Tag: Tables
Longer Tables for the Lost and Found
Prepare (This section is preparation for the leader, not content meant for the whole group.) The heart of this passage is the pair of parables about the lost sheep and the lost coin. Yet the two sentences before them provide essential context for understanding the stories Jesus tells. Crowds continue to follow him, but this particular group receives special mention: tax collectors and sinners. It’s worth unpacking the baggage these titles carry. Tax collectors were seen as corrupt, wealthy collaborators with Rome, collecting what Rome demanded—and often a little extra for themselves. “Sinners” is a broader term used throughout the…