Why were they unwilling to associate with them? The fathers second statement was to remind the older son that he possessed all that was his: and all that is mine is yours (v. 31b). Thus weve seen that sinners are lost until God finds them and that He goes to great effort to seek and save them. Earlier, it was my understanding that the first two parables described Gods heart for the lost. I think that there is much to be learned by Christians in the area of separation and holiness. Unbelievers are lost and helpless, prey for the enemy unless God intervenes. How can we do the same? Grace, A Biblical Analysis. Lost and Found (Luke 15:1-32) Introduction I have always had a special joy in finding lost things. Lawrenceburg, Tennessee 38464 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. The most dramatic example of this in recent times was the rejoicing of the nation as Jessica McClure emerged from a well shaft, where she had been lost for several days. The celebration will undoubtedly be a banquet feast, with lots of meat served. Should all Christians be seeking to spend time with the lost, or just those with the gift of evangelism? Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. It seems to me that many Christians are sad sacks, devoid of joy, because they have lost sight of their own salvation by grace, and they are not involved in leading others to it. Jack has written 1300 articles on What Christians Want To Know! Web22 But the father said to his servants, Quick! Joy, to this fellow, was not possible in the confining environment of his faith and his family. In response to the fathers words to the oldest son, My child, you have always been with me, the older sons response, though unstated, seems to have been, So what? or, Big deal!.. Consider the similarities in these two sons with me for a moment. KJ21. 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 was lost, but now he is found. So the party began. 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. Jesus always looked at the heart. Such pagans are not to be found only in far away countries. 1:4, 5). | Echoes from Heaven What did give them joy? For related ideas, search our website for "Parables of Jesus." But God took out after me and ran me down. How much like the Heavenly Father he is. They failed to see themselves as unworthy sinners (like the prodigal did), and thus they not only rejected Gods grace, they disdained it. What does death mean to a lost sheep (someone without Jesus Christ)? We felt a wave of horror sweep over us, followed by about ten minutes of frantic searching that seemed much longer. The Good Shepherd knows His sheep by name (John 10:3). Some manuscripts do not allow the father to interrupt his son, and to cut his confession short. Take a moment and pray for the lost sheep. The father ran to meet the son. We, like the Pharisees, seem to think that our holiness is measured by the distance we keep from sinners. The Bible speaks of holiness in terms of the closeness we keep to Christ. For you are our glory and joy (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20). If the thought of standing before the holy God who knows everything you have ever thought, said, or done frightens you, because you know that your sin is great, dont run! There are many similarities between the prophet Jonah in the Old Testament and this older brother. So many people think they can lose their salvation, but what does the Bible say about eternal security? While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. They believed that they, by keeping the law, could earn Gods favor, and that unworthy sinners would be condemned to hell. What Do the Four Soils in the Parable of the Sower Represent? sinners Psalm 91:11 KJV For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. Wednesday WebBring the best robe and put it on him. The older brother failed to see that he was a sinner, and he also failed to understand that God has provided salvation for all sinners who truly repent. . They referred to Jesus as this man. I believe this is intended to be a specific reminder to the crowds that Jesus was just a man and not God. My friend, it matters little whether you are a socially acceptable sinnerlike the Phariseesor a socially unacceptable sinnerlike the prodigal. Specifically, they were grumbling about the fact that Jesus received sinners2 and ate with them (v. 2). I believe that the fullest explanation of this is to be found in Matthews gospel, in the 23rd chapter. (2) You have given your other son a banquet, when all he did was to sin. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. He knew the nature of sheep, that they are prone to stray, to get lost and to stay lost without the help of a shepherd. NASB 1977 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. The biblical description of those who do not know Jesus Christ is not unsaved, but lost. He knew the nature of sheep, that they are prone to stray, to get lost and to stay lost without the help of a shepherd. As Peter comes to the conclusion of this passage, he refers again to Isaiah 53. He learns from a servant that his brother has returned, that the father has received him, and that a celebration has been called. So he responded to the young mans comments by saying, You seem to indicate that God did everything when He saved you. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. So they began to celebrate. God is the One Who preserves us and keeps us in His name. The sons repentant spirit is reflected in his deep sense of unworthiness. This is why I plead with you today to repent and put your trust in Christ. When a self-righteous person continues in his self-righteousness, he gets the glory and God is not pleased. He was lost, and now he has been found. And they began to celebrate. to fulfill the word which He spoke, Of those whom You have given Me I lost not one., For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.. (3) The younger lost his inheritance; the older did not. Not so with sheep. GNV For this my son was dead, and is alive again: and he was lost, but he is The woman did not give up until she found that missing coin. But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. This is one place where the answer is clear, in my opinion. 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. 8 It was fitting is not strong enough for his word edei, which means It was necessary. The welcome to the younger son was not simply a good thing which might or might not have occurred. It is because of the authors conclusion that if they reject their only way to be saved, there is no longer a sacrifice for their sins. The author is not writing to believers here but about unbelievers. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, Updated Edition The Lockman Foundation, Related Topics: Hamartiology (Sin), Soteriology (Salvation), Steve served as the pastor of Flagstaff Christian Fellowship from May, 1992 through his retirement in December, 2018. And the first family lived happily ever after, never bothered by their neighbors again. Once again, heavens joy at the repentance of one sinner is like this (note, in the same way, v. 10, for the second time). Thus, the words of the son to his father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight (v. 18, NASB). If you are saved, you know that it is not because you sought after God, but because God sought after you and kept seeking until He rescued you from your sin. The angels also rejoice because they know the terrors of hell that would overtake lost sinners, were it not for Gods redeeming grace. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc. blind. He had to expose himself to the dangers of the wilderness and the weather. Bright, shining as the sun. The Cross And Our Response to Trials (1 Peter 4:12-19), 8. Slaving seemed to be the principle governing him in his relationship with his father, not celebrating. Sinners in our minds are those who are characterized by certain socially unacceptable activities. He was dead and now he is alive again. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.. Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? He had been lost and now he is found. He was the well-known "blind man," whose experience of his own blindness had extended from birth to manhood. (6) The younger repented; the older resented. Peter had also gained a great knowledge about sheep by the teachings. 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. Now you see why the masses went to Jesus. After this, the issue of Jesus association with sinners arose (5:27ff.). Resource Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), Crossway Bibles. 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 The problem of the Pharisees was that they were too good for their own good. The Pharisees were out of sync with heaven. But the point is, the shepherd and the woman did whatever it took, however costly, to find the missing sheep or coin. It showed the effort and danger that the shepherd went to in order to rescue his lost sheep. The older son protested to his father that he had not been given a party. Paul says that the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ (2 Cor. But he could make gifts before he died and this gave him a freer hand (SB). But the recipient could get nothing until the death of the giver. I will feed them with judgment. (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. From 1977-1992 he was the pastor of Lake Gregory Community Church in Crestline, California. The message which these three parables brought home to the Pharisees and scribes is painfully clear: they had too much compassion on their own lost possessions, but they cared little for lost people. Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. | The Blue Book And grace will lead us home. The sins of these two sons were very different in their outward manifestations, but inwardly they had the same roots. 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. What was it in Matthew 23 which characterized the Pharisees and scribes, and which helps us to understand their agony at seeing sinners flock to Jesus? They wandered in the wilderness in a desert region; They did not find a way to an inhabited city. The older brother refused to celebrate with his father (and younger brother), but he indicated a strong desire to have been allowed to have a banquet WITH HIS FRIENDS. Literal Standard Version No more groveling for this repentant son. Once again, the search and the rejoicing seems to be overdone, when it comes to the sheep and the silver (coin). We will not seek the salvation of those whom we will not also welcome into our fellowship. my son, was dead, and has come back to life again; he was lost, and has been found. So they began to celebrate. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? Note four things: Both the shepherd and the woman realized the problem and took the initiative to deal with it. It has been said that in the Old Testament we see sheep dying on the altar for the shepherd, but in the New Testament, we find the shepherd dying for the sheep at Calvary. Why are all of our righteous acts considered filthy rags? I am no longer empty and lifeless. Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? Bring the best robe and put it on him. Jesus began by directing His critics attention to their own attitudes and actions as it related to a lost sheep. That initiative springs out of His great love and compassion. All rights reserved. Lets clear this matter up, so that Christianity can cut across social lines and into our culture. Jesus did not selfishly cling to the glory and beauty and comfort of heaven, but He laid aside His rights and came to this earth, not as the mighty King to judge sinners, but as the lowly servant to give His life a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). The Pharisees were hypocrites. We most often tend to think of Him as the giver, rather than as the gift. For this son of mine was dead and has come back to lifehe was lost and is found! Then they began to celebrate. for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. And they began to be merry. The only reason they were found is that the shepherd and the woman initiated a diligent search for them. A time to search and a time to give up as lost; Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me; And it will be called the Highway of Holiness. Then they said, Come and let us devise plans against Jeremiah. All these years Ive been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders (Luke 15:29). The same lions or wolves that were stalking his sheep might stalk him as well. Jesus shows us that . Here is some related reading for you: Can a Christian Lose Their Salvation? If He so seeks lost sinners, should not we? (4) The younger did not any longer feel worthy of his fathers blessings; the older did. Peter reminds his readers that they too were once lost, wandering aimlessly in their sins. From an apparently primary nekus; dead. Great sums of money and many hours of time were expended in trying to recover this lost child. Let me summarize several pertinent characteristics of the Pharisees, as our Lord exposed them: (1) The Pharisees loved the place of honor at banquets (Matthew 23:5). The woman who lost her coin sets aside all her other work and diligently searches until she finds it. But, thank God, He has intervened! There are many lessons here for Christians (saved sinners), as well as those who are, as yet, unrepentant sinners. The young man did not gain all the material possessions he had lost, but he did regain the joy and privileges of his status as a son. Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, NT Gospels: John 9:25 He therefore answered I don't know if (Jhn Jo Jn). And they began to make a simcha. But it will be for him who walks that way. 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. There are no demands. In this chapter, Jesus stripped away all of the facade of self-righteousness and spirituality which surrounded the Pharisees. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them but dung, that I may win Christ. (3) Both sons seemed to feel that joy and celebration were not possible with their father. The apostle Paul was motivated by joy, even in the midst of great suffering, danger, and tribulation (cf. 9:16f. [For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.]. 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). Jesus condemned this in Matthews account. If you're lost, He will find you because He loves you. Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. and they said to Moses, Your servants have taken a census of men of war who are in our charge, and no man of us is missing. This is because, at the moment, it is the return and reception of the lost which is at issue, not the righteousness of the righteous. This is, of course, the flip side of the first protest. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In Luke 15, this parable serves as the Lords final, forceful response to the grumbling of the Pharisees at His response to sinners. Rather, do what these sinners in Jesus day did: Draw near to Him and listen to Him. Why were they unwilling to seek to save sinners and unable to rejoice at their repentance? Note with me the following characteristics of the first two parables, which is a key to our understanding what Jesus meant to be understood by them, as well as the basis upon which the third parable can be interpreted. WebThis is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. The assumption is that every one of the Pharisees would have responded to the loss and finding of one sheep just as Jesus suggested. He places the two things in contrast. First, there is no attempt to minimize the seriousness or the foolishness of the sins of the younger son. A primary pronoun of the first person I. Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular. 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. While the sheep-owner and the housewife accurately depicted the concern of the Pharisees for their possessions, it is the loving father of this parable who depicts the heart of the loving Heavenly Father, who longs for the return of the sinner, who willingly grants forgiveness, and who rejoices in the return of the wayward. to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. What do I do about calling a priest father at my Catholic University? He did not force the son to grovel. When a person savingly believes in Christ, he turns from his sins and trusts in Gods mercy. Peter had also gained a great knowledge about sheep by the teachings. For the older son, the father was the owner of the fatted calf, the one who, if willing, was able to throw a party for he and his friends. Thus Jesus was using irony to show them their self-righteous pride, especially in the case of the older brother who could not bring himself to rejoice at his brothers repentance. They only got a taste or sample of it, so this is not about believers. But when we hear of a sinner getting saved, we say, Thats nice. God greatly rejoices when a sinner repents; so should we. The late Bible teacher, Harry Ironside, told of a new convert who gave his testimony at a church service. WebAnd when she hath found [it], she calleth [her] friends and [her] neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. As in the poem, The Hound of Heaven, He keeps after the straying sinner until He rescues him and brings him home. Jesus owns up to the Pharisees charge and defends Himself by telling three parables that all make the same point, although with different emphases: God goes to great effort to seek lost sinners and He greatly rejoices when they come to repentance. The older brothers works didnt work, but the younger brothers repentance did. And the new neighbors were decent people who kept up the house and yard, never smoked or drank or used drugs. Wheres the balance between bad company corrupts good morals (1 Cor. After the extra point was kicked he mumbled, Divorce, huh? Next week we will study the parable of the lost (or prodigal) son. And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. It did not produce warm, fuzzy feelings, at least not for those Pharisees who understood what Jesus was saying to them. When the coin is found, she, like the sheep rancher, would rejoice greatly at finding it. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. Jesus, Peter reminds his readers, is the only shepherd that could rescue and return them from their lostness. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. They might have tasted the goodness of the word of God and shared in the heavenly gift (Jesus Christ! I did not call all of my friends or celebrate with a banquet, but this find was a source of enjoyment to me. But he lived in a country where sheep were raised and valued. Let us seek to enjoy our heavenly Father for who He is. On a cold night in England many years ago, a group of children slipped into a church to get warm. Didnt you do your part before God did His? The new Christian jumped to his feet and said, Oh, yes, I did. What the older brother did not think he needed (repentance and salvation) he resisted and resented in others, and thus he could not, he would not share in the celebration. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. Than when we've first begun. Thus they are not at present in need of repentance. but he is received of Jesus, and confesses him. Middle voice of archo; to commence. Read them in the archive below. Its an empty, hopeless word when used in reference to things or to animals, but its an especially bleak word when it is used in reference to people. Notice that the older brother is out in the fields working when the younger brother returns. because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found. Then the celebration began. 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? Office Hours: 8am-4pm M-F, Sunday Some argue that you can have saving faith without repentance. The father, on the other hand, is apparently waiting and watching for the younger sons return. Today, I testify to the greatness of my Shepherd, that He would allow me to hear His voice. He says that those who hold this view need to go up to heaven and set the angels straight on this matter. They also contrast the love for that which was lost in the Pharisees with that of the Lord Jesus. A prolonged form of a primary heuro, which heureo is used for it in all the tenses except the present and imperfect to find. 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.. In their case, or in the churchs case, the author was saying we are not like those who might profess faith but then just keep on sinning. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. So they began to celebrate. One line in the familiar hymn Amazing Grace says, I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see. We may have sung it a thousand times without Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. Luke 14:7-11). Blind, physically or mentally. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. Matthew 6:34 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. Should she be so happy at finding this coin? But neither son found the father desirable to be with and to enjoy his person. 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. 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? 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. Verb - Perfect Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular. He does not speak of or claim any rights. I drew away from Him little by little. Without help, it will forever remain lost. (Verse 25) Peter reminds his readers of what they were before Jesus Christ became their Savior and Lord: For you were like sheep going astray., Wiersbe expounds: Every lost sinner is like a sheep gone astray; ignorant, lost, wandering, in danger away from the place of safety, and unable to help himself., Barclay writes: Men are all prone to wander and go astray, like silly sheep, which describes the condition of Peters readers before their conversion [repentance and trust in Jesus Christ which leads to their following Jesus].. As such, it is a picture of a lost sinner. Joy was the only proper reaction in such a situation. 255 We should not let the modern chapter division make us miss an important point. Explain what it means to be lost without Jesus. If God so rejoices when sinners repent, should not we? Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not. 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). Unless they repent of that, there is only a fearful expectation of fiery judgment. The embrace would stop the prodigal from going to his knees. Jesus is the Good Shepherd, who described His mission as to seek and to save that which was lost (Luke 19:10). But, thank God, He lovingly took the initiative. Is it such a momentous thing that she should be bothering to call all of her friends to share this with them? The first two parables reveal that the Pharisees, in some cases, had great compassion on certain lost items, and they also greatly rejoiced when they found them. Luke 15:24 NIV - For this son of mine was dead and is - Bible When I walked my son across the street in his youth, I didnt tell him, Okay, hold on as tight as you canits up to you to hold on tight! No, I said, Ive got your hand, and Im not letting go. God is the One Who preserves us and keeps us in His name. Both viewed him only in terms of the good things and times he could provide. He did not need to work to win his fathers approval or blessing, he need only be a son. To associate with those whose outward lives were sinful was to challenge the entire system of spirituality which the Pharisees had developed, and that was to avoid outward, socially unacceptable, sin, and those who did such evils. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. Discuss with prayer and thought. Many hear the Word of God and have tasted Gods goodness (Heb 6:4-6), but they just keep on sinning, showing they are not Gods children anyway (1 John 1). because this son of mine was dead, and is alive againhe was lost and is found! So they began to celebrate. Jim Peterson, in his excellent book, Evangelism as a Lifestyle, indicts the church for its failure to reach pagan unbelievers, those who have little or no contact with or knowledge of Christianity. Repentance means turning to God from our sins. 147-148. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Bibles. The Bible tells us that sinners are not just those in a certain segment of society, but that they are those whose attitudes and actions are contrary to the will and purpose of God. (6) Both sons were materialists. The unrighteousness of self-righteousness will be exposed in the parable of the prodigal son, which is up-coming. 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.
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