True Seeker

Luke 15:1-11,28-32

I am sure that all of us have heard of what has happened this past week. Once again, two black men, Alton Streling and Philando Castile, were shot and killed by the police. After these two were killed, Black Lives Matter movement began demonstrating again across the country. And at one protest in Dallas, a sniper gunned down and killed five police officers and injured seven more, along with two civilians. This is sad and tragic.

Let us have a moment of silence, as we reflect and pray for the victims and their families.

What do you think about all these violence? What is going on in your head? Many people are posting various thoughts on their social media accounts. There are criticisms of police, who they claim are racists. Some blame the societal structure, which leads to systematic racism. Others are critical of those who incite violence on police. There are so many thoughts.

But what about you? Whose fault do you think it is? Who are to blame? Are Republicans, who only favor whites and constantly block gun control legislations, to blame? Or should President Obama and the Democrats, who pushed the racial issues to extreme and further divided this country, shoulder the blame? Is it fault of black people, who constantly disobey police orders? Or is it the racists attitude of the police that should be criticized?

Or do you just not care, since this does not concern you?

This is an important problem. This problem affects all of us. The issue of racism must be dealt with, if we are to move forward as a society. This society needs transformation from this attitude that does not value human life. And if we are silent, because it doesn’t directly affect us, we are condoning hatred and violence. There are no bystanders in this issue. We are all involved here.

I would like to just share few thoughts going through my head.
1. I would like to express deep condolences concerning Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. It pains me to think about what their family members and loved ones are going through. Whether they were doing something wrong or not, their lives were valuable, and certainly did not deserve to be taken away. I pray for the peace of Jesus Christ to comfort those who are hurting.
2. I would like to also express deep condolences to the Dallas police and their family members. These officers had nothing to do with Alton Sterling and Philando Castile incidence. They were simply trying to manage the protest and not let it go out of control. But they were gunned down, because they were wearing blue. Words cannot express the hurt from this loss.
3. Is the real issue racism? Do cops really hate blacks and wants to hurt them in every opportunity? Racism certainly is at play here. Blacks, especially black young men, have to fear police more than others. Police, and others, look at them with suspicion, simply because they are black. And by in large, they often receive the short end of the stick.
4. But this is not the only problem. Not all blacks and criminals, and not all cops are racists.
5. There are those who use these tragedies to promote their own agendas. Many people who participate in the Black Lives Matter movements do so, I feel like, with right heart and attitude. But there are those, especially in the leadership of the movement, use it for their own fame or political gains.
6. Media is certainly included in this. They only report on things that fit their preconceived narratives.
7. For example, while Alton Sterling and Philando Castile incidences received big media attention, there were very few media coverage of 60 black people dying of gun violence over the July 4th weekend in Chicago. Why? I believe it’s because black on black violence does not fit their narrative of racism. That’s not all. After Freddie Gray incident in Baltimore, over 300 homicides happened in the course of a year, but they didn’t receive much attention.
8. This is not to say that police did not do anything wrong. But why do movements like Black Lives Matter only happen when police kill black people, not when they kill each other?
9. Lots of thoughts and comments were posted in social media. People are frustrated. But would this actually bring about any tangible changes? Wouldn’t most of people forget that this ever happened, like so many Koreans already forgetting to tragedy and lessons from Sewol Ferry that went down couple of years ago?

I have not finished organizing my thoughts. I am frustrated, mad, and confused. But there is one thing I do know for sure. The root of these problems. This is not a color of your skin problem. It is sin problem. Yes, the root of all these is sin. And if we don’t deal with sin, then these problems will repeat themselves.

There is only one solution to this sin. It is the Good News, the Gospel. It is God’s love. It is the true light of our Lord Jesus Christ, that shines in the midst of darkness.

Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can.”

What is the true light that can drive out darkness in this world? What is the true love that drives out hatred? Is it not the light and love of our Lord Jesus Christ? When Jesus’ light shines and Jesus’ love is shared, there can be hope. In this dark, confused, dirty world, filled with sin, the only hope is found in Jesus. And I pray that this power of the Gospel be made real in all of our lives.

Today’s text is the one we’ve been looking at. We read a different portion today. We read just a portion of the Parable of the Prodigal Son, but also read the two other parables today.

Let’s look at the background of the parable once again. Jesus was talking with sinners and tax collectors. Then the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began criticizing him. So Jesus told them these three parables: parable of the lost sheep, lost coin, and lost son.

There are similarities in these parables. First similarity is that in all three something was lost. One lost a sheep, the other lost a coin, and in the final parable, the father lost a son.

Second is that they are all found. The lost sheep was found, The lost coin was found. And the lost son returned home.

Third is that there were celebration and feast after finding the lost things. The one who found the lost sheep in verse 6: “Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’” The woman who lost her coin in verse 9: “And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’” And lastly, the father who found his lost son in verses 22-23: “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fatten calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate.’”

And the last similarity is that these things that are found represent the repentant sinners, by which heaven is pleased with. Verse 7, “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” Verse 10, “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” And lastly, when the sinful son repents and returns, verse 24, “For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. So they began to celebrate.”

The story has same progression too. First, something is lost, then it is found, and then there is a celebration.

But there is one thing that is different. There is something in the first two parables that is missing from the third. Do you see what it is? It is the seeker. The shepherd sought after the lost sheep. The woman sought after the lost coin. But in the last parable, there is no one who seeks after the lost son. Why? Who should have sought after the son? It was the elder son. If the elder son wanted to truly be at the father’s side and loved his father, he should have known what his father wanted, and should have gone ought to seek out his lost brother.

But he does not seek after his brother. Rather, he gets mad when his brother returns. He wants to have nothing to do with his brother. This kind of hatred is the reason behind the incidences today, isn’t it?

There are two types of people here. First is the sinners and tax collectors and the other is the Pharisees and teachers of the law. The former is represented by the younger son, while the older son represents the latter. Rather than the older son seeking out his younger son, he hates him. Even though the older brother claims that he is by father’s side, he does not care about the father’s heart, and acts only in a way that pleases themselves. But what the father wants is to seek out for the younger brother.

There is one who did not, however. He was the one right by the father’s side. He sought after the lost sons and daughters. He knew the heart of the father and sought out those who were far away from the father. He is our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the true elder brother. He is by the father’s side, and knows fully well what the father wants. And to bring joy to the father, he sought after the lost. He is the true seeker.

There are lots of seeker sensitive worship services out there. These worship focuses on those who are seeking to find the truth But we need to know that the true seeker is our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, having received this love of God, we need to seek out and share this love with those who do not yet know this love. To this world, which is filled with hatred towards one another, we need to share this love. This love of God is the only solution to the problems of this world.

I pray that we may all share this love, especially to those who are victimized and hurt through recent incidences. Let’s pause, mourn, and grieve with them. Let’s empathize with them. Let’s talk and try to understand each other. It is not just their problem, but ours too. Let’s present the Good News of Jesus as the solution to the problems we are facing.

In our own lives, let us share the love of Jesus Christ to those who are still lost and wandering.