Are You Talking to Me? Repentance in Luke 15

Overview:  Luke chapter 15 records an exchange between Jesus and some Pharisees who were critical of him because he “…welcomes sinners and eats with them.”    He takes their criticism head-on with three parables, one about a good shepherd finding his lost sheep, another about a woman finding her lost coin, andl one about a  loving father rejoicing over the return of a lost son.  In his message, Jesus communicates his theology of purpose, grace, and joy.  The theme often overlooked in his stories and in modern Christianity is the theology of repentance, the theme that brought the most joy in each story and the action to which he was calling the Pharisees.