Finding Lost Sheep

Luke 15:1–7 NIV

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

Introduction: Last week Cindy mentioned Evangelism as scary word. - It means simply proclaiming Good News, and so by nature Evangelism is good.

The first step in - Motivation. What is the Heart of God for the “The Lost?” How can we align our hearts to the heart of God?

Parable 1:

Lost Sheep have been Excluded Sheep.

Christ’s attitude. It is not enough to have ninety-nine sheep if one is lost. Jesus goes out to reach those who seem far off, leaving the herd for the sake of the one.

Contrast between Righteous and Sinner - All have sinned, but in that day a sinner is someone who seemingly making no attempt to follow the Torah.

The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament 1. The Lexical Evidence.

For the Pharisee, however, a ἁμαρτωλός is one who does not subject himself to the Pharisaic ordinances, i.e., the so-called ’am ha-ares. He is not a sinner because he violates the Law, but because he does not endorse the Pharisaic interpretation.80

At the outset of this chapter, the Pharisees grumble at Christ (v. 1) for eating with tax collectors and sinners, which was an offense in the Mishnah

Tables are flipped - Going out with friends from work. not being a big drinker feeling excluded...

xamples of Lost Sheep -

They don't know they are lost - they are just doing what the culture tells them - Gentiles.

Un-resolved conflict - so they have left the church.

People who just don't fit by the "Rules" of Church.

People who have been shunned by the Church.

People who think Christians can not be their friend.

Talk about joining the Alliance - The reason holding on to Biblical Truth while reaching out to love LGBTQ+ people.

- What is Jesus’ Heart?

Jesus Loves the Lost Sheep.

Story of losing a kid at Disney -

In the passage under consideration, Christ maintains this same sort of attitude: it is not enough to have ninety-nine sheep if one is lost. Jesus goes out to reach those who seem far off, leaving the herd for the sake of the one.

Verses 3–10 consist of two parables: the lost sheep (vv. 3–7) and the lost coin (vv. 8–10). These two set up the more developed parable of the forgiving father (vv. 11–32). The links between the passages are the themes of “lost” and “found” and “rejoice” (vv. 6, 9, 24, 32). Luke consistently raises the issue of associating with sinners (5:29–32; 7:36–50; 19:1–10). All these texts drive toward Jesus’ commission statement in 19:10. - Darrel Bock, NIVAC

For the Son of Man Came to seek and save that which was lost.

Despite this the Pharisees grumbling, Christ “receives sinners” (prosdechetai), which might “suggest that he has, in fact, ‘goodwill toward’ these sinful folk” (David Lyle Jeffrey, Luke, Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible [Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2012], 327).

This is further seen in the parable, in the shepherd’s bringing the sheep on his shoulder, a sign that the sheep is too weary to return (v. 5).

Ezekiel 34 is the beginning hope for Israel, and God's restoration of Israel. Israel's Leaders, kings, were supposed to God's underling shepherds of Israel, but instead of caring for the weaker flock, they have pushed them to the extremeties of the community, where wild animals destroy, and literally where the nations have taken them over. God will find the lost and heal them and bring them back into his flock. He will judge between the good (lean) sheep and the bad (fat) sheep. Here the bad sheep are the leaders of Israel. What is really telling is that God will set up over them one shepherd called David who will make with them a covenant of Peace.

Lost sheep have become lost sheep, because those in the flock cared more for themselves then the lost sheep. - Jesus is focus is on the lost.

So how do we align ourselves to Jesus?

Aligning our Focus Toward Lost Sheep.

Jesus is challenging the Pharisees attitude towards sinners - They should be rejoicing when they are saved, not grumbling.

- While we often scoff at the Pharisees’ interactions with Jesus, we might ask ourselves: How many “sinners and outcasts” have we eaten with recently? How many people have we judged, rather than showed compassion to? It is easier to rejoice when someone comes to faith than it is to sit at the table with the hurting, the diseased, the sinful. But if we take Christ’s teaching seriously, we should likewise be seeking out the lost sheep.

- By way of application,

- It begins with the heart - Jesus is wants to restore the lost, and loves the lost.

- Without Jesus we are lost.

- Next, we are called to with Jesus build relationships with people who seem like outcasts.

- We will share good news with our words and actions.

- Finally, we are called to have a culture of joy when people are restored in Jesus even at the expense of our own pride.

- An Implication - This requires intentionality (we want to only hangout with people like us. This flies in the face of this)

Step 1: Sermon Series: get our heart set.

Step 2: Be equipped - Evangelism workshop.

Step 3: Practice it - Neighbor cards, and Trunk or Treat.

Conclusion: