“He’s lost.” We use that term not only to refer to someone who is bewildered about where they are but also to refer to someone who is in a helpless, hopeless state. Mankind’s natural state is one of complete spiritual helplessness, a profound lostness. It manifests itself in countless ways. The one who simply wants God to leave him alone: lost. The one who feels she can handle life on her own: lost. The one who thinks he has the right to repent of his sins on his own timetable and on his own terms: lost. The one who thinks God owes them in some way: lost. Wandering around physically lost can lead to winding up in bad places. But the hard truth is that wandering around spiritually lost puts you in the worst place of all. Fortunately, Jesus does not leave us alone in our lostness. He relentlessly seeks us. He involves the rest of the Christian community in seeking the lost and rejoicing over the found.
As Jesus teaches truth, he often challenges conventional wisdom. He reverses the normal and natural order of things. What he has to say may upset and even offend us. This should not surprise us, considering this Teacher’s life and work are the opposite of what one would expect. When the truth is unconventional, the first temptation is to deny it. The second temptation is to simply ignore it. But, Listen and take to heart what Jesus says! For his Word, though often unconventional, gives eternal life.