WEBVTT 00:00.600 --> 00:01.900 God's amazing 00:01.900 --> 00:08.200 grace, mercy, peace and rejoicing be with you in Christ Jesus. 00:08.200 --> 00:09.600 Amen. 00:09.800 --> 00:14.300 The text for today's sermon is the reading that you just heard 00:14.300 --> 00:18.500 especially the first two verses from Luke chapter 15. 00:19.200 --> 00:24.100 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear Jesus 00:24.100 --> 00:29.900 and the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled saying: This man receives 00:29.900 --> 00:30.600 sinners 00:30.700 --> 00:32.800 and eats with them. 00:34.800 --> 00:37.600 Here is, what is going on in our text 00:37.600 --> 00:43.100 with Jesus. People considered to be sinners gathered with him for a 00:43.100 --> 00:47.500 meal and to hear his teaching. Religious leaders 00:47.500 --> 00:54.200 disapproved and grumbled about the company Jesus was keeping .To put 00:54.200 --> 01:00.200 this into context, it is important to consider what is going on in the 01:00.200 --> 01:04.300 chapter before these verses. Luke records 01:04.300 --> 01:10.000 Jesus doing a lot of intense teaching about the cost of discipleship 01:10.200 --> 01:14.200 about the need for repentance and following him 01:14.200 --> 01:15.400 wholeheartedly. 01:16.200 --> 01:22.200 He tells Parables about a wedding feast and a great banquet and those 01:22.200 --> 01:26.900 who were invited to come many of them do not come and others are 01:26.900 --> 01:27.700 invited. 01:28.800 --> 01:33.700 Then in our text, a number of people known to be sinners, apparently 01:34.000 --> 01:36.900 had been reached by Jesus message 01:36.900 --> 01:40.600 and saw their sinfulness in sought to repent. 01:41.700 --> 01:44.000 They were now at table with Jesus. 01:44.800 --> 01:49.800 Luke ends the prior chapter 1, calling for repentance with these 01:49.800 --> 01:52.900 words. He who has ears to hear 01:53.300 --> 01:54.400 let him hear. 01:55.000 --> 01:59.100 And then we read in the very next verse, in the words of our text. 01:59.700 --> 02:05.200 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 02:07.300 --> 02:13.700 Luke does not describe Jesus response but we can envision his joy as 02:13.700 --> 02:19.600 he eats with these humbled seekers these new friends who desire to be 02:19.600 --> 02:20.100 filled 02:20.100 --> 02:22.500 with what he has to share. 02:23.700 --> 02:31.000 Jesus joy is also a safe bet because of how he responds to the 02:31.000 --> 02:32.000 grumblers. 02:33.200 --> 02:33.800 What happens 02:33.800 --> 02:34.500 next? 02:34.700 --> 02:40.000 Luke tells these three very familiar Parables about seeking and saving 02:40.000 --> 02:41.700 that which was lost. 02:42.100 --> 02:47.100 Each has a concluding invitation. Rejoice with me 02:47.100 --> 02:49.500 the lost have been found. 02:50.300 --> 02:54.500 That was Jesus message in response to the sinners 02:54.500 --> 02:59.800 now gathering to receive what he came to bring. Rejoice with 03:00.000 --> 03:03.400 me, the lost ones are being saved. 03:05.000 --> 03:10.700 Well, that was then a joyful Jesus eating with tax collectors and 03:10.700 --> 03:11.500 sinners. 03:12.400 --> 03:18.300 Let me tell you a story of about how this looks today, about Jesus 03:18.300 --> 03:20.500 still eating with sinners. 03:21.500 --> 03:26.000 The story is about a person who sought out a pastor during the week 03:26.400 --> 03:32.600 and for our purposes, I'll refer to him as, as Andy. Andy was in 03:32.600 --> 03:38.600 distress and he wanted to speak to a pastor. His story started on a 03:38.600 --> 03:39.700 Wednesday 03:40.100 --> 03:45.700 when he came upon a church busy with activity. It was their annual 03:45.700 --> 03:46.700 rummage sale. 03:47.100 --> 03:51.300 A lot of people from the community where their stuff was being sold, 03:51.300 --> 03:57.600 very cheaply, clothing, furniture, housewares toys, lots of stuff. 03:58.600 --> 04:03.000 People who didn't have much money were usually given items for free if 04:03.000 --> 04:04.000 they needed them. 04:04.900 --> 04:07.400 But Andy wasn't interested in that stuff. 04:08.000 --> 04:13.500 He wanted to speak to the pastor. A volunteer saw him and noticed 04:13.500 --> 04:15.000 that he had a rather serious 04:15.000 --> 04:16.300 look on his face. 04:16.899 --> 04:22.400 She asked if she could help. Andy we'll say sheepishly asked to meet 04:22.400 --> 04:23.200 the pastor. 04:23.900 --> 04:26.700 Sure she said, he's right over there. 04:28.100 --> 04:33.000 Pastor was helping to load some furniture into an old pickup truck, he 04:33.000 --> 04:39.500 was in jeans and wearing, yes, a thriving live generously t-shirt. The 04:39.500 --> 04:43.900 volunteer introduced Andy and the pastor asked how he could be of 04:43.900 --> 04:44.600 service. 04:46.100 --> 04:48.500 Andy he said he needed to talk to a pastor. 04:49.700 --> 04:51.400 Sure, let's go to my study, 04:51.400 --> 04:56.500 he said. There were two chairs in the corner of his office and they sat 04:56.500 --> 05:01.900 there and began to talk. Andy he poured out his heart. He shared what a 05:01.900 --> 05:02.500 mess 05:02.500 --> 05:04.100 he had made of his life. 05:04.700 --> 05:09.800 He talked about his problems with drugs, how he estranged his family, 05:10.400 --> 05:12.200 how he couldn't keep a job. 05:13.000 --> 05:17.300 He had been to drug court and they sent him to rehab center. 05:18.200 --> 05:23.600 When in rehab, he heard a chaplain speak, a couple of times it got his 05:23.600 --> 05:28.600 attention, he thought, well, maybe there could be some hope for him 05:28.600 --> 05:36.300 after all. But now he's out, he's out of rehab and he's on his own. He 05:36.300 --> 05:37.900 didn't know where to go. 05:37.900 --> 05:43.500 So when he saw this church and all the people coming in, he said that 05:43.500 --> 05:47.700 he decided to look for someone to talk to perhaps, maybe you Pastor. 05:48.900 --> 05:53.300 He said, he wasn't sure what to say, but because he had made such a 05:53.300 --> 05:57.000 mess of things, he just felt ashamed and lost. 05:58.700 --> 05:59.900 The pastor was listening. 06:01.200 --> 06:03.300 He could see his struggles. 06:03.700 --> 06:04.400 He could see 06:04.400 --> 06:08.800 Andy's guilt. His desire to turn his life around. 06:10.000 --> 06:14.800 He saw a repentant heart at this moment, so he shared the gospel. 06:15.600 --> 06:19.200 He talked about, Jesus coming to be with sinners. 06:19.900 --> 06:24.200 He pulled a small crucifix off of his wall and he handed it to him to 06:24.200 --> 06:24.900 hold. 06:26.000 --> 06:26.700 He shared that 06:26.700 --> 06:29.400 Jesus died to save sinners. 06:30.400 --> 06:35.200 He shared that all have sinned and fall short but he pointed out that 06:35.200 --> 06:40.900 Jesus's death paid the price and that he rose from the dead with the 06:40.900 --> 06:45.200 promise of new life for all who trust in him. 06:46.800 --> 06:51.000 As they talked Andy he seemed very interested in hearing more. 06:52.300 --> 06:57.200 When it felt appropriate, the pastor invited him to consider coming to 06:57.200 --> 06:58.400 church on Sunday. 06:59.400 --> 07:04.600 Andy he asked more about this, he said going to church would feel weird 07:04.700 --> 07:05.300 to him. 07:06.200 --> 07:11.500 The pastor explained that the church is a place of rejoicing in grace 07:12.100 --> 07:17.500 in what Jesus has done for us. But he did affirm that, it will 07:17.500 --> 07:24.400 probably seem strange at first. He also shared that there will be an 07:24.400 --> 07:30.100 activity that people will come to in front of the Altar and they will 07:30.100 --> 07:31.600 call it the Lord's Supper. 07:32.100 --> 07:37.800 He explained that this is the meal sharing forgiveness for sinners and 07:37.800 --> 07:40.800 that he was welcome to come up with the people. 07:41.300 --> 07:43.400 Some will be taking Bread and Wine 07:43.400 --> 07:47.300 he pointed out but others will not yet be taking it. 07:47.600 --> 07:49.300 They are new like him. 07:49.900 --> 07:52.100 Rather they will be receiving a blessing 07:52.100 --> 07:57.700 where the pastor puts his hand on their head and speaks Jesus 07:57.700 --> 07:59.100 forgiveness to them. 08:00.100 --> 08:01.300 We are all sinners 08:01.300 --> 08:05.600 he said, but we are all welcomed by Jesus. 08:06.600 --> 08:10.100 The Pastor said he could come up to receive this blessing 08:10.100 --> 08:16.400 if he chose to. Then he said, next week, we can meet again and discuss 08:16.400 --> 08:20.400 more about the supper and other things that that you see happening in 08:20.400 --> 08:21.200 the service. 08:22.600 --> 08:26.500 Well, they set a time to meet the next week and Andy he said that he 08:26.500 --> 08:27.900 would be there on Sunday. 08:28.500 --> 08:30.100 He didn't have anything else to do. 08:31.800 --> 08:36.100 To the delight of the pastor Andy he did come the next Sunday. 08:37.200 --> 08:41.000 He didn't know anyone, they didn't know him, he was kind of glad about 08:41.000 --> 08:45.700 that. But he could see that this was a place different from anywhere 08:45.700 --> 08:50.200 that he had been before. The pastor had said it might feel that way. 08:51.100 --> 08:55.300 Well that morning the pastor made a point to seek out Andy. 08:55.600 --> 08:59.800 He introduced him to a person who would sit with him that day to 09:00.100 --> 09:04.100 what people do in the service to help him, feel comfortable 09:04.100 --> 09:05.000 participating. 09:06.200 --> 09:10.500 And during the service Andy he heard messages about God's call for 09:10.500 --> 09:12.600 people to confess their sins. 09:13.600 --> 09:16.600 This general confession, spoke to him. 09:16.600 --> 09:18.000 It said what he felt. 09:19.100 --> 09:21.200 They said they were sinners too. 09:22.000 --> 09:25.700 And then he heard Christ's forgiveness from the pastor that sounded 09:25.700 --> 09:27.200 like it was for him 09:27.200 --> 09:28.000 also. 09:29.200 --> 09:32.800 And the service had singing, the music was inspiring. 09:32.800 --> 09:39.200 In fact, one servant one song that they sang was "Amazing Grace" and it 09:39.200 --> 09:41.700 perfectly described his experience. 09:42.300 --> 09:46.500 Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch 09:46.500 --> 09:51.400 like Me, I once was lost but now I'm found was blind 09:51.400 --> 09:57.900 but now I see. There were reading from the Bible and a sermon where he 09:57.900 --> 10:01.200 heard this same pastor preach to everyone 10:01.500 --> 10:04.500 a message based on passages from the Bible. 10:05.100 --> 10:09.800 The message spoke about people's broken lives and how God and Jesus 10:10.000 --> 10:14.900 came into the world, to restore people to God, by dying for their 10:14.900 --> 10:15.600 sins. 10:15.800 --> 10:18.000 Taking away God's judgment. 10:18.700 --> 10:19.900 He proclaimed 10:19.900 --> 10:25.100 Jesus rose from the dead promising, eternal life to all who, trust in 10:25.100 --> 10:25.600 him. 10:26.400 --> 10:30.500 This Andy thought was more Amazing Grace for him. 10:31.800 --> 10:36.700 Then later the part that the pastor told him about happened. He heard 10:36.700 --> 10:41.800 the pastor speak words of Jesus, inviting folks to a meal with his 10:41.800 --> 10:47.700 disciples. The pastor repeated Jesus words, as he held up the bread 10:47.700 --> 10:51.300 and he said, take eat, this is my body given for you. 10:51.300 --> 10:53.300 This do in remembrance of me. 10:54.000 --> 10:58.900 He then took the silver cup from the table and again, quoted Jesus. 10:59.200 --> 11:00.000 Drink of it 11:00.000 --> 11:00.700 all of you. 11:00.700 --> 11:05.200 This cup is the New Testament in my blood, which is shed for you for 11:05.200 --> 11:07.500 the Forgiveness of sins. 11:08.200 --> 11:12.400 Again more, Amazing Grace for, sinners like him. 11:13.600 --> 11:18.900 And just as the Pastor said, people came up some took the Bread and 11:18.900 --> 11:21.000 Wine others received a blessing. 11:21.700 --> 11:26.800 He received a blessing, just as the pastor had invited him to. He 11:26.800 --> 11:31.500 could hear in the pastor's voice is bit of joyful emotion as he put 11:31.500 --> 11:36.100 his hand on his head and said Jesus, forgives you Andy. 11:37.800 --> 11:43.100 He walked back to his seat full of joy and wanting to receive more of 11:43.100 --> 11:45.300 what was being offered from Jesus 11:45.300 --> 11:50.200 in this place. He looked forward to meeting with the pastor again, and 11:50.400 --> 11:55.600 learning more about God's grace about this service about this meal. 11:56.200 --> 11:58.900 He heard somebody call it the Eucharist. 12:00.000 --> 12:03.700 Perhaps he too would be able to eat the bread and drink the wine 12:03.700 --> 12:07.500 the Pastor said, where Jesus body and blood. 12:08.900 --> 12:14.100 He pondered this and while he pondered and wondered what it all meant, 12:14.600 --> 12:20.300 he knew this was a place where a sinner like him was welcomed and it 12:20.300 --> 12:21.900 gave him great joy. 12:25.100 --> 12:29.600 Well, it's now reflect, just a minute on this story, in relation to 12:29.600 --> 12:30.600 our text. 12:31.900 --> 12:39.200 I will admit, this is an idealized version that is based on an actual 12:39.200 --> 12:42.800 practice of a church in various events that took place. 12:43.300 --> 12:48.200 But it is idealized because I didn't include a number of details, like 12:48.500 --> 12:53.000 some of the people were grumbling, they needed the Lord's Supper too. 12:54.300 --> 12:58.100 But the basic approach with the one who came to the pastor is 12:58.100 --> 12:58.900 accurate. 12:59.700 --> 13:05.200 The story emphasizes a spirit similar to Jesus in our text. It is 13:05.200 --> 13:07.200 about welcoming sinners. 13:07.400 --> 13:12.900 Inviting them to the table and the joy of the sinner being saved, the 13:12.900 --> 13:14.500 lost being found. 13:16.000 --> 13:20.000 This also reflects the emphasis in the three familiar Parables 13:20.000 --> 13:25.400 recorded just after this in Luke's gospel. Two of which we heard 13:25.400 --> 13:32.900 in this reading today. Jesus, after the Pharisees grumbled, this man 13:32.900 --> 13:36.900 receives sinners and eats with them. Luke records 13:37.100 --> 13:40.700 this, Jesus told them this parable. 13:42.100 --> 13:47.000 And the parables are about, finding lost one's, a lost sheep and a 13:47.000 --> 13:54.400 lost coin, but each has a common ending about the joy of finding the 13:54.400 --> 13:55.400 lost. 13:56.700 --> 14:01.800 And I quote, Rejoice, with me for I have found my sheep, that was lost. 14:02.100 --> 14:06.000 Rejoice with me, for I found the coin that I had lost. 14:07.600 --> 14:13.800 Can't you envision Jesus saying to the grumblers Rejoice with me for 14:13.800 --> 14:21.400 I have found these sinners who had been lost. Finally consider with me 14:21.400 --> 14:29.500 that this story about Andy is simply a present-day version of Jesus 14:29.500 --> 14:33.100 joyfully welcoming sinners to the table. 14:34.200 --> 14:40.600 It happens through his body, the church. Here Jesus, seeks and saves 14:40.600 --> 14:47.300 sinners, who were lost. The Divine service is our Lord welcoming 14:47.300 --> 14:48.700 teaching and hosting 14:48.700 --> 14:50.800 sinners at the table. 14:51.500 --> 14:56.300 Therefore, Jesus invitation to rejoice is for us, too. 14:57.500 --> 14:59.800 We rejoice in his finding us. 15:01.000 --> 15:04.400 We rejoice with others at the table with Jesus. 15:04.900 --> 15:09.600 And we rejoice with the heavenly host, the angels in heaven 15:10.000 --> 15:16.100 every time a sinner repents. So the takeaway. 15:16.900 --> 15:19.200 Let's rejoice with Jesus. 15:19.700 --> 15:20.100 Amen. 15:21.800 --> 15:24.500 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding. 15:24.500 --> 15:30.000 Keep your hearts and minds in the joy of Jesus unto life everlasting. 15:30.800 --> 15:31.200 Amen.