Shining Light Tells the Good Story 15

THE WORTH OF THE LOST ONES

1Tribal tax collectors and other outcasts would often gather around Creator Sets Free (Jesus) to listen to him tell his stories. 2But the Separated Ones (Pharisees) and the scroll keepers would complain about this. They would say things like, “This man welcomes outcasts to join him at the table and eat with him.”

3On one of those occasions Creator Sets Free (Jesus) answered them with a story.

4“Who among you, if you were caring for one hundred sheep and one of the lambs wandered away, would not leave the ninety-nine and search for that lost lamb until you found it? 5Would you not put that lamb on your shoulders, hurry home, 6and invite your friends to a celebration, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost lamb!’?

7“In the same way, the spirit-world above will celebrate even more over one outcast who finds the way back home than for ninety-nine who are already safely there.

8“Let me say it another way,” he explained. “What man who has ten eagle feathers#15:8 Lit. woman who has ten silver coins and loses one would not light a torch, sweep the house clean, and look everywhere until he found it? 9Then, after he finds it, would he not gather his friends together for a celebration? 10In the same way, Creator’s spirit-messengers will celebrate when even one outcast finds the way back home.”

A STORY ABOUT TWO SONS

Creator Sets Free (Jesus) then told them another story to help them see even more clearly.

11“There was a man with two sons. 12The younger son said to his father, ‘Father, give me now my share of what is coming to me.’”

This was a great insult to the father, for this would not have been done until the father had crossed over to death.

“But the Father, who was good-hearted and loved his sons, divided all he had with his two sons anyway.

13“Not many days later, the younger son took his share and went far away to another land. He began to spend it all on wild living and soon had nothing left. 14The time came when there was not enough food in the land for everyone, and he found himself poor and hungry. 15So he went to work for a rancher, who sent him out to feed the pigs. 16He became so hungry that he wanted to eat the husks he was feeding the pigs, but no one would even give him a meal.

17“Soon the younger son came back to his right mind and said to himself, ‘Look, here I am naked and starving, but the servants who work for my father are well fed! 18I am going back to humble myself to my father. I will tell him that I have dishonored both him and the spirit-world above, 19and I am no longer worthy to be called his son. I will ask him just to let me be a hired servant to work in his fields.’

20“He then made up his mind and began to go home. While he was still far away, his father saw him walking. The father’s heart opened wide and he ran to his son, threw his arms around him, and kissed him.

21“The son said, ‘Father, I have failed the spirit-world above and you. I am not worthy to be called your son.’

22“But the father ignored his son’s words, turned to his servants, and said, ‘Go! Find my best regalia and put it on him. Give him a headdress of feathers for his head and new moccasins for his feet! 23Go get the fattest calf and prepare a great feast for a celebration. 24This is my son! He was lost, but I have found him. He was dead to me, but now he is alive!’ Then they all began to feast, sing, and dance.

25“Now, the older son was just returning from a hard day’s work in the field. He heard the music and dancing, 26so he asked one of the servants what was going on. 27The servant told him, ‘Your brother has come home and your father has prepared a great feast for him, because he is alive and well.’

28“Hearing this, the older brother became very angry and refused to go into the lodge. The father saw him brooding outside, so he went to him and urged him to come in.

29“The older son said to his father, ‘Why can you not see? I have worked hard for you all my life, and done all that you have asked of me, but you have not even given me one small goat to have a feast with my friends. 30But when this son of yours, who wasted all you gave him on sexual favors with women, comes home, you kill the fattest calf for him.’

“The father looked kindly into his older son’s face.

31“‘My son,’ he said to him, ‘you are always close to my heart, and everything I have is yours. 32But it is a good thing for us to celebrate with glad hearts, for your brother was dead but now is alive. He was lost, but now we have found him!’”

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Shining Light Tells the Good Story 15: FNVNT

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