Jesus told them these stories:

The Lost and Found Sheep. “Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, carries it home and he rejoices with all his friends.

The Lost and Found Coin. “Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? When she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’  Then Jesus told them this story.

The Lost and Found Son. There was a man who had two sons. One day the younger of them said, Father, give me my inheritance now. So his father paid him for his share of the farm. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his livelihood in dissolute living…Then he fell on hard times and began to be in need. So he hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He was paid a pittance and his “fairweather friends” gave him no help. Soon he became so hungry he would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating. Then, in a moment of clarity he thought, my father’s hired hands have plenty of bread, but here I am dying of hunger! I will go to my father say to him, “I have sinned. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; but please give me a job.” The next day he set off for home. While he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran and put his arms around him and kissed him and said, “we must eat and rejoice; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’

LOVE

Love bade me welcome, yet my soul drew back, guilty of dust and sin.

But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack from my first entrance in,

Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning if I lacked anything.

“A guest,” I answered, “worthy to be here.” Love said, “ You shall be he.”

“I, the unkind, the ungrateful? Ah, my dear, I cannot look on thee.”

Love took my hand and smiling did reply, “Who made the eyes but I?”

“Truth, Lord, but I have marred them, let my shame go where it doth deserve.”

“And know you not,” says Love, “who bore the blame?” “My dear, then I will serve.”

“You must sit down,” says Love, “and taste my meat.” So I did sit and eat.

by George Herbert

PRAYER

Our hearts are cold, Lord, warm them with your selfless love.” Amen.   St. Augustine

Pastor Norm

Our service on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ZHU06_pKoLM