Luke 15:1-32
Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering
around to hear him.
But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered,
"This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
Then Jesus told them this parable:
"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?
And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders
and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors
together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.'
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.
"Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one.
Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she
finds it?
And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors
together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.'
In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the
presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."
Jesus continued:
"There was a man who had two sons.
The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my
share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.
"Not long after that, the younger son got together all he
had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild
living.
After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine
in that whole country, and he began to be in need.
So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that
country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.
He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs
were eating, but no one gave him anything.
"When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my
father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!
I will set out and go back to my father and say to him:
Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like
one of your hired men.'
So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was
still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for
him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
"The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against
heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'
"But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the
best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his
feet.
Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast
and celebrate.
For this son of mine was dead and is alive
again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.
"Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came
near the house, he heard music and dancing.
So he called one of the servants and asked him what was
going on.
'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has
killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'
"The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So
his father went out and pleaded with him.
But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've
been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me
even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.
But when this son of yours who has squandered your
property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'
"'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and
everything I have is yours.
But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother
of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and
is found.'"
The Father waits for us to repent, and as soon as we do, He runs
out to get us
Often, God helps us when we do not have the strength, but He
waits until we decide to come back. He wants to know that we love
him. He never forces us to be His Child.
Ezekiel 18:26-28
If a righteous man turns from his
righteousness and commits sin, he will die for it; because of the sin he has
committed he will die. But if a wicked man turns away from the
wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will save
his life. Because he considers all the offenses he has committed and
turns away from them, he will surely live; he will not die.
Ezekiel 18:12-20
"Therefore, son of man, say to your countrymen, 'The righteousness of
the righteous man will not save him when he disobeys, and the wickedness of
the wicked man will not cause him to fall when he turns from it. The
righteous man, if he sins, will not be allowed to live because of his former
righteousness.'
If I tell the righteous man that he will surely live, but then he
trusts in his righteousness and does evil, none of the righteous things he
has done will be remembered; he will die for the evil he has done.
And if I say to the wicked man, 'You will surely die,' but he then
turns away from his sin and does what is just and right-- if he gives back
what he took in pledge for a loan, returns what he has stolen, follows the
decrees that give life, and does no evil, he will surely live; he will not
die.
None of the sins he has committed will be remembered against him. He
has done what is just and right; he will surely live.
"Yet your countrymen say, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' But it is
their way that is not just.
If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, he will
die for it.
And if a wicked man turns away from his wickedness and does what is
just and right, he will live by doing so.
Yet, O house of Israel, you say, 'The way of the Lord is not just.'
But I will judge each of you according to his own ways."
The Wicked
will continue to be Wicked
I cannot help Myself
If your Brother Repents,
Forgive Him
Forgiveness is as much for the Abuser as it is for the
Abused
The Abused can become Abusers if they Don't Forgive
Forgive or you won't be Forgiven
You are possessed by the one you Love
God will Give you the desires of your heart
