ACCEPTABLE LOSS

Acceptable loss is a military term. It is the level of loss that is acceptable for the risk and goal of the mission. Jesus shows us in Luke 15 that there is no loss of any sinners that is acceptable for Him. Through the various parables, He teaches that we should seek for all sinners, so that not even one sinner perishes in their sin. There is no acceptable loss.

In the first parable, Jesus says there are 100 sheep and one is lost. The shepherd leaves the 99 and begins searching until he finds that one lost sheep. When he finds it he rejoices and calls his friends to rejoice too. He was not willing to let one perish. Jesus said there would be more rejoicing in Heaven over the one sinner who repents than over 99 just persons that had never strayed away.

“I have found it!”

Then Jesus tells of the woman that had ten pieces of silver and lost one. She gets a light and sweeps the floor, looking carefully until she finds it. She rejoices when she finds the one coin and calls others to rejoice. It was not acceptable to lose one out of ten. Once again, there is no acceptable loss.

I remember losing $35 once that I could not afford to lose. I looked and looked but could not find it. When I went to bed that night I prayed and told God I really needed to find the money and all at once The Lord brought it to my remembrance of putting some trash in the trash can in the kitchen. I knew then that was where I would find it. Knowing My Lord had revealed to me it’s location, I was able to turn over in bed and go to sleep assured of where it was. The next morning, I went straight to the kitchen and looked, and there laying on top of the trash was my money. For me this potential loss was unacceptable, and I was so thankful that God showed me where to look.

“An Accepted Son Returns“

Then Jesus tells of the two sons and how one asked his father for his inheritance and then left and went far away. Sometimes we do not know where our children may be or how their life is progressing. This young man lost everything he had. He was ready to eat with the pigs that he was feeding; but he realized he had a father that had servants that had plenty to eat and more to spare.

He was ready to return to his father and willing to be a servant. But when his father saw him coming toward home, the father ran to him and hugged him. His father was rejoicing so much to see his son that he told his servants to put a robe on him and a ring and sandals on his feet; signifying, that he was accepting him back as “his son”, not as one of his servants. He called for a party, a feast, and they were merry.

“Get the sinner’s attention“

Jesus spoke these parables because of the sinners and tax collectors who were gathering around Him. He spoke words that got their attention. I want to be a person that speaks words that gets sinners attention.

In 2 Peter 3:9, it says that the Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. People think that God is not returning………….. His return is sooner than we think. For someone His return was today!

There are many sinners that need salvation. We need to speak words that sinners will listen to. They listened to the words that Jesus spoke, because He was speaking out of a genuine love and concern for their lost souls. At the same time Jesus never compromised His Father’s righteous will for all mankind, as found in His Holy Word. And like Jesus, our words must be in alignment with God’s Word. We must speak from our hearts to theirs. Compassionately caring that NONE SHOULD BE LOSS!