Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep...
“Now the tax collectors and sinners
were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the
teachers of the law muttered, 'This man welcomes sinners and eats
with them.”
When the Pharisees were muttering about
Him eating with sinners, Jesus went right into telling a parable.
“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them.
Doesn't he leave the ninety nine in the open country and go after the
lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts
it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and
neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost
sheep.' I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing
in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous
persons who do not need to repent.'”
Then he tells another parable, “Or
suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn't she
light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds
it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors
together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.' In
the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the
angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Putting this parable in the context of
the situation that Jesus was in, Jesus was putting the Pharisees at
the same level as the sinners that were gathering around Him. He
was helping the Pharisees to see the great worth of them to Him and
the appropriate response of those who are friends – to rejoice with
Him. Much rejoicing at His kingdom coming and His will being done.
The Pharisees could not rejoice because
they saw themselves as spiritually superior to the sinners and this
was a stumbling stone for them. They were undignified that Jesus
had so much passion about them and was willing to treat them as
equals.
In Romans 12:16 it says, "Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but
associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.…"
If the Pharisees could humble themselves and truly become a
friend to Jesus, they would see the great value in those sinners and
rejoice greatly with Him at their salvation. They would remember that
they are sinners too (just as much in all their self-righteousness) and
that we all are in need of the mercy of a Savior.
David proclaims in Psalm 67:4, “Let
the nations be glad and sing for joy; For You will judge the peoples
with uprightness And guide the nations on the earth. Selah.”
God bringing His justice is a reason to
rejoice. Like when Jesus came to the sinners with a message of
mercy, when he brings judgments they are full of grace, forgiveness,
mercy and healing. They are the great equalizer in people's lives
as they raise up those who are bowed down and bow down those who are
raised up.
Too often I hear about how a hurricane,
earthquake, disaster, or even illness is God bringing His punishment
on sinners. Just the thought that God is punishing 'those' sinners puts
us in a place of judgement and the self-righteous place of the
Pharisees.
I imagine that if Jesus came with
painful judgment for those that were considered sinners in this
situation that He was in, the Pharisees would have rejoiced and
thought that they got their just deserts. They would have felt even
more superior and righteous that they get it all right in following
the law and deserve better treatment.
Perhaps these kind of disasters are more wake up calls. These kind of disasters wake us up to reality of what
is really important. They cause us to think about our lives and how
we are living as our lives are but a breath. They humble us,
reminding us that we are not in ultimate control.
What Jesus invited the Pharisees into as He told them a parable was a
different approach and perspective. He wanted them to be full of
mercy rather than judgment.
What does this look like in our lives
- to rejoice with Him and to be full of mercy rather than judgment?
What does it look like in the midst of disaster to be humbled by it
and grieve with those who suffer?
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