Luke 15:1-10
Concealed
This title may not make much sense to you presently, but if you will
stay with me until the very end, I hope that it will. There is much
in this chapter for us to see so let's jump right into it.
I. \\#1-2\\ The desire Jesus wanted to convey.
A. \\#1\\ Notice the context.
a. On the one side were the publicans (tax collectors)
and sinners. These were scorned by the religious of
the day. They were basically considered too wicked to
know God.
b. On the other side were the religious leaders (the
Pharisees and the scribes). While we know them to be
just as guilty of sin as anyone else, in that day,
they were considered to be holders of the truth.
2. \\#2\\ As usual, the religious were condemning Jesus for
having anything to do with the sinners, especially eating
with them. Luke has mentioned it at least twice,
a. Luke 7:34 - Jesus described what people thought of
Him.
Luke 7:34 The Son of man is come eating and
drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man,
and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and
sinners!
b. Luke 7:39 - Jesus let a sinner woman anoint His head
and feet and wash them with her tears.
Luke 7:39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden
him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This
man, if he were a prophet, would have known who
and what manner of woman this is that toucheth
him: for she is a sinner.
B. It was because of that condemnation that Jesus spoke the three
parables of this chapter.
1. The parables were Jesus' way of revealing to those who
would listen truths about His ministry to sinners.
2. Think about that:
a. Three parables and an entire chapter are dedicated to
answering the murmurings of the Pharisees and
scribes.
b. Why would Jesus spend that much time answering a
murmur of the scribes and Pharisees?
c. Perhaps because, if we strip away all of the pride and
arrogance, the question is a pretty good one.
(1) The arrogance was in these people thinking they
weren't sinners.
(2) But if we get past that, the question is pretty
good?
(3) Why would Jesus (God) hang with sinners, any
sinners?
3. On that day, the scribes and Pharisees were not going to
listen.
a. On that day, like most others, they were too busy
slandering and judging our Lord to hear and to learn.
(1) Why couldn't they learn? It was their comments
that started Jesus' parables.
(2) Answer - Arrogance
(a) Arrogance is not ignorance.
(b) Ignorance can learn. Arrogance cannot.
(c) Arrogance hardens its heart and deafens its
ears.
b. I hope we are not like them and can learn from these
parables.
c. It was and is Jesus' earnest desire.
C. Let's look at these parables this week and next as parts and
as a whole.
II. \\#4, 8\\ The work Jesus came to perform.
A. In a sentence, the reason that Jesus would dwell with
with sinners is to find the lost.
1. This is what these three parables will teach us.
2. Jesus wants to find and reach the lost.
B. These three parables give us two prospectives:
1. The first two give us heaven's prospective.
2. The third one gives us the human prospective.
3. In the first two parables we see Jesus' determination to
reach the sinner.
a. It is shown to us by the shepherd who scours the
country side looking for the lost sheep.
b. It is shown to us by the woman who lights a candle
and sweeps the entire house.
4. The third parable shows the Father waiting for the son to
return.
a. Why? Because as hard as God works to bring the lost
to Himself, the lost must ultimately make their choice
and return to the Father.
b. God, in the end, waits on man.
c. Salvation is not just God saving man. It is also man
repenting and returning to the Father.
d We will talk more about the human perspective later as
God permits.
C. Let's consider how hard Jesus work to reach the sinner.
1. \\#4\\ God works like a shepherd searching for a lost
sheep.
a. There are several factors to be considered.
(1) It is a big wilderness.
(2) It is a rugged wilderness.
(3) There are wolves that will kill the sheep.
(4) There are thieves that will steal the sheep.
(5) This sheep must be found quickly and with
determination or else it will be too late.
(6) So the shepherd looks diligently, climbing over
rocks and looking over ledges, using all of his
power and might to find the lost sheep!
b. Of course, we cannot help but to notice the importance
of “one” in these parables.
(1) It is most notable in this parable because the
shepherd must leave 99 to go find the one.
(2) Isn't it interesting how one out of 100 was just
as important to the shepherd as one out of 10
coins was to the woman and as one out of two
sons were to the father?
(3) Why? Because God is always interested in the
one.
(4) That is an important truth in this chapter for
it is emphasized in all three parables
repeatedly.
(a) There is one sheep, one coin, one son.
(b) The rejoicing is also over one:
Lu 15:10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy
in the presence of the angels of God over one
sinner that repenteth.
2. \\#8\\ God works like a woman searching for her lost coin.
a. The woman here had not just lost 10 cents of a dollar
or a dollar out of 10 or even 10 dollars out of 100.
b. The married woman in those days wore a headdress of
coins to show they were married.
(1) They did not use wedding rings as we do but a
wedding headdress and because the headdress was
so conspicuous, it spoke volumes to others.
(2) The ten coins would be part of her dowry, given
to her family by her husband. (I don't know
whether he gave the coins directly to his bride
or if he gave them to the family who gave them
to the bride.
(3) It would be sign of shame for a married woman not
to wear it. In fact, if she were guilty of
adultery, her husband would take it from her.
(4) In extremely difficult times, the wife might have
to use some of the coins to live on but to do so
would be to advertise to the world that her
husband was a bad provider.
http://www.thejoshlink.com/article289.htm
(5) So to lose one of these coins was most serious.
(a) At the best it would indicate her husband
was a bad provider, but it could also
indicate that she had been unfaithful.
(b) So the woman light and candle and sweep the
entire house in a frantic search for the
lost coin.
(c) She searched with all of her might and
power.
D. This is the effort, the zeal, the dedication with which
Jesus came to find the lost.
III. \\#5\\ The return Jesus came to complete.
Luke 15:5 And when he hath found it, he layeth
it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
A. It is not God's desire to just find the lost. He works hard
to return the lost to the fold.
1. The shepherd picks up the lost sheep and carried it on
his shoulders back to the fold.
a. The shepherd might have traveled a long distance
before he finds the sheep.
(1) He might be tired, weary, and hungry.
(2) It might be late.
b. The terrain might be rocky and deadly, not only to the
sheep but to the shepherd.
2. But the shepherd picked up the lost lamb and carried it
back to the fold.
B. Why?
1. First, because the lost sheep is still too dumb to follow
the shepherd.
a. Some describe sheep as the dumbest animal which is not
yet extinct.
b. The same wondering spirit that attracted the sheep in
the first place is still in the sheep.
c. I have been told that sheep are totally untrainable.
(1) I don't know.
(2) But I do know you can take the sheep out of the
wilderness but you cannot take the wilderness
out of the sheep.
(3) I know that because I am a sheep. As many times
as I have been rescued by the Shepherd, I still
wonder back into the wilderness.
2. Second, because this is a picture of forgiveness.
a. I say often that salvation is a complete work of God.
(1) Jesus did it all.
(2) You and I receive the bounty of the work that
Jesus did—but that is all.
b. However, I need to amend that statement somewhat.
(1) I need to enlarge it to say that forgiveness is
always a work of God.
(2) I do not want to limit forgiveness to just saving
forgiveness.
(3) Whether you are saved or lost, whenever God gives
you forgiveness, it is always a work on His
part.
(4) The forgiven don't walk home. God carries them.
(5) And as I have heard Brother Gaston often say, "No
matter how far you wondered away, all you have
to do is turn around and He will be right
there."
(a) You don't have to look for Him. He was
looking for you.
(b) You don't have to go to Him. He came to
you.
(c) You don't have to work to get to Him. He
has come to you.
IV. The emotion Jesus came to experience.
A. We cannot miss the joy!
B. The message of this passage is seen in the words Jesus used
repeatedly.
1. The word "lost" is used 5 times in this chapter, 15 times
in the Gospels.
2. The word "found" is used 6 time in this chapter.
3. The words "joy" and "rejoice" are used 5 times in this
chapter.
C. God wants the lost to be found and when they are, there is
joy!
1. Jesus' is joyous as illustrated by both the shepherd and
the woman.
2. The Father is joyous as illustrated by the father in the
Parable of the Prodigal.
3. And all the host of heaven is joyous as declared by:
Lu 15:10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy
in the presence of the angels of God over one
sinner that repenteth.
But before there can be joy, there must first be some finding. While
these first two parables are about Jesus and the work He does to find
the lost, they are also a challenge to us. We should be working as
hard as the shepherd to find God's lost sheep and as hard as the
woman to find God's lost coin. His heart should be our heart. His
goal our goal. His joy should be our joy.
If you are lost, come to Jesus.
If you are saved, bring a lost sheep to Him.
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