Once Lost, Now Found
Luke 15 | Guest Speaker: Tim Hood
What does the heart of God look like toward those who are lost? In Luke 15, Jesus answers this question through three familiar stories that reveal something extraordinary about the Father's character: He is a God who seeks, welcomes, and rejoices over those who have wandered far from Him.
Tim Hood began with the story of a missionary serving in Eastern Europe whose young son became separated from him on a crowded city bus. For hours, the father desperately searched for his child, calling friends, family, and authorities to help bring his son home. When the boy was finally found, the family celebrated with overwhelming relief and joy. Days later, as the missionary traveled that same bus route, God began to reshape his perspective. Looking out at the thousands of people around him, he was confronted with a question: Would he plead for these spiritually lost people with the same urgency and compassion he had shown for his own son?
This is the heart of Luke 15. Jesus is surrounded by tax collectors and sinners who have come to listen to Him, while the religious leaders complain that He welcomes such people and even shares meals with them. Their criticism reveals how differently they understand the heart of God. Where they see people to avoid, Jesus sees people worth pursuing.
In response, Jesus tells three stories: a lost sheep, a lost coin, and two lost sons. Each reveals the value of what has been lost and the extraordinary joy of finding it again. The shepherd searches until he finds his sheep. The woman carefully searches her home until she recovers her coin. And a father watches for the return of his wayward son, running to embrace him before the young man can even finish his confession.
The father's welcome is particularly revealing. He doesn't demand repayment, insist on proof of repentance, or require his son to earn his place in the family again. He welcomes him because of who he is, not because of anything his son has accomplished. This is the astonishing grace of God. We are not loved because we have made ourselves worthy of His affection. We are loved because love and compassion belong to His very character.
But Jesus' story doesn't end with the younger son's return. There is another lost son, one who never left home. The older brother has remained physically close to his father, yet his resentment reveals how distant his heart has become. Both brothers have misunderstood their relationship with the father, valuing what he could provide more than the relationship itself. Remarkably, the father goes out to both sons. His pursuing love extends to the rebellious and the self-righteous alike.
These stories remind us that the gospel is not ultimately about our pursuit of God, but His pursuit of us. We are the ones who were lost, and He came looking for us. And when we are found, we are invited to participate in that same mission of seeking and welcoming others.
Tim concluded with a personal story from his years in Jordan, where a Muslim friend confessed, "Tim, I feel so lost." Tim's response was beautifully simple: Jesus came to seek and save the lost, which meant He had come for his friend, too.
That same truth extends to our neighbors, our families, and billions of people around the world who have little or no access to the gospel. God's heart has always been for all people, everywhere. And those who have experienced the joy of being found are now invited to share in the Father's joy of bringing others home.