The Lost and Found
Notes
Transcript
Introduction:
Garret Kell was a 20 year old student at Virginia Tech in 1998.
These are his words:
On Halloween night in 1998, I threw a party in my apartment at Virginia Tech. I was 20 years old and in the wildest season of my life. I had three female roommates and a live-in girlfriend, and I spent most of my spare time smoking weed, doing lines of cocaine, and drinking.
I was geared up for a good time. Because the party was going to be “epic,” I invited an old friend from high school down for the weekend. Dave and I had played ball and partied together over the years, so I was excited to see him.
I greeted Dave when he arrived and escorted him back to my room, proudly unveiling the welcome gifts I’d prepared. On my desk was a bag of weed and his favorite beer, and I told him I had a girl he could get to know for the weekend.
But Dave didn’t respond like I expected. Instead, he gently closed the door and sat on the bed. He looked me in the eyes and told me he didn’t do those things anymore. He said he’d become a Christian; he now loved Jesus and the reason he’d come was to tell me that Jesus loved me too.
I laughed him off.
Dave stayed at our crazy party all night. Friends came up and asked me what was up with my buddy. When I told them he was a Christian, we all sneered and said “poor guy,” like he’d caught a disease or something.
There’s more to the story and if you want you can look it up online.
But let me tell you what eventually happened in Garrett’s words when God reached into his heart and saved him. He began reading the Bible in fresh way:
No longer did it read like a book of old stories—it became like a spotlight that searched my soul and showed me the depths of my sin and the even greater depths of God’s love for me in Jesus.
Dave made a stand for Christ that night at Virginia Tech. God used him to relay a message to me that altered my life for all eternity. I call Dave every Halloween night and thank him for his stand. I’m a very unlikely candidate for Christianity. I loved my sin. I loved my life. I had a very hard heart. Many people before Dave had tried to have a gospel conversation with me. I didn’t want Jesus. But for some reason, he wanted me.
The above story is from an article on the Gospel Coalition website.
Last week in the preceeding passage, we saw Jesus talk about the cost of discipleship. It calls for uncompromising trust total commitment to Jesus. As we get into chapter 15 we learn that the disciples of Christ might not be from the groups we might expect them to come from.
Throughout the gospels we see tax collectors and other nefarious sinners flock to Jesus. Jesus’ welcoming of these outcasts of society rubs some of the religious establishment the wrong way and they question His commitment to the law and even His level of godliness as a Jew. He welcomed sinners and ate with them, a move that to the Pharisees signified acceptance and fellowship. We know that true fellowship with sinners doesn’t happen without repentance. The three parables that Jesus shares, show this clearly.
Today - three parables about three lost people, three found people and one lost person...
If that seems odd sounding to you, good. I hope you’ll pay attention and find out what I’m talking about.
Ch. 15 is one self-contained unit. It is meant to be taken together. We find them them at the beginning. Jesus welcomes sinners and eats with them and the Pharisees, who are very religious but do not recognize Jesus as Messiah, are grumbling about it. Jesus uses these parables as illustrations that justify His attitude toward the outcasts in society.
(Maybe - Who are the outcasts in society? Then vs now? I hear a lot about the “marginalized people” in our culture but many times those very people are actually at the forefront of culture and wealth. So I don’t think scripture would necessarily label outcasts the same way our culture does. )
Three of Jesus’ most important parables were told in response to the complaining of the ultra religious.
I. The lost that can not save themselves. (v. 1-7)
I. The lost that can not save themselves. (v. 1-7)
1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him.
2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”
Grumblers in the midst.
complain - murmur among themselves
Grumbling- harkens back to how Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.
Exodus 16:1-10
You had Israel grumbling against God’s appointed leader and here they still do the same. They think they are complaining because of their own godliness, however, it revealed their unrighteousness.
Their behavior revealed their hearts. They did not understand God’s heart for salvation, redemption, and His incarnational ministry.
The PH were separatists. Their doctrine of salvation was salvation through segregation. They were scandalized by Jesus’ behavior. Luke reacts strongly against against the idea of salvation by segregation. Salvation is for all types of people and not only Israel.
Eating with sinners tc and sinners is signfiying that salvation is not obtained by obeying the rules but because of and through God’s grace and kindness.
Jesus responds in parable form.
3 So he told them this parable:
4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?
5 And 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 that was lost.’
7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
The man leaving the ninety-nine in the open country to go looking for the lost is reflective of Jesus’ own ministry as He went out into the marketplace to the dregs of society, searching for the lost.
If you look at verse 5, the sheep is too weak to return on its own. It can’t save itself. It’s helpless and lost on its own. So the man in the story lays the sheep on his shoulders. We are so lost on our own in our sin. We can try a lot of things to try to “save” ourselves but it all fails. Salvation is the work of God alone. He does the saving. He does the work of saving. Apart from Him we are just lost sheep.
And here’s the deal: He rejoices to do this! Not only this but he also calls together his friends and neighbors to rejoice!
The Pharisees hearing this story, as the super religious of the Jews should have rejoiced that someone would be saved and yet they complained that Jesus would seek the lost who they themselves deemed unworthy of being saved. They frankly deemed them unworthy of even reaching out to.
Heaven values the finding of the lost one and rejoices over it. Part of being a citizen of the kingdom of God is that our hearts are broken for the things that break God’s heart and we rejoice over what the kingdom rejoices over.
7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
v 7. - Repentance and restoration
No one is righteous apart from Christ. Luke and Acts both emphasize repentance as a universal need and the depravity of sinful man. We can therefore understand this as “those who think they are righteous and have no need to repent. (irony in this use)
More joy in heaven - Incredible contrast of the joy in heaven with the grumbling of the Pharisees and scribes.
II. The lost of great value to the finder. ( v. 8-10)
II. The lost of great value to the finder. ( v. 8-10)
Not about silver coins - about people
How far do you have to look for lost people? Not far. They are all around us.
Some believers have unfortunately fallen for the lie that evangelism is no longer necessary. Some perceive it as a negative social activity. They believe that no one has the right to attempt to change anyone to come in line with their own religious understanding. These people are wrong. Jesus did this all the time and we are commanded to speak of Him.
When we disobey Jesus’ command to spread the gospel, we are being arrogant. One scholar wrote that denying evangelism is treason to the kingdom. It is the mandate of Christ and the example of Christ. Even one saved means there is rejoicing in heaven. The angels rejoice!
This is a challenge to the Pharisees to rethink their values. What do they value most, rules or seeking the lost? Their values have continually been displayed in the last few chapters as they get upset that Jesus would show mercy and heal someone on the Sabbath. THey valued keeping their manmade traditions more than human life and eternal life.
III. The lost person that the Father runs toward. (v. 11-24)
III. The lost person that the Father runs toward. (v. 11-24)
The younger son goes to the dad with an unusual request but not completely unheard of. It just wouldn’t have been common. He doesn’t want to wait till his father passes away to get what is coming to him. He goes to the father and tells him to give him his share. I’ve heard it said that this would be sort of like telling your dad, you wish he was dead. He wanted dad’s money without dad. He was probably a teenager as he was unmarried. Apparently teens have always thought they were smarter than their parents.
The inheritance would have been divided up in such a way that the older brother would get 2/3 and the younger would receive half of what the older brother got, so 1/3 of the total inheritance.
The amount likely would have included livestock and some physical things so that would have been liquidated. The Father gives in to the request and lets the son make his own choice to go his own way.
The son takes off to a far country and squanders it on wild living. A famine comes on the land and the kid has no money so he hires himself out to one of the citizens of this far country and the guy sends him out to feed the pigs. This young man who had been the son of a man with servants had sunk to become the dregs of society. Rabbinic employment laws noted that swine herders were debased and those who worked with pigs were considered cursed. His daily contact with unclean animals meant he would be considered unclean and unable to observe the Sabbath. R.C. Sproul comments that, “he was forced for all practical purposes to reounce his Judaism.” This was the lowest point a Jew could reach. And he was so hungry that he even longed to eat the pods that the pigs ate.
Check out verse 16.
16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
What happened to all the people around him? All of his worldly friends had apparently deserted him. It says no one gave him anything.
At the lowest point, the young man realizes he was wrong. The text says he came to himself. He realized that he had sinned against his earthly father but in a deeper sense he had sinned against God. He comes up with a plan to go back and offer to be a servant for his father. He even prepares a speech. He acknowledges that if he stays the same and keeps going where he’s at, he will die.
We come to the end of ourselves.
We realize that we cannot save ourselves.
We realize that we cannot stay in the same place or we will die.
And we realize we have a loving father who values his servants more than the type of treatment I’m getting away from him.
We must come to the conviction that we have sinned against God. We agree with God that we have sinned and confess that to Him. We go to Him.
With his plan in place, he heads home. Something wild happens in verse 20. While he is still a long way off his father sees him, has compassion, ran to him, embraced him, and kisses him. Running was thought to be undignified for an older person and especially so for a wealthy landowner. The father set that aside when he saw his son a long way off. The fact that he appears to have been occasionally checking for him or looking off in the distance is pretty amazing as well.
He ran. This denotes how swift God is to show mercy. The prodigal son came slowly, under a burden of shame and fear; but the tender father ran to meet him with his encouragements. - Matthew Henry
The kid starts in on his speech but gets cut off by his dad exemplifying that all had been forgiven.
22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.
This is a picture of the best clothing being bought and put on the son. The ring may have contained a seal signifying that he had been reconciled with the father and brought back as a full and total member of the family.
The fattened calf was kept and cared for to be used for special occasions. This was to be eaten in thanksgiving to God and not just for self-indulgence. The father pulled out all the stops to celebrate that God had brought the son back to him. The level of thankfulness and rejoicing is evident in the words the father uses in verse 24.
24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
We must remember that this is a story Jesus told. He was telling the story to relate deep spiritual truth. The younger son represents the tax collectors and sinners, that believe in Jesus and heaven rejoices at their repentance. Of course they were listening to these parables but the Jesus’ likely primarily intended audience was the grumbling Pharisees. And understanding this helps us look at how they are represented by the older son in this last of the three parables.
IV. The nearby lost one who refuses to come in. (v. 25-32)
IV. The nearby lost one who refuses to come in. (v. 25-32)
25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.
26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.
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 was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him,
29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends.
30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’
31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.
32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’ ”
The older son was angry. This mirrors the grumbling we see from the Pharisees back in verse 2.
He doesn’t think it’s fair that this other son (note that he doesn’t even acknowledge him as his brother) is given this lavish welcome and party when he had stayed loyal to his father and never had any celebration. Do you see the self-righteousness on display. “I was so good and loyal and did everything you wanted.” It’s almost a sense of entitlement. He shows he does not understand grace. I hope you can see the vast contrast between the mercy and grace the father gives and this self-righteous resentment of this older brother. The Father represents God and the older brother’s attitude is exemplified by the Pharisees.
But let me show you again, the incredible grace of Jesus. Look to verse 31.
31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.
The father gives a loving appeal to the older brother. He calls him son. YOu can hear the affection.
Even while they have grumbled and been self righteous and even against Him, Jesus is still inviting the Pharisees to repent and enter the kingdom. If they would repent right then and put their trust in Christ, they would be saved and welcomed into God’s family.
Conclusion:
32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’ ”
The son was for all intents and purposes dead to the father. He was gone and every trace was gone. He was lost to the father and the family. This is a picture of those dead in their sin being raised to new life in Christ and restored to relationship with God and welcomed into the family of God.
Mankind
Sin - dead in our sin
Redemption - Christ’s atoning sacrifice and resurrection.
Repentance and Restoration
The prodigal son is neither a backslider nor a sinner. The prodigal son is the human race; they went out to the pigsty in Adam and came back in Christ, My Son. - A. W. Tozer
And great is the rejoicing when a sinner repents and is restored to the Father!
1843We are happy when God blesses us, but not so happy as God is. We are glad when we are pardoned, but he that pardons us is gladder still. The prodigal going back to his home was very happy, but not so delighted as his father, who could say, “This my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.” The father’s heart was by far the larger heart, so that it could hold more joy.—34.428
Charles Spurgeon
The Pharisees, the people who should have been pointing people to God were actually upset that some of these unsavory people might warrant Jesus’ attention. How backwards when those who should point people to God actually turn them away from Him instead.
The father in the parable was glad when his prodigal son was found. But he would have been gladder still had a brother found him. — Charles Spurgeon
Believe it yourself. Be watchful of your own soul and your own attitude toward others who need the gospel. Remember your need. Remember when you were the miserable, starving prodigal. You still need Jesus.
Share it even with those who you think are the least likely to believe.
Pray.
