Apr 13 Deuteronomy 19, Deuteronomy 20 Luke 15:1-32 Psalm 45:1-9

Deut 19:15

One witness is not enough to convict anyone accused of any crime or offence they may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

This idea is repeated again in the New Testament. Here it’s about crime, in 2 Corinthians Paul is using it in reference to sin.

We must be very careful not to jump to conclusions about people based on one account only. That’s not to say the one account should be assumed to be a lie (although I’m sure that happens) but when you are dealing with only one person’s perspective then that perspective could be wrong.

Someone can see something in a certain way and be convinced, but they are not seeing the whole story. Their perception can see a sin or a crime where actually none was committed, but just a misunderstanding.

But when two or three are saying the same thing, all from different viewpoints – you begin to get a real picture.

If one person has a problem with you, maybe the issue is with them. If many people have a problem with you… maybe the issue is you.

We need to be very careful. When we jump to conclusions we usually don’t land on the truth.

Luke 15:1-4

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?

Sometimes we talk about leaving the 99 in terms of getting out of church, or chasing after the one person in church who is about to leave because they got upset.

I’m not sure that’s what Jesus is getting at. First – it comes as a response to a criticism made of Jesus and He proceeds to tell 3 parables to illustrate the same point.

All three parables are about God looking for the lost. The prodigal son shows that the father is ready and waiting to receive those who’ve gone away from Him. The lost coin is about diligently doing all you can to find the lost… in both cases God is the person who is seeking.

And this one… leaving the 99. Who is leaving the 99? It’s Jesus. It’s Jesus telling people why he’s spending time with sinners. Because they are the ones who need Him.

At the end of the parable He says there is more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner repents that 99 who do not need to repent.

Do you know anyone who does not need to repent?

No, me either.

Who did Jesus leave in order to reach those who need to repent? (I.E. Everyone) He left His throne – He left the angels (who don’t need to repent) to come to a lost world.

Jesus gave up everything to reach those who had no hope. He didn’t consider it loss. Yet He’s criticised for spending time with those who society consider less than them.

But every single person is so valuable to Him, He gave up heaven to reach them.

How important are the lost to us? What are we willing to do to find them? Are we ready to reach diligently? Are we ready to give up what we have? Are we ready to wait with open arms?