Jesus And The Lost

Introduction

When’s the last time you lost something? Like most of us, it was probably this morning, or at least this past week. Losing something is an emotional experience, isn’t it? We go through a range of emotions when we lose some object. One emotion that we might have is frustration, almost anger. You ever get just frustrated at yourself for losing something? I’ve often said that I could be the most productive person on the planet if I didn’t have to spend half my day looking for something. Looking for tools, looking for a book, looking for whatever. And so we have that anger or frustration at ourselves, or sometimes at others, we like to blame somebody else. You move this. Why did you do that? And even more irrational than that is sometimes we get angry or upset at the object that was lost.

Like it lost itself. Other emotions come into play depending upon the value, the intrinsic value of the object lost. If you lost something valuable, there’s a lot more emotion involved in that, isn’t there? If it has sentimental value and you’ve lost it and you have the fear that you may never retrieve it, there’s certainly emotions that go with that. Other emotions, equally strong, maybe, is if you lose something that’s not necessarily has a sentimental value, but it has some monetary or financial value, that you’re really upset that you lost that, because that’s costing money. I’m going to have to replace that.

Jesus told three stories in Luke chapter 15 about things that were lost. And there are three emotional stories. The stories themselves are emotional because they speak of three things of even in the stories of varying value that were lost. The stories evoke even greater emotions because we know, as in all of these parables, that the story itself wasn’t the story. That there was something behind that story. And so this morning I’d like for us to look at these very familiar stories. We’re very familiar with Luke chapter 15, primarily because of the third story. But I want us to look at all three of these stories and not so much break down the parables, but to look at them as really as a grouping, as a triplet of the three stories about lost things.

The first story that we heard in our reading this morning is the story of a lost sheep. It’s a story of a shepherd who has a hundred sheep, and one of them comes up missing. And this story kind of shocks us a little bit because one out of a hundred is not that valuable unless you’re that one. And so the shepherd leaves the ninety and nine and goes and finds that one lost sheep and brings it back. The second story is about a woman who’s lost some money. She’s lost a coin. And so her whole world comes to a screeching halt. Everything stops. And to use a modern day expression, she tears her house upside down. She looks everywhere. Until she finds that lost coin. There’s value in both of those lost objects.

To a shepherd, there’s a value in one singular sheep. Certainly to that woman, there was value in that money that she lost. But the third story tops them all, doesn’t it?

Because it’s a story about a father who’s lost his son. The story that we many times call the prodigal son. Prodigal just means extravagant or wasteful. Because it is this son who, the younger of two sons, who asks for his inheritance early. And he takes that money and goes away into a foreign land and absolutely does what we would expect. A young person with little responsibility to do, he absolutely wasted.

Finds himself in dire circumstances and comes, finally comes to himself, the text says, and makes the only rational decision that he can make, and that is I have to swallow my pride and go back home. And hope that my father will accept me at some level back into his graces. And he does just that. And the father exceeds his expectations and welcomes him back into the fold. Three stories that illustrate the emotion of having lost something. Let’s look at three lessons that I think that we can see from these stories that really illustrate Jesus and therefore the Father’s feelings about the law. Jesus has already, before we get to Luke chapter 15 in the life of Christ, Jesus has already made it abundantly clear that he cares about lost people.

Jesus has been mocked and ridiculed for going and being among what we would consider the dredges of society, the notorious sinners, the tax collectors of his day. And Jesus’ reply was always these people are sick. And they need a physician. These people are lost. They need a shepherd. These people are lost. They need a father or a family member who cares for them. In fact, Jesus would explicitly state his mission when he said, I came to seek and to save that which was lost. Three lessons that I think that we see in these three parables that we’ll look at this morning. Number one is these parables, all three of them, illustrate Christ and therefore the fathers, deep care and love for that which was lost. You know how we feel, we all lose things, but how we feel about those lost things depends upon how we feel about those items before they were lost.

If you lose a plastic fork or spoon, you may be a little frustrated with your inability to keep up with things, but you quickly dismiss it. Because when you went to Costco, you bought 400. Go get another one. And so your feeling about those lost items or lost things depends upon how you view those lost items or things or people.

1. Heaven’s Deep Care and Love for the Lost

In all three of these stories is the reaction when that lost thing was found. There is exuberant joy we’re going to see in finding these lost things or people. And then lastly, we’re going to see that the third story, the third parable, highlights the vast difference between God’s view of the lost and some of the religious leaders of that day, and their view of these lost people. And so let’s see what we can learn from those three lessons. First of all, again, these parables illustrate heaven’s view, heaven’s care and love for the lost.

And really all three of the points we want to make from these three stories is first of all, let’s personalize these stories. I am that lost sheep. And as I said, it makes no sense to leave ninety and nine and go looking for one lost sheep makes absolutely no sense unless you’re that one lost sheep. And I was.

There was value. And so that everything else needed to stop so that it might be found. And I’m that rebellious child who didn’t see the value of remaining at home. I’m that rebellious child that God loved so deeply and longed for my return. Let’s personalize these stories and recognize that God is telling stories about me and his view of me when I was lost. Hold your finger there at Luke chapter 15 and go to the book of Romans. Old and New Testament scriptures abound in speaking of God’s profound love for us. And one thing I think these three stories do, we’ll look at Romans chapter 5 beginning in verse 6 here in just a minute. But I think one thing that these three stories help us to do is they do help us to personalize and maybe even individualize these stories.

I fear that sometimes we take the global approach so often that we minimize the personal approach. We talk about Jesus dying upon the cross, and we say that he did so for all of the sins of all of the world of all time. We speak of the magnitude of what was accomplished in that sacrifice, and please understand me, when we do so, we do so correctly. But don’t let the magnitude, the absolute globally impactful event of the cross cause you to lose sight that he did that for you. Don’t get lost in the crowd and say, Oh, I wasn’t that important, or it wasn’t that meaningful because he did that for everybody. These three stories tell stories that illustrate God’s Christ, heaven’s view of one lost sheep, of one lost coin and of one lost family member.

Look in Romans chapter 5, beginning in verse 6. It says, For when we were still without strength in due time, Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet perhaps even for a good man, someone would dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love toward us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Do we see the point of this and numerous other passages? Do we see the point of these three stories that speak of his profound love for the law? Sometimes we talk about the great price that was paid to wash away our sins. And we make this connection that you can determine the value of something by the price that’s paid for it. That’s just an economic reality, isn’t it?

How much is something worth? It depends on what somebody will pay for it. And so we look at the tremendous price that was paid for our sins, and we make that economic equation, and we say, that’s how valuable I was to God. And there is a point to be made there. But I think the greater point in seeing the price that was paid, the exorbitant price that was paid for my sins, is not just to see how valuable I was to God, but maybe the greater point to see is to see how profound God’s love was. That while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. And let’s notice this point. Stay with me in Romans chapter 5. Keep reading in verse 9. Verses 6 through 8 have been talking about what God did for us while we were his enemies, while we were estranged from Him.

Verse 9 picks that up and says, much more then, having been now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were His enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. What Paul is saying to the Roman Christians and to us is if that was the price that was paid while we were his enemies, there is absolutely no way to measure the love he has for us now that we’re his children. God loves me. Personalize these stories. But another lesson that we need to learn from these three stories is that that should be our view. How do you feel about the lost? We’ve already established what we already knew, and that is how fervently we search for something is going to be determined by how we feel about that.

We use the silly illustration, if you lose a plastic disposable fork, how much time are you going to spend looking for that fork? You’re going to say, eh, get another one. Little time was expended. Little thought was even expended. You forgot about that. Verses, think of some sentimental or financially expensive item that you might lose. How much time would you spend? How much anguish and thought would be given. You know, we spend a lot of time talking about evangelism, personal evangelism, congregational evangelism, and we try to figure out what we can do, and maybe if we train people the right way, if we do this, if we come up with the right system to be able to teach the lost, here’s the answer. It all begins and ends with how much do we care.

2. Exuberant Joy in Heaven When One Soul Is Saved

If we don’t care, then it doesn’t matter how well we’re trained, how good the material might be that we’re handed. But if we see that lost soul the way, even a fraction of the way that Christ and our Father did. Everything else will line up. The other point that we see from these three stories is that all three of these parables show the exuberant joy in heaven when one soul is saved. Go back with me to Luke chapter 15. This is something that stands out at the end of all three of these stories. Matthew Luke 15, look at verses 6 and 7. And when he comes home, that’s the shepherd, having found that lost sheep, when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which is lost.

And Jesus helps us to understand that. I say to you, that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 just persons who need no repentance. Look at the end of the story of the lost coin. Verse 9. And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, Rejoice with me. I have found the peace which I lost. And again, Jesus says, likewise I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. For the third time it’s repeated in the story of the lost boy. Look at verse 22. But the Father said to his servants, bring out the best robe and put it on him and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet, and bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry.

For this my son was dead and is alive again.

Three times and three stories about three lost things that illustrate lost souls. Merriment, joy. That Jesus says illustrates what takes place. Now let’s think about that. That illustrates what takes place in heaven. When a lost soul is found. Go to the revelation letter. Chapter five. I want us to try to visualize this the best that we possibly can. What is heaven like? What’s it look like? Who’s up there? What’s going on? The best picture I think that we have, one of the best pictures is here in Revelation chapter five. Begin in verse six, it says, John says, I looked and behold, and try to picture this. In the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders stood a lamb, as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which were the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.

Then he came and took the scroll out of the hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp and a golden bowl full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints, and they sang a new song. You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God, and we shall reign on the earth. Then I looked and I heard the voice of many angels. Many angels around the throne, the living creatures and the elders, and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands, saying, Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches, riches and wisdom and strength and glory and honor and blessing.

That’s the location.

That’s the audience that Jesus says when one lost soul is found, that heaven notices, and heaven pauses to break out in exuberant joy. That’s profound. To think that scene that we picture and visualize in Revelation 5, that those living creatures, those elders, those angels, pause and rejoice when a lost sheep is found.

To think that we have heaven’s attention. Excuse the crudeness of the illustration, but to heaven we’re not a plastic fork that has been lost. That to heaven we’re the most valuable object, so that when it’s found, it can be compared to a father receiving his son back alive again.

And we need to have that attitude as well. And I think we do to a degree. But I think like everything else with our Christianity, I think maybe we can do better. How do we feel when a lost soul steps out into that aisle and comes forward when we sing the song of invitation? Whether that be an alien sinner who’s coming to name for the first time the name of Christ in confession and to be baptized for remission of his sins, or whether that’s a brother and sister in Christ that, like that prodigal son, has left the father’s fold, but is coming back to find some place in the family of God. If heaven can stop and look down and rejoicing taking place in those tens of thousands times thousands.

3. The Elder Brother’s View of the Lost

That which is lost is now found. The third story, which we remember the most. The third story is more complex. It’s longer, isn’t it? Much longer than the first two. It has more characters in it. We have the Father, the Father’s house, which certainly illustrates the joys of being a child of God. The Father whose attitude toward that lost son and that son’s return illustrates God and heaven’s view toward the return of that which is lost. We have the prodigal son that we think of mostly. In fact, we usually make him the main character of that story, don’t we? Of the son who rebuffs his father’s blessings and the blessings of that household and goes off into that foreign land of sin and squanders the blessings of his father until finally in that filthy pig pen he comes to himself and says, I’ll go back to my father.

How many sermons have we preached about that son? And saying, if you’re lost, you need to be that son. But then there’s the elder brother, who may in reality be the main character of the story. The elder brother who never left.

Becomes indignant. Well, I didn’t do what he did. I’m the good son. And what have you done for me? Remember, do you still have your finger or bookmark in Luke chapter 15? Remember how three all three of these stories started. We heard in our Bible reading this morning. Luke 15, verse 1. Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to him to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receives sinners and eats with them. And verse 3 says, So he spoke this parable to them. Because of their ungodly and unheavenly attitude toward these lost people, Jesus says, Let me tell you a story. Let me tell you how my father feels about these people. And in this third story, that elder brother obviously represented those scribes and Pharisees, didn’t it?

Their attitude toward these lost people. Stay there in Luke chapter 15, verse 25. Now his older son, who was in the field, as he came near and drew near to the house and heard the music and the dancing. So he called to one of his servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to them, Your brother has come and has received him safe. Your father has received him safe and sound and has killed the fatted calf. But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. So he answered and said to his father, Lo, these many years I’ve been serving you. I have never, do you believe that? I have never transgressed your commandment at any time, and yet you never gave me a young goat that I might marry with my friend.

But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him. And he said to him, Son, you’re always with me, and all that I have is yours. 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. Here’s the lesson for us. In the debate over who’s the main character of this third story, is it the father? I think you can make that argument. That the father’s the main character because we’re seeing how the father feels, whether it’s a sheep, a coin, or a son that is lost. Many times we, as I said before, we make the prodigal son the main character.

Because it teaches us what a lost son and lost daughter ought to do. They ought to come to their senses and come back to the family of God.

Heavenly attitude toward the lost.

Conclusion

But I think in reality, the main character of the story, the main character of all three stories is us. What should our attitude be toward the lost? Toward the lost when they’re still lost. And toward the lost when they’re found. I’m going to tell you in a congregation, if you want to have what we sometimes define as peace and things going well, don’t engage in evangelism. Keep your numbers small. Have just mature Christians who know the Bible. And things are usually just smooth sailing.

Bring in the lost sheep. Of people that are bringing maybe baggage from the world or from their denominational background, and they may say something we just got, oh no, that’s not. He’s not the pastor. Don’t call him that. We don’t do that here. But what’s our attitude toward the lost? Are we willing to expend the effort, the energy, and sometimes the awkwardness that comes with personal evangelism that comes with sheep and coins and children coming back to God. If we have an ounce of our Father’s love, we will. Will you pray with me? Dear God and Father in heaven, we’re so thankful. We’re so thankful that you are that shepherd who cared enough. We’re so thankful, Father, that you’re that woman who lost that coin, who cared enough.

We’re so thankful that you’re that father whose son walked away. And you cared and loved enough. Continue to be patient with the lost sheep, coins, and children of this world. Continue to be loving and patient with us. Help us, Father, to grow in our love for the lost. Help us to see souls as you see them. Help us to love as you love. Christ’s name we pray. Amen.