Podcasts about seeking the lost

A few weeks ago I had the privilege of sharing a sermon titled “Seeking The Lost” with our local congregation. Ever since I was a little girl I dreamt of being a pastor (or an usher), and was beyond blessed with this beautiful and humbling opportunity. The preparation period was very different from my typical Wednesday message both for the podcast and our youth program. This stretched me in many ways, and the Lord worked on my heart preparing me and loving me through it all.  I was shocked to see most of our high school students show up to church and have many friends and family with us in person and online. I felt loved, cared for, and prepared to share what Jesus asked me. It was if the pain had prepared to share this exact message, and the weight of it still weighs heavy on me. Not only do I believe this is a message directly from God's heart, but because I grew up in the pews, this message speaks to an even greater need for the continual growth and reformation of the church as a corporate and spiritual body. My prayer is that this message is not directly addressed to my local congregation but that, on a global scale, we see a need to reach the lost where they are, not where we want them to be, and not with judgment but with “our hand stretched out still.” ________________________________ Seeking a greater relationship with Jesus but don't know where to start? The Flourishing Faith Tool Kit is a practical resource that will help you develop intentional practices and skills to grow your faith through application and seeking him in all that you do. Join our growing community.  Love the podcast and want to support the mission of strengthening the hearts of sons and daughters? ⁠Consider supporting the show monthly and sowing a seed.⁠ Your love, encouragement, seeds, and prayer are a blessing to me, I pray the Lord would use your faithfulness to bless you 30, 60, and 100 fold.  To him be the glory, SB.

In this episode of the Pastor to Pioneer podcast, Britton interviews Chris and Sarah Greenwood, who share their journey from traditional pastoral roles to exploring new forms of ministry. They discuss their early life experiences, the challenges of pastoral expectations, and the importance of discipleship. The conversation highlights their realizations about the limitations of traditional church models and their desire to seek out those who are not actively pursuing faith. Chris and Sarah emphasize the need for a more personal and relational approach to ministry, ultimately leading them to consider new directions in their calling. They share their transformative journey from pastoral ministry to the marketplace, discussing the challenges and growth they experienced along the way. They emphasize the importance of seeking people, the dynamics of family life during transitions, and the newfound compassion Chris has developed in his role as a financial planner. The couple reflects on their faith journey, the significance of community, and the lessons learned about dependency on God during difficult times.

Making the supernatural natural and seeking the lost are the questions in this edition of Beyond Damascus.

Series: N/AService: Sun AMType: SermonSpeaker: Caleb Wray

Follow Everyday Encounters with the Lord on Facebook.

In this account of the Lord's calling of Matthew to be His disciple, we see a stark contrast between the heart of God and the attitudes of religious people toward unbelievers. Whereas God is merciful and aggressive in seeking to rescue lost people, religion tends to build up a wall of separation. First we need to understand how and why that wall builds up, then we need to look carefully at Jesus and listen to some of His pertinent parables to discover how God wants us to relate to unbelievers.   To purchase Pastor Steve's new book Understanding Acts: Life-Changing Lessons from the Early Church, visit Amazon.  Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have free recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge.  And check us out on Instagram as well!  

If you were blessed by this message, please feel free to visit our website at ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.svbaptistchurch.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠ There you will find links to our other social platforms, years of recorded messages, statement of faith, and more. For online giving: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://svbckuna.churchtrac.com/give⁠⁠⁠⁠ God bless you!

Luke 15:1-32

True Stories Pt. 4: Seeking the Lost By Louie Marsh, 9-1-2024   Intro – 4 slides, Helen Keller last one.   1) If I love the lost I'm going to be CRITICIZED.   1  Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2  And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” Luke 15:1-2 (ESV)   ·       Loving the lost like Jesus means I RELATE with them.   29  And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. 30  And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Luke 5:29-30 (ESV)   2) I need to LEARN HOW to respond to criticism like Jesus did.   ·       I don't take personal attacks PERSONALLY.   20  I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20 (ESV)   39  But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. Matthew 5:39 (ESV)   3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:3   ·       Use their attacks as a TEACHING MOMENT.   3  So he told them this parable: Luke 15:3 (ESV)   44  But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45  so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. Matthew 5:44-45 (ESV)   3) I need to SEE the lost like Jesus does.   4  “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5  And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6  And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.' 7  Luke 15:4-6 (ESV)   ·       I belong to God by right of CREATION.   4  “What man of you, having a hundred sheep…   ·       I am lost by my own CHOICES.   … if he has lost one of them…   ·       Jesus searched me out and rescued me on the CROSS.   5  Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6  who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7  but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. Philippians 2:5-7 (ESV)   8  but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 (ESV)   ·       He wants me to be in God's KINGDOM.   6  And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.'   4) I need to understand that EVERYONE needs to change.   7  Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. Luke 15:4-7 (ESV)   ·       The goal of God's work in my life is to make me LIKE JESUS.   18  And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV)  

Welcome to First Baptist Church of Grand Cayman! Subscribe and join us for online & in-person services every Sunday at 10:30am (EST).Speaker: Pastor Kyle McLean 

Seeking the Lost Like Jesus - Mike Hall by Somerville St Church of Christ

Jesus is always questioned about the company He kept. It was always a collection of people at the fringe, people who others sought to avoid. But Jesus reminds us that He is the good shepherd who has come to seek the lost, He has come to save sinners like you and me, and He rejoices over the rescue of everyone one.

Reconciliation Through Christ: Seeking the Lost and Bridging Divides, with Rev. Kally Elliott. Series: One Thing A Spacious Christianity, First Presbyterian Church of Bend, Oregon. Scripture: Matthew 18:12-20.Join Kally as she discusses a call to pursue reconciliation with those we disagree with politically and spiritually through open communication and prayer in Christ's name.About the Series, One Thing: What is the one thing we all need to be reminded of to live with greater resilience and compassion in these challenging days? We have fantastic guest preachers lined up for you this summer. Each guest preacher will bring their “ONE THING.” They will offer the one passage of scripture and one core message they believe is most important for you to hear. What is your “One Thing?"Join us each Sunday, 10AM at bendfp.org, or 11AM KTVZ-CW Channel 612/12 in Bend.  Subscribe/Follow, and click the bell for alerts.At First Presbyterian, you will meet people at many different places theologically and spiritually. And we love it that way. We want to be a place where our diversity brings us together and where conversation takes us all deeper in our understanding of God.We call this kind of faith “Spacious Christianity.” We don't ask anyone to sign creeds or statements of belief. The life of faith is about a way of being in the world and a faith that shows itself in love.Thank you for your support of the mission of the First Presbyterian Church of Bend. Visit https://bendfp.org/giving/ for more information.Keywords:jesus, love, god, father, find, talk, heaven, world, political, reconciliation, writes, hope, conversation, listen, church, deep sadness, prayer, leave, dismay, outsider, presbyterian, church, online worship, bend, oregonFeaturing:Rev. Dr. Steven Koski, Rev. Kally Elliott, Tyler McQuilkin, Becca Ellis, Brave of Heart, GuestsSupport the show

Sermon Seeking the Lost, by Mark Pekar

October 29th, 2023 Sermon at King's Chapel from Pastor Jeff Jakes

Follow Everyday Encounters with the Lord on Facebook.

Luke 15:1-10

Jesus was a friend of sinners. He came to seek and to save the lost. We will be studying the parables of the lost sheep, lost coin, and lost son in this series.Year B Quarter 4 Week 40All Bible verses are from the NKJVFind the Lessons Here: https://mybiblefirst.org/?module=products&func=product&id2=25Connect with Us:Website: https://startingwithjesus.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/startingwithjesusFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/startingwithjesus

Jesus was a friend of sinners. He came to seek and to save the lost. We will be studying the parables of the lost sheep, lost coin, and lost son in this series.Year B Quarter 4 Week 40All Bible verses are from the NKJVFind the Lessons Here: https://mybiblefirst.org/?module=products&func=product&id2=25Connect with Us:Website: https://startingwithjesus.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/startingwithjesusFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/startingwithjesus

Jesus was a friend of sinners. He came to seek and to save the lost. We will be studying the parables of the lost sheep, lost coin, and lost son in this series.Year B Quarter 4 Week 40All Bible verses are from the NKJVFind the Lessons Here: https://mybiblefirst.org/?module=products&func=product&id2=25Connect with Us:Website: https://startingwithjesus.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/startingwithjesusFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/startingwithjesus

Jesus was a friend of sinners. He came to seek and to save the lost. We will be studying the parables of the lost sheep, lost coin, and lost son in this series.Year B Quarter 4 Week 40All Bible verses are from the NKJVFind the Lessons Here: https://mybiblefirst.org/?module=products&func=product&id2=25Connect with Us:Website: https://startingwithjesus.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/startingwithjesusFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/startingwithjesus

Jesus was a friend of sinners. He came to seek and to save the lost. We will be studying the parables of the lost sheep, lost coin, and lost son in this series.Year B Quarter 4 Week 40All Bible verses are from the NKJVFind the Lessons Here: https://mybiblefirst.org/?module=products&func=product&id2=25Connect with Us:Website: https://startingwithjesus.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/startingwithjesusFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/startingwithjesusv

We are called to seek and save the lost. How do we do that? We should follow the example of Jesus!

Jesus was a friend of sinners. He came to seek and to save the lost. We will be studying the parables of the lost sheep, lost coin, and lost son in this series.Year B Quarter 4 Week 40All Bible verses are from the NKJVFind the Lessons Here: https://mybiblefirst.org/?module=products&func=product&id2=25Connect with Us:Website: https://startingwithjesus.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/startingwithjesusFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/startingwithjesus

In this episode, we take an indepth study of Matthew 18. Connect with us through our website www.bibleindepth.com You can also support this ministry to continue spreading the gospel by becoming a patron. Please visit the Patreon link below to support us as a network. https://www.patreon.com/bibleindepth

Matthew Cook // Luke 15 // June 18th, 2023

Jesus tells us, in no uncertain terms, that we are to seek the lost. Who is He talking about and what does He mean? The depth of His answer might surprise you. Join Julie Jenkins for a study of Luke 15. *****   Welcome to Walking in the Word, the biblical teaching arm of the Women World Leaders' Podcast. My name is Julie Jenkins and I am so happy you have joined us today as we continue our walk through the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. It is June 2023 as I record this. If you are a regular monthly donor to Women World Leaders, please make sure to check your mailbox in the coming days for our newly released 12th edition of Voice of Truth. If you are new to the ministry and are not familiar with Voice of Truth magazine, I encourage you to go to our website, www.womenworldleaders.com, and check it out. We have all the back issues available digitally, and the new edition will be up within a week. We send out a physical copy of this beautiful, full-color, 100+ page magazine to each of our regular donors as a thank you, because saying thank you for supporting this ministry just doesn't seem like enough! By supporting Women World Leaders, YOU are reaching women across the globe – offering them the gospel message and giving them tools and support to walk in their God-given purpose. Personally, I don't believe there is a greater mission than that. God is the master organizer and coordinator – and although He can do ANYTHING in the blink of an eye, He often uses us, His children, to partner with Him. If we EACH were to respond to Him by fulfilling the role He designed us for, imagine how beautiful the world would be. So you might say our underlying goal at Women World Leaders is to help steer the world into the beautiful place God created it to be. Does that sound lofty? Well…our God is amazing…and nothing is beyond Him! So, thank you to our donors and our leaders for believing for the lofty with us! Let's dive in, shall we? Today's teaching comes from the 15th chapter of the book of Luke. Let's begin in prayer. Dear Most Holy God, We thank you for meeting us each where we are today – for guiding us a leading us in the path you have ordained for each of us. Father, I thank you for Women World Leaders! I thank you for the donors, the leaders, and the opportunity to share your Word with the world. Guide us as we open Scripture together, and teach us what you want us to know today. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen. As we continue walking through the gospels, we are currently studying the book of Luke together. Most recently, we saw Jesus attend a dinner at the home of a Pharisee and then later teach the large crowds who were following Him what it means to truly be His disciples. Today, we continue to follow Jesus as He continues teaching using parables. Chapter 15 from the New Living Translation begins… 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! These verses are important to this chapter because it sets up Jesus to share three parables – The Lost Sheep, The Lost Coin, and The Lost Son. The sinners were flocking to Jesus, and the Pharisees were calling Jesus out for hanging out with the sinners – those who were deemed unclean. As we study the Bible, we tend to see the Pharisees from a single, harsh angle. They were the rabble-rousers—the prideful, arrogant religious leaders who positioned themselves above everyone else. But the reality is, they have gotten a much worse reputation through the course of history. They, after all, were men who had devoted their lives to following God, and deemed the best way to do that was to follow the law of Moses. They WERE trying to hold to scripture, and even though we can see they went overboard and many of them missed Jesus' calling to follow Him, we should be careful to recognize that their attitude was very complex and is one that many of us fall into today. We, as the Christian church, are in danger of becoming the Pharisees of today. That's a tough statement. And it is one we should recognize fight against on an individual level—just as Jesus called the Pharisees to confront their own sins, He calls us to look at ourselves. As a Christian, it is imperative that I ask myself regularly, “Do I love others as Jesus did? Do I love others as Jesus does? Am I willing to look past the someone else's sin and see the person God made them to be? Do I choose to love EVEN and ESPECIALLY those who are CHOOSING to sin, recognizing that MY sin is no greater than theirs and God that has given me the HONOR to love them and meet them where they are?” Pride and arrogance are as rampant in the Christian church today as they were in the days of the Pharisees. So as you listen to Jesus teaching – ask yourself, what does God want ME to do differently in my life? Jesus first told a parable targeted to the men, beginning in verse 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! We see a theme developing here that carries all through chapter 15 – something was lost, the owner did everything possible to find the one missing piece, and then joyful celebration broke out. The first story is the story of the sheep, who was lost through his own foolishness. The shepherd, who represents God, was responsible for EACH of the sheep. But not only was He responsible for each sheep, He also loved each sheep dearly—enough to step away from the faithful flock so He could find the one who had strayed. How often do we remain in our bubble of Christianity, afraid to step out to find those who have set themselves apart? Over and over, I hear parents say that they want to protect their children from the evils of society. Parents – if we pull our God-loving children out of society to protect them, who is going to be the light of God to those children who don't come from a Christian home? Every child is different, but I encourage you to take a moment and think – what if I empower my child to make a difference in their school or club or organization rather than simply trying to protect them? What if I, instead, walk with my child into the unknown, traveling alongside them and spending time tutoring or leading a Christian club or simply being available to those who may not have another Christian influence? Jesus put it all on the line to go after the one. Are we willing to do the same? Then Jesus moves from shepherding to taking care of the home – something the women in the crowd would be more familiar with. “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.” The coin, although it was a single coin that wasn't worth much, was important to the woman, and so it became a priority for her to find it. She did what was necessary to recover her lost treasure. She lit a lamp, she swept, and then she searched carefully. In our world, we are given a purpose to make others our priority – even those who don't seem all that important to us or the world. The sinners – the tax collectors and those who were not following the law of Moses to the nth degree—were deemed unimportant and even disposable by the Pharisees. In this parable, Jesus marks the importance of every individual. Who, in our society, have we as Christians deemed unimportant or disposable? Who do we dismiss and maybe even try to avoid? Let me ask you some difficult questions. Do you believe in God? Do you have faith that He will protect you? Do you trust Him when He tells you where you should go? Christian, Jesus, in no uncertain terms, is telling us to LOVE the marginalized in society. He is telling us to speak to the sinners, to embrace those we aren't following scripture. And what is our agenda to be when we do? Simply to love them! To open our hearts. And to trust GOD. Just as there was no coin that was unimportant in the woman's eye, so there is NO individual who is unimportant in God's eyes. And finally, scripture says, “to illustrate the point further,” Jesus told the story of the Lost Son. Let me paraphrase… A man had two sons…the younger one decided he wanted his inheritance early. So the father gave the young man his inheritance, likely a third of all he owned. The son then sold the property and left town with the money. You probably know the story…after he wasted away all his money and was so hungry that his mouth was watering after the pigs' slop, he returned to his father. When his father saw him coming, he RAN TO HIM! How beautiful is that? The sheep was lost to foolishness, the coin was lost to carelessness, but the son was lost because of his own willfulness. The father had every right to turn away from the son who had willfully disengaged with him. The son had damaged his father. He had asked for his inheritance, basically telling the him ‘I wish you were dead,' took the family land and SOLD it – not even using it for his own long-term gain – that must have stabbed the father. And then he went silent. There were no cell phones or email or Facebook. The father grieved the loss of his child, truly not knowing if he was dead or alive. And then the son returned. And when he saw him, the father dropped all his dignity and pretension and RAN to his son. Not only did he run because he was thrilled to see him, but he ran to him to protect him. The young man had completely disrespected his father and his family, and by all rights, should have been stoned…so the man ran, knowing that if he was beside his son, no one would dare hurt him. The father welcomed the young man by giving him his robe – a symbol of honor and authority, a ring—a symbol of belonging in the family, and sandals—which identified him as a son. The father – representing God, welcomed this young man who had hurt him, sinned against him, and left him. But who also CHOSE to return. And then a joyful celebration broke out – just like when the shepherd found the lost sheep and the woman found the lost coin. Doing the work of Jesus – reaching out to the least of these and welcoming them into the Christian fold, is the BEST reason for celebration there is. But do you know who wasn't joyful in this last parable? The oldest son. The one who had remained by the father's side and waited patiently for his inheritance was now jealous and angry. He had steadfastly remained by his father, and now his wayward, sinful brother was being welcomed back? We don't know the end of the story. The brother went to the father and voiced his frustration. And his father replied… ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. 32 We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!'” I think Jesus left this open-ended intentionally. Remember, He was speaking to the Pharisees. By not delineating the older sons actions, Jesus was making them aware of their choice: You can be happy that I am hanging out with sinners and welcoming them into the kingdom, or you can be bitter and go your own way. Although it seems that many Pharisees held to the letter of the law, dismissing the importance of love, we do know that some understood and began to trust Jesus. It is not our job as Christians to make SURE an individual CHOOSES to follow Jesus, any more than it was the father's job to chase down his lost son or demand joy from the son who had stayed by his side. God has gifted us, as Christians, with the joy of searching for and loving all others—saints and sinners alike and PRESENTING them with a different way of life – for THEIR choosing. We can trust God's provision and protection as we follow His call. But oh the joy when we join in the celebration of each homecoming, because there is NO ONE who is too small to celebrate. Let's pray… Dear Father – thank you for seeking US out each time we stray. God, we confess that, at times, WE have been the stumbling block for others to come to you. Father, we seek your forgiveness even as we thank you for running to us with open arms of love and protection. Guide each of us today to step into your calling as we seek to love the unloved, opening our arms and hearts in unexpected and amazing ways. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Pastor Travis Bush | Luke 19 | Making Much Of Jesus | And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” -Luke 19:9-10

We often look at the people around us and dissect their sin, look at their shortcomings, and let that evoke anger or discomfort. But Jesus came with a mission to seek and save the lost. Everyone you know is either on a path to Heaven or a path to hell. We may be able to offer help in meeting people's physical and emotional needs,  but Jesus offers a salvation that can meet their far more important spiritual needs. And it is our job as Christians to seek the lost and give a reason for the hope that is in our hearts. If this congregation can help you in any way, please contact us at www.normanchurch.com.

Visit our website for schedules and to join the mailing list www.stpaulhouston.org Subscribe to us on YouTube youtube.com/stpaulhouston​ Like us on Facebook facebook.com/saintpaulhouston​ Follow us on SoundCloud soundcloud.com/stpaulhouston​

Join us as go through the book of Mark to learn how we can follow Jesus

Ok, I've been thinking about death some more. This one cut a little too deep. This episode feels very close to home, I'm convinced I might be heartbroken in Heaven.

Follow Everyday Encounters with the Lord on Facebook.

This is Week 2 of the, "Reach" series.

Jim Scudder, Jr. continues his series, the Story of Jesus. Following the accounts of the life of Christ, in chronological order. The post His Seeking the Lost – Part 2 appeared first on InGrace with Jim Scudder, Jr..

Jim Scudder, Jr. continues his series, the Story of Jesus. Following the accounts of the life of Christ, in chronological order. The post His Seeking the Lost – Part 1 appeared first on InGrace with Jim Scudder, Jr..

Sun., September 11, 2022: “Seeking the Lost is Our Calling” - Rev. John Kerns, Pastor

Readings: Exodus 32:7–11, 13–14 Psalm 51:3–4, 12–13, 17, 19 1 Timothy 1:12–17 Luke 15:1–10 The episode in today's First Reading has been called “Israel's original sin.” Freed from bondage, born as a people of God in the covenant at Sinai, Israel turned aside from His ways and fell to worshipping a golden calf. Moses implores God's mercy, just as Jesus will later intercede for the whole human race. Just as He still pleads for sinners at God's right hand and through the ministry of the Church. Israel's sin is the sin of the world. It is your sin and mine. Ransomed from death and made His children in Baptism, we fall prey to the idols of this world. We remain a “stiff-necked people,” resisting His will for us like an ox refuses the plowman's yoke (see Jeremiah 7:26). Like Israel, in our sin we push God away and reject our divine sonship. Once He called us “my people” (see Exodus 3:10; 6:7). But our sin makes us “no people,” people He should, in justice, disown (see Deuteronomy 32:21; 1 Peter 2:10). Yet in His mercy, He is faithful to the covenant He swore by His own self in Jesus. In Jesus, God comes to Israel and to each of us—as a shepherd to seek the lost (see Ezekiel 34:11–16), to carry us back to the heavenly feast, the perpetual heritage promised long ago to Abraham's children. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,” Paul cries in today's Epistle. These are the happiest words the world has ever known. Because of Jesus, as Paul himself can testify, even the blasphemer and persecutor can seek His mercy. As the sinners do in today's Gospel, we draw near to listen to Him. In this Eucharist, we bring Him the acceptable sacrifice we sing of in today's Psalm—our hearts, humbled and contrite. In the company of His angels and saints, we rejoice that He has wiped out our offense. We celebrate with Him that we have turned from the evil way that we might live (see Ezekiel 18:23).