The Lost Sheep
Matthew 18 : 12-14; Luke 15: 1-7
∗ Jesus is on His move toward Jerusalem.
∗ Tax collectors and sinners are attracted by Jesus.
∗ Jesus is associating with them willingly.
JESUS TREATS THEM WITH RESPECT.
PHARISEES START CRITICISING JESUS.
∗ Jesus brings forth an effective parable to them.
∗ A man who has a hundred sheep, loses one. He finds that one.
∗ Isn’t natural for the man to rejoice over that one, he has lost and has found rather than rejoicing over the ninety nine?
IT’S A UNIVERSAL FEELING.
∗ Likewise the Father in Heaven has concern and love for lost people.
∗ There’s rejoicing in Heaven, when even one sinner repents. Such is His love.
The Lost Coin
Luke 15: 8-10
∗This is the second parable Jesus talks about to the Pharisees.
∗ It’s similar to the first one.
∗ First one was a sheep, but this is about a lost coin.
∗ The woman who has lost the coin; makes a thorough search by lighting the lamp and sweeping the floor.
∗ When she finds it, her joy knows no bounds.
∗ Such is joy in the Kingdom of Heaven over a sinner who repents.
JESUS SAVES US FROM OUR SINS.
The Lost Son
Luke 15:11-35
∗ This is also known as the Parable of the Prodigal Son.
∗ This Parable is the most familiar and beloved of all Christ’s parables.
∗ It’s one of the longest and the detailed parables.
∗ Unlike other parables, it has more than one lesson.
∗ The prodigal son is an example of sound repentance.
THE FATHER
∗ The father pictures God, eager to forgive and is longing for the return of the sinner.
∗ He forgives his son without a single word of rebuke for the past.
∗ He restores his sonship by providing a robe, a ring and sandals.
∗ The fatted calf is reserved only for special occasions.
∗ It symbolises the lavishness of salvation’s blessings.
THE OLDER SON:
∗ He symbolises the Pharisee, the hypocritical religious person, who stays to the place of the Father ( the temple) but has sense of sin, no real love for Father and no interest in repenting from his sins. He is contemptuous by showing his refusal to participate in his father’s joy.
THE YOUNGEST SON:
∗ A shocking request of his inheritance while his father lived, is a sin
∗ He is heading into a life of iniquity.
∗ Feeding the swine is a degrading job because swine are the unclean animals.
∗ When ‘he came to senses’ shows his repentance.
FURTHER REVIEW
∗ Jesus narrates the parable of a sheep which is lost, then a silver coin in the next, followed by a son in the third. It shows the degrees of comparison. Loosing a sheep is bad. Loosing the jewellery is worse. Loosing a son is the worst while counting their values.
∗Seeking after only 1 of 100 sheep, then 1 of 10 coins, then 1 of 2 sons gives the digital values. This shows God’s personal concern for individuals. It is a great comfort to the “sinners” because Jesus has come to the earth to save the sinners.
∗ Jesus has employed all the three tenses of grammar, while explaining ‘rejoicing’ – from future tense, to present, and then to past tense: “will be more joy” to “there is joy” and finally “had to be.” This shows the certainty of God’s acceptance of those who repent.
∗ The sheep is lost in open fields, the coin is lost in the dirt that is swept up, and son lost in the mud of a pigsty before coming to his senses. The earthly losses refer to the sins of the world.
GOD…….
∗ possesses something valuable and does not want to lose it.
∗ expresses His mercy and grace to the sinners.
∗ values and cares for the individuals.
∗ joyfully receives the sinners back, just as He does, when we repent and return to Him.
∗ rejoices in the finding the lost thing, but does not rejoice alone.
Lets pray……
Lord, let’s have more concern for the people who are lost and vulnerable rather than the believers and make us to understand the Kingdom of Heaven.
Lord, let’s be the cause for the rejoicing in Your Kingdom.
Lord, let’s ask repentance for our sins, for You are the forgiving Father forever.
Lord, we thank You, for You are the Saviour. Amen.
Glory be to God
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