Parables of Jesus
A ‘parable’ is a story told to illustrate a spiritual truth. This one illustrates God’s love for the hopelessly lost! It can help those of us who become aware that we are unable to help ourselves over many of life’s difficulties and challenges. We need a ‘helping hand’, and Jesus is there to give us that.
This is what He said:
“Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbours together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’ Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:8-10).
This silver coin was a dead object. It had no life of its own, no ability to find itself! It was helplessly and hopelessly lost! By nature we are like that. When Adam sinned, the human race lost its spiritual life received from God, and became “dead in trespasses and sins”. We may be very much alive physically, but dead to God spiritually. We have no love for Him and no desire to please Him.
To make matters worse, we have no ability to help ourselves recover a right relationship with God our Creator. This is why Jesus said “you must be born again”. You can read His teaching about this most important subject in John chapter 3.
Just as at birth we are given a natural life enabling us to enjoy the air we breathe and the food of earth, we need a supernatural life to breathe the air of heaven and to enjoy the pleasures God has there! Only Jesus can give us this.
It becomes ours when we recognise our many wrong doings, repent or turn away from these things, and make the decision to trust in Jesus Christ and make Him Lord over our life. When we accept Him and His teaching, He gives the Holy Spirit to indwell our hearts, and we are ‘born again’ or ‘born anew’ or ‘from above’!
God wants to do this work in us, but He never forces us. It causes great joy in heaven among the angels of God when we do this as a voluntary act of our own will. Will you make this life-changing decision today? Heaven then becomes your home and God becomes your heavenly Father.
I’m going to heaven, and I want to meet you there.
Albert Fairweather
photo of a Kenya home by A. F.