It sounds rather rough
on the ninety nine sheep who stay.
No one rejoices over them.
The lost sheep
is the subject of much joy
more than the others that stay.
The lost coin
is the subject of much joy
more than the others
that remain in the purse.
The Prodigal Son
is the subject of much joy
more than his elder brother
who stays and looks after the father.
There is more joy in Heaven
over the one who repents
than the ninety nine
who need no repentance.
That makes the ninety nine
seem undervalued
and forgotten.
It seems that
Our Lord values
sinners and tax collectors
more than those who try to
hold fast to the religion
that they have always received.
It seems that Our Lord's love
is not unconditional.
It seems that Our Lord
likes those who need help
as if to satisfy His own need
to be seen as their saviour,.
Our Lord has a hero-complex!
[PAUSE]
If that were true
then Our Lord would be
no better than
the Scribes and Pharisees.
His actions would be
all for show.
We know that this can't be the case.
The miracles
are signs that Our Lord
is not delusional.
His Resurrection is a sign
that His testimony is true.
His Ascension is proof
that He has no hero-complex:
he is greater than any hero.
If Our Lord loves
sinners more than Pharisees
then what's gone wrong?
[PAUSE]
Who said that Our Lord
loves sinners more than Pharisees?
That's an assumption
that we make when we think
that what our Lord says
means some people
are more valuable than others.
Listen to what He says.
"Joy shall be in Heaven
over one sinner that repenteth,
more than over
ninety and nine just persons,
which need no repentance."
The key is what
we understand by repentance.
[PAUSE]
We know this already.
Repentance means
to turn to the Lord.
Like the needle of a magnet
always points north,
so do we return to Christ
after our deviation into sin.
To repent means to realign ourselves
to Christ.
This means that
if we need no repentance,
then we must already be
aligned to Christ.
If we need no repentance
then what matters more
to us is not whether we are valued
but whether we value what
Jesus values.
If He rejoices
over a sinner's repentance
then the righteous
will also rejoice!
It is the hearts' joy
of the ninety and nine
to see the smile on the Lord's face
as He runs out to meet
the Prodigal Son,
as He carries back the lost sheep
on His shoulder,
as He brandishes aloft
the lost piece of silver.
It isn't that He values
the Scribes and Pharisees less
than a repentant sinner.
He loves them just as much
but He waits for them
to turn to Him
and believe in Him
and receive Him as He is.
[PAUSE]
We know ourselves
to be sinners.
We spend our lives
struggling against
the sins in our lives,
falling, repenting,
falling, repenting...
Yet our struggle
is always met with joy
because the very fact
that we struggle with sin
is a sign that we are struggling
to turn to Christ.
And Jesus sees that struggle
and knows that you are struggling
for Him
and that is a sign of your love
for Him
even if it is far from perfect.
And that makes Him rejoice.
And that makes the angels in Heaven
rejoice.
And that makes the ninety and nine
rejoice.
[PAUSE]
Of course there is more joy
in Heaven
when you repent of your sins.
It's because you are of more worth
than a universe filled
with silver pieces.
Because you are worth
the Cross.
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