Jesus Is Always There

A Passage That Never Gets Old

Luke 15 has always been one of my favorite chapters in all of Scripture. No matter how many times I read it, preach it, or meditate on it, I find something new that reminds me of who God is and how much He loves us.

As I prepared this week, one theme kept pressing on my heart: God is always there. In every story Jesus tells in this chapter—the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son—we see the relentless presence of God. No matter what we’ve done, no matter where we’ve wandered, no matter how lost or unaware we may be, God is there.

I want to share what these stories teach me, and hopefully, they’ll remind you of the same truth: Jesus is always there.

The Lost Sheep: When Life Knocks You Off Track

Jesus begins with a story about a shepherd who has a hundred sheep, but one wanders away. He leaves the ninety-nine and searches until he finds the one that is lost.

When I hear that story, I think back to a time in middle school when I tried raising a sheep for a 4-H project. I quickly learned two things: sheep aren’t very smart, and I was not cut out to be a shepherd! Sheep will follow their noses to the grass in front of them, even if it leads them off a cliff. They don’t naturally know how to protect themselves or find their way home.

When Jesus calls us His sheep, it’s not exactly a compliment. He’s reminding us that we have a tendency to get ourselves into trouble, to lose focus, and to end up in places we never intended to go.

I’ve been there, and I bet you have too. Life is going smoothly, everything is “rocking and rolling,” and then suddenly we look up and realize we’re lost. We’ve wandered off, and we don’t even know how we got there.

But here’s the hope: just as the shepherd goes searching for his sheep, Jesus is already on His way to find us. When life blindsides us, when we feel alone, when we don’t know which way to turn—Jesus is there. He won’t leave us lost.

The Lost Coin: When We Don’t Even Realize We’re Lost

The second story is about a woman who loses a silver coin. She lights a lamp, sweeps the house, and searches until she finds it.

The interesting thing about this parable is that the coin doesn’t even know it’s lost. It’s just sitting there, unaware. The only one who realizes it’s missing is the woman who owns it.

That reminds me of a conversation I had this week with a church member. They told me about a friend who knows they should come back to church but feels like their life is “okay” as it is. Nothing seems drastically wrong, but something is still missing.

Sometimes that’s us. We think life is fine. We don’t feel particularly broken or desperate, but we’re disconnected from God, from the church, from the fullness of the life He has for us. Like a $100 bill that’s lost—still valuable, but useless because it can’t be found—we’re not living into our purpose.

And yet, even when we don’t realize we’re lost, God is searching for us. He turns things upside down, nudges us, stirs our hearts, all to remind us that we belong to Him. Jesus is there, even when we don’t think we need Him.

The Prodigal Son: When We Run Away on Purpose

Then Jesus tells the most famous story of them all: the prodigal son. A younger son demands his inheritance, leaves home, and wastes everything. He ends up feeding pigs—a shameful job for a Jewish man—and longs to eat the slop he’s giving them. Finally, he “comes to his senses” and decides to return home, not as a son, but hoping to be a servant.

But before he can even get close, his father runs to him, embraces him, and restores him fully as a son.

That’s who God is. Sometimes, like the prodigal, we deliberately walk away. God doesn’t force us to stay. In His love, He allows us to leave if we want to. But when we take that first step back home, He comes running. He meets us with grace, not punishment, and He celebrates our return.

And then there’s the older brother. He’s frustrated and bitter, unable to rejoice when his brother comes home. Jesus told this story in part for the Pharisees, who struggled with the idea that sinners could receive God’s grace.

I think of our faithful older church members when I read this. You’ve been steady, you’ve been here through the ups and downs, and sometimes it might feel like you’re overlooked when we talk about “new things.” But I want you to know: you are the foundation. You’ve been here, you’ve served, you’ve prayed, and everything we enjoy today is built on the faithfulness of people like you. God sees you. Jesus reminds us that all He has is yours.

The Constant Thread: Jesus Is Always There

Each of these stories ends in celebration. Heaven rejoices over the sheep that is found, the coin that is recovered, the son who returns. And the thread that runs through every story is the unwavering presence of God.
•When we wander like sheep, Jesus searches for us.
•When we don’t realize we’re lost, Jesus seeks us out.
•When we run away, Jesus waits for us and runs to meet us when we come back.
•When we’ve been faithful for years, Jesus reminds us that all He has is already ours.

So whether you feel like a sheep, a coin, a younger son, or an older brother, remember this truth: Jesus is always there.

A Final Invitation

The question isn’t really whether God is there—because He is. The real question is, will I let Him find me? Will I allow Him to carry me? Will I let Him welcome me back?

Wherever you are today—lost, unaware, wandering, or steady—His invitation is the same: Come home. Trust me. Rejoice in my presence.

Because no matter what, Jesus is always there.