In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

     "How many people have you saved?" I suppose many of us assume we hear that question more here, in Colorado Springs, than in other parts of the country, because we live in what's been called the center of evangelical Christianity-the Christian mecca, and yes, the Springs has even been termed, the New Jerusalem. And while we do hear that question, and because that is the way many, more evangelical Christians think about salvation-it seems only natural that being in the midst of so many evangelical and para-church organizations, we might hear more comments like, "I've myself have saved 200 people!" And the follow-up to that is often-"how many have you saved?" I suppose most Lutheran clergy have heard that question, from brother clergy in other denominations-and I suppose most Lutheran clergy cringe a bit, when asked that. Not that we think less of clergy who are in traditions that think of salvation in those terms-not that we aim to criticize them for having a different take on salvation-its just that its so foreign to Lutherans. We Lutherans, and I would venture to say, we of the western catholic tradition, just don't talk that way. We hesitate to count salvations-just as we hesitate to take any responsibility for saving souls-so that to speak as if I, or you, have actually "saved" someone-doesn't sound right to us-in fact, it creates for us a real theological problem. And the problem is, Christ saves sinners-not you, or me. And boy, we pastors ought to know that more profoundly than anyone else! And I know the rationale for speaking about how many people you have saved.I realize the thought is, by bringing someone to Christ, by introducing someone to Christ, as when Philip invited Nathanael to "Come and see.", one can consider that one has "saved"-or had a part in saving an errant sinner. And there is certainly a sense in which that is true, and one can celebrate having a part in a brother's or sister's salvation. But for Lutherans, we want no part of that. For Lutherans, even when we might invite someone to "come and see"; even when we might be responsible for bringing an unchurched person to worship; even when we might have been the spark that the Holy Spirit has used to re-ignite the faith in a lapsed believer, we want no credit-we resist, like the plague, any reference to our having "saved" another. And when asked by other clergy whether I know how many people I have saved, through my ministry, I respond, simply, "Jesus saves!" And that's really how I feel. Honestly, I figure I've driven more people away from Jesus, than brought them to him! Pastors are quirky, and odd, and sometimes our own personalities get in the way.we are short with folks, and abrupt at times, and we fail to do the very things we should do, while we obsess over things that probably really don't matter. I believe I might have brought a few of our new members from other parts of the country, to the Broncos over the years, but I can't boast that I've brought anyone to Jesus. I surely want no credit for anyone's salvation. And similarly, I want no one basing their eternal salvation, on the pastor! I want no one sitting at home, waiting for the pastor to come save them, to come bring them back to the flock, to come say just the right thing that will heal their wounds, and cause them to come to Jesus! We pastors don't have that kind of power, or wisdom, or skill. Surely, we are not mind-readers, don't have extra-sensory perception, don't know at what exact moment you need a visit or a phone call.but even more, we don't have the love, or the care, or the compassion, to give you what you need, say what you need to hear, to have your life, transformed, saved! And that's what you and I both need to remember, especially when we hear Jesus' parables of the lost and the found in our Gospel lesson today.

     As I've said repeatedly, it's all too easy to hear Jesus' words about the shepherd, leaving the ninety-nine, to go look for the one lost lamb, and the women searching her house diligently, to find the one lost coin-and think that he's talking about us-that he's telling us that we ought to be the good shepherd, the diligent woman, doing what we need to do to bring all the inactive, lukewarm Christians back into the fold, while we are at the same time, saving the unbelieving world! We certainly grieve over the lost sheep or the lost coin; it breaks my heart when a member of the flock falls away, or loses their way-just as it saddens me to think of the myriads of people who have not yet come to know Jesus Christ as the Way, the Truth and the Life. And-we do what we can, we make a sincere, heartfelt effort-but we always come back to the axiom-there is a God, and we're not Him! Just as there is a Savior, and it's not us! And the Scriptures point us to that repeatedly-as today, we hear the good news that Jesus, the good shepherd, leaves the ninety and nine, and goes to find the lost sheep, and brings it back to the flock; that Jesus is like the diligent woman, who doesn't quit until she finds the coin. The good news today is, Jesus will never let us go-Jesus will never quit searching for us-Jesus will never give up on us! When we are lost, when we fall away from Christ's Church, when we get distracted in life, when we slip into doubt and unbelief-the good news is, Jesus is always looking for us, and reaching for us, and trying to grab hold of us, to get a firm grip on us once again, and draw us back to Him. Pastors and other church members, and other Christians, often fail us, and give up on us, not knowing what to do to reach us. But, as St. Paul writes to Timothy in our second lesson, "The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners"-and St. Paul adds, "of whom I am the foremost!" And therein lies the Gospel-the great news that Christ Jesus saves sinners-not the pastor, or the chaplain, or the person sitting next to you in church, or the cousin who's always preachy at the family reunion. None of these saves sinners-but only, Christ Jesus, who saves not just sinners, but the greatest of all sinners, me! And how does Jesus save?

     St. Ambrose of Milan, preaching in the fourth century said, "Let us rejoice that the sheep that had strayed in Adam, is now lifted on Christ. The shoulders of Christ, are the arms of the cross. There, I laid down my sins. I rested on the neck of that noble yoke. The sheep is one in kind, not in appearance, because "we are all one body", but many members. It is written, "You are the body of Christ, and members individually." The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost. He sought all, because "as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive."

     Jesus tells us that the shepherd, upon finding the lost sheep, lays it on his shoulders.and just so, Ambrose says, Jesus, when finding us, lays us upon his arms, on the arms of the cross-and so we are saved, by Jesus, on the cross. By his stripes, we are healed. Through His death, we have life. Jesus came to seek and to save what was lost-and Jesus gave himself up, for the sins of the world-and for your sins, and my sins. The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance-Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners! Sinners like you and like me. The question posed by our gospel lesson, for sinners saved by Christ Jesus, is-once we have been saved-will we rejoice, will we join the celebration, when others sinners are saved? Jesus tells the parables of the lost, in response to the Pharisees and the scribes grumbling over the fact that Jesus welcomes sinners and eats with them. Jesus was busy saving sinners, but those who thought they were better than tax collectors and sinners, wouldn't participate in the joy in heaven over one sinner who repents. And Jesus' question is, will you join me? Will you, who have been, are being saved, rejoice with me, and the angels of God in heaven, when sinners are saved, and welcomed into the kingdom? Jesus says, will you celebrate with me, the presence in the kingdom and in the church, in your church-of the person who is different, the person who is unkempt, the person who is of questionable background, the person who is not your typical Lutheran, the person who-maybe served in the Navy?! Having heard the good news that Jesus saves sinners, first, the call is for you and me, to repent, and have our sins laid on the arms of the cross. And second, in response to our own salvation, the call is for us to welcome every sinner who repents, and celebrate, with Christ, that the lost has been found, and has come, to eat with us!

     In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.