Philip Yancey in his book “Vanishing Grace” states, “In my lifelong study of the Bible I have looked for an overarching theme, a summary statement of what the whole sprawling book is about. I have settled on this: “God gets his family back.” From the first book to the last the Bible tells of wayward children and the tortuous lengths to which God will go to bring them home. Indeed, the entire biblical drama ends with a huge family reunion in the book of Revelation.”
God spoke to the prophet Jeremiah, and told him, “My people have been lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray and caused them to roam on the mountains. They wandered over mountain and hill and forgot their own resting place.” (Jer. 50:6) “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way.” (Isaiah 53:6)
Many of Jesus’ own stories centered around the theme of lostness – a lost coin, a lost sheep, a lost son (Luke 14). In each case, there was celebrating when the lost was found. “I tell you that in the same way there will be rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” (15:7) When Zacchaeus, the infamous tax collector trusted in Jesus, Jesus announced, “Today salvation has come to this house …for the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” (Luke 19:9-10)
In an interview with an agnostic French journalist, the rock star Bono was asked to explain how he could possibly believe in Christianity in today’s secular world. This was his answer. “I admit – the church has flaws – but for me, following Jesus has satisfied my own search for meaning. It has given me causes to pursue beyond celebrity and pleasure.”
God’s intent in sending Jesus was to get his family back. (Romans 5:8-11) From beginning to end God’s story is a story of reconciliation. Paul asked the believers in Ephesus to “…remember that at a previous time you were separate from Christ …foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in this world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household.” (2:12-13, 19)
Within the heart of every person is a deep need to once again be part of God’s family. Many are still lost – outside of Jesus – but latent within most is a strong sense of lostness and a longing to be found.
You and I are part of God’s reconciling mission to bring his family back. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.” (II Cor. 5:17-20)
Central to the cross and message of salvation is – “God gets His family back.”
Be blessed my friend.
Glen (Pitts)
The Barnabas Group / Loads of Love
Isaiah 53:5-6; Colossians 1:20; II Cor. 5:20; Eph. 2:11-22; John 3:16-18; Rev. 5:9-13
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