Luke 15 DRK “Jesus Wants YOU!”
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Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming to hear him.
But the Pharisees and the experts in the law were complaining, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
Jesus and His care for the downtrodden and “sick”
Jesus out seeking the lost on His own initiative
So Jesus told them this parable:
“Which one of you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, would not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go look for the one that is lost until he finds it?
Then when he has found it, he places it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
Returning home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, telling them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost.’
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 have no need to repent.
describe role of shepherd
Cares about every single one of us, though in theory He shouldn’t
takes the initiative to seek us out
Jesus came to seek and to save all who are lost
INCLUDING YOU! CHRIST IS SEEKING YOU
Patience and mercy in seeking us out
places us “on His shoulder” for rest
heavenly rejoicing
Ancient Faith Study Bible: Notes Chapter 15
Leaving those that have not strayed, the good Shepherd seeks you. If you will surrender yourself, he will not hold back. In his kindness, he will lift you up on his shoulders, rejoicing that he has found his sheep that was lost. The Father stands and awaits your return from your wandering. Only turn to him, and while you are still afar off, he will run and embrace your neck. With loving embraces, [the good Shepherd] will enfold you, now cleansed by your repentance.…
“Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search thoroughly until she finds it?
Then when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’
In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.”
the coin is made with an image of a person on it, a person who is lost
Cyril of Alexandria: “A search was made for that which had fallen, so the woman lighted a lamp.… By the light, what was lost is saved, and there is joy for the powers above.”
Then Jesus said, “A man had two sons.
The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that will belong to me.’ So he divided his assets between them.
After a few days, the younger son gathered together all he had and left on a journey to a distant country, and there he squandered his wealth with a wild lifestyle.
Then after he had spent everything, a severe famine took place in that country, and he began to be in need.
So he went and worked for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.
He was longing to eat the carob pods the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have food enough to spare, but here I am dying from hunger!
I will get up and go to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired workers.” ’
So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way from home his father saw him, and his heart went out to him; he ran and hugged his son and kissed him.
Then his son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
But the father said to his slaves, ‘Hurry! Bring the best robe, and put it on him! Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet!
Bring the fattened calf and kill it! Let us eat and celebrate,
because this son of mine was dead, and is alive again—he was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.
“Now his older son was in the field. As he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing.
So he called one of the slaves and asked what was happening.
The slave replied, ‘Your brother has returned, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he got his son back safe and sound.’
But the older son became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and appealed to him,
but he answered his father, ‘Look! These many years I have worked like a slave for you, and I never disobeyed your commands. Yet you never gave me even a goat so that I could celebrate with my friends!
But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’
Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and everything that belongs to me is yours.
It was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost and is found.’ ”
son sought to leave a good situation because of fleshly desires
“I can do just fine on my own”
journeyed to a distant place, distant from God
basically left to party
blew all of his money and ended up in a bad situation
far from where he was at with his father
ended up having to deal with pigs for a living, lowest of the low points
nobody of the world cared about him, even leaving him without food
had a famine of food, but also of God and His goodness
we are dead in our trespasses and sins, wages of sin is death
*interweave testimony*
the son realized how badly he had messed up
his reaction was to change, to seek his father instead of seeking out the world more
realized his position, he was humbled, was not worthy of his fathers anything
Father went out to him, rejoices greatly
Unconditional love of the father
Began a celebration over the wayward son coming back
“lost, but now FOUND”
Son restored, made new
not with low status, but with high status
shoes—Slaves went barefoot. Thus, we have here a threefold symbol of freedom and honor, restored, as the fruit of perfect reconciliation.
WHAT DO WE DO ONCE WE’RE FOUND?
And although you were dead in your offenses and sins,
in which you formerly lived according to this world’s present path, according to the ruler of the domain of the air, the ruler of the spirit that is now energizing the sons of disobedience,
among whom all of us also formerly lived out our lives in the cravings of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath even as the rest …
But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us,
even though we were dead in offenses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you are saved!—
and he raised us up together with him and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,
to demonstrate in the coming ages the surpassing wealth of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God;
it is not from works, so that no one can boast.
For we are his creative work, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them.
Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 2
dead Refers to being separated from God and under the rule of the evil one (see v. 2 and note). Paul’s use of the metaphor of death is significant, as it allows for no middle ground; a person is either dead or alive. Just as a dead body does not respond to stimuli, the spiritually dead person cannot respond to spiritual stimuli unless enabled to do so. Only God provides this ability (v. 5).
Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 2
trespasses and sins The Greek words used here, paraptōma and hamartia, describe the evil that controls and characterizes human life apart from God. They are both the cause of death and the evidence of death.
Ancient Faith Study Bible: Notes Chapter 2
2:1–2 CHRYSOSTOM: Why does he call the devil the ruler of this world? Because virtually the whole of humanity surrendered to him. All are his voluntary and willing slaves. Few pay any heed to Christ, who promises unnumbered blessings. Rather they follow after the devil, who promises nothing but leads them all to hell. He rules in this age, where he has … more subjects than God, more who obey him rather than God. All but a few are in his grasp on account of their laxity. HOMILY ON EPHESIANS 4.2.1–3.
Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Keep thinking about things above, not things on the earth,
for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ (who is your life) appears, then you too will be revealed in glory with him.
So put to death whatever in your nature belongs to the earth: sexual immorality, impurity, shameful passion, evil desire, and greed which is idolatry.
Because of these things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience.
You also lived your lives in this way at one time, when you used to live among them.
But now, put off all such things as anger, rage, malice, slander, abusive language from your mouth.
Do not lie to one another since you have put off the old man with its practices
and have been clothed with the new man that is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of the one who created it.
Here there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all and in all.
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,
bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if someone happens to have a complaint against anyone else. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also forgive others.
And to all these virtues add love, which is the perfect bond.
Let the peace of Christ be in control in your heart (for you were in fact called as one body to this peace), and be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and exhorting one another with all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, all with grace in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
