Love Brings Us Back Home

We don't have a behavior problem; we have a love problem. 

Robert shares from Luke 15:1-10, where Jesus told three consecutive stories about lostness—the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. What makes these parables enlightening is not just that Jesus searches for the lost, but how the religious leaders react. The Pharisees complained that Jesus was associating with tax collectors and notorious sinners, even eating with them. They had turned a relationship with God into a job, piling law upon law until the joy was suffocated.

But Jesus reveals a different way: God doesn't want our sacrifices; He wants our love. He doesn't want offerings; He wants us to truly know Him. The shepherd leaves the ninety-nine because they're together and safe but goes after the one who is alone and vulnerable. 

This raises a challenging question for us: Are we connected, or are we living life alone? More importantly, do we have a seat at our table for the lost, the least, and the lonely? When we look at our text messages and contacts, how many are sent to those still searching for God? The transformative power isn't found in religious performance but in receiving and extending radical love. It's love—not law—that held Jesus to the cross. When we live under the banner of His love rather than under the burden of law, everything changes. His love brings us back home, no matter how far we've drifted, and it's the kindness of God that leads people to repentance.