Today, I testify to the greatness of my Shepherd, that He would allow me to hear His voice. Neither did the Pharisees, for their early protest to Jesus had to do with His celebrating (cf. I prefer, however, another view. The author is not writing to believers here but about unbelievers. When a self-righteous person continues in his self-righteousness, he gets the glory and God is not pleased. Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular. Thanks for stopping by! This son of mine was dead, and is alive again! Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Bibles. It isnt that the Pharisees and scribes found it impossible to rejoice; they actively resistedthey grumbled. The seriousness of the young brothers sins can only be understood in the light of his identity (I am assuming) as an Israelite. Copyright 2010-2023 Telling Ministries LLC. John 5:21,24,25 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will, Luke 15:4,8 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? Notice that he does not speak of my son but of your brother. Morris, p. 244. Your brother has come, he replied, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound. The older brother became angry and refused to go in. Salvation, Scripture: Romans 5:15; Psalm 66:16; John 9:25, Timeless Truths Free Online Library | books, sheet music, midi, and more. Grace, All you must do is to repentto admit your sin, and to receive Gods gift of eternal salvation. 1 John 5:10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. Peter tells us that the angels long to look into the matters of our salvation (1 Pet. Lost and Found (Luke 15:1-32) Introduction I have always had a special joy in finding lost things. To come to life again, revive, regain life. Ask God to burden your heart with the lost and to give you opportunities to pursue them with the gospel. We saw the same thing back in Luke 5:32, when the Pharisees grumbled because Jesus and His disciples ate with the sinners at Levis house. Specifically, they were grumbling about the fact that Jesus received sinners2 and ate with them (v. 2). They know the joys of Gods glorious presence in heaven, where those rescued by the Good Shepherd will spend eternity. The older brother expected to be rewarded on the basis of his works, and he would likewise have expected his younger brother to have been disowned due to his works (sins). Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? 21:17). And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin. In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.. Then Old Testament had very specific legislating to assure that the inheritance of each family was kept within the family, and that the children cared for their parents. (7) Both sons were sinners. Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not. What do I do about calling a priest father at my Catholic University? We are very much the same way with God. (4) Neither son seems to have really appreciated or loved their father, even though he loved both of them. God has no aborted children of God! My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back. Esth 3;10; 8:2; Gen 41:42), the shoes a sign of a free manslaves went barefootand the feast a sign of joy Talbert, p. 150. If the Good Shepherd has saved you, He will keep you from falling. So many people think they can lose their salvation, but what does the Bible say about eternal security? Bright, shining as the sun. (2) Both sons wanted to celebrate WITHOUT THEIR FATHER. Its not like the old hymn with a new twist where it says, I was once lost, but now am foundbut then I was lost again.. It actually says a lot about the security of the saints, and its not up to the saints to hold onto it by their own efforts alone. The things that make us happy reflect our values or what we consider important. Didnt you do your part before God did His? The new Christian jumped to his feet and said, Oh, yes, I did. This is what the third parable will tell us. In a similar way, Jesus added, all of heaven rejoices over the repentance of one lost sinner. For this son of mine was dead and has come back to lifehe was lost and is found! Then they began to celebrate. He calls them individually to come to Himself. Sometimes in the office, I misplace an illustration or article that I need for reference in a sermon. 1 The Pharisees words are pregnant with meaning, I believe. They are not in the fold or household of faith, but in the household of Israel, made up both of those who are saved and those who are not. He sent His Son to secure your redemption by His blood. The younger one said to his father, Father, give me my share of the estate. So he divided his property between them. Even if he becomes aware of his condition, there is nothing he can do about it. Let us seek to find out where the older brother was wrong, and to learn how his attitudes and actions characterize and condemn sin in our lives. p. 241. I was on my way to the office when I encountered it. Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, NT Gospels: Luke 15:24 For this my son was dead (Luke Lu Lk). Do we rejoice when we get a new car? John 5:11 He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. The angels shouldnt be so fast on their joy! Sinners in our minds are those who are characterized by certain socially unacceptable activities. One of my best finds was a C4 automatic transmission, laying right in 25 "Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. 7 The father, to the best of my knowledge, did not restore to the son what he had lost, but he did restore him to the full benefits of being a member of the familyin other words, the inheritance, which he squandered was not replenished, but he was given a coat, a ring, and sandals. Which one of them, if they owned 100 sheep, would not leave the 99 to search for but one lost sheep? Jesus, Peter reminds his readers, is the only shepherd that could rescue and return them from their lostness. In either case, you are worthy only of Gods condemnation. Not one whom the Father has chosen and given to the Son will be lost, or else Satan and his evil forces would rejoice and the angels in heaven would mourn. The first run-in between Jesus and the Pharisees had to do with Jesus authority to forgive sins, which was only the prerogative of God (Luke 5:17-26). Now, just now, at this moment. A highway will be there, a roadway,And it will be called the Highway of Holiness.The unclean will not travel on it,But it will be for him who walks that way,And fools will not wander on it. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. Mark 8:22 And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. As we (true believers) remember that we were once lost (in sin), how can we now as followers of Jesus Christ help those who are still lost? (2) The Pharisees loved to restrict the saved to a select few, the elite of Judaism (Matthew 23:13). - He therefore answered (and said), Whether he be a sinner - using the words of "the Jews" ironically - I know not.You assert it, but the facts of my experience are I am, exist. A lost dog might eventually find its way home, but a lost sheep is unable to do so. blind. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? As Peter comes to the conclusion of this passage, he refers again to Isaiah 53. Surely the law is not going to be lost to the priest, nor counsel to the sage, nor the divine word to the prophet! In the case of the woman and her coin, everything was set aside until she found that coin. Repentance means turning to God from our sins. Sin, from a biblical point of view, is often characterized more in terms of attitudes. Let us seek the illumination of Gods Spirit as we approach this very important passage of Gods Word, so that we may learn what our Lord wanted His audience to understand. He could then no longer dispose of the capital, only of his interest in the income. Bring the best robe and put it on him. This family avoided their lost neighbors and rejoiced when they finally moved away. For the younger son, the father was the provider of the inheritance, so he could indulge his fleshly desires. He finished with He who has ears to hear, let him hear. Lukes very next words inform us that these sinners came near to hear him. Leon Morris, The Gospel According To St. Luke, The Tyndale Bible Commentary Series, R. V. G. Tasker, General Editor (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1974), p. 238. Once again, it is assumed by our Lord that all of His audience would be nodding their heads in agreement. How different these two sons were, in some ways: (1) The younger son left home; the older stayed home. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. A primary pronoun of the first person I. Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular. If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying? The older brother was angry with the father because he felt he did not get what he deserved (a banquet), while the younger brother got what he didnt deserve (a banquet). They never went to church. When the father came out to his older son, to appeal to him to join in on the celebration, the older son refused. The older brother did not leave him, but did not enjoy him either. Would they not tenderly put the sheep on their shoulders, lovingly carrying it back to the fold, rather than kicking it back, scolding it all the way? What did give them joy? Today, it stands as a testimony of what was. My dear people of Mars Hill Baptist Church, my Shepherd reminds me today that I too am a testimony of what was. But unlike this special house, I have a different testimony; I once was empty, lost and undone, wandering aimlessly in my sin, but the Great Shepherd came and found me. (3) In both cases, the owner seeks diligently and persistently. Few of us will choose to identify with the older brother, and yet, in the context of chapter 15, he is the central figure, his sin is most in view, and his reaction to his brothers repentance and return is our Lords explanation for the grumbling of the Pharisees and scribes. (4) The Pharisees sought to protect and promote their own hypocrisy by concentrating on external sins, rather than inner attitudes and motivations (Matthew 23:13-14, 25-36). He had hoped, at best, for a little bread; his father provided a banquet. | Echoes from Heaven It is my contention that the first two parables are a pair, emphasizing the same truth. (primarily physical), I look, see, perceive, discern. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him! My son, the father said, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. WebYou were like sheep that had lost their way, but now you have been brought back to follow the Shepherd and Keeper of your souls. Our text is Lukes account of three parables, each of which describes the finding of a lost item, and each of which describes the joy and celebration which resulted. Verse Concepts. God was going to bless His people in the land. She didnt go to the stream to wash her laundry. What does death mean to a lost sheep (someone without Jesus Christ)? Bible verses about Lost And Found. Luke 15:11-32 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful. And he said, There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me. The young man was forced to hire himself out as a slave, and his job was the unpleasant task of caring for swine. Jesus maintained His holiness and yet sinners seemed comfortable in His presence. Rather than avoiding sinners, we should be pursuing them, not to run with them in their sins, but to rescue them from this evil world. This, too, did not seem enough to this older son. If you seek her as silverAnd search for her as for hidden treasures; We do not see our signs;There is no longer any prophet,Nor is there any among us who knows how long. The structure of the entire chapter can be summarized as follows: (1) The Pharisees Response To Jesus Association with SinnersVerses 1 & 2, (2) Mans Response to the Lost, Compared with HeavensVerses 3-10, (3) The Older Brothers Response to the Return of His Sinful Brothervv. As I sit at the dining room table surrounded by books, I feel the loving and tender presence of my dear Shepherd. They took good care of their house and lawn. He sent the Holy Spirit to pursue you with the good news that Christ died for your sins. Great sums of money and many hours of time were expended in trying to recover this lost child. When a sinner turns from his sins to God, all heaven rejoices because God gets the glory. Would she not have found the lost coin eventually? And when the older brother refused to participate, the father sought him out and appealed to him to join in the celebration, which he saw not only as permissible, but as necessary.8 The father was as gracious to the older brother as he was to the younger. The words of this famous hymn by John Newton seem to resonate with people of all theological From, tuphoo; opaque, i.e. He was the well-known "blind man," whose experience of his own blindness had extended from birth to manhood. Should one abandon the 99 sheep, leaving them vulnerable to getting lost or to attack by wild animals? What if he repents but later falls away and is lost? My people have become lost sheep;Their shepherds have led them astray.They have made them turn aside on the mountains;They have gone along from mountain to hillAnd have forgotten their resting place. He told it because the Pharisees trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt. Thus the righteous are the self-righteous who need to repent just as much as the tax gatherers and sinners, but who are blind to their need. Her meal preparation was postponed. all of Philippians). And now he is alive again. The sins of these two sons were very different in their outward manifestations, but inwardly they had the same roots. You cannot have one without the other. Many also cite Hebrews 10:26-29 which says, For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. One of my best finds was a C4 automatic transmission, laying right in the middle of the road. We would look at the compliant, hard-working older brother and commend him. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. Adultery is always evil, for example. Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. He gave the Lord all the glory, saying nothing about anything that he had done. Bring the best robe and put it on him. He has filled me with His Spirit and given me eternal life in Him. For the Pharisees, this was a humiliating exposure of their sin and their hypocrisy. The younger son loved material thingsmoneymore than his father or than his family, because he asked for his portion at the expense and risk of his family. From eu and phren; to put in a good frame of mind, i.e. They could not find their way; they would have forever remained lost, had it not been for the Shepherd. Web2 Timothy 4:17 - Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was (2) In both parables, the owner takes the initiative, seeking the lost. This included the necessity of living a life that was very distinct (holy) from that of the heathen. Sinning, sinful, depraved, detestable. I am now convinced of one thing: the parable of the prodigal son is not recorded in Scripture primarily as instruction to parents of wayward children. 32 It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found. John 14.1-3 NKJV He graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M., 1976 in Bible exposition) and Califo More, Acts 11:18), and is inextricably bound up with saving faith. The angels also rejoice because they know the terrors of hell that would overtake lost sinners, were it not for Gods redeeming grace. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, This man1 welcomes sinners and eats with them.. They only got a taste or sample of it, so this is not about believers. For all who call on the Lord WILL be saved! (Romans 10:14) Please know, I am NOT here to judge you. First, there is no attempt to minimize the seriousness or the foolishness of the sins of the younger son. The angels revel in the glory of God and God is glorified in His sovereign grace, secured by the death of Christ and revealed to undeserving sinners by the Holy Spirit. Impossible! Once again, heavens joy at the repentance of one sinner is like this (note, in the same way, v. 10, for the second time). The young man realized his folly and he returned to face his father. eternal security, Her one consuming focus was on looking for that lost coin, no matter how much effort it took. Come on and let us strike at him with our tongue, and let us give no heed to any of his words., Now the donkeys of Kish, Sauls father, were lost. Jesus was, in the minds of the Pharisees, upstaging them. God is the One Who preserves us and keeps us in His name. If God so rejoices when sinners repent, should not we? The Cross And Separation From The World (1 Peter 4:1-6), 7. This interruption is one more indication of the fathers great love. (7) In both cases, I believe, the parable is not primarily intended as a picture of Gods seeking after lost men, but of men seeking after lost things. As for your donkeys which were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they have been found. They declare that he has not been healed. How can we do the same? Focus on the great truth that Jesus took upon Himself our sinsthe guilt, the judgment, and the punishment, and bore them for us. The person in charge of the meeting was a legalistic man who did not understand the fact that salvation is totally by Gods grace, apart from human merit or works. (6) In both cases, it is not men who are lost, but things, and it is man (generically speaking, for there is both a man and a woman) that seeks diligently to find what is lost. The IRS has done it again. The fathers words to his older son seem to say, The fatted calf (celebration and joy) were yours to enjoy at any time. The older brother did not think so. From ekei; that one (neuter) thing); often intensified by the article prefixed. It is as though the angels were leaning over the rail of heaven, straining to see just one saint come to repentance and faith. Joy is to be one of the characteristics of the Christian. 630 Weakley Creek Road and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God. Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular. because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found. Then the celebration began. Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. Should she be so happy at finding this coin? The younger son was first of all enslaved by his passions (sins), and also by a foreign employer. And would they not then let their friends know of their success and have them over to celebrate the finding of the one lost sheep? The father had to do it. He knew that this would necessitate facing his father, and so he rehearsed his repentance speech, one that he was never allowed to finish. Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular. If, in the gospels we find Christ closely associating with sinners, then we can both have union with Christ and intimate association with sinners at the same time. Repentance begins by seeing ones actions as sinful, first in the sight of God, and then in the sight of men. To begin. Some argue that you can have saving faith without repentance.

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