Mission: Forgotten

The Bible tells us the fruit of the Spirit is joy (Galatians 5:22). With that in mind, as you read the following passage of Scripture, I want you to notice who is complaining and who is rejoicing. The Gospel of Luke, chapter 15, NKJV:

"Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him [Jesus] to hear Him. And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, "This Man receives sinners and eats with them." So He spoke this parable to them, saying: "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!' I say to you likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.

"Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!' Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

Then He said: "A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.' So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.

"But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants."'

"And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

"But the father said to his servants, 'Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and scandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' And they began to be merry.

"Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.

"But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. So he answered and said to his father, 'Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.'

"And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.'"

The fruit of the Spirit is joy. In Luke 15, we see examples of joy. The lost sheep is found, the lost coin is found and the lost son is found. The recovery of something lost usually results in joy. And Jesus stated clearly that, "Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

But when tax collectors and sinners begin to respond to the message of Jesus, the religious crowd of that day, the Pharisees and scribes, complained. Instead of being happy that sinners are literally coming to Christ, they murmur. This prompts Jesus to share three stories, back to back, to show how the Father feels about sinners coming home.

In the last and longest of the three parables, Jesus is teaching the Pharisees and scribes that their attitude toward sinners coming home is like that of the older son. Instead of rejoicing in the salvation of his younger brother, he complains. Instead of rejoicing, he's bitter.

It is sadly possible for religious folk to lost sight of the reason JAH has called us into His service. Our mission, or what some call the great commission, is to seek and to save that which was lost (see Luke 19:10 and Matthew 28:18-20). And as we, in the power of the Holy Spirit, fulfill our mission, we will also experience joy. The older son complains. The Pharisees and scribes complain. Why no joy? Because joy follows the fulfillment of the mission. For these sad folk, the great commission had become "Mission: Forgotten."

May we learn from this example. May we be ever mindful that we're called to seek and to save that which was lost. And as we work to complete our mission, we'll also experience the Holy Spirit's Power and Joy.

Grace, Peace and Jahspeed!