Third Sunday after Trinity (2025)

Luke 15:1-10

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, what great hope we find in our Gospel lesson as Christ speaks of the love that He has for his people, and how all of heaven rejoices when a lost sinner is found and restored to God’s grace. For God does not desire the death of anyone, but that His creation which had fallen might be restored to Him. How does this work in Holy Scripture which reveals a holy and righteous God that terrifies sinners? This is the dynamics of the Law and the Gospel that we must understand to be saved.

The Grumblers

Each parable is to teach.

This part can confuse some folks, because the parables are meant to impart a lesson or teaching but they are based on a story that is being told. This was very common in their day as a way to pass on information and teach people. Today we like our information to be more direct and to the point lest we miss what the person is saying. In this parable,

Jesus rebukes the Pharisees

They were a religious group in Israel that was know for their keeping of the Law, and they were strict about. When they were faithful in their attendance at the synagogue, which was good and fine, but they misunderstood the purpose of the Law, they thought that the Law was meant to free them from sin, they were zealous about it. They had rules about how far you could walk on the Sabbath day before it was considered working, and they bought their houses within the appropriate distance of a synagogue so they wouldn’t end up doing work.

Why were they bitter?

Well here is this Teacher, this miracle worker, one who has been blessed by God and yet, he isn’t living according to their strict adherence of the Law. He’s associating with sinners, which they have been working to be far from. So Jesus tells this parable.

The Lost Sheep

Sin scattered mankind.

The image of God, that goodness, righteousness, that image that He had imparted to mankind had been broken by Adam, and we are now all born with the sin of Adam being passed down to us. Which means we do not naturally fear, love, or trust in God, as the Scriptures none of us are good in God’s sight. As though weren’t bad enough,

Satan leads us unto death.

For he was able to corrupt our forefather Adam when he was without sin, you think he has any issue leading us further from God, and away from the one who would save us? That’s an easy task for him. Even in our day,

Satan says, follow your heart.

Do you know what the Scriptures say about the heart of man? In Genesis we are told that it’s continually evil from our youth, the prophets, say it is deceitful above all things, so of course the devil wants you to trust your heart. He will do anything to make sure mankind is far and ignorant of their shepherd. But

The Good Shepherd

Jesus seeks out sinners.

The prophets talk about this in the book of Ezekiel that He goes out and seeks the sheep that have been scattered on a day of thick clouds and darkness to bring them back home. For even though the pharisees had worked hard and done much, they were still no where near closer to God because they weren’t looking for a savior, they were their own saviors. But

Jesus is our savior.

He really did come to save sinners, not the good, nor the righteous, but those who were lost in their sins. To those who think of themselves as good, or noble, or honorable or deserving of salvation, they wonder why? Why leave the 99, why go after this 1 wayward sheep who is doing what? It’s their fault, their mistake, their foolishness that brought them there isn’t it? That’s what the pharisees thought, but

Everyone is called to repent.

It doesn’t matter how good you think you are, it doesn’t matter how clean your life is, it doesn’t matter how many times you have already been to church, we are all called to repent, for we are all sinners, no matter how put together your life might be.

Why the Law?

We don’t believe we’re lost.

We are a proud people, and come from a proud nation for we have accomplished great things in the history of the world, but we have not been able to overcome sin, death, and satan himself. So even here we need to be able to speak the truth, that even though we live in the greatest nation in the world, we are still called to repent.

Why does the world call this hate?

Because we are exposing that everything they have put their hope isn’t going to get you into heaven. There are things that you may love that do not actually bring you closer, but instead take you farther away from Christ, and your good deeds can not bring you back to your shepherd.

The Law doesn’t offer hope.

This is why people hit rock bottom, and in Christ found hope, and why they came to him even though He taught the truth, and did confront not just the sin of the pharisees, but the sins of people, he didn’t do it out of hate, but out of love and kindness. So

What if I’m Unworthy?

Jesus receives sinners, and seeks the lost.

That’s why you are here, its not because you are good or righteous, or have got your life together, it is because here is the Savior of the World and He has gathered you together with His flock through the Word. Now how did he seek you out?? He did it the same way God has throughout the ages, it is through the Word. That Word came to you through a friend, a family member, or someone who carried about you and wanted you to come to where the Savior of Sinners forgives, and heals sinners, that He might bring you joyfully home to paradise. That’s why you will find sinners here on a Sunday morning. But what if you’ve fallen? What if you have wandered far away from Christ?

You may forget, but Jesus does not.

Isaiah 49:15–16 ““Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;”

Who is engraved there on the palms of His hands? You! There is not one of us that Jesus does not seek, Jesus bears you on His heart, He is not to ashamed of your sins, that He would not pick you up on His shoulders to bear you home. He will not forget you, so leave behind the whispers of Satan. The snares that Christ has freed you from and know that He is not picking you up to take you to judgment, Jesus is the friend of sinners.

Why hold to baptism?

Because while you might break the baptismal covenant, God remembers that day that he looked down from heaven and called you His own. That’s a promise that God has given you, and its important especially when Satan tries to lead us away from our Shepherd.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, let us not make the mistake of setting aside our Savior and relying on the law for our salvation as the Pharisees did, and may we never become so holy in our own eyes that we are not also filled with joy when a sinner is brought to repentance. Or do you not remember that there was joy in heaven when you were brought home on the shoulders of your savior, through Baptism, and when you could first receive the Lord’s Supper? God’s people were glad that one who was lost, had been found. We ought to have that same joy fill our hearts. . In Jesus name. Amen.