Vintage is THIS WEEKEND!!!! are you signed up? www.vintageweekend.com if you are not! love to have you all there it's going to be great!
Vintage 2011: Prodigal
for the whole month of February we wanted to study the stories of reconciliation, consider the idea of true ministry, the true calling of restoring and mending broken things... we all live with hurt and see the brokenness of our world... what does God have to say about it, what are we to do about it?
Landing in Luke 15
Luke 15 is the theme chapter for all the parts of our next weeks together guiding us to a great finale in Vintage Weekend (Feb 25-27 signup online @ www.vintageweekend.com)
we spoke a little about this last week but let's just refresh and reiterate for repetitions sake
“Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.””
(Luke 15:1–2 ESV)
I love that in this first section the religious leaders that were around Jesus were dismayed by his company. They preachers and church leaders didn't really much care for Jesus' friends thinking they (and probably He) were of bad reputation and dirty living... so upon hearing their grumbling and frustration Jesus tells stories about the nature of what God is really like and the way things oughta be...
Studying the Character of God
God gets possessive- so tells the second story in Luke 15...
““Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it?And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.””
(Luke 15:8–10 ESV)
Sweet little old lady with not much loses a bit of what she has and instead of counting her losses goes about finding a solution, the missing piece, the necessary thing
Ownership- The coins were hers in the beginning and when she discovered the lost one, her fullness was restored. That is the kind of loving ownership God exudes. It is the father to child, shepherd to sheep, woman to livelihood loving ownership.
**Egg frying theology (or that will cook my noodle)- it is worth noting and discussing that Jesus uses a female lead in a parable. A curveball pitch to be sure. This has to at least say something about the character of God (maternal, loving, embracing) but perhaps it might even describe the nature as well (try that theological nugget).
Possessive God-
The nature of God is that He wants what was/is lost to be found... it is not enough to have "enough" or get by. God desires all and if someone belongs to God. God goes after them... The coin was owned, disappered, but not forgotten...Theology 101 states IF- God is, THEN we are to be as well... Do we try and reclaim the lost ones? the missing? the pieces?
Taking on the personal loss.. The woman is hurting for what was hers now lost... she wants/needs it back!
Celebration-
again with all the "rejoicing in the streets" stuff telling people the good news and bearing glad tidings about the finding of one lost silver coin
theBrightside starts at 6:30pm but doors open at 5:30pm
come hang out make new friends learn about God and be blessed in love and grace!First Baptist Church of Bethany Student Ministries (FBCBSM)
3800 N Mueller Ave
Bethany, OK 73008
(405) 789-3312
Youth Center
3700 N Mueller Ave
Bethany, OK 73008
Open Hours
Sundays 9am-11am, 4pm-7pm
Wednesdays 5pm-8pm
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