Rick and Svea reverse roles today. He puts Svea in the "hot seat" as they discuss the genius of the stories in Luke 15:1-10. In these parables, Jesus simultaneously speaks to, and shows compassion toward, two groups of people who viewed themselves as being at opposite ends of the spectrum.

Topics Discussed in this Episode

• 00:00 Intro
• 01:14 Mother's Day is this weekend. Svea has a lot of "mom labels."
• 04:29 Getting into the Lost Words of Jesus series - parables of lost things. Jesus really knew his audience. How did Svea get into studying the text?
• 06:07 How was Jesus' audience of sinners, religious leaders, and tax collectors both valued, loved, honored, but also lost? What was that audience like? How did Jesus connect with them all?
• 08:45 Jesus was showing his heart and compassion for his audience. 
• 09:46 Do we view these parables from the lens of a Pharisee, a lost sheep, or a Shepherd? How did different groups in Jesus's original audience approach his stories?
• 15:08 How did these parables affect people at that time? What possibly were Jesus and Luke's intentions in telling and recording these stories?
• 17:04 Application points: How do we avoid isolation within Christian communities and build relationships with those who are different from us?
• 22:57 Should we maintain relationships even if the other person is never going to follow Jesus How do we approach relationships with nonbelievers as a Church and as individuals? What role does God play in these relationships?
• 27:54 Close in Prayer.