Lazarus and the Rich Man, Luke 16:19-31, September 29, 2019

Last Sunday we continue with the 'Difficult Parables' of Christ.  I don't have a lot of time to expound upon the sermon right now as I have a funeral to perform this morning.  So, I will just comment that it is curious with having dealt with so many difficult teachings that the Lectionary writers chose to skip right over the teaching against divorce... curious isn't it... some things are just too difficult to preach in today's world I suppose.  

Be a blessing to someone today!

In Christ,
Roy

Luke 16:19-31 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
The Rich Man and Lazarus
19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. 22 The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham.[a] The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side.[b] 24 He called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. 26 Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.’ 27 He said, ‘Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father’s house— 28 for I have five brothers—that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.’ 29 Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.’ 30 He said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

Footnotes:
a) Luke 16:22 Gk to Abraham’s bosom
b) Luke 16:23 Gk in his bosom

Wedding - Blake Frank & Jessica McGuire - September 28, 2019

Wedding Ceremony - Sept 28, 2019
Blake Frank & Jessica McGuire

Prelude 

Processional –   All Rise!

Welcome: 
A wedding is a celebration of love. Jessica and Blake are most grateful for your presence here today as they pledge their lifelong love to each other. Your very presence symbolizes your love for them. The love felt in this place flows from the very heart of God. The greatest love story ever told is found in these simple words in the 3rd Chapter of John's Gospel, “For God so loved the world”. The deepest love known to man is the love of God. We love because He first loved us. 

Giving Away of the Bride:
May the Lord bless you both... as from this day forward you seek to carry out this scriptural ideal in your marriage.

In light of the serious approach that the Scriptures take toward marriage, it should be entered into with sobriety and reverence.  If anyone gathered can show just cause why this couple should not be joined together, let them speak now or else, hereafter and forevermore, hold their peace.

Who gives this woman to be married to this man?

Bride's Parents rise and respond: We do...

Please all be seated...

Jessica and Blake, you have come to me signifying your desire to be joined together in holy matrimony. Being reassured that no grounds exist to hinder this union, may we now join together in prayer as we ask God’s blessing upon this most sacred ceremony.

Prayer
Our Heavenly Father, we come, our hearts filled with thanksgiving, for the divine provision that You have made for us in Your original insights and pronouncement that it is not good for man to be alone. Rather, You have made us to find our highest fulfillment together in You. 

We thank You for the heritage represented here as Blake Allan Frank and Jessica Marie McGuire stand together before You in this hour. We thank You for every act of care, nurture, sacrifice, provision, and love that has been shown to them by those who have loved them and nurtured them even to this hour. But now we recognize, Father, that something new is about to happen. As You have instructed, it is time for them to leave their first loyalty to other families... and cleave to each other so that from this day forward... it will be one for the other, sealed by Your blessing... Your spirit and Your love will be the manifest reality of their new life together. 

We pray that these vows being exchanged, these tokens of love that are given one to the other, might ever remain sacred... and may we be reminded that beyond these visible witnesses, these words spoken here today are witnessed by heaven itself... seen by Your eyes... and heard by Your ears... and sealed by the very presence of the Holy Spirit. 

Dear Father, we pray for Your blessing upon this young couple and the union that is created here today.  We ask for Your blessing in the name of Jesus who is the Christ. May this new union serve to meet Your divine purpose through the lives of Blake and Jessica.  Amen. 

Introduction and Message
Blake and Jessica... we are gathered here today for a sacred occasion, a most joy-filled occasion, one which is sweet and special to you, to your families, and to all your friends who are gathered to share it with you. A perfect marriage is made in heaven. A perfect marriage is a union of three: Christ, a man, and a woman. Before the foundation of the world, God ordained that the two of you would be together. He has engineered and used every circumstance in your lives up to this point to prepare the two of you to become one in Him.

I must remind you that this is the only relationship on this side of heaven where the Bible says that two people become one flesh. You are entering into a covenant with Jesus Christ and with all of your brothers and sisters who are in a covenant with Him. A marriage covenant made between a man and a woman is the most sacred of all promises or pledges made between two people, however, you must remember that you are not only making vows to each other but also to and with God.

We, believers, are in a sacred covenant with Jesus our Lord and Savior... because He surrendered His all, his very life, to God on our behalf and He died our death on the cross, taking our sin, our suffering, our shame, our sorrow, our separation. Today you enter into the marriage covenant by saying you die to selfishness and to the single life. You surrender your all to the Father. You surrender your all to each other. The making of a covenant traditionally includes an exchange. When we enter into a covenant with Jesus, we exchange our lives for His life, we exchange all that we are for all that He is and all that He has. 

David and Jonathon enacted a covenant. In 1st Samuel Chapter 18, they entered into a covenant to be life-long friends. They exchanged their coats. They exchanged their weapons. The exchange meant that they were exchanging their friends for each other’s friends; their enemies for each other’s enemies; their curses; their blessings. They exchanged all those things so that, whenever you spoke of one, you definitely spoke of the other. 

Today you are exchanging all that you are and all that you have with each other. It is no longer “I”, “me”, and “mine”. From now on it shall be “we”, “us”, and “ours”. Blake, today, Jessica is taking this exchange so seriously that she is exchanging her name for your name. After today she will no longer be known as Jessica Marie McGuire, but instead, she will be known as Jessica Marie Frank, and that is a very serious matter for her to be willing to make that exchange. Furthermore, a covenant involves examination. We are able to examine our relationship with Christ on a daily basis. Let a man examine himself for the Bible says, “Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.” (1st Corinthians 10:12)

In olden days when two people entered into a covenant, they would on occasion meet again to examine the conditions of that covenant for the purpose of making sure that both of them were remaining true to the commitment. You need to examine your covenant relationship in marriage in days to come, Blake, by considering daily whether or not you are loving your wife as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her. You must examine your heart to make sure that you are willing to die for Jessica and make the sacrifices necessary to promote her safety, her security, her strength, and her welfare. God has placed in her unique characteristics that He wants you to develop and bring out in her life. 

Jessica, daily you must examine your own heart, your own covenant relationship, and make sure that you are submitted to your own husband as unto the Lord. Daily you will need to examine your heart to make sure that you mutually submit to the Christ who dwells deep within the two of you. 

God tells us in 1st Corinthians Chapter 7 and Ephesians Chapter 5... His exact view of marriage. Blake, the bible says it is ordained that a man should leave his father and mother and should cleave unto his wife that the two of them should be one flesh, united in all hopes, aims, sentiments, and interests of this present time. So I remind you that you are not entering into a secular experience, but, into a spiritual experience because God takes this relationship so seriously that he likens it to the relationship that exists between Christ and His church, Christ being the groom, His fellowship of believers being His bride. 

Jessica and Blake, I invite you to come and begin the adventure of your marriage... and the remainder of your lives together, by declaring your vows to one another in the presence of God... and in the presence of God's people.

Vows
Jessica and Blake, if you are ready to make these vows to God and to each other please join hands, and open your hearts and souls to one another and to God. 

Blake, would you please repeat these words after me if they are the desire of your heart:
    I, Blake, take thee, Jessica, 
    to be my wedded wife, 
    to have and to hold from this day forward, 
    for better, for worse, 
    for richer, for poorer, 
    in sickness and in health, 
    to love, and to cherish till death do us part; 
    and to you, I pledge my faithfulness. 

Jessica, would you please repeat these words after me if they are the desire of your heart:
    I, Jessica, take thee, Blake, 
    to be my wedded husband, 
    to have and to hold from this day forward, 
    for better, for worse, 
    for richer, for poorer, 
    in sickness and in health, 
    to love, and to cherish till death do us part; 
    and to you, I pledge my faithfulness. 

Exchange of Rings
May I now please have the rings... may the Lord's blessing be forever upon these emblems of your faith and love for one another.

The giving and receiving of wedding rings is rich with spiritual lessons for marriage. They speak of acceptance, trust, purity, and love. The beauty of their material and the uniqueness of their form point to the ideal marital state.  These rings also portray the exchanging of your marriage vows and shall forever serve as a public witness of these vows.  At this time, you exchange these beautiful and precious rings, as symbols of your promises to each other and to God.

Blake, please take this ring to represent your bond to Jessica:
Blake, repeat after me and to Jessica: 
    This ring is a picture of my love for you; 
    I give it to you to wear in joy. 
    I give it in humble gratitude 
    that Christ led us together. 
    In the name of the Father, 
    the Son, 
    and the Holy Spirit. 
    Amen.

Jessica, please take this ring to represent your bond to Blake:
Jessica, repeat after me and to Blake: 
    This ring is a picture of my love for you; 
    I give it to you to wear in joy. 
    I give it in humble gratitude 
    that Christ led us together. 
    In the name of the Father, 
    the Son, 
    and the Holy Spirit. 
    Amen.

Scripture Reading – Aiden & Connor

Unity Sand and Signing of the Marriage Certificate
Aiden and Allana please come and join Blake and Jessica for the Unity Sand Ceremony.

Jessica and Blake, Allana and Aiden, today you are here to join all four of your lives together. These separate vases of sand symbolize each of you and your individual lives. 

Today, all of you seal your bond to each other by blending these four individual vases together. Once the sand is blended together, it cannot be separated. Just as the sand cannot be separated, your friends and families are here today to witness your love... and your lives pledged and bound together.  By blending these sands together, we are recognizing the importance of your bonding eternally as one family.  May you always honor, preserve and protect your family. (all pour their sand into the vase)

Now I would like to ask Blake and Jessica's witnesses to join us to sign the Marriage Certificate as required by the laws of the State of Iowa. (all sign the marriage certificate and then all move back to their original spaces)

Prayer
Our Father, we thank You for having instituted divine matrimony and having established the family... thus providing us with human relationships that could not otherwise be experienced. It is our prayer at this moment that Your presence and power shall rest upon this couple... to keep them in times of difficulty, to sustain them in moments of abundance as well as in the moments of poverty. I pray You shall write these vows spoken... this covenant created... Lord, write it indelibly upon their hearts that they may walk with You and with each other as their love grows in You. 

Lord, we pray Your blessing and grace upon each of us gathered here today in this holy place.  May we through the blessing of this ceremony grow closer to our loved ones and to You.  May Your blessing be upon us eternally.  In Jesus’ most holy name we pray. Amen

Pronouncement
Jessica and Blake, you have given sacred vows to each other before a holy and righteous God. These vows are therefore never to be broke nor violated.

Now by virtue of the authority invest in me by the State of Iowa and as a Minister and Advocate of our Lord Jesus Christ, in the presence of God and these assembled witnesses, I pronounce you husband and wife. 

“What God has joined together, let no man put asunder” 

Blake, you may now kiss your bride.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is with great pride and considerable honor that I should be the first to introduce to you all... Mr. and Mrs. Blake Frank.

Recessional

October 2019 - Newsletter Article

Below Please find my October 2019 Newsletter Article.

Pastor's Ponderings

October is closing fast upon us and that means it's nearly time for our Annual Hay-rack Ride.  The Hay-rack ride this year is scheduled (weather & harvest permitting) for October 20th.  We'll meet at the Church at 2 pm and ride the rack together to Hickory Grove Park.  Hickory Park is such a cool location and makes for a wonderful place to have a bonfire and to sit, visit, and enjoy nature.  Of course, there will be hot-dogs roasted over the fire and smores.  It's always a fun outing and I encourage you to grab your friends, kids, grand-kids, or anyone else who's interested and come on along!  We guarantee you'll have fun!

In October, I will be out of the office on the 7th, 8th, and 9th.  I have a seminar in St. Paul on the “Craft of Preaching” that I will be attending as part of my continuing education.  I will have my cell phone along so you can contact me if need be, but, please if you're able and it's not an emergency try to text rather than call as I will be in workshops or worship services much of the time.

PLEASE, PLEASE, please... mark your calendars for October 6th.  We will be having a “Harvest Potluck Dinner” here at the Church.  The event will be immediately after worship so bring something along to share with everyone.  This would be a great time to bring a friend or family member along to church as the more the merrier for the dinner!  There's nothing better than a Church Potluck!!  Don't miss Sunday, October 6th!!

Also, for those in our Sunday Night Group, there will not be a gathering on the 6th.  I will be leaving for St. Paul sometime that afternoon and thus I won't be in Lake City that evening.  Please make sure to note this cancellation.  Thank you.

In October, we will be having a joint Council Meeting as set out by the By-laws.  The meeting of the Church Council and Christian Council will take place on October 16th rather than on the 9th.  This delay is again due to me being in St. Paul for the Seminar.  So, if you're on either Council please note this change in the meeting date.

Our Annual “God's Portion Sale” is slated for Saturday, November 23rd.  We will have a Committee Meeting after Worship on September 29th to kick off the solicitations for Auction items, if you'd like to be on the committee please come to the meeting.  Please make plans to be at this year's Auction, it's always a tremendous amount of fun and it's a very important fundraiser for the Church and our ministries.

Well, I need to wrap this article up so I will just leave you all with this final thought... remember that we all, each of us, have been created in our Lord's image and each of us, no matter who... is so precious to our Lord and Savior that Jesus came into this world and took on flesh in order to suffer and die for EACH of us.  You will never meet a human that God didn't (doesn't) love so much that He wasn't willing to suffer and die for them... Let's try and remember that when we're conversing and interacting with each other.  That person with whom you disagree, and who is annoying you to no end... is precious to your God... treat that person as such.

Be a blessing to someone today!  Pastor Roy

Contentment, Confession, and Currency - 1st Timothy 6:6-19, Sermon given Sept 26, 2019

In reviewing these verses for the sermon, I saw three points that I wanted to stress.  First of all, generally these verses seem to be applied more to the idea that money is evil and they can be "spun" into an anti-wealthy diatribe.  I don't think that's the point at all, though to be honest, I think one can argue strongly that one is to use one's financial wealth towards God's wishes... and here I think that wish is confessing and sharing the good news of Christ with all those you encounter.

So the three things I chose to strike upon were a) Contentment, b) Confession, and c) Currency.  One cannot and will not be content in this world if all one is fixated upon are things of this world.  Wealthy measured in whatever fashion one desires is hollow and unfulfilling without some form of connection with God.  We can (and do) fool ourselves into believing that a big house, a big bank account, or any number of things is going to make us happy and satisfied and yet they do not.  There is a hole in the soul of mankind that can only be filled by faith and a relationship with the Almighty.

We are called here by the author of 1st Timothy to confess our faith and to witness to others.  We confess our trespasses to God the Father and we confess our belief to all that we encounter.  These confessions are vital to our walk in Christ.  We simply cannot call ourselves Christians if we do not confess both to God and to our fellow human beings.

Since we are called to fixate not upon earthly things but to things of God, we do not place faith in our money, our things, or even our friendships.  Rather, we exchange these earthly "currencies" for the currency of God.  That is our faith in Jesus as the Son of God and we pronounce Him as our personal Savior.

Just as an economy will crash and fail if everyone hoards their wealth, so will Christianity crash and fail if we do not share our faith with others.  Earthly economies are dependent upon money being spent and what is called it's 'velocity' through the economy.  The more money that is spent or lent out the more the economy grows; money simply isn't meant to be buried in a mason jar.  In the same fashion, our faith will die if we keep our lamp under a basket.  God has enriched us beyond belief with this faith that we hold in Christ as our Savior... He does not intend for us to keep it to ourselves.  We must spend this Heavenly currency, we must spread this faith far and wide.

Just like money 'multiplying' in an economy, sharing our faith multiples and strengthens the body of Christ.  The currency you must deal in here on Earth is not human dollars and cents, but Jesus who died for your sins, my sins, and the sins of everyone that ever was and will ever be.

Be a blessing to someone today... spend some Heavenly currency with them...

In His Grace,
Roy

1 Timothy 6:6-19 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
6 Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; 7 for we brought nothing into the world, so that[a] we can take nothing out of it; 8 but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. 9 But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.

The Good Fight of Faith
11 But as for you, man of God, shun all this; pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called and for which you made[b] the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 In the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14 to keep the commandment without spot or blame until the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which he will bring about at the right time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords. 16 It is he alone who has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see; to him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

17 As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, 19 thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life.

Footnotes:
1 Timothy 6:7 Other ancient authorities read world—it is certain that

1 Timothy 6:12 Gk confessed

The Parable of the Dishonest Manager, Luke 16:1-13, Sermon given Sept 22, 2019

Photo by Christian Begeman

Last Sunday's sermon was over one of the most difficult to process parables of all... the parable of the 'Dishonest Manager'.  This parable is one of those that makes us scratch our heads... then even cock our heads and squint one or two eyes... just what in the world is Jesus trying to tell us?  Well, I do suspect that we generally fail to grasp this parable and much of that has to do with not know whether or not Jesus was being sarcastic or if there is some meaning that we just don't understand due to our distance from the time and place into which it was spoken.

In the sermon, I do try to look beyond what we first encounter and I present a somewhat less troubling way to understand the parable... well, less troubling in that we can see the message... but, it is as I present it a parable of warning...

Please take a few moments and listen to the sermon, it's not a long one.  I had to present a short message as the town's "Fall Festival" was going on just a block and a half away and there was a "Chili Cook-Off" going on.  Everyone in Church was anxious to get to the event and eat... so thus... it was a short sermon.

Thank you for coming through this tiny corner of the internet and please, please, please...

Be a blessing to someone today!!

In Christ,
Roy

Luke 16:1-13 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
The Parable of the Dishonest Manager
16 Then Jesus[a] said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was squandering his property. 2 So he summoned him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Give me an accounting of your management, because you cannot be my manager any longer.’ 3 Then the manager said to himself, ‘What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. 4 I have decided what to do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes.’ 5 So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 He answered, ‘A hundred jugs of olive oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty.’ 7 Then he asked another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He replied, ‘A hundred containers of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill and make it eighty.’ 8 And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. 9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth[b] so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes.[c]

10 “Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. 11 If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth,[d] who will entrust to you the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own? 13 No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”[e]

Footnotes:
a) Luke 16:1 Gk he
b) Luke 16:9 Gk mammon
c) Luke 16:9 Gk tents
d) Luke 16:11 Gk mammon
e) Luke 16:13 Gk mammon

1st Timothy 2:1-8, Thursday Night Service, Sept 19, 2019

The message that I took away from the scripture last Thursday night was first concerning prayer.  In my preparation for this service, I found the following unattributed poem:
     Thou are coming to a King
     Large petitions with thee bring
     For His grace and power are such
     None can ever ask too much...

A reminder to pray for everything and everyone.  We need to also remember to not pray 'against' our adversaries.  We can pray for guidance for them (as well as ourselves, remember YOU MAY BE WRONG) and for grace and reconciliation for and with them.  Hostility and hatred towards anyone is not Christ-like... remember that the kings that the writer of 1st Timothy is talking about included Nero... the greatest persecutor and executor of Christians that there probably ever was... think about that when you're praying.

The second point is that Christ truly and certainly was and is the Savior of ALL mankind.  God sent Christ into this lost world to bring ALL of His children home.  Always, always, always remember that the person whom you are talking to was/is so valued by your God that He died for them...

Be a blessing to someone today!

In His Grace,
Roy

1 Timothy 2:1-8 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Instructions concerning Prayer
2 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For

there is one God;
    there is also one mediator between God and humankind,
Christ Jesus, himself human,
6     who gave himself a ransom for all

—this was attested at the right time. 7 For this I was appointed a herald and an apostle (I am telling the truth,[a] I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

8 I desire, then, that in every place the men should pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or argument;

Footnotes:
1 Timothy 2:7 Other ancient authorities add in Christ

The Four Lost Things (a sheep, a ring, and two sons) Luke 15:1-32; September 15, 2019

Last Sunday we looked (again) at the verses found in Luke's Gospel concerning the "lost things".  These verses include the all too important Parable of the "Prodigal Son", which I have long promoted as the most important of all of the Parables.  There just is no way (in my opinion) to come close to understanding the deep and driving desire of God to be reconciled with His children, if we don't reflect upon the verses found here in the 15th Chapter of Luke.

But, this time I chose to focus not as much on the story of the Father & his two sons, but on the message of the lost sheep and coin.  I then looked at these Parables contrasted with the message delivered concerning the older brother.  Do we try to slam the 'gate' so to say in the face of the lost sheep after another brother/sister has worked so hard to bring them back to the flock?  Too often we do just that in how we treat (consciously or unconsciously) those who try to come back home.

We all can learn from these four 'lost things' and let's be doubly sure that we don't accidentally cast ourselves in the role of the belligerent older brother.

Be a blessing to someone today!  

In His Grace & Love,
Roy

Luke 15:1-32    New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
15 Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

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.

The Parable of the Lost Coin
8 “Or what woman having ten silver coins,[a] if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? 9 When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ 10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

The Parable of the Prodigal and His Brother
11 Then Jesus[b] said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.’ So he divided his property between them. 13 A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. 14 When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. 16 He would gladly have filled himself with[c] the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. 17 But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.”’ 20 So he set off and went to his father. But 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. 21 Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’[d] 22 But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 24 for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.

25 “Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. 27 He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.’ 28 Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’ 31 Then the father[e] said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.’”

Footnotes:
a) Luke 15:8 Gk drachmas, each worth about a day’s wage for a laborer
b) Luke 15:11 Gk he
c) Luke 15:16 Other ancient authorities read filled his stomach with
d) Luke 15:21 Other ancient authorities add Treat me like one of your hired servants
e) Luke 15:31 Gk he