Josh: Hello. Hello. Hello. We’re just two normal dudes trying to live this Jesus’ life. My name’s Josh. 

Andrew: Hey, I’m Andrew. And we are this Jesus life podcast. 

Josh: Jesus shares three parables, um, back to back on the same content or topic of, uh, seeking after the lost, uh, I’m going to share just the story of the lost sheep, um, just for the sake of time.

Um, but you can always go back. Luke chapter 15 covers all three of these stories, a lot sheep, the lost coin and the lost son. Um, Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep is the story Jesus starts with. And if one of those sheep went missing the wind astray, um, would you stick around and watch and. You know, be happy with the 99 or content with the 99, you Hannah, or would you frantically go looking for that one loss, sheep Jesus’ argument as you go frantically looking for that one last sheet.

And not only that, when you find that one last sheet, uh, the rejoicing, the celebration, the joy that will overcome you, um, you would go to all your friends and to all your neighbors celebrating with them, that you found your loss sheep. Uh, Jesus ends this with count on it. There’s more joy in heaven. Over one.

Center’s being rescued than over the 99. Good people that needed no rescue.

Hey yo, 

Andrew: how you doing man? We are back 

Josh: in the parables series and we’re looking at the story of the lost sheep coin and maybe. Son, uh, we get that far, they’re all covering the same topic. So there’s a good chance that they interweave, but, um, I feel like lost sheep and lost coin, man. They just get lost in the shuffle in this chapter chapter in a chapter, in the shepherd, in this chapter because of the lost son story.

At the very end, we pulled so much out of it, but we choose to ignore the other one. That’s 

Andrew: funny, man. Yeah. In this chapter. They are, they’re quick, you know, they’re short, they’re fast right at the beginning. And then yeah, the prodigal son that kind of overshadows. Most of it. I love that you said chapter. I just want to keep saying that.

Um, but yeah, man, today we are, uh, we’re talking sheep and coins and uh, who knows? Maybe product son, maybe not, but, uh, Dude before that we are in a brand new week. It’s Tuesday. How are you? 

Josh: How’s life doing well? Doing well. Can’t complain. Life is good, other than everything craziness going on in our nation.

But other than that, personally, life’s great, man. 

Andrew: This has gotta be the wildest inauguration or up out like pre inauguration that I can maybe ever. Probably not ever, but ever in my lifetime. This is, this is nuts, man. Weird. 

Josh: Yeah. I don’t even know. It’s weird. Pure mind, boggling all the crazies just need to stop, walk away.

Right? 

Andrew: Um, problem. There’s so many people in our country. We just like, there’s not that many crazy people, but when you have like 350 million people in a country, it’s a lot of crazies dude, uh, 

Josh: people, well, let’s just blame social media. I think that’s the easiest one to blame. Yeah, it gave them a platform to have a voice one.

Yes. I think they’re important too. It gave him a platform to connect with other crazies around the country where before that just wasn’t possible. Uh, you can only connect with the crazies in your, in your city. Uh, so it was a limited number and now it’s just, it’s exploded. I don’t even know on both sides.

There’s crazy people. A hundred percent. It would be nice when it’s all done and over with, but let’s be honest. I don’t think it’s gonna be done in no time soon. That’s 

Andrew: craziness, you know, in this world, you’re going to have many troubles, but take heart. I have overcome the world, you know, 

Josh: like alone do it, man.

It’s a full onto that stage. It’s 

Andrew: just going to keep coming. That’s all right. And yeah, John 1633, you know, uh, We are going through a kind of redesign of marketing and there’s some new teams cropping up and other teams being merged into different teams and all this stuff is happening. And yeah, man, last week when I was finding out.

All this stuff. Um, you know, John 1633 really did like become the thing just in the back of my mind. And that I was thinking about and praying about not to mention, and that’s just work stuff for me of like, is my role changing? Is it not all of that? Um, let alone like all this stuff across our country and inauguration, and I dunno, dude, just general sense of outrage and stuff going on.

Um, but. You know what, that’s neither here nor there because Jesus already overcame the world. And, uh, I don’t know. It’s just kinda, it’s the drama of life, right? It’s the drama of the everyday stuff right now. So crazy crazy, 

Josh: man. Yup. Yeah. Well, and that’s, I think that’s the biggest thing of when you’re in seasons, like this is letting yourself, just let it go, like get, put it in Jesus’ hands.

Yeah. Give all your fears, emotions, thoughts about it to Jesus, and then just move on. You can trust. He’s got it. He’s got a plan. It’s an he’s in control. Still. I might feel like injustice has happened. Um, no matter what that injustice may be. Um, but I just let it go. I let the injustice be and let Jesus still be Jesus and see what he does with it.

Andrew: Yeah. And it’s like, you and I. In most people, but I just try to like, remind myself, what can I control? What do I not even control? What can I influence at all? You know, I can’t, I can’t change anything about how, whatever tomorrow’s inauguration is going to be. Is it going to be, you know, so I’m not going to stress me.

Josh: Yeah. So you listening, like they all, they all know what happens. It’s like, Yeah, you’re in the future right now, hearing leisure. That is the thing about this. This is a message it’s going to go down with, with the no fanfare, probably other than the media blowing things out of proportion. I think it’s just going to happen.

Yeah, we’re going to move on. 

Andrew: Yeah. That or, but we’ll see. Or maybe by the time this comes out, you will have been raptured and this episode will never, never be heard. It’s just kidding. Just kidding. Jesus has come back. We need to get Kirk Cameron on. And that 

Josh: may be where some people are going, but like, Let me S I, I think it’s worth saying, so, like, there’s a good chance that like, that may be so for Christians looking at it saying, well, everything’s just going to crap.

So Jesus has to be coming back soon. And I think we put too much value in the United States at that point, if that’s where you’re at, because let’s be honest, that’s just one small portion of the entire entirety of humanity. And I think, you know, I don’t think Jesus cares as much about the United States as you think he does.

Um, I think he loves it. Not you, but you, as in those listening, I think he deeply loves the people, but I, Jen, I do not believe he cares about the government. I don’t think he cares about ain’t governments.

I don’t either. 

Andrew: I’m with you. Um, Well, I hope as you listened to the start of this, you don’t feel like we are downers because that’s not what we’re trying to be. Just trying to encourage you worry about the things you can influence. And you know, this is parables a week to our second episode in the parables.

And, uh, I don’t know. I’m excited about before 

Josh: we get to the parable itself, have you ever lost anything? 

Andrew: Yeah, 100% devastating to you. I. I don’t know. I’m sure I’ve lost something that was devastating. But when you asked that, my first, my first thought was the feeling of not knowing where my keys are when I have to leave my wallet, uh, when I have to like leave the house to go do something or I’m running late already.

And just that feeling of like, okay, Crap, like it’s gone, you know, or where is it? How did they move? Like, I don’t know. Yeah. I’ve lost stuff for sure. Um, 

Josh: that’s fair. Yeah. I put my stuff in the same spot every time. Uh, I won’t share where that spot is just in case some wants to break into my house and steal my stuff, but no, I do too, but the second, the second nature home, that’s where they live.

I 

Andrew: don’t know. I do too. I have one spot that I put everything, but now that I have like a little. Well kid who can run around and crap stuff. It’s like, who knows, 

Josh: man? 

Andrew: Yeah. Well, they are high, but it’s like things, I don’t know if she can move chairs now she can get like everywhere. All she needs is five minutes and she can basically get anywhere.

Josh: Yeah, she’s going to have a, when that baby comes and you guys are distracted, she’s gonna, you know, the run of the house. I know she’s going to like reorganize your kitchen. She gonna, you know, she’s going to build on to the chicken coop in the backyard. It’s just going to be, yeah. Can be like, what the heck is this?

Even our house, as long 

Andrew: as she stays in the house, things are fine. If she gets out of the house, that’s when things started to get a little bit more hairy. Dude. Have you ever lost anything, uh, lost anything like that you were thinking about when you’re thinking 

Josh: about that? When I asked the question, then I was like, Oh shoot.

I asked the question, I’m going to have to have an answer to the question. I wasn’t prepared for that. Um, I don’t know if I’ve ever lost, I’ve been lost. And I remember the feelings of being lost, like as a child. Yeah. Where you like come out and you’re like, Oh shoot. My mom has gone. Um, that’s a horrible feeling.

Yeah. Uh, but don’t know if I’ve ever lost anything. Oh, I thought I lost Jack once. Uh, yeah. So I go to work. I bring Jack with me one day. Um, and I opened the door the second open the door. If I don’t say Jack stay, Jack is fricking bulleting out of the car. Uh, every, it still does it to today. Um, and that’s what he did.

He took off and I was like, It’s a big, empty parking lot. There’s nobody around like, whatever, uh, take off and I’ll find him in a second. Well, he took off like I, like when I realized, like I went to go open the door to go in and I’m like, shit, where’s my dog. Uh, sorry. You yelling Jack, where are you? I go around the building a couple of times.

Jack is nowhere to be found. He is gone. And there’s that moment where you’re like, I just lost my dog. Uh, what do I do now? Gone, gone. Yeah. He’s I was like getting to that place or I’m coming to the realization of like, yeah, he’s gone. Like one of two things are happening. Someone may call me and we may get lucky.

Um, you know, his tracker in his leg, isn’t registered to me, it’s registered to a previous owner, so he might get a phone call, uh, never got around to registering that thing. And then I lost the paperwork. So. Yeah. If you used to own my dog at one point, please let me know if you ever find him. Yeah. Um, I think I even like went inside window office, put the stuff down and was just like, shoot, my dog is gone.

Uh, and then I got a phone call, someone when my dog down the street. That’s that’s all I got lucky though. But yeah, there’s that Mallory, like, it’s just like realization by over like everything sinks. You’re like, Oh shoot. I just lost my dog. Yeah. What do I do now? 

Andrew: And yeah, you, you literally do have to, when it’s like that dog is in your care, you know, you can’t just be like, well, we’ll see.

And like, go about your day. Like you gotta, you gotta do something. You gotta at least like get into your car and go look for them or go walk around, call their name, whatever, like send up search party. You can’t just be like, well, That’s that see you later, he’s 

Josh: gone forever though. There’s definitely days that I like opened the front door and just like leave, but he doesn’t go far enough.

Yeah. Yeah. Stop being in my house. Yeah. But no, he’s, uh, he’s grown on me. Um, but no, if I lost some, yeah, I’m definitely going searching for him. Probably calling up some friends to help me search for him. Yeah. Um, he used to actually wear a tracker. I remember that I can remember that cell phone kind of thing.

Yeah. Yup. So he knew where he was at all times. Um, because he liked to escape. Yeah. It was a little Houdini. Yeah, he was, he doesn’t escape anymore. So that’s good. Well, he used to leave my parents’ house all the time still does when he stays over there. Yeah. But he doesn’t go far. He just wants to get out.

Yeah. 

Andrew: Yeah. My dog just wanders off and it’s to the point now where I’ve just accepted. She won’t cross the road at our house. And so she has neighbors. Yeah, we have neighbors on both sides of us. They’re both. They both have dogs and she goes and visits them all the time. Pretty sure she goes to Cookie’s house in eater, cat food, uh, every chance she gets because the cats get their food outside.

And that’s where the raccoons hang out too. So like Clementine just has a life of her own at this point. And I still get frustrated every time she runs away, I’m like, come back and just, just like also you in 20 minutes, you know, like 

Josh: whatever. Yeah. I used to get frustrated with Jack ran away. Uh, but he’s always come back.

So now I just don’t care. And when he stays at people’s houses that like creates. Some angst for me, just because they’re feeling the angst. So I have to tell them, Hey, if my dog runs away, don’t worry about it. Like, that’s not on you. That’s what he does. It’s Google. They blame you. If he, if he’s gone, um, it’s just, it’s him.

He likes to explore. And he doesn’t like to be confined, which is like, that’s the story of his life, man does not like to be confined or controlled in any way. Right. Um, picking him up and carrying him. Oh, he hates every second. So I do a daily because I just feel like you gotta, you gotta take shots at your dog.

Yeah. You do. 

Andrew: You got to remind them, you know, he’s 

Josh: crazy. Depends on what I’m wearing that day on whether or not I’m going to pick them up fun. We all lose things. We all know what that feeling is like when something’s lost. And that was Jesus’ point kind S. Circling this back around is like, we all know that sure.

We can have a hundred of something, but we lose one of those things. And that’s important to us. Um, we’re going to go frantically searching for that one thing. We’re going to leave the 99 behind, uh, because we know they’re safe and together, um, to go chase after the one, um, And then when we find them, we’re going to rejoice and we’re going to be excited.

And, you know, Jesus is telling the story to kind of give cultural context. You know, he’s telling the story to a large group of people, um, right after the Pharisees are getting frustrated because well, Jesus welcomes the sinners and eats with them. Yeah. And in this society, especially with the rabbis, the Pharisees, um, There’s there’s two types of people.

There’s the righteous. And then there’s the ungodly. Um, and you know, you read through not scripture, but other Jewish writings, um, and some rabbis and some Pharisees and teachers of the law. Go to the point of, they won’t even teach the law to the ungodly. Um, like they want to get an opportunity to understand why they’re ungodly.

Right. Um, so there’s, there’s this, and we still see this today. Right? We, we still see us drawing lines in the sand. Um, we still, you know, those are the others, those are the Christian, the non Christians, the people we don’t like. And then these are our people and you know, that whole rigamarole I’m in the Jesus argument is like, no, your people’s good.

Why are we chasing after the one? Right. Like, And in this argument, it’s not like you, you know, Jesus is the shepherd in this story. Um, so all of them are his and some have straight away and chose to live life outside of his, his kingdom. Um, and he’s chasing after those ones. This isn’t the same for us, right?

Like they’re not all of ours. Like we don’t have 99. We don’t have the a hundred sheep at the get-go. So that that’s, you can’t put yourself in the story as the shepherd. You’re one of the sheep. Um, this is how you get put to the story or your, you know, could be the lost coin or you’re the brother of the son in the story of, of, um, the prodigal son.

Yeah. So I think there’s that piece too, that you got to be careful where you put yourself in the story and in this part of the story, you know, this parable where the sheep, so he’s looking at the Pharisees, the Jewish leaders, and he’s saying, no, no, no, no, no, like you’re good. Like, like there’s more, you know, joy in rejoicing in heaven when one of the centers are rescued, then.

You know, one, you know, one of you that don’t need rescuing. Yeah. I’m like, you know, the law. Um, so there’s that piece of it too is 

Andrew: important. Just to add like the, you know, like you said, they’re, they’re mad at him because, um, basically this starts out now, all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to him to listen to him, to Jesus, you know?

And it was like, So known apparently to Luke and the Pharisees and everybody who, the, who the centers were, you know, the, the tax collectors, which I hate paying taxes as much as the next guy, but they knew exactly who the tax collectors were. They knew exactly who the prostitutes were. There were like, Nope, those are the centers.

Like you don’t associate with them, you know? And they were all coming around Jesus and listening and they. Hated that because they’re like, why? I mean, one, it could just be, why is he doing this differently than the way we do it? And the way we were taught to do it, because let’s, you know, there, there had been, uh, there’ve been Pharisees for a long time at this point.

It’s not like they had just started teaching the Jewish law couple of years before Jesus got on the scene. No, it’s like. Thousands of years, you know, so this was their tradition is we don’t, we don’t teach these people. We don’t invite those, those people in. Um, but then Jesus comes in and he’s breaking another normal, you know, he’s, he’s violating the, the way that the religious class kind of conducts themselves.

And, uh, you know, that doesn’t sit well with them to begin with, but really it’s just because he was. I would say giving them full dignity as like looking at them of like you are 100% worthy to, to receive, uh, this message about the kingdom of heaven. Um, and he was giving them dignity, you know, FaceTime.

Yeah. It’s 

Josh: when I read stories like this, um, Like I, I relate to the Pharisees. I get it. Yeah. Um, because you look at the tax collectors of the day there scumbags, they, 100% are scumbags. Yeah. Not only like, yeah. They’re collecting taxes. Yeah. They’re collecting additional taxes that they shouldn’t be collecting there, other Jewish people.

Um, so I get where the you’re looking and say, he’s like, Jesus, what are you doing? Like you should be with us. You shouldn’t be with them. Yeah. Like that completely makes sense to me. Um, but that’s not the, the. You know, that’s not the story of the gospel. That’s why Jesus came to earth. He came to heal the sick, not the, not the healthy, yeah.

I’m like, this is who he’s chasing after. And it’s the same thing in, in today’s church, too. Right? Like we look at our personal preferences of how a church service should be or how a church should be ran in a specific way. Um, that is preference rather than. You know, doctrine, um, and you know, we get all up in arms and frustrated about certain things, um, because they’re catering to the center, um, you know, you have plenty of churches out there that build services around those that don’t know Jesus with the hopes that they come to know Jesus, and then everyone’s frustrated what you’re playing music.

I don’t like, well, who cares? Like the, the point is in you, the point is the people that we’re trying to track now, They wouldn’t have to do that in all honesty. If you were just, you know, living out the great commission as you were commanded to, uh, then, then they would have to build services that way, but you’re not.

So they had to figure out another way to do it. Um, it’s just the reality, like. It’s so easy for us to find ourselves in the position of that Pharisees or the religious. Um, and you know, our way is right. Uh, our way is, is, is the way it should be. And then Jesus comes, then it starts shifting and turning things upside down and some struggle with that.

Yeah. Uh, and you know, I think we talked about this. I don’t know if we talked about it last week or it’s been in the recent episode. Um, but we talked about this need of, um, you know, Jesus is looking for those that are still pliable. Those are so flexible to still have some, some give, um, like are willing to make changes in how they do things for the sake of the kingdom and new things he’s trying to do and accomplish.

I’m like, that’s the type of people he’s looking for. Um, but so often we get so ragged or Reagan rigid in our ways. Um, Yeah, or rugged it, depending on what part of the country you’re from. It could be rugged, but you get so rigid in your ways of this is just how things are supposed to be, um, that we were not flexible anymore.

And in turn, Jesus stops using us. Um, he starts using others because you know, we’re stuck and you see this in churches, why churches start to die off and church, death is normal. Um, it’s not a bad thing. It’s just a normal journey that churches go through. This is why we don’t see any of the ax churches still around.

Um, And that’s okay. Uh, but you know, churches die, uh, oftentimes prematurely because, um, they’re leaders in their congregations decided to, this is how we’re going. I knew things were not going to, this is 

Andrew: the only way we’re doing things. We’re 

Josh: not dodging. Yeah. Or we turn things and going back to going back to even the Pharisees in that way, like we’ve turned preference into doctrine.

No, this is how, because of this, this, and this first, this is how you’re supposed to do it. If you don’t do it this way, you’re in sin. And those verses are debatable and questionable at best of what they’re trying to push. Um, and you end up in that place, just like the Pharisees worth. No, this is doctrine.

We stay away from unclean people. Yeah. That’s what we do. Um, and Jesus kind of shifts that and turns it all around and says, yeah, this is the new kingdom. This is what it’s going to look like. 

Andrew: Yeah. And sorry, if you hear a little bit of crying in the background, that’s my daughter, uh, getting up from her nap, but it’s so Josh, you were talking about be careful of who you make yourself out to be in this.

Like, you should look at yourself as one of the sheep. But, uh, I was just thinking like, how much of this is leadership?

Josh: How horrible is it? Andrew can still hear me, but he muted his microphone. But how horrible is it that like. You wake up from an app, just crying because your nap was one so good. Like you just enjoyed it that much. And then like just the shock to your system that it just lets out this curdling cry. It’s so sad.

Uh, I just, I feel bad for, for those babies that like, we’re just enjoying life, we’re sleeping. And then all of a sudden reality sets in, and this is how they respond to it, which is probably how most of us respond to it in all honesty. But Andrew is still, uh, he’s waving his fingers. Like I should continue to talk, but, you know, looking at the parable, um, again, and, and kind of maybe even shifting gears and Andrew can shift back if he needs to, but, you know, looking at the, the story of the coins, um, I think it’s always interesting when, and this isn’t necessarily.

Or good theology. I’m just making an observation here. Um, you know, that Jesus uses coin something of value to describe humanity, uh, and you know, all coins and silver coins. And in this specific case, they have value. They have a decent amount of value. How much value be really interesting to know. And I actually know off the top of my head.

Uh, Oh, thank you, Bible gateway for giving me the answer. It gave you the answer, but this. Yeah, these silver coins are about a, day’s a wage. So that’s, that’s a chunk of change. Yeah. Nothing. And the fact that the, the nine coins that he didn’t lose are just as well  is the one coin that he did lose. Um, so the same thing as here is, is true, um, that don’t know Jesus or have a relationship with Jesus have just as much value as those that do know Jesus, the only sad point of it all is those that don’t know Jesus when they breathed their last breath.

And fortunately, that separation they had this entire life will continue. Um, they won’t spend attorney with Jesus and heaven. And that’s a sad moment, but both are valuable. Both are worth pursuing both the worth. Um, you know, rejoicing when, when found. Um, and I think that’s a, that’s a struggle for us oftentimes is we don’t, um, we don’t see value in those that don’t believe the things that we believe.

Yeah. No, we think we’re more important than them. We think we have more value than them. We think that our opinion matters more than them. Um, and that’s just not true. Um, you know, Jesus’ opinion matters more than both of us, but, um, we have as much value as they do, especially in Jesus’s eyes and it breaks his heart.

When, you know, one of those lost coins chooses not to come back, um, chooses not to, to follow Jesus. And Jesus is now separated from him for eternity or her for Aternity like that’s going to break his heart and it should break our hearts. Um, and oftentimes we, I think we even talked about this last episode, Andrew, jump in whenever you’re ready.

I don’t know what the sound looks like on your end, but, um, we, we look at, um, Um, what was I going to say? I got distracted. Andrew, you blink Catherine. You have to punish her for it. You’re 

Andrew: going into a great tangent and I’m sorry to 

Josh: good thought. And I had it. 

Andrew: I was going to ask you, it was a question of how much of this is like a leadership, uh, how much of this should be interpreted as a leadership verse R versus you know, of like chasing after the lost sheep chasing the lost coin.

Um, cause you’ve had, you’ve been a pastor for a long time. Um, what do you think kind of about that model of cheese? The one,

Josh: yeah.

Yes. It’s a leadership verse in the sense that leadership is influence and we all have influence, I’d hate to label it a leadership verse and those that don’t consider themselves leaders though. They are, cause they have influence with somebody. Yeah. Um, don’t feel like they should apply to their own lives.

And I think there’s, there’s that piece of it too. Um, yeah man. It’s, it’s difficult. Um, It’s difficult to take the place of Jesus in this story. Yes. We all want to be chasing after the one. Yeah. Um, yes, we all want those that don’t know Jesus to come to know Jesus, because it breaks our hearts. It should break our hearts when they don’t know Jesus.

Um, and it’s not a matter of convincing them to know. Jesus. It’s just a matter of like, I just want you to experience what I’ve experienced, but if what you’ve experienced, isn’t hope isn’t joy. Then why the heck would anyone want? And we talked about that last episode. Um, So I think it’s worth, um, the, the problem we run into is, well, we think these individuals are lost.

We’re going to chase them no matter what, we’re going to turn everything upside down to find that one, that one coin. Um, and I think it’s, it’s, you’re getting into a little bit scary water if you put yourself in as Jesus in the story. Yeah. Um, because you think your way is now justified too. Um, um, chase after someone, no holds bar, like I’m going to do everything I can to convince them to.

So I’m going to manipulate, I’m going to control, or I’m going to try to do those things to get them to follow Jesus. Right. We see this with, with parents and their children. Um, you know, the children that have, that have gone astray, um, that are following Jesus anymore. That they justify their actions of, I get to manipulate, I get to change.

I get to shame. I get to, um, control what I can, you know, can control in their lives, um, to get them to do what I want them to do. Um, and that’s. I don’t believe that’s how Jesus chases after people. We know that’s not how Jesus chased after people. We see it throughout scripture, but we see verses like this and we think we have the right to do those things.

And we just don’t. Um, we don’t get to chase people that way and we get to chase people with deep amount of love and care. Um, and you know, as Peters, you know, we read the Peter verses last week or, or we may, we just quoted them. I don’t remember. Um, but you know, uh, be ready to give an account for why you have the hope that you have, but do it, um, With, let me see if I can find it real quick with gentleness and great respect, keeping a clear conscious of those who speak, uh, maliciously against you against our, your good behavior in Christ, or are maybe ashamed of their slander.

Um, but do this with gentleness respect and keeping a clear conscience, I think is extremely important. Um, and if I’m, if I’m trying to manipulate situations to get you to do what I want you to do, that’s not. That’s not respect. Um, I’m not valuing you and valuing my ways and how I think is right. Um, rather than valuing you as a human being, um, because how we love to give an account looks a lot differently than how we, um, uh, how we, uh, negotiate or debate.

Um, and that’s not, that’s not our position, um, our lifestyle and how we live this life. Not morally. But just the hope and the trust in Jesus that we have, no matter how hard this life’s gets, um, like that should be attractive to people. Um, and it is, we all know that like we, whether whether people follow Jesus or don’t, we see hope in their life hopes attractive, it just is.

Um, so we want to chase after those things. Um, and it’s the same with us. If we live with such a great hope, like that’s attractive, people want to know why you have hope with specially when life gets hard and you can still hold onto the things of Jesus. Like, man, that’s a big deal. Um, and I think is so often lost because we don’t, um, uh, We don’t take the time to figure out what are we putting our trust in that isn’t Jesus.

So our hope ends up being in a different place. Oh, look, who’s joining the podcast.

Andrew: Yeah, Katherine, 

Josh: what’s wrong. 

Andrew: Oh, she can’t hear me. Can’t she can’t hear you. I’m sorry. Josh and people or Catherine, uh, Hey, 

Josh: parenting is parenting is life sometimes you’re all right. What happens to the 

Andrew: best of me? You know, it is what it is. Um, but 

Josh: yes, which is always your environment, which is always funny to 

Andrew: me.

I know I was Al always worked from home even before it was the normal. Um, I dunno, I think you’re right in, in the leadership side of like, you don’t want to start saying, well, We are Jesus in this story and kind of, um, putting yourself in a place you shouldn’t be in. That totally makes sense. Um, and I honestly think if you take nothing else from this, um, one of the biggest things is like, don’t.

Don’t discount people who don’t discount people who, you know, 

Josh: that’s your issue right there, dude. What are you doing given your two year old coffee? Oh, top. She wants to coffee. Sorry guys. I know, everyone’s just waiting in anticipation. I’m watching this happen on the screen. He’s trying to feed her the tophi, but life’s just so hard.

She doesn’t want it. Oh, how often do we feel that way though? Because as, as humans, we’re just so frustrated with not getting what we want or the way that we want it and end up, um, Uh, in, in this frustration that we really just caused ourselves. Um, but I think it’s worth if, if we continue in Luke chapter 15, um, we get to the story of the prodigal son.

Um, and this is a famous story, I assume you’ve probably heard it at some point, uh, in your, in your Jesus journey. Um, we don’t go through the whole story. You don’t read verse by verse. Uh, and the reason we chose to do that is we want you to, um, we believe that when we read God’s word in relationship with Jesus, that he speaks when he speaks to your soul on your heart.

And this is one of the primary ways that we foster a relationship with Jesus is to spend time in relationship with Jesus reading his word and then prayer. Um, so that’s one of the reasons we don’t read it, but. We do highly recommend you go back, uh, and, or pause this and, and read it. Um, it is Luke chapter 15.

The whole chapter is these three stories. The lost sheep, the lost coin, the lost son or the prodigal son is, is some translations would, would put it. Um, but I’ll, I’ll give you just a brief understanding of the product alone. Prodigal lung, the prodigal lung story. Um, yeah, you had two longs, one left prodigal son story.

There was a, there was a father. He had two sons, uh, an older son and a younger son. The older son, um, was very close to the father and had everything that the father had. He ran his father’s, uh, land, uh, whether it’s animals or, um, farming land. I don’t remember off the top of my head. Could have been both who knows.

And then he had a younger son and the younger son, you know, I don’t, I just want my inheritance. I want out, I don’t want to live this life with you any longer father. Um, and now the representation that we see in the story is the father is God, the father, the son, the younger son is, is those that, that run away from, from Jesus that choose to live life their way rather than Jesus’ way.

And then the, the son is, is those that, um, have always been with the father in this case. The religious Jewish leaders that Jesus talking to in these parables. Um, so there’s that piece. So it’s really those that don’t follow God. And those that follow God would fall into two categories. Uh, the son, the younger son runs off lives the life as he wants to completely squanders everything God has given him.

Um, and eventually comes, uh, Back home after kind of saying to himself, like, well, even my servants live better than what I’m living right now. I’m going to go back and be with my father. Um, and you know, as the son returned home, the father saw him often a distance and went running after him, um, with arms open wide, ready to just grab him and hold him tight, um, excited and, you know, through a huge celebration to celebrate that the, that the younger son is home.

Um, and the older brother. Became really angry. He refused to go in for the party. Um, he got frustrated by, by everything going on. Um, so his father went out to look for him and plead with him. Uh, but the, um, older son’s responses, verse 29 of Luke chapter, um, Uh, 15, uh, this is the NIV belief, uh, but he says, look, all these years I’ve been slaving for you never disobeyed your orders yet.

You never gave me even one young goat. So I could celebrate my friends. But when you’re this son of yours, this son of yours, not my brother, this son of yours who squandered your property with prostitutes comes home. You kill the fattened calf for him. And then here’s the beautiful words of the father is these are the same words of God.

The father, he says, my son, the father said, you always with me and everything I have is yours, but we had to celebrate and be glad because this brother of yours. Notice how he turned that back, um, was dead and is alive again. He was lost and now he is found. Um, I think so often we, as followers of Jesus, um, take the position of, of the older brother that we’re frustrated because things aren’t working out the way that we should.

Um, but God is blessing those that seem to be running away from him. Or choosing to ignore his existence. Um, however, they, they play that out in their lives. Um, and yet, you know, uh, not only does, you know, the father of the story opened the son with open arms and the ex his ex you know, exuberant because you know, his son was dead and now he’s alive.

He was lost. And now he’s found, um, Oftentimes, um, or sorry, w uh, that’s what I was going to say is, uh, he turned that and said, no, no, no, it’s not my son. This is, this is you. This brother of yours, I think, is a valuable thing to look at of no, no, no, no. You’re connected to him as much as, as I’m connected to him.

He’s like, this is family that you’re bringing home. Why, why are you so frustrated? Like your, your brother was lost? Like, why weren’t you a distraught and broken hearted while your brother was gone? Um, I think too often, we pick up ourselves in the story. And this is a good question to ask, which, which character do you play?

Are you the father? Are you the older brother? Are you the younger son? And I think so often the. The place we put ourselves is where the, and we’re just not, um, we’re the younger brother. Um, and we should be the younger brother was such care and love like the father, um, that we are excited that, that our, our last brother is now home.

Our last sitter sister is now home. Um, like that should be our, uh, mentality, but oftentimes it. Our mentality is exactly what the older brothers mentality was. And we’re frustrated saying, God, you’re, you’re giving him so much when you gave me nothing. Uh, and his response is what do you mean? I gave you nothing.

Everything I have is yours. Like you’ve enjoyed it all. Um, yeah, I think we miss it too. 

Andrew: Yeah, you’re absolutely right. And, um, I dunno, it’s maybe we’re too high and mighty, and we see ourselves as the, as the father, you know, but this is really a story about just in line with the lost sheep or the lost coin of if you’re missing one don’t you drop everything else and go and find it that one.

Um, in this case it’s a little different cause the sun comes back, but the reality is sun’s coming back home expecting to just be a servant and expecting to like, You know, feed the pigs, all of that work. And the, the dad, the father sees him from far off and says, we’re throwing a party quick servant, take my best robes, take these golden rings, go put them on his fingers.

Uh, killed the fattened calf. Like we’re, we’re celebrating. Cause the son that was dead is now alive. You know, this son that had left home was back home, came home in a better way than, than when he left. And it that’s just the like that, that’s what always gets me about the story is that the son is walking up.

You know, this is me adding to it a little bit, but he’s walking up the long driveway, you know, in my mind. And, and the dad’s rushing out, like bringing the best robes bringing. And the sun’s like stinking, you know, sweaty, ragged clothes, like barely making it back home. And the dad just can’t wait to give him a hug.

Can’t wait to invite him in and can’t wait to celebrate that his son is back, you know, and, uh, It’s just it’s it’s grace, right? The guy came back, not think he needed to serve, did thinking, well, I can at least plead with my dad and maybe be a servant on the farm. And the dad’s like, no, I’m going to give you the kingdom, even though you already took half, you already took half.

You already took what you deserved. Contractually. Yeah, my son, I’m going to give you the whole thing. You know, I’m going to not cut the other brother out, but I’m going to welcome you on arms wide open. So it’s just a. I don’t know, just 

Josh: beautiful man, that that think to, like, I think the thing I’m taking away is as we read these verses today is we’re not the father.

We’re not the shepherd and we’re not the one that lost the coin. Um, we’re a sheep, we’re one of the coins and we’re the older brother, uh, if you’re a follower of Jesus. Um, and I think that’s all the, these stories are so beautiful in portraying the character of God. Um, you know, it. We get to see the love, the care that God is willing to go after every human, you know, human, um, you know, no one is too far gone from, from his salvation.

Um, and from his relationship, um, everything can be restored, which is a beautiful story. But I think us as Christians so often put ourselves in as Jesus, um, and it’s not our job. Um, we should be helping Jesus find those lost people. That should be our heart. Um, But it’s not our job to find him. Um, it’s our job to live life with, with the father, just like the older son did, um, the older, you know, the father didn’t tell the son go F you know, the older son to go find his brother.

Um, you know, that it wasn’t up to him to do the work. Um, it was up to him to live with him and then allow that to be, um, the, the Laurel, essentially that came because, you know, you got to think the younger brother was probably thinking about it as the older brother, you know? Yeah. He was thinking about the, the, um, Um, servants as well, but he’s single.

Like, he’s probably thinking about his older brother. Like, no, like he has, he has everything that my father had. He’s he’s my father’s right hand, man. Like I’m missing out on so much and I want it back. Um, you know, yeah. That’s my dad’s 

Andrew: favorite son, right? He’s the favorite? I suck. I messed up. I royally screwed up.

Josh: Yeah. So I think it’s important for us. Don’t put yourself in the story as God. That’s not your job. Put yourself in the story as. Yeah, like we said, the coin there’s the, the Sheba or the older brother, um, I think is the posture we should be taking. And then yeah. Have the, have the heart and the character of God and the story.

We want to see those that are lost, be found and we want to live a life that draws, you know, those that are lost, found back in, um, or in for the first time, if, if, um, you know, they’ve never known Jesus at all. Um, but it’s not our job to play God. Um, and I always say this to like parents. It’s not your job to be God in this story.

Um, so say you have a child that’s, that’s walked away from the faith, um, or maybe never believed, but grew up in your home. So they’re around the faith. Um, it’s not your God to be, it’s not your job to be God in this story. Um, you’re not the one chasing after and pursuing that individual that God does.

You’re the one that’s, that’s loving them. Well, when they’re around, um, being in good relationship and loving as Jesus has commanded us to love, but saving them. Isn’t your job. It’s Jesus’s job. Let Jesus do what he does. Um, and now if your son or daughter chooses to never come back, That’s heartbreaking, but even if you control them and manipulated them to come back, is the conversion real?

Probably not. Um, they’re just doing it to appease you and they stand before judgment. That’s gonna be a rough day for them. Um, So, so do it in love in such a way that Jesus commanded us to love, but don’t take the B-roll of God. We don’t save people. We have no power to save people. We just introduce them to the story and the message of Jesus that does save people.

And we live that in such a way with great hope and love for, for God and for others. Um, that’s attractive. Um, and people are gonna ask us to give an account for why you are the way that you are. And I think there’s something to that. 

Andrew: I think there’s a lot to that. And Josh, I also think that you. Did an amazing solo podcast, because 

Josh: know you’re editing it and you’ll be able to go through and cut out all the dead times and make it sound really good.

So even better then, then it, then we went off to me. Catherine is, has got her taffy and she looks really happy. Um, It’s all over her faith, faith, all over her face. We can get to speaking better. Um, but Hey, this, this series going to keep going. We’re going to keep tackling, uh, different parables, um, as, as we just learn to love God and love people better, um, and just understand the kingdom that Jesus created, where we love and, uh, him and others better.

Um, and just try to live into that. Um, well, Um, Christianity, isn’t, uh, a religion of do’s and don’ts, it’s a relationship with Jesus that even though we’re still sinners, Christ came and died for us, even though we are new creations and still struggle with sin, Jesus still is present, loves us deeply, um, and is eager to see us experience everything he has for us in this life.

Um, so continue to follow him, continue to chase after him when you stumble and screw up. And when you sin and are hurtful to people, um, Ask for forgiveness, stand back up, brush yourself off and move right along because that’s the gospel. Um, nothing in his life, whether you know, Jesus or don’t know, Jesus has the ability to separate you from Jesus.

If you choose to come back, you 

Andrew: thanks for listening on our show. It really means a lot to us. And we hope that it helps bring you closer in your relationship with Jesus and with other people. 

Josh: And it also helps us out. If you rate our podcast or leave us a review on whatever platform you’re listening on and also follow us on Instagram and the Facebook.

Now sharing this with your friends, isn’t just to get the word out of the podcast. We believe that we have the message of hope that’s found in the gospel of Jesus Christ and you sharing. This has the ability to transform the lives of the people around you. We 

Andrew: want to hear it from you. You can email us@helloatthisjesuslifepodcast.com.

You can message us on Facebook and Instagram, or you can just visit us@thisjesuslifepodcast.com. But seriously, thanks for this. .