Lost and found

Advise: We are getting to the point where you wont wear your winter coat any longer. Pro-Tip: go get $20 for every coat you have and put it in the inside pocket of the coat and forget about it.

When this fall comes and you pull out the coat, the feeling of finding money will give you great joy.

We have photo albums. Some of you do as well, and we hardly ever look at them. Well carve out some time and sit down and look through them. Like the $20, it is like finding old memories that have been lost.

I also like to read lost and found stories: One story I read was about a guy that owned a parrot that flew away. Four years later he got a call from a veterinarian who said someone found the parrot and it was unharmed buy now spoke Spanish.

Or about people that loose a ring gardening only to find it years later with a carrot growing through it.

This morning, we are going to look at three of Jesus’ parables about lost things, and my prayer for us this morning is that we would have a renewed burden to reach the lost.

We are in Luke chapter 15

Luke 15:1–2 NASB95

1 Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. 2 Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

Tax Collectors: Jewish people that collected taxes for the Romans. They were either corrupt or perceived as corrupt. Their pay was whatever they collected above and beyond the taxes Rome said was due to them by the Jews.

Matthew was the most famous of these tax collectors. They were utterly rejected by Jewish citizens.

Sinners: Curious expression: we know that we are all sinners: In the Jewish tradition, you were judged by how well you followed God’s law. Not only what you abstained from, but by your participation in the rites and rituals. The Sinners, were the unobservant Jews. They were Jewish by birth, but didn’t adhere to the Jewish law.

The Lost Sheep

Luke 15:3–7 NASB95

3 So He told them this parable, saying, 4 “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5 “When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 “And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ 7 “I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

Jesus wasn’t being sarcastic: 99 who need no repentance: He was talking to the 99. The scribes and Pharisees were adhering to God’s word as they understood it and believed themselves righteous. And so, Jesus, for the sake of argument, assumes their righteousness in this parable.

HOW THE scribes and Pharisees were probably feeling: ATT new customer discounts.

How Jesus wanted them to feel: They are part of the Kingdom already, so if reaching the lost is that important to the Father, then it should be that important the them.

The Lost Coin

Luke 15:8–10 NASB95

8 “Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 “When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost!’ 10 “In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Repentance: metanoia : a change of mode of thought and feeling.

A change of through or belief causes a change of action:

Certain belief produces certain actions:

The reason some people are so fanatical about man-made global warming, and petroleum use, carbon footprint…Is because they completely believe if we as the human race don’t do something drastic and soon, our planet will die….Their actions line up with their beliefs.

The reason a large portion of “Christians” don’t behave like they are called to is that they really don’t believe what the Bible says about God, Jesus, sin, death, and salvation.

Belief drives action:

Genuine faith produces fruit!

The Lost Son

Luke 15:11–32 NASB95

11 And He said, “A man had two sons. 12 “The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.’ So he divided his wealth between them. 13 “And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living. 14 “Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished. 15 “So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 “And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him. 17 “But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! 18 ‘I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.” ’ 20 “So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 “And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 “But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; 23 and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 24 for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate. 25 “Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 “And he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things could be. 27 “And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 “But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him. 29 “But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends; 30 but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’ 31 “And he said to him, ‘Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 ‘But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.’ ”

The Father is God:

The prodigal son -represents the tax collectors and sinners: Born Jewish (God’s Chosen People) but rejecting Him and going their own way.

The story of HOPE that they would repent and return humbly to God.

Return from the Dead: Be born again!

The older brother represents the scribes and Pharisees whom Jesus is trying to shepherd them. He is trying to lead them to a place of compassion for the lost.

I want you to look at the percentages of these three parables:

1 in 100: 1%

1 in 10: 10%

1 in 2: 50%

What is important to the Father, should be important to you.

2 Peter 3:9 NASB95

9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

In 1st Timothy Paul urges us to pray for our leaders so that we may live a quit life in godliness and dignity:

1 Timothy 2:3–4 NASB95

3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

John 3:17 NASB95

17 “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

Do you want what God wants?

If you are believer: burden for the lost.