Rejoice in Salvation Luke 15:1-10

Luke 15:1–10 CSB

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: 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. 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.”

lost wallet.

Found in shoe

Heart of the gospel

God’s great love for sinners.

There is nothing more dangerous than being spiritually lost.

There is nothing more joyful than be found

Luke 15:1–2 CSB

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.”

Sinners Welcome

Luke 14:35 “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen.”” Cost of following Jesus.

Who’s been listening?

Who’s currently listening?

The one’s who should be listening (religious leaders) aren’t listening, instead they are grumbling/complaining/

Opposite of what should be happening

“Tax collectors and sinners”

People of notorious reputation

Prostitutes, Drunkards, theives, anyone who lived in sin

“were approaching” drawing near to Jesus.

Jesus sees them as the Lost

Pharisees see them as the unclean.

Worthless, without value, impure

Self-rightous complain about unrighteous coming to Jesus.

But also complain about Jesus too...”he eats with them”

He welcomes them

He “receives” them

As we seek to imitate Jesus, ask this question are you welcoming/receiving sinners?

Or are you only loving them from a distance.

Creating boundaries where they don't have to interfere with your life

Are there people you know/people in your own life who you think Jesus shouldn’t welcome?

They are too much, too sinful, too far gone?

Well I hate to burst your bubble, but those are exactly the people Jesus came for.

Sinners

And he’s going to lay that out in the next two Parables.

Luke 15:3–7 CSB

3 So he told them this parable: 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.

Seeking the Lost

One of the most comforting images in the Scriptures when it comes to the Lord is that of Shepherd.

We read about it earlier in Psalm 23.

In fact it was a promise that the Jewish people clung to

Ezekiel 34:11–16 CSB

“ ‘For this is what the Lord God says: See, I myself will search for my flock and look for them. As a shepherd looks for his sheep on the day he is among his scattered flock, so I will look for my flock. I will rescue them from all the places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and total darkness. I will bring them out from the peoples, gather them from the countries, and bring them to their own soil. I will shepherd them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the land. I will tend them in good pasture, and their grazing place will be on Israel’s lofty mountains. There they will lie down in a good grazing place; they will feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I will tend my flock and let them lie down. This is the declaration of the Lord God. I will seek the lost, bring back the strays, bandage the injured, and strengthen the weak, but I will destroy the fat and the strong. I will shepherd them with justice.

Why does God become the shepherd of his flock?

B/c the people entrusted to serve them became wicked and selfish

Ezekiel 34:1–4 CSB

The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy, and say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says to the shepherds: Woe to the shepherds of Israel, who have been feeding themselves! Shouldn’t the shepherds feed their flock? You eat the fat, wear the wool, and butcher the fattened animals, but you do not tend the flock. You have not strengthened the weak, healed the sick, bandaged the injured, brought back the strays, or sought the lost. Instead, you have ruled them with violence and cruelty.

This hadn't changed during Jesus’ time.

Those in charge of the spiritual health of Israel had abandoned God’s people for power, authority, and self-righteousness.

Those people that they were complaining about were the same people they were supposed to be serving.

So these Parables are both a judgment on them and a picture of God’s heart for the broken and lost.

Why sheep?

Helpless, Vulnerable, careless

They need to be taken care of watched over continually

100 sheep=Pretty well off.

One lost sheep isn’t going to cause financial hardship or strain.

But the good shepherd loves and cares for all his sheep.

This sheep has wandered off.

It needs to be found.

Helplessly waiting to be rescued.

No defense mechanisms

Jesus will carry us home

Luke 15:8–10 CSB

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.”

Seeking the Valuable

what makes the Lord rejoice?

the lost repenting

do we have that same joy when someone turns to the Lord.