Parable of the Lost Sheep, Coin and Son
Notes
Transcript
Last week, we examined the three hard truths about discipleship:
# 1 In order to follow Jesus you must give Him the priority
#2 You cannot be a disciple if your faith is one that avoids death to self
#3 In order to follow Jesus you must make an advance conscious commitment, made with a realistic idea of the personal cost.
In the next chapter of Luke. We see Jesus telling three more parables but instead of the teaching being about the cost of pursuing him, Jesus shows, that in fact, heaven also pursues us.
James 4:8 (CSB)
8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you...
When we return to him, all of heaven celebrates.
Lets look at these three parables this morning. Of course one thing that we have been learning in our Wednesday morning Bible study is that context matters and gives us insight into the passage. So why did Jesus feel the need to tell these stories now?
1 All the tax collectors and sinners were approaching to listen to him.
2 And the Pharisees and scribes were complaining, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
3 So he told them this parable:
So the scene is this. Jesus is eating and teaching sinners. The religious people were very offended that a person of Jesus standing with spend time with the very people that the pharisees and scribes were supposed to be instructing. So due to there self-righteous indignation Jesus tells them these three parables
I. The Lost Sheep
I. The Lost Sheep
4 “What man among you, who has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open field and go after the lost one until he finds it?
5 When he has found it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders,
6 and coming home, he calls his friends and neighbors together, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep!’
7 I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who don’t need repentance.
It is interesting over the years the applications that have been attempted to be made using this passage of scripture. When we examine this passage carefully, we realize this passage of scripture is not really about evangelism. Often this passage is used as a kind of charge the gates of hell type of passage. That if just one person comes to christ from our efforts than it is worth what ever sacrifice we have made. While I believe the idea of sacrificing for others to hear the truth is a very biblical concept. This isnt’ really what his passage is about. How do we know this because Jesus tells us as much in verse 7.
7 I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who don’t need repentance.
In this parable the ninty-nine do not represent the church or those that are saved but rather those who have rejected the gospel. The phrase “ninety-nine righteous people who don’t need repentance” represents the religious leaders.
Jesus is making this statement from the perspective of those that are hearing. The religious people, especially the scribes and pharisee, believed they had no need to repent. There is an almost sardonic undertone to how Jesus describes the audience. So instead of remaining in the fold of a people that did not need him, Jesus leaves and find those who do. He finds those who will listen. He finds those who know they are lost and need to be rescued.
You see this parable is intended to condemn the self-righteous and yet encourage the broken, the tax collectors and sinners.
Once again, we see this imagery. Because of Yahweh’s great love His spirit draws the broken to himself. This is great news.
18 The Lord is near the brokenhearted; he saves those crushed in spirit.
The imagery is this.
If you are broken and lost, there is no resistance from God in rescuing you!
If you are broken and lost, there is no resistance from God in rescuing you!
Let that sink in. Jesus the good shepherd and all of heaven stands ready to rejoice over you repenting? Why?
We will talk about that at the end.
II. The Parable of the Lost Coin
II. The Parable of the Lost Coin
8 “Or what woman who has ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it?
9 When she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found the silver coin I lost!’
10 I tell you, in the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.”
Notice this parable begins with the word “or”. In other words Jesus is using this illustrative story to emphasize the same idea again.
Jesus and all of heaven rejoice when the lost (ones) are found.
Jesus and all of heaven rejoice when the lost (ones) are found.
But again we ask the question, Why? Why does all of heaven respond this way. The next parable we are going to look at shows us a wonderful picture that we often miss.
III. The Lost Son
III. The Lost Son
11 He also said, “A man had two sons.
The first thing I want you to notice about this passage is the familial language. This parable is about family. When answering the question of Why does heaven rejoice when a sinner repents this idea of family is extremely important.
12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate I have coming to me.’ So he distributed the assets to them.
The next thing I want you to see is the rebellion that took place in the father’s family. When the son said, Hey dad give me my inheritance. It was the same thing as saying I wish you were dead. It’s time for me to be in charge of my own life. We see rebellion.
13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered his estate in foolish living.
14 After he had spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he had nothing.
15 Then he went to work for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.
16 He longed to eat his fill from the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one would give him anything.
Next we see the results of that rebellion....ruin. It isn’t until we realize that the best place for us to be is in our father’s household that we in our hearts long to return.
17 When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food, and here I am dying of hunger!
18 I’ll get up, go to my father, and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight.
19 I’m no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired workers.” ’
This son’s desperation caused him to come to himself.
He realized all that he has done. It is in this broken state that he realizes the goodness of His father and repents of his foolishness and sin.
He realizes that he is not worthy. This is a stark contrast to the attitude of the pharisees. They believed themselves worthy.
Repentance is the result of recognizing the goodness of The Father.
Repentance is the result of recognizing the goodness of The Father.
It is at this point we can begin to answer the question of “why”.
Why does all of heaven rejoice when a sinner repents.
Let’s look at the Fathers reaction to His son.
20 So he got up and went to his father. But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him.
21 The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I’m no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father told his servants, ‘Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
23 Then bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let’s celebrate with a feast,
24 because this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.
Notice the terminology again of “sonship”
Now this next part is intended to show the relationship between Isreal and the gentile world ,but again notice that both are his son’s.
25 “Now his older son was in the field; as he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.
26 So he summoned one of the servants, questioning what these things meant.
27 ‘Your brother is here,’ he told him, ‘and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
28 “Then he became angry and didn’t want to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him.
29 But he replied to his father, ‘Look, I have been slaving many years for you, and I have never disobeyed your orders, yet you never gave me a goat so that I could celebrate with my friends.
30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.’
31 “ ‘Son,’ he said to him, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.
32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”
Again we see the attitude of the Jews toward their the gentile brethren. The gentiles were outside of the law. They lived impure lives and yet they two are called a sons and can be celebrated when they repent.
This is what I want you to notice, that is almost always missed here. The purpose of God in his creation.
26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.”
27 So God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female.
God created us to be imagers of himself. The term “made in His image” are not about attributes”like creativity, intelligence, and freewill, but rather about function. How do we know this? We know this because those attributes are not evenly distributed to all mankind. Some people are more creative and intelligent than others. So are the most creative or intelligent “made more in his image”?
A baby in the womb has none of those things neither does a person in a coma, yet we know they too are made in His image.
So then if being made in the image of God is about attributes and not about function than some are closer to His image than others based upon abilities. Being made in His image is about us imaging God and reflecting His glory.
He created us to live like Him and to represent Him to all creation. For this reason he put us in charge of all creation. He created for Himself a family that could interact with Himself.
I’ll get into that idea another day.
8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
We were designed to walk with God. To commune with Him. In essence God created for Himself a human family that good interact with Him.
Not because he needed one, but because it brought him pleasure.
All of mankind was intended to live in this way.
In the beginning there were no categories of mankind.
There was no Jew or Gentile. and we know that in Christ these titles once again disappear. We see the reunification of God’s family. In fact he calls us Son’s and Daughters.
This is not hyperbole or an analogy, but rather reality. We are the His children.
He created mankind as His earthly family. Then mankind rebelled and his children were lost.
In came Jesus who became like one of us except without sin. Took our place and provided away for us to return to our Holy Father. Again notice that God calls himself “The Heavenly Father. Again not hyperbole, but reality.
So why am I telling you all of this?
Because it answers the question, “why does God and heaven rejoice when a person repents?” To quote one of my favorite authors.
It is because, “The most normal thing for God is to have you as part of his family.” The most wonderful and normal things is for when his children come home. We were designed to be live and to walk with God. This is what normal is.....This is the original design. We were created to be live with the father for all eternity as the family of God. It is abnormal to live estranged from God.
One of Satan’s greatest deceptions is that is normal for people to have no relationship with their Father. This is not normal. We are His Children.
16 The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children,
17 and if children, also heirs—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.
Heaven rejoices when a sinner repents because the family has been reunited!
Heaven rejoices when a sinner repents because the family has been reunited!
Just like the story of the prodigal son.
This is good news for the sinner because their no resistance of God to forgive you. IF you will turn to Him he will run to you. He wants his children back! So much so he was willing to sacrifice himself for you!
How many of us have never seen it this way before?
Isn’t God good?!
In Just a few moments we will celebrate one of His daughters, our sister, who has come home!