Today’s Herrenhuter readings (Losung & Lehrtext) are from Ezekiel 34:16 and John 6:39. It is the Lord himself, who says: “I will search for the lost and bring back the strays.”  (Eze 34:16 NIV).

That is the good news for all busy in Church and its mission. So often we just see people leaving the communion of Saints, turning their backs on the Church and its message, forgetting that it’s the place, where the Holy Spirit gathers, enlightens and keeps us in the true faith by his most precious means of grace – his word and sacrament: Forgiving our sins and healing all our diseases (Ps.103)

However its also for us, who know how easy and quick it is to go astray, get disorientated, just plain getting lost. Well, that’s the worst that can happen to us. Losing sight of Jesus Christ – the Lord and savior, forgetting about his gracious presence and living as if there is no God! It’s what holy Scripture calls: “spiritually dead and in sin!”

Well, the good news of God’s message for today is, that he himself will seek out the lost and bring back the stray. It’s what the triune God does – that’s his mission all along – since he first went out and called: “Adam – where are you!” He did not stop since then seeking, finding, bringing back: “Cain – what have you done? Where is your brother?” and in this very personal way he cares for you and your sister, your son and your grandchild – as his own. He’s still going out today to the ends of the earth seeking out the lost, finding the strays, bringing back into the folds of the family: “Rejoice – this your brother was lost – dead as a matter of fact! – and behold, he’s found again – back with the living!” And now you too should be happy and rejoicing, because that’s God’s doing bringing people back from the dead and into the congregation of the living again. Don’t you know that it is his grace and mercy that calls you to repentance and conversion to return from the long and winding back roads and head straight back home. He does that through his call to repentance (Wake up! Turn around!), the wonderful and most gracious forgiveness (Your sins are forgiven! Go in peace!), the surest commitment (See: I am with you all the days!)

Now – look here and don’t you worry: The Lord will seek you out, he will find you, he will bless and keep you in the true faith + for his names sake. That’s his  business and mission, that’s his  doing and also his pride and honor to seek and find and bring back the lost.

And you hear – our Lord Jesus Christ – the only begotten son of the heavenly Father – he, who’s one with the Father and lives by doing the will of the Father faithfully and has fulfilled this divine perfectly and continues to live, reigns and rules to carry out this divine will on earth as in heaven – his will, work and mission is identical with that of the Father. He does this seeking, finding and bringing back home the stray too, but he also does more as we read in the 2nd reading from St. John’s gospel: “And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.” (Joh 6:39 NIV) Those that he has gathered home and sanctified by his holy word of forgiveness, whom he heals with words of blessing, grace, love and peace and thus feeds and takes care of most kindly and caringly in his holy congregation and Christian Church – these he also keeps and preserves in the one holy and saving faith. He does this without fail – in the Church and through the office of the ministry – giving just as we need it and doing his work of sanctification day in, day out through word and sacrament. He takes care that everything works for our best and that is for our salvation. That’s his honour, that’s his pride that he loses none of those, whom the Father has entrusted to him – and remember, not even the most ugly death can separate us from the tender love of God in Jesus Christ, because finally he will raise us again from the dead and let us see, what we here have believed already: That he overcomes everything for us +  Then finally we will be home and with him eternally. Until then take courage, because his promise is true and his commitment unfailing. He will surely see it through, what he has set out to do. Nothing and nobody is going to stop him from getting you there, where he wants you. All authority and power in heaven and on earth has been given to him and we are sure he will do it.

Therefore we laud and praise his holy name now and forever: The good shepherd, who seeks and finds the lost and brings back home the stray and wayward. He is our Lord and Savior + Amen.