The Shepherd’s Joy<\/strong><\/h2>\nLuke 15:1-7 (ESV) <\/b>
\n1 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him.
\n2 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, \u201cThis man receives sinners and eats with them.\u201d
\n3 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0So he told them this parable:
\n4 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0\u201cWhat man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?<\/span>
\n5 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.<\/span>
\n6 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, \u2018Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.\u2019<\/span>
\n7 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nZephaniah 3:17 (ESV) <\/b>
\n17 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save;<\/span> he will rejoice over you with gladness;<\/span> he will quiet you by his love;<\/span> he will exult over you with loud singing.<\/span>
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The Woman’s Search<\/strong><\/h2>\nLuke 15:8-10 (ESV) <\/b>
\n8 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0\u201cOr what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it?<\/span>
\n9 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, \u2018Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.\u2019<\/span>
\n10 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
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The Sinner’s Plan<\/strong><\/h2>\nLuke 15:11-16 (ESV) <\/b>
\n11 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And he said, \u201cThere was a man who had two sons.<\/span>
\n12 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And the younger of them said to his father, \u2018Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.\u2019 And he divided his property between them.<\/span>
\n13 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living.<\/span>
\n14 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need.<\/span>
\n15 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.<\/span>
\n16 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
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