I tell you that in the same way, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent (Luke 15:7).

Read Luke 15:1–10

In response to the comments from the Pharisees and morality police about Jesus welcoming sinners and eating with them, Jesus tells two parables, one about a woman searching for a lost coin and the other about a shepherd searching for a sheep that strayed off. (There is a third parable, which we will look at tomorrow). In these parables, there are three characters; the one who gets lost, the good ones who don’t get lost, and the one who goes looking for the lost one. It is interesting to challenge oneself to pick one of these characters to identify with.

I’ve generally thought that Jesus (and the Holy Spirit) would be searching for the lost one, but he invites us to be part of this activity, too. So we can, therefore, easily identify with the one searching for the lost, asking the Holy Spirit to help us recognise who they are and where they are hiding. And, of course, we need wisdom and sensitivity in reaching out to them.

Then there are the ones who haven’t got lost, the righteous ones who don’t need to repent. It would be nice to identify with these wonderful people; unfortunately, they don’t exist in reality (even though the Pharisees and morality police probably identified with them).

So that leaves us with identifying with the lost ones, although it does nothing for our self-esteem. But our verse tells us that there is rejoicing in heaven each time we acknowledge and repent of our failures, of our inability to live up to God’s standards. I find this picture very encouraging to think that the angels of heaven are cheering us on as we face the challenges of daily life. Our Heavenly Father, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and all the angels of heaven guide us in living out God’s love to our fellow lost ones.

Thank you, Jesus, for doing everything needed to rescue me from being lost in my relationship with you. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for continuing to find me from where I have wandered off and lovingly calling me back to the security of my relationship with Jesus. Amen.

Charles is a retired engineer who has worked on communications projects for the Air Force, army, and navy. He lives in the outer north-western suburbs of Sydney with his wife, Diane. Together they have four children and eight grandchildren with whom they love spending time. He keeps himself busy with pot plants, a community vegetable garden, researching his family history, and volunteering in the community and at LifeWay Lutheran Church.

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing … This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples (John 15:5,8).

Read John 15:1–8

Jesus used many examples and stories (parables) to help us understand how he wants to live in a relationship with us (shepherd/sheep; farmer/produce; vine/branches). All of these rely on a very close connection between us and him. Any of us who have done some gardening will realise how quickly a branch withers and dies when not connected to a source of sustenance. We can maintain life in the cut branch for some time if we place the cut end in water, such as placing cut flowers in a vase. Or we can put a cutting in a special soil mixture to get it to send out its roots and commence a new plant. And there is the option to graft the cutting into a living plant so that it becomes part of that living plant.

But without that source of sustenance, the cut branch will very quickly die. Jesus uses this example to teach us an important truth about how we remain alive as children of his Father and live out his purpose for us. Since Jesus is the source of all the sustenance we need to stay alive and be productive, we need to maintain that intimate connection with him. We generally know what this means: regular systematic Bible reading, times of intimate prayer, and spending time with other Christians. These all help us focus on God’s will for us, help us find answers to the challenges we face, and encourage us when we lose energy and focus. But we also get to know God personally, feel safe and loved in his presence, and excited enough about our relationship with him that others observe his impact on our lives.

When we are feeling ineffectual in our Christian witness or we feel discouraged about the lack of impact our church community is having on the wider community, maybe all we need to do is go back to the source of our sustenance, the Jesus vine, and review how much we are utilising the resources he makes available to us. Are we immersing ourselves in his word? Are we spending intimate time with Jesus and his Father, talking about life and the issues we face? Are we finding encouragement in worshipping God in the company of other Christians? Are we focusing on all that God has done for us and is continuing to do for us?

Being connected to Jesus' vine and receiving all the sustenance it provides, will result in us producing fruit – fruit that others will see as being sourced from God himself, stimulating their curiosity to the source of this fruit.

Heavenly Father, many of us have been trying to produce fruit for you, relying on our efforts and ideas, producing very little. Thank you for reminding us that we can only produce fruit for you if we are connected to the Jesus vine. We surrender our lives to you, for you to achieve your will and purpose in us. Amen.

Posterity will serve him, future generations will be told about the Lord. They will proclaim his righteousness, declaring to a people yet unborn: He has done it! (Psalm 22:30,31)

Read Psalm 22:25-31

After identifying those of his time, David looks to the future – future generations and those yet unborn. That means us and those who are yet to follow us – our children, grandchildren – and on through the generations. The message of proclaiming God’s righteousness continues, not because of anything we have done. As the text states, ‘He has done it!’ What a relief!

When I lived in the Philippines, I was often faced with typhoons. The advice was to put myself in a place where I am away from the risks of flying objects, breaking glass, or disappearing roofs. Therefore, I would place some cushions in a downstairs bathtub, surround myself with candles – and wait. The wind would howl, and tree branches would bash against the walls. The pressure would build and my ears would pop. I would pray for safety and peace. But, at the same time, all I could think of was that there must be something I could do. Feeling so powerless in such a storm is frightening, and I could easily relate to the disciples in that boat on the Sea of Galilee. Letting go, relinquishing any impulse to control what I can’t, is hard. But it was only when I was able, amid tears of frustration, to declare, ‘I give up – I’m in your hands Lord’, that I found peace and went to sleep.

That is the great gift of trusting God and his promises through faith in Jesus Christ. It enables us to let go, to be relieved of making ourselves right with God, because he has done it for us.

It doesn’t end there, however. In response to this gift, we endeavour to live according to Jesus’ command that we love one another, serve each other, and live our lives praising God and proclaiming this message to future generations and those yet unborn.

We give you thanks, Heavenly Father, for the faith of our forebears, and that through the Holy Spirit, you help us to be your proclaimers to those who follow us, so that they too may know you and abide in your grace. Amen.

Faye Schmidt continues her diaconal calling through governance, having served on the Vic–Tas District Church Board, the General Church Board and currently as chair of the Standing Committee on Constitutions and her congregation, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Adelaide. Having lived and worked in many locations within Australia and overseas, Faye has a heart for the stranger and the newcomer and for being open to new ideas, learning from others and responding to needs.