We've no less days to sing God's praise. Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? The shepherd leaves his 99 other sheep and goes after the lost one, searching until He finds it. It was the right thing. Rather, do what these sinners in Jesus day did: Draw near to Him and listen to Him. That one lamb may well have been killed, or it might never be found. (3) In both cases, the owner seeks diligently and persistently. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. So they began to celebrate. From ekei; that one (neuter) thing); often intensified by the article prefixed. This is, of course, the flip side of the first protest. WebBring the best robe and put it on him. I can envision Jesus audience sucking in their breath in shock and horror at what this man had done. I write this lesson on this Tuesday morning, October 22, 2012, in the lonely solitude of an empty house. BEST VALUE in digital Bible study. Such pagans are not to be found only in far away countries. because my son was dead and is alive again. All rights reserved. Didnt you do your part before God did His? The new Christian jumped to his feet and said, Oh, yes, I did. 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. Repentance begins by seeing ones actions as sinful, first in the sight of God, and then in the sight of men. 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. Blind, physically or mentally. Genesis 45:28 And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. He sought after you until He found you and rescued you from your hopeless condition. And they began to be merry. WebIsaiah 62:12. The father ran to meet the son. From apo and krino; to conclude for oneself, i.e. Let us eat and have a good time.. The angels also rejoice because they know the terrors of hell that would overtake lost sinners, were it not for Gods redeeming grace. And in addition to this, the tables were not occupied by people of prominence, people who would enhance the image of the Pharisees (especially if the Pharisee sat in a position of higher honor, cf. He is conscious of his power to see, and this one thing he affirms. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, This man1 welcomes sinners and eats with them.. Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward. He is a mirror of the Pharisees! 3 Jesus does seem to grant that the 99 are actually righteous here. This is why I plead with you today to repent and put your trust in Christ. Those who have fallen into sin will focus upon the wayward son and on the loving and forgiving heart of the father. Its not like the old hymn with a new twist where it says, I was once lost, but now am foundbut then I was lost again.. He has filled me with His Spirit and given me eternal life in Him. Peter had also gained a great knowledge about sheep by the teachings. What if he repents but later falls away and is lost? I was on my way to the office when I encountered it. Why were they unwilling to associate with them? Jesus grants them their premise, not because it was true, but because He wished to keep the focus on the issue at hand. It would seem that the loss of that one coin was equal to one days wages. They only got a taste or sample of it, so this is not about believers. Let's be kind 110w thewanderingyarnie All Rights Reserved. The only sound I hear is the slow drip of a leaking kitchen faucet. Is this not disobedience? Explain what it means to be lost without Jesus. Their house and lawn were a mess. 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. Impossible! If the younger brother wanted money to spend, the old brother wanted it to save, and thus (it would seem) to make him feel secure. 8:32). When a sinner turns from his sins to God, all heaven rejoices because God gets the glory. 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. More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free! I write this lesson on this Tuesday morning, October 22, 2012, in the lonely solitude of an empty house. Related Topics: Soteriology (Salvation), Cultural Issues, Robert L. (Bob)Deffinbaugh graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with his Th.M. But he lived in a country where sheep were raised and valued. Let that be a lesson to you, in case you ever get the notion you dont want to go to church! We felt a wave of horror sweep over us, followed by about ten minutes of frantic searching that seemed much longer. WebThe Lost Is Found Three parables about salvation The parables of The Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Lost Son portray God as concerned about the lost, and willing and We are very much the same way with God. But nothing of theirs was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that they had taken for themselves; David brought it all back. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. Doesn't he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 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. My people have become lost sheep;Their shepherds have led them astray.They have made them turn aside on the mountains;They have gone along from mountain to hillAnd have forgotten their resting place. They never cursed or fought loudly. because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found. Then the celebration began. Is salvation by faith alone, or by faith plus works. They need to tell them not to rejoice until the sinner dies and goes to heaven, because they may be rejoicing too soon. The angels shouldnt be so fast on their joy! [For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.]. We most often tend to think of Him as the giver, rather than as the gift. Can I plead with you today? Their kids were honor students. From eu and phren; to put in a good frame of mind, i.e. The younger son was first of all enslaved by his passions (sins), and also by a foreign employer. WebAnd when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost. Just so, I tell you, there will be Thanks for stopping by! Jesus began by directing His critics attention to their own attitudes and actions as it related to a lost sheep. The shepherd relentlessly searched until at last he found his sheep. The lost sheep and the lost coin were passive in the process. Psalm 56:3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in You Isaiah 35:4 Tell everyone who is discouraged, Be strong and dont be afraid! Sometimes in the office, I misplace an illustration or article that I need for reference in a sermon. A son, descendent. He says that those who hold this view need to go up to heaven and set the angels straight on this matter. And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. There is no outward rebellion here. Discuss with prayer and thought. for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found. And they began to celebrate. Questions and Thoughts for Life Focus They had ears to hear what the Savior was teaching. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. 5 For a Jew no occupation could have been more distasteful. How can we do the same? 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. Heb. Scripture is clear that if we are saved, it is because the Lord took the initiative; we did not. He did not force the son to grovel. 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). God is the One Who preserves us and keeps us in His name. Rejoice. 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). Now you see why the masses went to Jesus. Why should this be such an offense to the Pharisees and the scribes? 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. I understand the fatted calf to have been the symbol of celebration. I have implied earlier in this message that our definition of sin and of sinners, like those of the Pharisees and scribes, are often more social in nature than they are biblical. (3) The younger lost his inheritance; the older did not. We can rejoice in our own salvation, and thus we can also share in the joy of others who come to repentance as well. It was a different matter with the Pharisees and scribes. What do you think? He had, during those years when the younger son only had the fellowship of pagans and pigs, the fellowship of his father. It is not that they did not need repentance for themselves, but rather that they thought that they were good enough not to need repentance. WebJohn 3:1-36 ESV / 24 helpful votesHelpfulNot Helpful. Would they not tenderly put the sheep on their shoulders, lovingly carrying it back to the fold, rather than kicking it back, scolding it all the way? The second parable begins with the expression, Or suppose, indicating that the second parable is like unto the first. parables), and was not complex and complicated, so as to leave the masses in a fog. The Pharisees, too, thought of themselves as having perfectly kept Gods commandments. The process of repentance began, I believe, when the younger brother began to suffer the painful consequences of his sin. This included the necessity of living a life that was very distinct (holy) from that of the heathen. A Biblical Analysis, What it Means to Become a New Creation in Christ, 25 Encouraging Bible Verses About Strength, Words of Encouragement: 30 Uplifting Quotes. For this son of mine was dead and has come back to lifehe was lost and is found! Then they began to celebrate. The problem of the Pharisees was that they were too good for their own good. The younger brothers repentance was required by his sin, he very great sin, as we have just emphasized. And they began to have a good time. Jesus did receive sinners and eat with them, but He never minimized sin. The words of this famous hymn by John Newton seem to resonate with people of all theological Their kids told some of my friends at school that their dad and mom are going to get a divorce., All right! Dad shouted excitedly, as his favorite team on the game he was watching threw a touchdown pass. I can identify with this woman. 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!.. If a man decided to make gifts, he normally gave the capital but retained the income. I once was lost but now I'm found, was blind but now I see. John Newton Read more quotes from John Newton Share this quote: Like Quote Recommend to friends (2) Both sons wanted to celebrate WITHOUT THEIR FATHER. Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular. The Pharisees set themselves up as the elite, based (to some degree) upon their expertise in very complex rules and regulations. As an Israelite, this young man would understand several things about the blessings which God promised His chosen people. The woman hunts diligently for a single coin. Can people who live in areas of the world where there are no missionaries, no Bibles, and no mention of the Name of Jesus be saved having never heard the Gospel? The answer is both yes and no, and that is without equivocation. Let us start with the negative. No one can be saved unless they believe in Jesus Christ as Savior. Thats what they get for not going to church and for living like they do. Let us concentrate, then, on each of the three central characters of this parable. When a person savingly believes in Christ, he turns from his sins and trusts in Gods mercy. He put it securely on his shoulders and carried it home. If that is what our God is like, then that is what we, as His people, should be like. Great effort is expended in reaching the lost and when the sinner repents, the angels rejoice in seeing Gods purposes fulfilled. Let us attempt to set aside the previous interpretations of this parable, as well as our own predispositions and needs, and seek to study this text in the light of its context. Why are all of our righteous acts considered filthy rags? For the Pharisees, this was a humiliating exposure of their sin and their hypocrisy. 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. The Jews, as a group, felt superior to the Gentiles, but the Pharisees felt superior to other Jews (John 7:45-49). for this, my son, was dead, and is alive again. 9. For less than $5/mo. We come to Him in prayer, not for the fellowship and communion we can have with Him, but for the things we want Him to provide for us and for our enjoyment. But neither son found the father desirable to be with and to enjoy his person. Lets put this question in hold, momentarily. Would it be wise, even profitable, for a man to put 99 sheep at risk, leaving them unprotected in an open field, to search for one lost lamb? Anyone who has tried to read the instructions knows how complicated it can get. Give attention to those things which this son mentioned to his father, which are the basis of his actions, his anger, and his protest: (1) I have worked hard, but you gave me no banquet. Esth 3;10; 8:2; Gen 41:42), the shoes a sign of a free manslaves went barefootand the feast a sign of joy Talbert, p. 150. There is a marked contrast in this text between the grumbling of the Pharisees and scribes and the great joy in heaven and on earth when the lost are found. 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. This is what the third parable will tell us. In the last decade or so, hundreds have contacted us to say they believe they have lost their salvation or blasphemed the Holy Spirit.
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