A Trip to the Lost and Found

A Trip To The Lost and Found Luke 15 1-32

Tuesday, May 8, 2018

9:30 PM

Read verses 1-3

I love how the Wesley Study Bible introduces this chapter:

"This chapter focuses upon the divine “lost and found” (vv. 6, 9, 32) and upon joy and celebration (vv. 7, 9, 32). The chapter is introduced by a contrast between two different types of characters and two different responses to Jesus’ ministry. On one hand, the “tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen” to Jesus (v. 1). On the other hand, the “Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling” (v. 2). The three parables are intended to move the second group from “grumbling” to rejoicing. The Pharisees should probably see themselves as the “friends and neighbors” in the first two parables (vv. 6, 9)."

Wesley Study Bible.

I remember in school we would have a "lost and found" box sometimes in our classroom but also usually in another public area like the cafeteria or the principal's office. A place for things that had been lost.

Last year I was amazed at youth camp how many clothes are lost there. Just the jr boy's dorm alone had a huge black trash bag full of towels, pants, and other miscellaneous articles of clothing that were lost, and as far as I know never returned to their rightful owner.

This chapter gives us a picture as it were of Jesus coming to the "divine lost and found box" and finding those things that have been lost to him.

Now I want to describe for a moment how he chooses. He does not pick at random, he doesn't look in and see which one looks better, but if you look at the first few verses of this passage you will see the principle Jesus uses when he comes to the Lost and Found -

Jesus had been reproving their sins, and they acknowledged that He was right taking sides with Christ against themselves in true repentance. When Jesus looks in and sees people with a heart like that he snatches them up in a hurry and says, "This one is mine."

Let's look for a few moments at these three pictures this morning -

The lost sheep - Helps us see that it is Jesus who does the looking Helps us see that He searches for that one lost sheep "UNTIL" Helps us see the rejoicing over finding that one lost sheep The Lost Coin Helps us see how precious that lost thing is Palestinian women received 10 silver coins as a wedding gift. Besides their monetary value, these coins held sentimental value like that of a wedding ring, and to lose one would be extremely distressing.

Life Application Study Bible.

Helps us see the diligence with which he searches.

Again Helps us see the rejoicing over finding the lost coin The Lost Boy - Helps us see the loneliness and abandoned feeling of being lost Helps us see the acceptance and forgiveness (atonement is not mentioned here so we tend to imply it) of the Father when the lost boy returns.

All of these parables were leading up to the point of the other brother and how the pharisees and scribes were like him - they didn't even know the Father even though they stayed with Him and lived there. They were more like the servant doing their duty and that is all, grumbling and murmuring

But these parables also show God’s concern and compassion for sinners, but not for sinners en masse, but for individual sinners. The shepherd goes after one sheep. The woman hunts diligently for a single coin. The Good Shepherd knows His sheep by name (John 10:3). He calls them individually to come to Himself. He cares about every lost sinner who needs repentance. He cares for you.

On a cold night in England many years ago, a group of children slipped into a church to get warm. The preacher was speaking on Luke 15:2, which in the King James Version reads, “This man receiveth sinners and eateth with them.”

Afterwards, one of the children, a girl of 8, went up to the pastor and said, “Pardon me, sir, but I didn’t know that my name was in the Bible.” He asked, “What is your name?” “Edith, sir.” “No,” he said, “Edith is not in the Bible.” “Yes, it is,” she replied. “I heard you say, ‘This man receiveth sinners, and Edith with them.’” (In “Our Daily Bread.”)

Even though that girl misunderstood the text, she had applied the truth personally to her own heart. If you know that there are sins in your heart that need God’s merciful forgiveness, put your name in there. “This man receives sinners, and [Steve] with them.” If you will join the tax gatherers and sinners and draw near to Jesus and listen to Him, you will know the joy of singing, “I once was lost, but now I’m found!” From <https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-71-god%E2%80%99s-lost-and-found-luke-151-10>

I don't ever think I will forget the evening driving home the 30-40 minutes from Offalon, MO where I worked to Foley where I lived. I had the radio on and they broke into the program that was on with the news that Shawn Hornbeck was found.

Now I don't know if you all were familiar with the story out here or not - but Shawn Hornbeck at 11 years old, was last seen riding his bicycle about half a mile from his home in Richwoods, in Washington County. That was October 6, 2002

He was found in the home of Devlin in Kirkwood Mo on Jan 11, 2007 along with another boy who had gone missing shortly before that.

I remember crying on the way home in joy had been following the story somewhat as it was major news around where I lived. And to hear that both boys was found was just amazing and inspiring.

I remember the gifts that were showered on them the joy the love the acceptance. Now neither boy had caused this to happen to themselves - and neither have we.

They were trapped in a horrific situation and so are we until "HE COMES"

When Jesus comes to the Lost and Found and finds us in there he "Picks us up puts us on His shoulder and takes us home"

This morning do you know where you are?

Are you in Father's Fold or still in the Lost and Found?

You can be found today - you can come to Father's house.