The Depth of God's Love

CALL TO WORSHIP

Come, let’s shout praises to God, and raise the roof for the God who saved us. Let’s march into his presence singing praise, lifting the rafters with our songs. And why? Because God is the best. Drop everything and listen, listen as God speaks.

HYMN

Lord, for the years your love has kept and guided (StF 470)

GATHERING PRAYER

We come as many and as one to worship God the One-in-Three, to be encouraged and inspired, to praise the one who gives us hope. Lord, your very being calls us here; we long for your love, we ask for your leading. May we lift our lives to you today. Amen.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION

O God, when we have closed doors where we should have opened them, forgive us. When we have stayed in the box where we were called to break out, forgive us. When we have bubbled ourselves so thoroughly that we cannot even perceive what is outside our experience, forgive us. When we have been gatekeepers instead of welcomers, forgive us. May we stop being judgmental, throw away condemnation. and learn how to celebrate the loving invitation of your kingdom. Amen.

Ever-loving God, you call us all into your family of grace. Where we have been lost, you seek us. You retrieve us, you untangle us from the thorns that snare us. Your hands are kind; you restore us with joy. Thank you for not only accepting us but celebrating us, delighting in us as we discover what it means to belong to you. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father who art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name,

Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done.

On earth as it is in heaven,

Give us this day our daily bread,

And forgive us our trespasses,

As we forgive those that trespass against us,

And lead us not into temptation,

But deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory,

Forever and ever Amen.

HYMN

I will sing the wondrous story (StF 323)

READING 1

Psalm 51: 1-10

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so, you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge. Surely, I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Reflection

This Psalm was written by David Bathsheba and Uriah

Nathan in (2 Samuel) came to the King and told the parable of the rich man

David stayed behind, that was the start.

Think at times we all can do this.

This Psalm is a call for God’s forgiveness.

HYMN

The King of love my shepherd is (StF 479)

       Luke 15: 1-10

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

Now all the tax-collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, ‘This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.’

So he told them this parable: ‘Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbours, saying to them, “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.” Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.

The Parable of the Lost Coin

‘Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbours, saying, “Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.” Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.’

SERMON

The tennis ball

lost or misplaced something – but you need it you need it now!

Jesus’ two parables – of the lost sheep and coin – shows something of that feeling when you’re searching and of the sigh relief and happiness when you find whatever it is.

A couple of things stand out to me from this morning’s reading.

A farmer’s response to the first of these parables might be that this doesn’t make sense – is it not better to look after the 99!

A banker might respond to the second parable with the thought that the nine coins need to be banked and kept safe – the missing one will turn up, or it won’t, the nine are worth more than the one.

But this isn’t God’s way. Jesus’ point is that his eating with sinners is an example of God’s grace. It may not make sense from some human perspectives to ‘seek the one’, but God’s love for all means that the missing need to be found and brought into the fold.

•          Let’s look at the stories from two completely different viewpoints.

•          If we had been one of the people welcomed by Jesus when others normally ignored you, the stories speak of a God who goes out of his way to search for us. God doesn’t sit calmly and hope we’ll turn up. And that feeling of loss and frustration when we can’t find something? These parables tell us that God feels like that for anyone who doesn’t feel welcome in or part of the kingdom.

•          Let’s start with ourselves – do you know that God cares that much about you? Sometimes, it’s easy to know in our heads that God loves us; but to acknowledge that God actually likes us is much harder.

We know the things we get wrong, the times we haven’t lived up to God’s standards; but to hear that God loves us anyway is harder. It almost feels unjust; surely, we must keep the rules, live the perfect life?

God knows that isn’t that this is how humans are after all he made us. Do you know in your heart, as well as your mind, that God truly and always loves you?

Consider Davids plea for forgiveness in Psalm 51 after all he did wrong, he was still called a man after God’s own heart.

•          But consider the stories from another angle. The religious leaders of Jesus’ time were passionate about serving God and behaving correctly. But they were so fixated on doing, saying – and eating – the right things that they forgot that God’s command wasn’t only to love God, but also to love their neighbours. Instead of welcoming everyone, they had created a ‘them and us’society. They had allowed their – as they thought, Godly – practices to blind them and prevent them seeing that they were called to also not only serve God but to care for the people whom God wanted them to love.

•          The question we all have to face is do we do this too, at least sometimes? Do our ways of worshipping and serving God, of trying to be Godly people, exclude others? Ask yourself who isn’t here with us today? Why?

The religious leaders, watching Jesus, blamed the sinners – they didn’t keep the law; it was their own fault. But Jesus tried to show them that God welcomed these people even if they didn’t. I wonder what Jesus would want to point out to us, about why people who aren’t here with us why they don’t come is it they may feel excluded or uncomfortable. Could it possibly be that we are preventing them?

Who did you identify with in these parables? Could we identify yourself with the lost sheep and coin?

We never seem to get it right, always miss the mark, feel as though we are hidden in a dark corner or alone in the scary wilderness, feeling vulnerable and useless. We know that God loves us – after all God loves everyone. But when we compare ourselves to everyone else, do we feel that God must love them a lot more.

Jesus’ parables tell a different story – God loves us so much that God never stops looking.  When we realize that truth, there will be a great party in heaven.

Jesus tells these two parables that explore the importance of searching, of not giving up on what we feel is lost: one about a shepherd searching for a lost sheep, the other about a woman who cleans her house until she finds a lost coin.

Jesus’ parables of the lost sheep and coins are a reminder to us that God never stops searching for those who are lost. These stories were told to religious people to challenge them about those who they discounted. The question is, have we to become complacent and forgotten the call to love all people?

We need to remember two things: God loves us, and God wants us to welcome everyone.

HYMN

Praise, my soul, the King of heaven (StF 83)

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION

God of the wayward and the weary, we praise you. We thank you for caring about each one of us – that we have worth, that we are valued. We praise you for your persistent love. May we, too, love persistently and offer the welcome that you give, modelling our lives on the greatest rescuer of all. Amen.

In a world where the people of Ukraine live in fear of Russian tanks and bombs; where people in Pakistan have lost their homes and livelihoods because of flooding. Loving Lord, Give us eyes to see, ears to hear, and mouths to speak out words of peace and justice.

In our nation where foodbanks are struggling to meet demand; where fuel prices rocket; where parents mourn children stabbed or shot in street crimes or in their own homes. Loving Lord, Give us eyes to see, ears to hear, and mouths to speak out words of peace and justice.

In the church where people seek companionship and friendship with those of their own age; where we are challenged to be faithful discipleships; where we are called upon to serve the present age in a relevant and up-to-date way. Loving Lord, Give us eyes to see, ears to hear, and mouths to speak out words of peace and justice.

To our new government as they face the challenges of our times, and attempt to govern with equity and compassion. Loving Lord, Give us eyes to see, ears to hear, and mouths to speak out words of peace and justice.

In our lives where we are struggling because of health issues, physical or mental; where we are fearful of the cost of living crisis and its effect upon us; where the impact of pressure and stress is often unseen and unnoticed. Loving Lord, Give us eyes to see, ears to hear, and mouths to speak out words of peace and justice

In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

HYMN

All people that on earth do dwell (StF 1)

BLESSING

God of the lost, open our eyes to see the world as you do. Forgive us when we fail to see the lost. Help us to look for those who need your love, and give us the courage not only to offer them signs of your love but, by our actions and words, to share your love with them. Amen.

Finding the Lost: The Depth of God's Love

Bible Passage: Lk 15:1–10

1. Persistent Pursuit of Grace

Lk 15:1-4

Maybe you can begin by emphasizing the joy God experiences when even a single lost soul is found, reflecting on the Shepherd's journey to retrieve the lost sheep. In these verses, portray God’s love as active and searching. This connects with how Jesus, our Good Shepherd, came to seek us personally and passionately. Encourage the audience to trust in the persistence of Christ’s love, even during times of personal wandering or doubt.

2. Joyful Restoration Celebrated

Lk 15:5-7

You could describe the image of the Shepherd carrying the lost sheep home with joy, illustrating Jesus’ personal care and commitment. Here, emphasize how Jesus bears our burdens, conveying His deep relational investment in us. Highlight the heavenly celebration over sinners who repent, bringing hope and encouragement that no matter how lost we feel, a joyful welcome awaits in God's kingdom.

3. Relentless Seekers of Value

Lk 15:8-10

Perhaps unpack the diligence of the woman searching for her coin as an illustration of God’s thorough, unending search for every lost soul. Consider sharing that each person is immensely valued by God, and His love remains undeterred by any obstacle. Jesus underscores His mission to redeem and restore us, and this personal pursuit reminds believers of their inestimable worth to God.

As an adult, you may struggle with feelings of guilt or shame from past mistakes that often haunt you. Reflect on your redemption through Christ by creating a 'grace journal' where you write down these burdens and then actively destroy the pages as a physical representation of letting go. Take time to pray that the Lord reveals His love and forgiveness, understanding that you have been redeemed not by your works, but by grace. This act can serve as a powerful reminder to you and your family of God's redeeming power.

You may be struggling with feelings of unworthiness or guilt about past mistakes that haunt you daily. Take a moment during your quiet time at home to open your Bible to Romans 8:38-39, which assures you that nothing can separate you from the love of God. Spend time in prayer, asking God to help you truly grasp His unfathomable love and forgiveness. Write down specific ways you’ve experienced His love in your life and review them whenever doubt creeps in, reaffirming your identity as a beloved child of God.