Everyone has had the dreaded experience of losing something. Cell phones, keys, wallets, and money are all prime examples. The existence of Lost & Found departments in shopping malls tells me that people losing things is a common experience. Things are lost. Things are found. We’re mighty glad and relieved when lost things are returned to us!
Why would you relentlessly search for a misplaced $1,000, but not bother to go after a nickel you misplaced? Lost things of significant value will cause us to make a great effort to recover them. Jesus used this truth to try and open the Pharisees’ hearts and eyes.
Offended by those whom Jesus spent time with, the Pharisees and the religious teachers complained that “He was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!” (Luke 15:2). Intended to be a scathing attack on Jesus’ character, they had instead affirmed the very work Jesus came to do: To save those who knew they were lost sinners (Matthew 9:13; Luke 19:10).
In response to their self-righteous attitudes, Jesus told them three different stories—a lost sheep (Luke 15:3-7), a lost coin (Luke 15:8-10), and a lost son (Luke 15:11-24). The objects in the tales increase in proportion and importance: Lost sheep (1 of 100), lost coin (1 of 10), lost son (1 of 2).
Luke 15 is like the Lost & Found department of the Bible. All three stories can be summarized by just four words: lost, search, found, rejoice. All three stories paint for us an unmistakable picture of who God is. He is the seeking shepherd, the searching woman, and the waiting father.
And there’s a simple reason for His relentless searching (Luke 15:4,8) and subsequent rejoicing (Luke 15:6,9,24): You are of great value to Him! (Luke 15:7,10, 32).
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Genesis 40:1-23
More:
What do Matthew 9:9- 13 and Luke 5:27-32 say about what Jesus came to do and who He came to seek?
Next:
Why were “tax collectors and other notorious sinners” attracted to Jesus? Would “sinful people” be comfortable with you? Why?
roxanne robbins on January 23, 2012 at 2:12 am
I’d never considered the value increments in the stories of the lost sheep, coin, son before. The way you broke it down helped me more clearly see the importance the Lord places on finding and restoring each person. We’re worth far more than 1-in-a-million to Him!
cali4ange on January 23, 2012 at 11:17 am
I love the message, very well said! We all need the encouragement that when we feel lost, God is always there, and will lead us back to Him.
GChoo on January 23, 2012 at 12:19 pm
K.T. thanks for the encouraging reminder that no matter what sinful situation we may be in God will always lead us back to Him.
I can still vividly remembered what my deceased brother said to me about how God actually saved him from his troubles and there and then accepted Jesus to be his Saviour. How wonderful to know that when we keep praying for the lost ones, one day in God’s time they will be saved. Even though my brother is no longer with us here on earth, he is with God now. God has shown me that He is real and no matter how deep a dark hole we may be in our lives, He will get us out of our troubles. Hallelujah, praise our heavenly Father.
daisymarygoldr on January 23, 2012 at 10:38 pm
Good post and comments, KT and all. Looks like 1% of the sheep got lost because of foolishly wandering away. 10% of the coins were lost because of someone else’s doing. And 50% of the sons were lost because of willful rebellion. Luke 15 is all about the loving heart of our Heavenly Father— to seek and save the lost.
Those who knew they were lost sinners were people who committed public sins. Sick and burdened with guilt, fear, and shame they came to Jesus for deliverance and to hear Him teach. Not all sinful people though, were attracted to Jesus. People who loved darkness rather than light did not come to Him lest their evil deeds were evil are exposed. Similarly, even today those who love their dark deeds and bristle at scriptures are not attracted to the light but stay away from it.
Also, Jesus did not go and hang out with people of ill-repute at brothels, strip clubs and gay bars. They came to dine with Him at feasts hosted by transformed tax-collectors. One emergent church meets every Sunday at the bar and begins worship by ordering drinks. Their Pastor who smokes and drinks is sure Jesus would make beer out of water and drink along with them. No wonder even lost non Christians in pagan countries find Christians to be morally repulsive.
It is easy to condemn religious people for displaying a Pharisaic attitude. But if we placed ourselves in their shoes, their attitude is understandable. Today, “tax collectors and other notorious sinners” would be wheeler dealers, pedophiles, rapists, drug lords, human traffickers and prostitutes who entice men through the internet and live lavishly as multi-millionaires.
Would someone who lost their spouse, children and home to fraudulent Ponzi schemes, alcohol, drugs or sex— feel comfortable to befriend those who lured their loved ones into destruction? Many Christians in this country make scathing remarks against “Churchy” folks. One Pastor is convinced his job is not to keep religious people happy but rather to eat chicken wings at the bar because that is where he believes the harvest is. To my understanding, those who throw the book at “Christianese-speaking” people have never really known the heart of God.
In the parable, the father understood the older son’s struggle and did not rebuke him. Instead, he lovingly assured him that since he had always been with the father, all that the father had belonged to him. As God’s children, let us then learn to show grace to love the lost— both the prodigal and the older brother as well.
rncinca on January 24, 2012 at 12:14 pm
Thank you for this devotion,comments, and the reminder of how important each and every one of us is to God. Daisymarygoldr, do you think the bar pastor may be trying to enact 1 Corinthians 19-23? I’m not saying I condone his choices but I also do not know the whole story-I will continue to work on the log in my own eye first!
daisymarygoldr on January 25, 2012 at 1:26 am
rncinca, thanks for the comment and the question. If you are referring to 1 Corinthians 9: 19-23, it does not say in order to gain sinners for Christ, we must take part in their sinful acts.
If this was Paul’s message to the church, then one must become a Muslim to win Muslims, murder in order to win murderers, become a terrorist to win terrorists, or practise homosexual acts to gain homosexuals for Christ. Christ Himself did not become a prostitute or tax collector to seek those lost individuals. These are extreme examples but are you getting the point?
For that “bar Pastor” and for all those who visit bars and drink or do drugs, to win over lost drunkards and drug addicts to Christ— it is my prayer they don’t remain deceived for long and deceive others.
And yes, you are right; the Church must remove the log in our own eye first.
winn collier on January 27, 2012 at 7:47 pm
I particularly like the “rejoice” part.