When I was preparing my bulletin, I read this passage and the gospel and heard repentance in both.
Hence the title- “Repentance All Around.” However, after sitting with text I would now call it the
“Repentance, the Demonstration of Love.” In this familiar conclusion to Israel making a golden
calf, God is wrathful and wants to punish the people and start over with Moses. But Moses talks
God down, reminding God of the covenant God made in God’s own name with the people of Israel.
The very fact that Moses can talk with God, pray for God’s mercy, speaks to the deep relationship
they share and God’s commitment to the people. You see Israel had lost sight of their freedom from
slavery, lost sight of God’s presence with them which led to their idolatry. You see we can all lose
our way, find ourselves lost from time to time. Read Lk 15:1-10.
On my trip to Tahoe, I lost two pillows. Karen and I had taken pillows from my house up to the
Pastor’s cabin but inadvertently left them behind. I reported the loss on the lost and found website,
even called and emailed Zephyr Point, but I think the pillows have a new home. Things get lost all
the time. So can people. “A marine tells of a field exercise he was participating in at Camp
Lejeune, N.C. His squad was on a night patrol making their way through some thick brush. Halfway
through, they realized they’d lost their map. The patrol navigator informed the rest of the squad that
their odds were 1 in 359 that they’d succeed in getting back to their base of operations.
“How did you come up with that figure?” someone asked, “one chance in 359?”
“Well,” he replied, “one of the degrees on the compass has to be right.”
Those marines were lost. One chance in 359 is not very good. Fortunately, it was just a training
exercise, but they were lost just the same. We’ve all been lost at one time or another. That’s part of
the human condition” (Sermons.com, King Duncan).
When have you been lost? Maybe you are lost right now? Lost in depression, lost in life, lost in
addiction. Maybe you were physically lost, not in the right place without any idea how to get to
your destination. Or maybe with retirement, you found yourself lost without a purpose. You might
feel spiritually lost, lost in your need for God that calls you here every Sunday. Even if you are
feeling grounded now, maybe you recall being lost another time in your life.
The Israelites were spiritually and emotionally lost; the sheep and the coin were physically lost.
Often “described as the parable of the lost sheep (and) the lost coin they might also as easily be
depicted as stories of the faithful shepherd (and) the persistent woman” (Working Preacher, E. Trey
Clark). Their tireless actions demonstrate their commitment to finding what is lost. The shepherd
ventures out, risking the loss of other sheep. He then carries the lost sheep back on his shoulders.
The woman lights a lamp, sweeps the house until she finds her coin. I don’t know about you, but
when I am lost, I sure want someone to search for me. Someone who cares enough about me to
look, search, until I am found.
We need to remember who Jesus is talking to. The Pharisees and scribes were grumbling because
Jesus was eating with outcasts and sinners. I think we can all agree that sinners are lost and could
benefit from being found. The question is do the people in authority realize they are lost and need
to be found? Or today we might ask do the people in the pews know we are in just as much need of
being found as everyone else? Know that our faith does not shield us from needing repentance?
When I say repentance what comes to mind? Turning around, recognizing our poor actions,
wanting to do better, the step before forgiveness. Yet in these parables, items are found, rather than
forgiven. As near as I can tell, neither lost sheep or lost coins can really repent. Moreover, God
repents or relents after Moses prays for mercy for the lost people of Israel. Our translation says,
“God changed God’s mind about the disaster planned.” But many translations say, “God repented
of the evil.” Here “God changes God’s mind. In Luke, the story is about us changing — and how
happy God is when we change. God changes; God likes it when we do too. In Greek word for
“repent” is metanoeó, which literally means to change one’s mind” (The Cottage, Diana Buttler
Bass). “Unlike the English word repentance, which implies contrition and remorse, the Greek
word metanoia has to do with a change of mind and purpose — a shift in how we perceive and
respond to life. When God finds us when we are lost, our usual ways of perceiving and responding
to life are transformed. And when this happens, there is great rejoicing over the “one sinner who
repents” (Working Preacher, Lois Malcolm).
“You see, the word “repentance” forces you to look back and beat yourself up for what you’ve done,
but metanoia invites you to look at the future and the promises God has for you… As Christians, we
should always be aware that when it comes to our faith, our primary concern is not being right or
wrong: It’s knowing that we are loved by God, and if we miss this part, we miss the whole point of
the gospel. It is because of God’s love for us that metanoia is even possible. We shouldn’t even have
that opportunity, but in Jesus we do. In the face of our own mistakes and failures, Jesus is the one
who shows up to tell you, “Whatever’s happened to you or whatever you’ve done, I’m still
committed to you. I’m still committed to work with you. I’m still committed to save you. And you
know why that is? Because I love you” (Preaching Today, Gaby Viesca). Do you know God’s
love? Embrace Jesus’ radical love for you?
“Kathleen Chesto tells of how her five-year-old child approached her one day in the kitchen and
asked, “Mom, is God a grown-up or a parent?” Mom was a little puzzled by the question. I’m not
sure what you mean,” she said. “Is there a difference between a grown-up and a parent?” “Oh yes,”
her five-year-old answered quickly. Grown-ups love you when you are good and parents love you
anyway. (God loves you anyway!) Have you ever really come to appreciate the wonder of God’s
unconditional love? I dare say that there are some people in this room who don’t really believe in
unconditional love. You have never received it, and you have never given it. Some of you are still
trying to earn your way to heaven. And you are expecting others to earn their way as well. Relax,
my friend, and let God love you. Jesus is trying to tell us in this parable that God’s love doesn’t
depend on our goodness; it depends on God’s character. (Sermons.com, King Duncan). Remember
the Prodigal Son parable is the very next passage demonstrating God’s abundant love for us.
From God’s lavish love comes joy and celebration. “There will be more joy in heaven” and “joy in
the presence of the angels of God” over one sinner who repents. When you are lost and God finds
you, heaven rejoices! You matter that much to God. When you are found God invites us, all of us,
including the religious leaders who don’t think they are lost, to come to a party. “A cosmic
celebration erupts over a sinner who repents, and everyone is invited to join the party” (Working
Preacher, E. Trey Clark). Sometimes it can be hard to believe we are loved.
I remember reading a Peanuts cartoon strip in which Lucy comes up to Charlie Brown and does
something that is very unusual for her. She says, “I love you.” But Charlie Brown keeps responding
by saying, “No, you don’t.” And each time Lucy answers a little louder, “Yes I do, I really love
you.” But Charlie Brown has been rejected so many times he keeps saying, “It can’t be true.” So in
the last square, Lucy has reached the limit of her patience, and she screams out in a loud voice,
“Hey stupid, I love you!” I wonder if God has to do that with us sometimes. I mean, what does it
take to get through? Does God have to yell out: Hey blockhead, I love you? Can’t you see that God
will literally turn this world upside down in his search for one human soul? Maybe you feel like
God has been turning your world upside down a little bit lately. Well, that’s love at work. And the
supreme sign of that love is the gift of Christ Jesus” (Sermons.com). Amen
