Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. 2 This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!
3 So Jesus told them this story: 4 “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. 6 When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!
8 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins[a] and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and sweep the entire house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin.’ 10 In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.” (Luke 15:1-10 NLT)
One of the harshest critics I've ever had in ministry paid me the highest compliment, even though she did not mean it as a compliment. She accused me of bringing "Riff Raff" into the church. In case you do not know the meaning of the phrase "riff raff" since it has fallen out of use, riff raff are considered disgusting, despicable people. Helping to bring "Riff Raff" into the church is one of the most important things any of us can do.
Riff Raff are people like you and me, people in need of God's love and forgiveness. Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. He ate with sinful people and throws a party in heaven whenever a sinner repents. Jesus tells us that lost and found people are far more important than a lost sheep or coin.
3 So Jesus told them this story: 4 “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. 6 When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!
8 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins[a] and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and sweep the entire house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin.’ 10 In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.” (Luke 15:1-10 NLT)
One of the harshest critics I've ever had in ministry paid me the highest compliment, even though she did not mean it as a compliment. She accused me of bringing "Riff Raff" into the church. In case you do not know the meaning of the phrase "riff raff" since it has fallen out of use, riff raff are considered disgusting, despicable people. Helping to bring "Riff Raff" into the church is one of the most important things any of us can do.
Riff Raff are people like you and me, people in need of God's love and forgiveness. Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. He ate with sinful people and throws a party in heaven whenever a sinner repents. Jesus tells us that lost and found people are far more important than a lost sheep or coin.
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