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Lost and Found
We must learn to rejoice long with Jesus when a sinner gets saved…
Eating with sinners… vs. 1-2
The Pharisees and Scribes came to Jesus and accused Him of – ‘eating with sinners’…
They were not complaining about a one-time occurrence – this was Jesus routine…
They had been accusing Him of this from the beginning – Mark 2:16
Apparently Jesus preferred to eat with sinners / rather than the religious leaders…
This didn’t go over well with the Pharisees & Scribes – they were greatly offended…
Jesus explained His purpose by giving the leaders 3 parables…
1st – The Parable of the lost sheep – God is looking for the lost… vs. 3-7
If a Man had 100 sheep and one of them wandered off – got lost…
Suppose you had a child that had a tendency to wander off…
You warned him over and over to stay close – but one day he turned up missing…
Would you miss him – would you go after him – or figure I still have the others…
Our Heavenly Father loves us very much – and He warns us to stay close to Him…
Our problem is we like to sin – and sin separates us from God…
It’s easy for us to get distracted – to loose our focus on Jesus…
We see something pretty in the world and wander off after it…
We end up wandering off in sin and get lost and don’t know how to get back to God…
The Man would leave the 99 – to go and find the lost one – until He found it…
That is why Jesus came – he came to seek and save us – from sin…
He came to find His children who were lost – and He Promises He will find us…
If we wander off – He is always right behind us looking to bring us back!
And when He has finds it – He will lay it on His shoulders…
The practice of shepherds was to break the legs of sheep that wandered…
They would then take the sheep and carry them till the leg healed…
The purpose was to teach the sheep to completely depend on the Shepherd!
When we choose to get caught up in sin – there are consequences – Galatians 6:7
We may end up with a ‘broken leg’ – but it’s then Jesus carries us…
So that we learn always to trust in Him – always staying close by His side!
When the Shepherd comes home – there is a celebration…
He calls together His friends and neighbors – ‘I have found my lost sheep!’
In the same way – there is more joy in heaven when one sinner repents…
Then over the ninety-nine who ‘don’t think’ need to repent…
The religious leaders thought they had no need to repent – they were not ‘lost’…
But they could not have been more wrong – Romans 3:23 – we are all sinners!
They needed saving as much as the sinners they accused Jesus of eating with…
We are all sinners – and we were all lost sheep…
Isaiah 53:6 – “All of us, like sheep, have strayed away…”
Perhaps you are that 100th sheep – maybe you are lost in sin this morning…
Jesus is always right there looking for you – seeking out His lost lamb…
The moment you turn back to Jesus – He is always ready to receive you again…
No matter how many times we make mistakes – even the same mistake!
2nd – Parable of the 10 coins – God’s joy over a sinners repentance… vs. 8-10
If a woman had 10 silver coins – each worth about 5,000P – and she lost one…
Would she forget about it – just be ‘thankful’ for the 9 coins she still had left – NO!
She would light a lamp to search everywhere for that one lost coin…
She would sweep her whole house from top to bottom until she found it!
Forget about 5,000P – we would spend a day to hunt down 100P!
And when she found it – she would call her friends and neighbors to celebrate…
The celebration of the Angels…
When one sinner repents – every time – the Angels in heaven celebrate!
God is never content with those who are saved – He wants everyone in heaven!
With the same passion we would ‘hunt’ for misplaced money…
God is searched this world from top to bottom to find us – His greatest treasure…
Each one of us is precious in His sight – each one a reason to celebrate when found!
3rd – Parable of the Prodigal son – we are called to rejoice with God… vs. 11-24
A certain man had two sons – the younger asked his father for his inheritance… vs. 11-12
Jewish law allotted 1/3 of the inheritance to the younger son – Deuteronomy 21:17
The father was under no obligation to give the inheritance before his death…
Because He loved his son – he honored his request – giving both sons their inheritance…
Just a couple of days later – the younger son took all he had and left… vs. 13
He burned all his bridges – he had no intent of ever coming back again…
He went to a far away county – and wasted everything his father had given to him…
He literally threw his money away on riotous living – women / drinking / parties…
We have all received an inheritance from the Lord – special abilities/gifts from God…
Perhaps we are good with our hands / or we are good at business…
But rather than using our gifts to glorify God – we run from God into the world…
We use our gifts for selfish reasons – for our own personal gain…
We run after pleasure in life – ignoring the purpose God has for us…
After he had spent all his money – a severe famine hit the land… vs. 14-16
He fell behind in all his bills – lost all his ‘friends’ – could not even afford food to eat…
He bound (glued) himself to a citizen of that country – got a job feeding pigs…
He LONGED to eat the scraps that he fed the pigs – but no one would give him anything!
For sure sin is enjoyable – if it were not there would be no temptation to sin…
But it is enjoyable only for a short time – Hebrews 11:25…
No matter how we choose to sin – in the end there are consequences – Galatians 6:7
It may be fun to have boyfriends/girlfriends – till an unexpected baby comes along…
It may be fun to hang out at the cockfights – till we loose all our money…
It may be fun to drink with the guys – till we wake up in prison…
John 8:34 – “I say unto you he that commits sin is the slave of sin…”
In the end we end up in bondage to sin – morally and spiritually bankrupt!
When he came to himself… vs. 17-19
He thought to himself – how many of my father’s servants have food to spare…
Those who used to serve him were full / while he starved…
I will go to my father and say – ‘I have sinned against heaven and before you…’
When we sin – first and foremost – we sin against God…
Psalm 51:4 – “Against you and you alone have I sinned [Lord]…”
The first step to being found by God – is to realize you are lost…
Turn back to God – whom you rebelled against – and repent of your sin!
I am not longer worthy to be called you son – make me your servant…
The man had literally been ‘out of his mind’ – he had been playing the fool…
But in his poverty – he came to his senses – he realized his mistake…
It takes a lot of humility to come to Jesus for help…
It means being honest with ourselves– our inability to get ourselves out of trouble…
When we have humility we access the limitless riches of God’s grace!
James 4:6 – “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”
The Father ran… vs. 20
The son was still a great way off the Father saw him – He was looking for His ‘lost son’…
The Father saw him and had compassion – and ran to embrace His son…
The only time in the whole Bible you ever see God running…
Is when one of His sons/daughters who was lost – comes home again!
My son was dead – and is alive again… vs. 21-24
The son made his confession before the Father – he repented – ‘I have sinned…’
The suggestion is that the Father interrupted his son – before he could even finish…
The Father put the best robe on his son – ring put on his hand – sandals on his feet…
Slaved were barefooted – he was given shoes to prove he was a son!
He commanded the fatted calf be killed – and a feast prepared…
It is possible the father had been preparing the calf for his very day!
His son was dead and lost – and now he was alive again and found…
God never tell us ‘I told you so’ – when we repent of sin – we only find love…
God will never turn away a repentant sinner – God cannot resist a humbled heart!
Like a Father who longs for a wayward son – God runs to us when we come home!
The Older son – the key to the parable… vs. 25-32
When the Older son came in from the fields – he heard the music/dancing/celebration…
This was no small party – this was a HUGE fiesta – everyone was celebrating…
He kept asking the servants ‘what’s happening’ – apparently hard to get their attention
They told him his brother had come home ‘safe and sound’…
Every was thrilled – with one exception – the brother…
The older brother went into a rage…
He refused to go into the house – to be a part of the celebration…
So his Father came out to encourage (Imperfect) His oldest son…
The oldest argued – he had been faithful to serve the Father for many years…
He had never disobeyed even one command – not even once!
Yet the Father had never given him a party – a young goat to share with his friends…
But when ‘His son’ – the oldest was not even willing to call him a brother…
Who wasted their Father’s money on harlots – came home – he got the fatted calf!
The older son – was the religious leaders…
They thought they alone deserved the best from God – they had been ‘faithful’…
They were mad at Jesus because He celebrated when ‘sinners’ came home…
They did not get invited to Jesus’ dinner parties – so they refused to join in…
I have met many ‘Christians’ who choose to stay as far as they can from sinners…
To them church should be a ‘social gathering’ for Godly people just like them…
But the church is not for social club for saints – it is a hospital for sinners…
We cannot be afraid to go and get our hand dirty – sinners need our help!
Not that we join in with them – we need to be careful not to fall back into the world…
But we reach out to them – showing them the Love of Jesus!
We had to celebrate this happy day…
The older son would one day receive all the father had…
But the younger son had been a ‘lost sheep’ – and he was found alive again!
Luke 19:10 – “The Son of Man has come to seek and save that which was lost…”
Jesus did not come for the righteous – He came to find and save the sinners…
Jesus is willing to ‘sit with them’ – there is always room in church or one more sinner!
No one is beyond God’s reach – no one is too much of a sinner – all are just lost sheep…
The Angels celebrate in heaven celebrate when each one is found!
The murderer / the thief / the liar / drunk – that guy who we REALLY don’t like…
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