…was lost and is found

 August 6, 2024

Bible Reading and Meditation- Luke 15 KJV

For Mithcah Bible Baptist Church- Bahrain

Morning Devotional Bible Study - August 7, 2024

 

“31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.

32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.”

 

Lesson: …was lost, and is found.

 

I titled this a “lost and found” chapter, in which centered is GOD’s loving forgiveness for all the lost. 

Herein were written how The LORD’s JESUS depicted forgiveness in His teaching, in a way we will understand how important it is for GOD to give forgiveness to us; that likened to a shepherd, He have to leave the ninety and nine sheep, to look for the lost one, and when He found it, He carried that found sheep on His shoulder rejoicing while going back home, then called His neighbor to celebrate for he found his precious possession.v.4-7 The same way, that the woman lighted her lamp to diligently seek for the lost piece of silver; and when she found it, she called for her friends to rejoice with her; for she found the piece of her lost treasure.v.8-10

 

The LORD’s presence here on earth signified the greatness of the love of GOD to mankind; that He has to send His Only Begotten Son, for people to see Him in person, to hear what He wanted for us to know, and witness His lovingkindness and compassion from the many miracles He performed; and the ultimate of His mission: to seek and to save that which was lost.

We all are sinners compared to the prodigal son, who after asking from his father his portion, go away from him to live a riotous life; wastefully spending all with harlots till he woke up working and living with the swine, worst of all, because he has no food and no one gave him, he ate the husk intended for the swine or pigs. V.11-16

 

And this hit hard on him that `he came to himself’ and remorseful for what he did, that: v.17-20

1. He Realized the kind of life with His father’s house which he left behind.

2. He Resolved in his heart to return to his father’s house even not as son, but servant. 

3. He Repented from his sin and humbly ask forgiveness from his father.

4. He Recognized that his sin not only affected his relationship with his father but also his relationship with GOD in heaven. 

 

Reactions we must observe that we should ponder from this chapter:

1. The determination of the shepherd who left the ninety and nine flock of sheep to seek for one lost sheep. V.4-7

2. The diligence of the woman to never gave up searching for the lost piece of silver. V.8-10

3. The dissatisfaction of the youngest son for the life he already had; asking for freedom and his portion from his father which put him into shame; wasting his portion, destroyed his relationship with his elder brother, ruined his integrity.

4. The deliverance from the forgiving love of a father for his erring son. V.20-31

a. He has long been waiting for his lost son to return to him.v.20

b. He lovingly met his son after seeing him afar off; embraced him, kissed him, ordered his servants to put his finger a ring, shoes in his feet and killed the fatted lamb to celebrate.V20-24

c. He luminously admonished with comforting assurance his elder son, who resented with the warm welcome he gestured for his younger prodigal son.  25-31

 

INDEED, GOD’s loving forgiveness is all we need when we lost our way, wandering away from the will of our Father. Let us take note that this chapter talks about the precious possession, the valued treasure, even the prodigal son. Contextually speaking, this talks about those who wandered away from the loving care of the father, thus speaks about backsliding. 

The moment we fall away from the perimeter of GOD, we are unguarded and open to the devouring attack of the devil. All alluring pleasures ravish us till we are trampled and broken in pieces, just like what happened to the prodigal son. Though The HOLY SPIRIT conviction prompt us, we will be easily overwhelmed and wholly caught up into the devil’s snares, and fall into the abys of our negligence.

We are GOD’s precious possession, that our Shepherd came to this earth to seek and to save that which was lost. 

He never changed; He is still looking and searching for all of us who are His; no matter how deeply we sank into the mire of sin, He will lift us up, cleanses us up and brought us back again into his sheepfold. Though cleansing sometimes is painful and leave marks from our carelessness,that constantly prodded by the enemy to buffet us, we should be determined to strengthen our faith in the mighty hand of the LORD, be diligent to pursue in seeking His will every day, do not give in to dissatisfaction, but keep on submitting to the process of GOD’s deliverance. keep on telling ourselves that yes, we were lost but now we’re found, and the grace of GOD will keep us holding on. 

 

Let us always be reminded of what Apostle Paul has written in Romans 12KJV

 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

 

Good morning. 

 

 

Luke 15KJV

15 Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.

2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eatethwith them.

3 And he spake this parable unto them, saying,

4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?

5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.

7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

8 Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?

9 And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.

10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

11 And he said, A certain man had two sons:

12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.

13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

17 And when he came to himself, he said, Howmany hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:

24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.

26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.

27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.

28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.

29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:

30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.

32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.