Unchristian and Inhuman

Scripture:

Luke 15:3   So he told them this parable: ⁴ “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? ⁵ When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. ⁶ And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ ⁷ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

Observation:

The grumbling Pharisees and scribes needed greater clarity regarding Christ’s ministry. He was being accused of spending far too much time with sinners. He begins by speaking about sheep, for this was certainly an understandable scenario. Neale tells us, “Saving livestock was a universal responsibility within an agricultural community (14:5). How much more so, runs the argument, is it the responsibility of the community to seek God’s lost people?” (NBBC). 

Sheepherders worked in groups so the ninety-nine would have been left in the care of another, while the good shepherd went out, searching for the one that was lost. The sinner was meant to be a part of the community, not to be out on their own. This is why it was so important to go and find the one who belonged. John Wesley put it this way, “May we not learn hence, that to let them alone who are in sin, is both unchristian and inhuman!” (Notes)

The joy that comes from the return of the one sheep is for the whole community. Friends and neighbors come together to celebrate the return of the lost sheep. The party reaches up to the heavens where there is great joy. 

Application:

Yesterday I had the joy and privilege of worshipping in church where the Spirit of God moved upon the service. There were people at the altar, seeking to draw closer to the Lord. But how many churches are there, where there is never a celebration in heaven? There is no party in heaven over the ninety-nine who regularly attend church and felt really good about the service. Heaven isn’t rejoicing because the pastor preached a good sermon. Joy in heaven comes when a sinner repents. 

The world is reshaping our idea of sin, and therefore sinners. When the world seems to tacitly approve of everything that the church had called sin, then the world says that it is evil or bad for Christians to think that there are sinners in the world. It is the Christians who are the sinners for being unloving and unaccepting,  — or so the thought process goes. As a result, there is pushback against the idea that anyone needs to be saved. 

Being a follower of Jesus Christ has always been radically counter-cultural. The reality is that sin and evil remain in this world and seek to separate people from God’s community. I’m afraid that, in an effort to be non-judgmental, we have simply let them go. It’s the quote by John Wesley that has really struck me today. To simply let people go is to be unchristian and inhuman. Wow! Unchristian I can understand, but inhuman? But to be truly human is to understand that all human life is sacred, created in the image of God and with the intent to be in fellowship with God and fellow humanity. We are created for Christian fellowship, and to be out of that fellowship is to be living in sin.

In the last 20 years or so, we have seen many walk away from the fellowship. The draw of the world has seemed to be stronger than the draw of the Christian community. It is the church that needs to examine herself. Instead of going out and bringing in the ones who were lost, we may be pushing them out, closing up the ranks, and never letting them back in. We are not supposed to leave them alone, but we are to be constantly reaching out, trying to bring them back in. What has happened to our passion to go and seek the lost? 

If we have no passion and we find the presence of sinners uncomfortable, then maybe we have simply joined the ranks of the Pharisees and scribes. 

Prayer:

Lord, I want to live into your mission, seeking and saving the lost. Please, help me to be willing to leave my comfort zone for the sake of your mission. Amen.