Fourth Sunday in Lent

9Verse 9. Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” So that place has been called Gilgal to this day. 10Verse 10. On the evening of the fourteenth day of the month, while the Israelites were camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, they kept the Passover. 11Verse 11. The day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate unleavened bread and roasted grain from the produce of the land. 12Verse 12. And the day after they had eaten from the produce of the land, the manna ceased. There was no more manna for the Israelites, so that year they began to eat the crops of the land of Canaan.

16Verse 16. So from now on we regard no one according to the flesh. Although we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17Verse 17. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come! 18Verse 18. All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19Verse 19. that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s trespasses against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20Verse 20. Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ: Be reconciled to God. 21Verse 21. God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

1Verse 1. Now all the tax collectors and sinners were gathering around to listen to Jesus. 2Verse 2. So the Pharisees and scribes began to grumble: “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3Verse 3. Then Jesus told them this parable: 11Verse 11. Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12Verse 12. The younger son said to him, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. 13Verse 13. After a few days, the younger son got everything together and journeyed to a distant country, where he squandered his wealth in wild living. 14Verse 14. After he had spent all he had, a severe famine swept through that country, and he began to be in need. 15Verse 15. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. 16Verse 16. He longed to fill his belly with the pods the pigs were eating, but no one would give him a thing. 17Verse 17. Finally he came to his senses and said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have plenty of food, but here I am, starving to death! 18Verse 18. I will get up and go back to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19Verse 19. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’ 20Verse 20. So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still in the distance, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. 21Verse 21. The son declared, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. ’ 22Verse 22. But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23Verse 23. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let us feast and celebrate. 24Verse 24. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate. 25Verse 25. Meanwhile the older son was in the field, and as he approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26Verse 26. So he called one of the servants and asked what was going on. 27Verse 27. ‘Your brother has returned,’ he said, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has him back safe and sound.’ 28Verse 28. The older son became angry and refused to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him. 29Verse 29. But he answered his father, ‘Look, all these years I have served you and never disobeyed a commandment of yours. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30Verse 30. But when this son of yours returns from squandering your wealth with prostitutes, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ 31Verse 31. ‘Son, you are always with me,’ the father said, ‘and all that is mine is yours. 32Verse 32. But it was fitting to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”