Luke 15:1-32

 1-10:  Parable of the Lost Sheep & Lost Coin:  Oh my, Jesus ate with tax collectors & sinners!  This means He fellowships with them, talked to them, spend time with them.  He didn't keep Himself separate.  He didn't shun them for their unbelief.  Instead, He showed them a new life.  The lost are important to Jesus.

11-32:  Parable of the Prodigal Son:  We just had this lesson in Sunday School.  It's one of my favorites.  This selfish, greedy kid disrespects his father, demands money & then goes out to live the life he wants.  Unfortunately, this great life leads him to ruin & he finds himself eating slop with pigs.  Pigs!  Gross.  So, sitting in the muck, he realizes that his father's servants are better fed than this, so he decides to head home & get a job. 

Now - see this - this kids has realized the error of his ways.  He has been humbled & is heading home to work.  He's not heading home as a son, but as a servant.  His attitude has taken a complete turn-around.

So, while he is still coming, his father rejoices & runs out to him.  He accepts him as a son & throws a party for him.  The man's son has returned.  But, wait, the older son, the one who was obedient, who stayed, who has been faithful is upset.  He always did everything right.  His brother was greedy & disrespectful, but his dad welcomes him back & throws a party.

"Well," says the father, "everything I have is yours.  You will inherit it all.  But your brother was lost to us and now he has come back with a renewed & humble heart.  I love you, I love him."  Do you see it?  God is the father.  He loves us - regardless.  Those who believe, obey, have faith - we are part of His family and we will inherit the kingdom of heaven.  But He loves everyone, even those who are lost.  He longs for them to return to Him & He rejoices when they do.  He welcomes them back into the family.  How cool is that?  We are only lost as long as we desire to be lost.  So, come back to God, let Him welcome you back into the family.