The second parable is that of a woman who had lost a silver coin. Searching high and low, she finally found it. Then she called in her neighbors and said to them: “Rejoice with me! I have found the silver coin that I lost.” Note how this parable also concludes with a word about the great joy in heaven over the conversion of a single sinner: “I tell you, there will be the same kind of joy before the angels of God over one repentant sinner.”
Finally Jesus told the story of the Merciful Father. When the youngest son, after squandering his inheritance in loose living, finally came back home, disgraced and destitute, the Father ran out to meet him, embraced him, and kissed him, and without uttering a word of reproach to his son, instructed the servants: “Quick, bring out the finest robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and shoes on his feet. Take the fatted calf and kill it. Let us eat and make merry because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life. He was lost and now is found!” Again, notice the great joy over the repentance of a single sinner.
In John’s Gospel there is the woman caught in adultery. Jesus forgave with a simple word to go and sin no more. Jesus even forgave on the Cross. As He was dying on the cross he prayed for His enemies. In fact, He prayed for all sinners! He even made excuses for them! “Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing.” The good thief begged Jesus to “remember me when you enter upon your reign.” Jesus replied: “I assure you, this day you will be with me in paradise.” With that word a lifetime of crime was forgiven!
In Christ,
Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching
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