OUR DAILY BREAD READING (Published Daily by Our Daily Bread Ministries)
READ: Luke 15 (Focus vs. 1–10)
MEMORY VERSE
“Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.” Luke 15:6
BACKGROUND
“They call me ‘the ringmaster.’ So far this year I’ve found 167 lost rings.”
During a walk on the beach with my wife, Cari, we struck up a conversation with an older man who was using a metal detector to scan an area just below the surf line.
“Sometimes rings have names on them,” he explained, “and I love seeing their owners’ faces when I return them. I post online and check to see if anyone contacted lost and found. I’ve found rings missing for years.”
When we mentioned that I enjoy metal detecting as well but didn’t do it frequently, his parting words were, “You never know unless you go!”
We find another kind of “search and rescue” in Luke 15. Jesus was criticized for caring about people who were far from God (vv. 1–2). In reply, He told three stories about things that were lost and then found—a sheep, a coin, and a son.
The man who finds the lost sheep “joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me’ ” (vv. 5–6).
All the stories are ultimately about finding lost people for Christ, and the joy that comes as they’re found in Him.
Jesus came “to seek and to save the lost” (19:10), and He calls us to follow Him in loving people back to God (see Matthew 28:19). The joy of seeing others turn to Him awaits. We’ll never know unless we go.
By: James Banks
INSIGHT
Tax collectors were seen as betraying their people by colluding with the Roman government. Many tax collectors abused their role by taking more money than required for taxes and keeping the surplus for themselves (Luke 3:12–13).
Scholars aren’t sure what specifically caused people to be labeled “sinners” (15:1), but these persons too would have been excluded from the religious community.
Luke portrays these social and religious outcasts sympathetically. Tax collectors came to John the Baptist eager to know how to repent (3:12). Jesus called Levi the tax collector to follow Him, and Levi immediately did, then hosted a banquet for Him (5:27–30).
A woman the Pharisees described as a sinner (7:39) is praised by Christ for her faith (v. 50). Luke argued that those who know they’re sinners are most likely to hear and follow Jesus (5:31–32; 15:1).
APPLICATION
What joy have you seen when people turn to God? How will you point others to Jesus’ love today?
PR’s (PASTOR RICHARD) TAKE
“…The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask Him to send more workers into His fields.” Luke 10:2 nlt
PR’s RE-EMPHASIS (From Post)
“…He calls us to follow Him in loving people back to God.”
PRAYER
“Thank You, Jesus, for finding and loving me! Please send me in Your joy to another who needs You today.”
TODAY’s HYMN/WORSHIP/PRAISE/GOSPEL SONG
“HOW TO REACH THE MASSES”
How to reach the masses, *men of ev’ry birth,
For an answer Jesus gave the key:
“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth,
Will draw all men unto Me.”
Lift Him up, (Lift the precious Savior up),
Lift Him up, (Lift the precious Savior up),
Still He speaks from eternity:
“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth,
Will draw all men unto Me.”
Oh! the world is hungry for the Living Bread,
Lift the Savior up for them to see;
Trust Him, and do not doubt the words
That He said, “I’ll draw all men unto Me.”
Lift Him up…
Don’t exalt the preacher, don’t exalt the pew,
Preach the Gospel simple, full and free;
Prove Him and you will find that promise is true,
“I’ll draw all men unto Me.”
Lift Him up…
Lift Him up by living as a Christian ought,
Let the world in you the Savior see;
Then men will gladly follow Him who once taught,
“I’ll draw all men unto Me.”
Lift Him up, (Lift the precious Savior up),
Lift Him up, (Lift the precious Savior up),
Still He speaks from eternity:
“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth,
Will draw all men unto Me.”
READING THROUGH THE BIBLE DAILY IN 2023
Exodus 7-8
Matthew 15:1-20