I invite you to take a Bible, either your own or one from the pew if you would like, and turn to

Luke, chapter 15. It's page 1,241 in the Pugh Bible, and we're going to read verses 1 to 10.

This is the second in a four-part series on Luke chapter 15.

We looked at verses 1 and 2 in their wider context last week,

and now we'll focus on the two little parables that Jesus gives in response to the criticism

that he receives for eating with tax collectors and sinners.

Verse 1. Now all the tax gatherers and sinners were coming near him to listen to him and

both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble saying this man receives sinners and eats with them.

And he told them this parable saying, what man among you if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them does not leave the 99 in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?

And when he has found it, lays it on his shoulders rejoicing. And when he comes home he calls together his friends and his neighbors saying to them,

rejoice with me for I have found my sheep which was lost.

I tell you that in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who

repents than over 99 righteous persons who need no

repentance.

Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it,

and when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors saying,

rejoice with me for I have found the coin which I had lost.

In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

Now we live in a world that is very different from the world of John Bunyan 300 years ago or George

Whitfield 200 years ago or D.L. Moody 100 years ago. Very, very different world in which to do the kind of work they used to do.

And this week, Abraham and I went downtown together and were confronted with one of those remarkable differences.

We went to Barnes and Noble bookstore. I don't know if you've been to a major retail bookstore recently of

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