Lucas 15
Steven Cole · Citado em PreceptAustin
Lucas 15
Cole adds that "Scripture is clear that if we are saved, it is because the Lord took the initiative; we did not. That initiative springs out of His great love and compassion. As the apostle Paul states, “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world.” “In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will” (Eph 1:4,5+). “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Ro 5:8+). If salvation had been left up to us, we would still be in our sins. But, thank God, He lovingly took the initiative. He launched the search. He sent Christ to die for our sins while we were wandering from the fold. (God’s Lost and Found) Until he finds it - Notice the word is Until not if - He will look "until" which indicates up to point in time he finds it. Then he no longer needs to seek. The point is that this is the length to which the Shepherd will go to find the lost sheep. Until he finds it emphasizes his determination and persistence. One lost human soul is of inestimable value to God and He will go to any length necessary to find them and bring them home! THOUGHT - He sought after me for 39 years and through a amalgamation of circumstances brought me safely into His sheepfold. He went after me until He found me. And my guess is that many of you reading would have a similar testimony that He went after you until He found you and did whatever it took to get your attention! (My testimony of God's grace). NET Note on until he finds it - The parable pictures God's pursuit of the sinner. On the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd, see John 10:1–18. The Pharisees who prided themselves on the knowledge of Scripture had forgotten how even in the very beginning, God had sought Adam and Eve despite the fact they had sinned and catapulted all humanity into spiritual death! And they like all of us wandering sheep attempted to hide from God, but this did not deter Him from seeking them as Moses recorded: They (Adam and Eve) heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?”(Gen. 3:8-9+). Comment: God's seeking Adam after his sin reminds me of an old song filled with truth and sadness by Don Francisco which you might listen to if you have time - Adam Where Are You? Lost (622) (apollumi from apo = away from or wholly + olethros = state of utter ruin) means to destroy utterly (perish) as used by Jesus in Mt 5:29-30 of those lost eternally in hell (cf similar meanings in Mt 10:28, 39, 16:25). In Mt 10:6 (Mt 15:24) Jesus instructs His disciples to "go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." Apollumi is used to describe the goal of the religious leaders for "the Pharisees went out, and counseled together against Him, as to how they might destroy (apollumi) Him." (Mt 12:14). Apollumi means 1. act. destroy, ruin, kill Mt 2:13; Ro 14:15; 1 Cor 1:19. Lose Mt 10:39, 42; 2Jn 8.—2. mid. and pass. be lost, perish, die, be ruined Mt 8:25; 9:17; 26:52; Lk 15:24; Jn 11:50; Jas 1:11; pass away Heb 1:11. [Apollyon] Luke uses apollumi in Luke 13:3, 5+ I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish (apollumi - BE ETERNALLY LOST). ...“I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” Apollumi in Luke and Acts - Lk. 4:34; Lk. 5:37; Lk. 6:9; Lk. 8:24; Lk. 9:24; Lk. 9:25; Lk. 9:56; Lk. 11:51; Lk. 13:3; Lk. 13:5; Lk. 13:33; Lk. 15:4; Lk. 15:6; Lk. 15:8; Lk. 15:9; Lk. 15:17; Lk. 15:24; Lk. 15:32; Lk. 17:27; Lk. 17:29; Lk. 17:33; Lk. 19:10; Lk. 19:47; Lk. 20:16; Lk. 21:18; Acts 5:37; Acts 27:34 Open pasture (2048) (eremos) means lonesome, solitary, wilderness = uninhabited, lonely, uncultivated region translated “wilderness” 32x in the KJV. Obviously the wilderness would not normally be a safe place to leave the other 99 sheep. This is where we need to remember this is a parable and we should not seek to explain every detail. This detail was not important to the central point of the story which is the seeking and finding of the one lost sheep. Eremos - 48v - Matt. 3:1; Matt. 3:3; Matt. 4:1; Matt. 11:7; Matt. 14:13; Matt. 14:15; Matt. 23:38; Matt. 24:26; Mk. 1:3; Mk. 1:4; Mk. 1:12; Mk. 1:13; Mk. 1:35; Mk. 1:45; Mk. 6:31; Mk. 6:32; Mk. 6:35; Lk. 1:80; Lk. 3:2; Lk. 3:4; Lk. 4:1; Lk. 4:42; Lk. 5:16; Lk. 7:24; Lk. 8:29; Lk. 9:12; Lk. 15:4; Jn. 1:23; Jn. 3:14; Jn. 6:31; Jn. 6:49; Jn. 11:54; Acts 1:20; Acts 7:30; Acts 7:36; Acts 7:38; Acts 7:42; Acts 7:44; Acts 8:26; Acts 13:18; Acts 21:38; 1 Co. 10:5; Gal. 4:27; Heb. 3:8; Heb. 3:17; Rev. 12:6; Rev. 12:14; Rev. 17:3 Lessons From A Shepherd Read: Luke 15:1-7 What man of you, having a hundred sheep, . . . does not . . . go after the one which is lost? —Luke 15:4 Jesus’ parable of the shepherd and the lost sheep has some pointed lessons for Christians about their responsibility to those who are lost. The shepherd wasn’t satisfied with 99 percent of his sheep safe within the fold. He did not say boastfully, “What a remarkable showing—only one absent!” No, he felt personally responsible for that one missing sheep (Lk. 15:4). Nor did the shepherd assume that it would come back on its own. That sheep was indifferent to its lost condition and needed to be found. So the shepherd took the initiative and went searching for it. And he did not give up until it was found (v.5). The shepherd also wanted others to share his joy in finding that one lost sheep (v.6). His friends and neighbors who celebrated with him must have felt that to find a lost sheep was one of the most joyous and worthwhile endeavors in the world. Seeking the lost—and pointing to Jesus Souls that are weak and hearts that are sore, Leading them forth in ways of salvation, Showing the path to life evermore. —Ogden To be your brother's keeper means that you will be his seeker. (Borrow A Shepherd looks at Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller) Lost and Found - An engagement ring that fell into the sea off the west coast of Sweden almost two years ago found its way back to its owner. The ring was consumed by a mussel that was caught by fisherman Peder Carlsson. Carlsson was able to return the ring to its owner because its owner, Agneta Wingstedt, had her name engraved on the inside. If we belong to Christ and bear his name, we will be reunited with him one day. —Parade (12/26/96). Leadership, Vol. 17, no. 4. Adrian Rogers - A family put the following ad in the "Lost and Found" section of the paper: "Lost Dog: Crippled in front paw, blind in left eye, mange on back and neck, tail missing. Recently neutered. Answers to the name 'Lucky'" He truly was a lucky dog, because in spite of all that was wrong with him, somebody loved him enough to want him. Actually, we're all lucky dogs. Even better, we're blessed dogs. God loves us out of sheer grace. Marvel of marvels! Wonder of wonders! God loves us with an everlasting love. The Value Of One What man . . . having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost? —Luke 15:4 Only hours before Kim Haskins’ high school graduation, an auto accident took the life of her father and left Kim and her mother hospitalized. The next day, Joe Garrett, Kim’s high school principal, visited her at the hospital and said they wanted to do something special for her at the school. The Gazette (Colorado Springs) article by James Drew described the outpouring of love and support as the teachers, administrators, and classmates—deeply touched by Kim’s loss—filled the high school auditorium a few days later at a graduation ceremony just for her. Principal Garrett said, “We talk a lot in education about no child left behind. In the military, they talk about no soldier left behind. Today, this is about no graduate left behind.” Jesus underscored the importance of every person to God with three stories about something lost—a sheep, a coin, and a son (Luke 15). In each story, a person has lost something of great value. When it is found, friends and neighbors are called to celebrate and rejoice together. I was lost but Jesus found me— Found the sheep that went astray, Threw His loving arms around me, Drew me back into His way. —Rowley Our value is measured by what God has done for us. Luke 15:5 "When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. KJV Luke 15:5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. When he has found it Lk 19:9; 23:43; Isa 62:12; John 4:34,35; Acts 9:1-16; Ro 10:20,21; Eph 2:3-6; Titus 3:3-7 he lays it on his shoulders Isa 40:10,11; 46:3,4; 63:9; Micah 5:4; Eph 1:19,20; 2:10; 3:7; 1 Th 1:5; 2 Ti 2:26; 1 Peter 1:5 rejoicing Lk 15:23,24,32; Isa 53:10,11; 62:5; Jer 32:41,42; Ezek 18:23; 33:11; Micah 7:18; Zephaniah 3:17; John 15:11; Hebrews 12:2 Luke 15 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 15 Jesus: The Seeking Savior, Part 1 - John MacArthur Luke 15 The Seeking Savior - Pt 1 - John MacArthur Related Passages: Isaiah 53:4-6+ Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. 6 All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him (COMPARE "HE LAYS IT ON HIS SHOULDERS") 1 Peter 2:24-25+ and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. 25 For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls. OUR COMPASSIONATE SHEPHERD IS "THE HOUND OF HEAVEN" When he has found (heurisko) it - Not "IF he finds it" but WHEN. He will find the ONE! In the same way our Good Shepherd goes after every sheep whom His Father has given to Him, that none will be lost (Jn 17:2, Jn 17:6, Jo 17:9), but that all will be brought safely into His fold. God has been called the "Hound of Heaven," a phrase taken from a poem by Francis Thompson (see note below). “The Hound of Heaven,” by Francis Thompson. Thompson (1859–1907) was a poet and essayist who struggled throughout his life with an addiction to opium. His poem “The Hound of Heaven” is a powerful narrative of God’s steady, majestic, but uncompromising pursuing and reconciling work in his life. Although the poet flees from him, God remains unhurried and unperturbed until finally the pursued understands that this is the true love of a determined God (Ed: Who loses none who are His sheep!). It would be worth reading several of the memorable, often-quoted stanzas aloud. (Below is just the first stanzas of Thompson's relatively long poem of over 180 lines - click for full version) I FLED Him, down the nights and down the days; I fled Him, down the arches of the years; I fled Him, down the labyrinthine ways Of my own mind; and in the mist of tears I hid from Him, and under running laughter. Up vistaed hopes I sped; And shot, precipitated, Adown Titanic glooms of chasmèd fears, From those strong Feet that followed, followed after. But with unhurrying chase, And unperturbèd pace, Deliberate speed, majestic instancy, They beat—and a Voice beat More instant than the Feet— ‘All things betray thee, who betrayest Me.’ He lays it on his shoulders - Notice that the shepherd did not get out his whip and drive the wandering sheep back into the fold. Instead he put it securely on his own shoulders and carried it home. There is no grumbling by the shepherd, but instead rejoicing. What a picture of the shepherd's compassion for his sheep, manifest by his gentleness and willingness to carry his lost sheep that was surely worn down and weary from wandering. THOUGHT - A sheep on the Good Shepherd's shoulders reminds us of our Lord bearing our sins on the Cross! It is also a beautiful picture of our Good Shepherd Who reaches down to pick us up after we cease running from Him and finally falling to our knees, "bleating out" because of our otherwise hopeless, lost condition? The sheep was weary from wandering and likely unable to ambulate on its own. What a picture of what the Good Shepherd does for us in our helpless state, Paul writing "For while we were still helpless (asthenes = without strength, powerless!), at the right time Christ died for the ungodly." (Romans 5:6+) Notice in the picture above, the shepherd is holding the sheep by his feet. When the shepherd is holding the legs, its hard to get lost again. Is this picture not a description of Jesus' wonderful words in John 10 "I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand." (Jn 10:28) See Is eternal security biblical? It is fascinating that this picture of the shepherd carrying the sheep on his shoulders was the original figure used to identify Christians before people began identifying Christianity with crosses. What a beautiful picture of a Christian, for even now in this moral wilderness in which believers live, Jesus (by the power of His indwelling Spirit) "carries us on His shoulders" (figuratively speaking of course). In fact our great God has rescued us in three tenses - (1) In past tense salvation He "rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son us in the past (Col 1:13+) (2) In present tense salvation (sanctification) God daily delivers (rescues - rhuomai) "us from evil" from the "many dangers, toils and snares" laid by the world, the flesh and the devil, (Mt 6:13+). (3) Finally, in the consummation of all things Jesus "rescues (rhuomai) us from the wrath to come!" (1 Th 1:10+) Hallelujah! What a Savior! Thank You Jesus! And so we sing out John Newton's words.... Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come; ’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home. AMEN
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Cole writes "What a great word of hope that is for sinners! If the thought of standing before the holy God who knows everything you have ever thought, said, or done frightens you, because you know that your sin is great, don’t run! Rather, do what these sinners in Jesus’ day did: Draw near to Him and listen to Him. He will receive you." Luke has over 50% of the NT uses of eggizo - Lk. 7:12; Lk. 10:9; Lk. 10:11; Lk. 12:33; Lk. 15:1; Lk. 15:25; Lk. 18:35; Lk. 18:40; Lk. 19:29; Lk. 19:37; Lk. 19:41; Lk. 21:8; Lk. 21:20; Lk. 21:28; Lk. 22:1; Lk. 22:47; Lk. 24:15; Lk. 24:28; Acts 7:17; Acts 9:3; Acts 10:9; Acts 21:33; Acts 22:6; Acts 23:15; Mattoon - on drawing near in the present tense (they were continually drawing new) which emphasizes that it was the habitual practice all through Jesus' ministry for people to draw near All throughout the New Testament, we find people attracted to Christ. Children were attracted to Him. (Matthew 19:13-14) Sinners approached Him. (Luke 15:1) Men accompanied Him. (Luke 5:11, 28) Shepherds and Mary adored Him. (Matthew 2:11; John 12:3) Soldiers admired Him. (John 7:46) A centurion acknowledged or confessed Him. (Luke 23:47) Pilate was astonished at Him. (John 18:33-38) The Samaritan acclaimed or praised Him. (Luke 17:15, 16) Martha accommodated or served Him. (Luke 10:38) ( Mattoon's Treasures from Luke, Volume 4. QUESTION - Why does the Bible speak so negatively about tax collectors? ANSWER -Probably in every culture, in every part of history, from the tax collectors of ancient Israel to the IRS agents of today, the tax man has received more than his share of scorn and contumely. The New Testament indicates that the occupation of “tax collector” (or “publican”) was looked down upon by the general populace. The Pharisees communicated their disdain for tax collectors in one of their early confrontations with Jesus. The Lord was eating a meal with “many tax collectors and sinners . . ., for there were many who followed him.” When the Pharisees noticed this,“they asked his disciples: ‘Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?’” (Mark 2:15–16). A “sinner,” to a Pharisee, was a Jew who did not follow the Law (plus the Pharisees’ own rules). And a “tax collector” was—well, a tax collector. Jesus used the commonly held opinion of tax collectors as an illustration of the final stage of church discipline: when a person is excommunicated, Jesus said to “treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector” (Matthew 18:17). In other words, the excommunicant is to be considered an outsider and a candidate for evangelism. There are a few reasons for the low view of tax collectors in the New Testament era. First, no one likes to pay money to the government, especially when the government is an oppressive regime like the Roman Empire of the 1st century. Those who collected the taxes for such a government bore the brunt of much public displeasure. Second, the tax collectors in the Bible were Jews who were working for the hated Romans. These individuals were seen as turncoats, traitors to their own countrymen. Rather than fighting the Roman oppressors, the publicans were helping them—and enriching themselves at the expense of their fellow Jews. Third, it was common knowledge that the tax collectors cheated the people they collected from. By hook or by crook, they would collect more than required and keep the extra for themselves. Everyone just understood that was how it worked. The tax collector Zacchaeus, in his confession to the Lord, mentioned his past dishonesty (Luke 19:8). Fourth, because of their skimming off the top, the tax collectors were well-to-do. This further separated them from the lower classes, who resented the injustice of their having to support the publicans’ lavish lifestyle. The tax collectors, ostracized as they were from society, formed their own clique, further separating themselves from the rest of society. Jesus taught that we should love our enemies. To emphasize the point, He said, “If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?” (Matthew 5:46). The word even is significant. Jesus was telling the crowd they needed to rise above the level of publican behavior. If our love is only reciprocal, then we’re no better than a tax collector! Such a comparison must have left its mark on Jesus’ hearers. Given the low esteem people had for tax collectors, it is noteworthy that Jesus spent so much time with them. The reason He was eating that meal in Mark 2 with “many tax collectors” is that He had just called Matthew, a tax collector, to be one of His twelve disciples. Matthew was throwing a feast because he wanted his circle of friends to meet the Lord. Many believed in Jesus (verse 15). Jesus responded to the Pharisees’ indignation by stating His ministry purpose: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 2:17). The Pharisees saw tax collectors as enemies to be shunned. Jesus saw them as the spiritually sick to be healed. The Pharisees could offer nothing to the tax collectors except a list of rules. Jesus offered forgiveness of sins and the hope of a new life. No wonder the publicans liked to spend time with Jesus (Luke 15:1). And tax collectors like Matthew and Zacchaeus were transformed by the gospel and followed the Lord. John the Baptist’s message was that all need to repent, not just tax collectors and other obvious sinners. The Pharisees couldn’t see their need and refused to be categorized with publicans. To the self-righteous, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him” (Matthew 21:31–32). GotQuestions.org Related Resource: What is a publican in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org Croft Pentz - REPENTING BRINGS REJOICING Luke 15:1–32 Jesus spoke often in parables. This lesson contains three parables. The parables Jesus gave were always: 1. Scriptural. He often quoted the Old Testament. 2. Spiritual. Each one had a spiritual truth for the hearer. 3. Sound. His parables always made sense. I. THE LOST SHEEP—Luke 15:1–7 1. People—vv, 1–2. The publicans (tax collectors) and sinners came to hear Christ speak. The Pharisees were critical toward Him. 2. Parable—vv. 3–6. a) Sheep—vv. 3–4. If only one out of one hundred sheep were lost the shepherd would leave the ninety-nine to search for it. b) Satisfaction—vv. 5–6. Finding the lost sheep brings joy. All rejoice with the shepherd. c) Sinner—v. 7. When a sinner repents of his sin, the angels in heaven rejoice. Christ rejoices, and we should too. We are as sheep gone astray (Isa. 53:5–6). Of all animals, a sheep is the only one who cannot find his way home. Christ came to die, and by this He could lead us home to heaven. II. THE LOST SILVER—Luke 15:8–10 1. Remorse—v. 8. The lady lost a coin. This coin was worth seventeen cents, or a day’s salary. The lady sought until she found it. 2. Rejoicing—v. 9. When she found the coin she rejoiced. Her neighbors rejoiced with her. We rejoice when a sinner finds Christ. 3. Repentance—v. 10. There is joy when a sinner repents of his sins and follows the Lord completely. When a person works for the Lord and leads people to Christ, he has great joy. All sorrow and gloomy feelings leave when we tell others about Christ. III. THE LOST SON—Luke 15:11–32 Here is a good picture of God the Father and the sinner. 1. Rebellion—vv. 12–13. The son wanted his share of the money. He left home and wasted his money on sinful living. 2. Results—vv. 14–16. His money gone—his friends gone! He fed the pigs. Even the pigs’ food looked good. No one gave him food. 3. Realization—vv. 17–19. He thought of his home and father. He would arise and go to his father’s home. He would repent of his wrong. 4. Return—vv. 20–21. The father forgave and gave his very best to him. 5. Rejoicing—vv. 22–24. There was rejoicing because of his return. 6. Rejection—vv. 25–32. The older brother didn’t rejoice, but opposed the father’s joy and the return of his brother. We should rejoice because our lost brother is found (note v. 32). As Christians we should encourage new converts. We should not push down, but lift up these “babes in Christ.” Don’t be critical; be compassionate. Don’t scold; encourage. Be interested in the problems of people. Rejoice with them when they rejoice and weep with them when they weep. Lack of love and patience with these people shows a lack of Christlikeness. (Expository Outlines from Luke ) Luke 15:2 Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them." KJV Luke 15:2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. began to grumble, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them - Lk 15:29-30; 5:30; 7:34,39; 19:7; Mt 9:11; Acts 11:3; 1 Co 5:9-11; Gal 2:12 Luke 15 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 15:1-10 God’s Lost and Found - Steven Cole Luke 15 Jesus: The Seeking Savior, Part 1 - John MacArthur Luke 15:1-2 Heaven's Joy: Recovering the Lost - John MacArthur Luke 15 The Seeking Savior - Pt 1 - John MacArthur MURMURING ABOUT MEALTIME Both the Pharisees (pharisaios) and the scribes (grammateus) began to grumble (diagogguzo) - Grumble is first word in sentence for emphasis! Began to grumble where grumble is in the imperfect tense giving us a vivid onomatopoeic picture of these religious hypocrites, grumbling over and over! They were visibly disturbed by this veritable "sea of sinners!" It is notable that this chapter begins with the opposition of the Pharisees, just like the previous section (Lk 14:1+), indicating that the anger against Jesus is fomenting and would soon explode in Jerusalem. Pharisees and the scribes- The Gospels mention these two religious groups ganging up against our Lord in 20 verses - Mt 5:20, 12:38. Mt 15:1, Mt 23:2, Mt 23:13, Mat 23:14, Mt 23:15, Mt 23:23, Mt 23:25, Mt 23:27, Mt 23:29, Mk 2:16, Mk 7:1, Mk 7:5, Luke 5:21, Luke 5:30, Luke 6:7, Luke 11:53, Luke 15:2, Jn 8:3 Don’t grumble because you don’t have what you want—be thankful you don’t get what you deserve. Most people don’t mind suffering in silence as long as everyone else knows about it. Some people intend to be gratefully humble but instead turn out to be grumbly hateful. If you feel “dog tired” at night, it is because you growled all day. Stop grumbling because roses have thorns. Instead (filled with the Spirit) be thankful that thorns have roses! When we are discontented with ourselves, we grumble about others, a perfect description of the Pharisees and scribes! William
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Cole explains that "The biblical description of those who do not know Jesus Christ is not “unsaved,” but lost. It’s an empty, hopeless word when used in reference to things or to animals, but it’s an especially bleak word when it is used in reference to people. We once lost Christa at Disneyland when she was about seven years old. We felt a wave of horror sweep over us, followed by about ten minutes of frantic searching that seemed much longer. When we finally found her, we were so thankful and relieved. We didn’t even mind losing our place in line for the Dumbo ride! When a close family member is lost, you cannot be at rest until he or she is found. Whether the person knows it or not, the Bible describes every person who does not know Jesus Christ as being lost. In what is perhaps the saddest verse in the Bible, Paul describes the former condition of his Gentile readers: “You were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world” (Eph 2:12-note). A lost sheep in the Judean wilderness was doomed. It had no protection and it would be only a short time before the coyotes or other predators would attack and kill it. A lost dog might eventually find its way home, but a lost sheep is unable to do so. As such, it is a picture of a lost sinner. The sinner may not even know that he is lost and headed for destruction, but that is the truth. Even if he becomes aware of his condition, there is nothing he can do about it. Jesus said that no one can come to Him unless the Father draws him (Jn 6:44, Jo 6:65). 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” (2Co 4:4). Unbelievers are lost and helpless, prey for the enemy unless God intervenes. But, thank God, He has intervened! (God’s Lost and Found) Phillip Keller in his excellent book A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 (borrow this book) describes the fate of lost sheep, especially if they roll over on their back: The way it happens is this. A heavy, fat, or long fleeced sheep will lie down comfortably in some little hollow or depression in the ground. It may roll on its side slightly to stretch out or relax. Suddenly the center of gravity in the body shifts so that it turns on its back far enough that the feet no longer touch the ground. It may feel a sense of panic and start to paw frantically. Frequently this only makes things worse. It rolls over even further. Now it is quite impossible for it to regain its feet.As it lies there struggling, gases begin to build up in the rumen. As these expand they tend to retard and cut off blood circulation to the extremities of the body, especially the legs. If the weather is very hot and sunny a cast sheep can die in a few hours. If it is cool and cloudy and rainy it may survive in this position for several days. It is not easy to convey on paper the sense of this ever present danger. If I saw black-winged buzzards circling overhead ... anxiety would grip me. This is part of the drama depicted for us in the story of the ninety and nine sheep with one astray. This is the Shepherd's deep concern; his agonizing search; his longing to find the missing one; his delight in restoring it not only to its feet, but also to the flock, as well as to himself.Again and again I would spend hours searching for a single sheep that was missing ... As soon as I reached the cast ewe, my very first impulse was to pick it up ... I would hold her erect, rubbing her limbs to restore the circulation to her legs. When the sheep started to walk again, she often stumbled, staggered and collapsed. Little by little the sheep would regain its equilibrium. It would start to walk steadily and surely. By and by it would dash away to rejoin the others, set free from its fears and frustrations, given another chance to live a little longer. All of this pageantry is conveyed to my heart and mind when I repeat the simple statement, "He restoreth my soul!" (Here is an audio of Chapter 1 of Keller's book). Adam
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Cole adds that "the glad fact is, you are not secure in your salvation because of your grip on the Good Shepherd, but rather because of His grip on you. He chose you as His own before time began. He sent His Son to secure your redemption by His blood. He sent the Holy Spirit to pursue you with the good news that Christ died for your sins. He sought after you until He found you and rescued you from your hopeless condition. Do you think that now He will let you go back into your sins and be lost again? Impossible! If the Good Shepherd has saved you, He will keep you from falling (Jude 1:24-25+). (God’s Lost and Found) John MacDuff in a devotional on Acts 7:56 in the context of Stephen's martyrdom writes - "He, the same gentle, tender Shepherd that He ever was, sees one of the choicest sheep of the fold in the fangs of ravening wolves! Roused by these wild beasts who were scattering His flock;—touched with the tender bleat of that holy and innocent victim of their rage,—the good Shepherd stoops down from the hills of glory; and, as Stephen enters the valley of the shadow of death, He comforts and supports him with His rod and staff!" Isaiah 40:10-11 prophesies Behold, the Lord GOD ( Adonai Jehovah) will come with might, with His arm ruling for Him. Behold, His reward is with Him (cf when "the Chief Shepherd appears you will receive the unfading crown of glory." 1 Pe 5:4-note) And His recompense before Him. Like a shepherd He will tend His flock (in context the Lord Jesus at His Second Coming), In His arm He will gather the lambs And carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes." (Hallelujah!) Cole applies this section of the parable - God goes to great effort to seek lost sinners. If He so seeks lost sinners, should not we? If our Lord came from heaven to seek and to save the lost, shouldn’t we be praying often, “Lord, use me to be Your instrument in seeking lost people with Your good news”? Rather than avoiding sinners, we should be pursuing them, not to run with them in their sins, but to rescue them from this evil world. Ask God to burden your heart with the lost and to give you opportunities to pursue them with the gospel. THOUGHT - I have found that often times when I begin to pray for those in my sphere of influence, God's Spirit embolden's me (cf Acts 4:31+) to share the Gospel with them, at times even providing providential "coincidences!" For whom are you praying asking that the Good Shepherd might seek them and find them and gently bring them into His fold? Found (2147)(heurisko) means to find after searching and so to discover (Mt 7:7). The idea of heurisko is to learn the location of something, either by intentional searching or by unexpected discovery (clearly the former in this context). Rejoicing (continually = present tense)(5463)(chairo) (used also in Lk 15:32-note) means to be "cheer" full, calmly happy or well-off. Chairo implies and imparts joy. Chairo is used in a whole range of situations in which the emotion of joy is evoked. Predominant in the usage of chairo is the focus on rejoicing over the redemptive deeds of God that come to fruition in the gospel in the person of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. And so rejoicing is expressed when sinners repent as in 2Co. 7: 9 = " I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us." In Acts 8:39; 13:48; Rev. 19: 7, salvation is associated with rejoicing. ILLUSTRATION - The late Bible teacher, Harry Ironside, told of a new convert who gave his testimony at a church service. With a smile on his face and joy in his heart, the man related how he had been delivered from a life of sin. He gave the Lord all the glory, saying nothing about anything that he had done. The person in charge of the meeting was a legalistic man who did not understand the fact that salvation is totally by God’s grace, apart from human merit or works. So he responded to the young man’s comments by saying, “You seem to indicate that God did everything when He saved you. Didn’t you do your part before God did His?” The new Christian jumped to his feet and said, “Oh, yes, I did. For more than 30 years I ran away from God as fast as my sins could carry me. That was my part. But God took out after me and ran me down. That was His part.”
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Cole adds that "Heaven is already filled with joy, but when a sinner gets saved, they throw a party, just as the father of the prodigal son did! As he tells his older son, “We had (verb = dei = it is necessary, needful) to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found” (Lu 15:32)." (God’s Lost and Found) There was an ancient Jewish saying that "There is joy before God when those who provoke Him perish from the world." What a striking contrast with the heart of God Who rejoices over the returning penitent. God does not rejoice in destroying those He created but in redeeming them. Peter describes God's heart writing... The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient (FIRST NOTE GOD'S "makrothumeo" = HIS "LONG FUSE") toward you, not wishing for any to perish (same verb as "lost" = apollumi) but for all to come to repentance. (2Pe 3:9+) There will be more joy (chara) in heaven over one sinner (hamartolos) who repents (metanoeo in present tense = as one's lifestyle) than over ninety-nine righteous (dikaios) persons who need no repentance (metanoia) - For a moment just imagine you were a self-righteous Pharisee listening to Jesus' piercing words! It would be difficult for the Pharisees to miss His point! Clearly the ninety-nine righteous persons represent the Pharisees. Who is it among fallen men (even those who are born again) who is so righteous that they need no repentance? This is very error of thinking by the Pharisees (thinking they needed no repentance) which Jesus was seeking to correct.
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Cole - There are different views on what Jesus means in verse Lu 15:7, but two are most likely. Spurgeon takes the 99 righteous persons who need no repentance to refer to those who have already been justified by grace through faith (Twelve Sermons, p. 27; Charles Simeon takes the same view, Expository Outlines of the Whole Bible [Zondervan], 12:537). Thus they are not at present in need of repentance. He uses the illustration of a family with seven children, where one is deathly ill, but then recovers. The family rejoices more over the recovery of that one child than over the health of the other six. I prefer, however, another view (ED: THIS WRITER DOES ALSO). In the three parables, the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son all represent the lost tax gatherers and sinners who were coming to hear Jesus and getting saved. The 99 sheep, the nine coins that were not lost, and the older brother who never strayed all represent the Pharisees and scribes. They are not in the fold or household of faith, but in the household of Israel, made up both of those who are saved and those who are not. 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. Thus Jesus was using irony to show them their self-righteous pride, especially in the case of the older brother who could not bring himself to rejoice at his brother’s repentance. He is a mirror of the Pharisees! We saw the same thing back in Lu 5:32+, when the Pharisees grumbled because Jesus and His disciples ate with the sinners at Levi’s house. Jesus replied, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” The Lord hates pride, and so the Pharisees were just as sinful as the more outwardly notorious sinners whom they despised. But they were blind toward their own hypocrisy and pride. Jesus also confronts them in Lu 16:15, when He says, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts.” Jesus hits the same thing in Lu 18:9, with the parable of the Pharisee and the publican going to the temple to pray. He told it because the Pharisees “trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt.” Thus the “righteous” are the self-righteous who need to repent just as much as the tax gatherers and sinners, but who are blind to their need. Repentance means turning to God from our sins. Such repentance is God’s gift, not a work of man (Ac 11:18), and is inextricably bound up with saving faith. You cannot have one without the other. When a person savingly believes in Christ, he turns from his sins and trusts in God’s mercy. A person who says, “I believe in Jesus,” but who does not repent of his sins, has not truly believed in Jesus unto salvation. When a sinner turns from his sins to God, all heaven rejoices because God gets the glory. When a self-righteous person continues in his self-righteousness, he gets the glory and God is not pleased. (God’s Lost and Found) To The Rescue There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. —Luke 15:7 Martie and I recently traveled to some major cities in several countries. We were struck with how lost our world is and grieved over the millions who have never heard the message of the saving grace of Jesus. The thought of reaching our world for Christ felt overwhelming. Until I remembered the story of the boy walking on a beach. Encountering hundreds of starfish dying under the heat of the burning sun, he started throwing them back into the sea. A passerby asked, “What are you doing?” “Saving their lives,” the boy replied. “Forget it,” the man said. “You can’t possibly save all these starfish.” “Right,” replied the boy, “but it makes a big difference to each one I do save.” I love the boy’s perspective. When the wave of sin threw us onto the shore to die, God sent His Son to walk on the beach to rescue all who would repent. And, as Jesus told His listeners in Luke 15, each time someone is rescued, heaven throws a party. “I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:7). Your love, O God, would spare no pain To conquer death and win; You sent Your only Son to die To rescue us from sin. —M. Gustafson When you’ve been rescued, you’ll want to rescue others. T-Ball Faith Read: Luke 15:1-7 The joy of the Lord is your strength. —Nehemiah 8:10 Whoever dreamed up T-ball is a genius: Every kid on the field gets a taste of the fun and joy of the game before they taste the disappointment of striking out. In T-ball, a baseball is placed on a rubber tee about waist-high to the 5- and 6-year-old batters. Players swing until they hit the ball and then run. On my first night as a coach, the very first batter hit the ball far into the outfield. Suddenly every player from everyposition ran to get the ball instead of staying where they were supposed to. When one of them reached it, there was nobody left in the infield for him to throw it to! All the players were standing together—cheering with unrestrained exuberance! Those who have recently come to know Jesus as Savior have an unrestrained joy that is a delight to be around as well. We rejoice with them, and so do the angels in heaven! (Luke 15:7). New Christians are in love with God and excited about knowing Him and learning from His Word. Rejoice, O soul, your debt is paid, For all your sins on Christ were laid; We’ve been redeemed, we’re justified— And all because the Savior died. —D. DeHaan Restore to me the joy of Your salvation. —Psalm 51:12 New To The Family There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. — Luke 15:7 While on a ministry trip with a Christian high school chorale to Jamaica, we witnessed an illustration of God’s love in action. On the day we visited an orphanage for disabled children and teens, we learned that Donald, one of the boys our kids had interacted with—a teen with cerebral palsy—was going to be adopted. When the adopting couple arrived at the “base” where we were staying, it was a joy to talk to them about Donald. But what was even better was what happened later. We were at the base when Donald and his new parents arrived just after they had picked him up at the orphanage. As the brand-new mom embraced her son, our students gathered around her and sang praise songs. Tears flowed. Tears of joy. And Donald was beaming! Later, one of the students said to me, “This reminds me of what it must be like in heaven when someone is saved. The angels rejoice because someone has been adopted into God’s family.” Indeed, it was a picture of the joy of heaven when someone new joins God’s forever family by faith in Christ. Jesus spoke of that grand moment when He said, “There will be . . . joy in heaven over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:7). The One who made the heavens, Who died on Calvary, Rejoices with His angels When one soul is set free. — Fasick Angels rejoice when we repent. Ray Pritchard… In 1937 the American Tract Society sponsored a contest in which they offered a prize of $1,000 for the best new book written on one of the “essential evangelical doctrines of the Christian faith.” Sixty-one years ago, $1,000 was a lot of money and a great many well-known Christian authors entered the contest hoping to win the prize. A committee representing six denominations judged the entries. The judges unanimously chose a book written by a man whose name I have mentioned before—Dr. Harry Ironside, who for many years served as pastor of the famous Moody Memorial Church in downtown Chicago. The book he wrote is entitled Except Ye Repent. The title is taken from the King James Version of Luke 13:3 where Jesus said to the men of his day, “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” Let me quote the first sentence from Dr. Ironside’s introduction: “Fully convinced in my own mind that the doctrine of repentance is the missing note in many otherwise orthodox and fundamentally sound circles today, I have penned this volume out of a full heart.” Repentance, he says, is the missing note in many otherwise sound churches. If it was so in 1937, how much more it must be true in 1998. In our day, and in our circles, the doctrine of repentance is not preached very often. There are several reasons for this. First, we live in a superficial age and any preaching of repentance is bound to cut through the superficiality. This is one point on which both liberals and conservatives share unspoken agreement—no one wants to go to church and hear hard truth from the pulpit, and repentance is the ultimate hard truth. Second, some evangelicals fear the preaching of repentance because they think it somehow opposes the gospel of grace. Their fears are justified if repentance is made to equal penance, the act whereby a man atones for his own sin. But that is not true biblical repentance. Where true repentance is preached, it actually promotes the grace of God. (Repent! The Forgotten Doctrine of Salvation by Dr. Ray Pritchard) Don't wait till the 11th hour to repent -- you may die at 10:30! An illustration from the Speaker's Quote Book A Sunday school teacher asked a class what the word “repentance” means. A little boy put up his hand and said, “It is being sorry for your sins.” A little girl also raised her hand and said, “It is being sorry enough to quit.” A schoolgirl was saved and someone asked her, “What were you before?” She said, “A sinner.” The she was asked, “What are you now?” She answered, “A sinner.” They asked, “What’s the difference?” She answered, “I was a sinner running after sin. But now I’m a sinner running from sin.” (Borrow The speaker's quote book : over 4,500 illustrations and quotations for all occasions) It's never too soon to repent, but soon it may be too late! Related Resources on Repentance: What is repentance and is it necessary for salvation? What is cheap grace? Matthew 3:7-10 The Fruits of True Repentance, 1 - John MacArthur Matthew 3:7-12 The Fruits of True Repentance, 2 - John MacArthur Luke 3:7-8 True Repentance: God's Highway to the Heart- 1 - John MacArthur Luke 3:8-14 True Repentance: God's Highway to the Heart- 2 - John MacArthur Luke 3:15-17 True Repentance: God's Highway to the Heart- 3 - John MacArthur Luke 3:15-17 True Repentance: God's Highway to the Heart- 4 - John MacArthur Repent! The Forgotten Doctrine of Salvation by Dr. Ray Pritchard Ezra 10:1-44 Genuine Repentance - Pdf - Steven Cole Luke 13:3 Repentance - J C Ryle Psalm 51:17 Repentance After Conversion - Pdf - C H Spurgeon Jonah 3:9 - Who Can Tell? - C H Spurgeon Zechariah 12:12-14 - Apart - C H Spurgeon Mark 1:15 Faith and Repentance Inseparable - C H Spurgeon Luke 15:10 The Sympathy of the Two Worlds - C H Spurgeon Acts 11:18 Repentance Unto Life - C H Spurgeon Romans 2:4 God's Goodness Leading to Repentance - C H Spurgeon Revelation 16:9 Judgments and No Repentance: Repentance and No Salvation - C H Spurgeon Luke 15:8 "Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? KJV Luke 15:8 Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? ten silver coins and loses one coin Mt 18:28." search carefully until she finds it Lk 15:19:10; Ezek 34:12; John 10:16; 11:52; Eph 2:17 Luke 15 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 15 Jesus: The Seeking Savior, Part 1 - John MacArthur Luke 15 The Seeking Savior - Pt 1 - John MacArthur Luke 15:8-10 Recovering the Lost Coin - John MacArthur Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins (drachme) and loses (apollumi) one coin (drachme) does not light (hapto) a lamp (luchnos) - Jesus began with a man that was obviously a shepherd which were not a respected profession among the Pharisees. Now He follows up with a woman, who similarly was not rightly respected by the Pharisees. One can imagine their grumbling is intensifying! The important point is not how she lost the coin or the 10:1 ratio (100:1 with the sheep) but that she lost a coin. That is the point Jesus wants us to focus on. Remember when you interpret parables, be careful not to be distracted by trying to explain every detail and thereby miss the central point of the parable. Houses in Palestine were usually dark so she begins her search by lighting a lamp. Leon
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Cole - The prodigal’s rebellion and downward course illustrate the terrible toll of sin in human lives. Sin always alienates the sinner from fellowship with the loving and merciful Father. We sin because we stupidly think that it will bring us lasting happiness and fulfillment, and for a short time, it seems to deliver. But rebelling against God and plunging into sin is like buying things on credit when you have no money to pay. At first, it’s fun. You can go to Europe, stay in first class hotels, eat at the finest restaurants, and live like a king. But then the bills start coming due and it isn’t fun anymore. Invariably, a famine hits in the far country. The worldly friends who told you that you were the greatest when you had money start avoiding you when the famine sets in. You’re left alone, down and out, with seemingly no where to go. But, thankfully, there is a way to go, namely, to repent or turn back to God. (How to Receive God’s Abundant Mercy) Gary Inrig - Had the Lord stopped at this point, his critics would have risen up with enthusiastic approval. “That’s right. That’s what happens to a sinner. He ends up degraded, with the stench of pigs upon him. He’s getting what he deserves.” But the Lord did not end there. The Pharisees were content to leave sinners in the pigpen. The Savior wants them to find the way back to the Father’s house. (Borrow The Parables : Understanding What Jesus Meant) Have gladly (better translated "he was longing") (1937)(epithumeo from epí = upon, used intensively + thumós = passion) means literally to fix one's desire upon, to have a strong desire to secure something, to desire greatly. Filled (1072) gemizo means filling a vessel with a solid object. To "put something into an object to the extent of its capacity (the procedure of filling)" (BDAG). To fill an object with something (Jn 2.7). Passive voice, be filled, become full (Mk 4.37) Gemizo - 8v - fill(1), filled(7), filling(1). Mk. 4:37; Mk. 15:36; Lk. 14:23; Lk. 15:16; Jn. 2:7; Jn. 6:13; Rev. 8:5; Rev. 15:8 Pods (2769)(keraton diminutive of keras = a horn) literally means "little horn" and apparently refers to the horn-shaped edible pods from a carob tree. Only here in NT (Hapax legomenon). They were bean-like in nature and were commonly used for fattening pigs, although they were also used for food by poor people. One poor prodigal wished he could have eaten the pods! Ray Pritchard - Five Steps to the Pigpen 1. He was selfish. His fall began with a selfish act, a disregard for his father. He said, “I want my money and I want it now.” All he could see was the dollar signs. “Dad, give me my money. Forget you and forget my family. Forget my brother. Forget my reputation. Give me my money. I want to get out of here.” 2. He acted hastily. The Bible says that when he got his money he went to a far country. When you hear that phrase, you shouldn’t think of somewhere thousands of miles away. Do you know where the far country is? It’s one step outside of God’s will. You could be living in your own home and be in a far country. You could be working at your job and be in a far country. You could be going to high school and still be living in a far country. You could be in church every Sunday and still be living in a far country. Because the far country is not that far away. It’s just one step outside the will of God. 3. He wasted everything he had. The word prodigal means “to waste.” When he left, he never intended to come back home. After all, he took all the money with him. If he was planning on coming back, he would have taken some spending money with him and left some back there. But, no, he deliberately did what he did. He wasn’t tricked into spending his money. He left home intending to spend it all. 4. He separated himself from every relationship that was important to him. By leaving he broke his relationship with his father and his brother. He also left his family and his friends. He rejected everything that was good and right and holy. All of that went out the window. 5. He made a long string of bad decisions. Sin always works that way. One bad decision leads to another. First you tell a lie, then you have to tell another one to cover up the first one, then another one to cover up the second one, and then another one to cover up the third one. Sin always leads to more sin. Once you start making bad decisions, it’s easier to make them as you go along. But pretty soon you are about 15 bad decisions down the road. At that point it seems like you are so far away from where you used to be that it is just easier to keep going the wrong way than it is to think about turning around. (Luke 15:11-32 Tapped On a Dead-End Street) Avoid The Husks He would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate. —Luke 15:16 Ah, the life of a pig! Each new day brings nothing but slopping through the mud and snorting happily at mealtime. And what meals they have! Crunchy corn husks—or whatever leftovers get tossed into the pen. Sound good? No? It probably didn’t sound good to the prodigal son either. Before he started eating with pigs, he had a warm bed, a rich inheritance, a loving father, a secure future—and probably good food. But it wasn’t enough. He wanted “fun.” He wanted to run his own life and do whatever he desired. It resulted in a pig’s dinner. Whenever a young person ignores the guidance of godly parents and the instruction of God’s Word, similar results occur. It always shocks me when someone who professes to know Jesus chooses a life that rejects God’s clear teaching. Whether the choices include sexual sin, addictive substances, a lack of ambition, or something else, any action that leaves God out risks ending badly. When we are lured to turn away To follow sinful lust, Lord, help us to resist the pull And in You put our trust. —Sper If sin were not deceitful, it wouldn’t seem delightful. Luke 15:17 "But when he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! KJV Luke 15:17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! But when he came to his senses Lk 8:35; 16:23; Ps 73:20; Eccl 9:3; Jer 31:19; Ezek 18:28; Acts 2:37; 16:29; Acts 16:30; 26:11-19; Eph 2:4,5; 5:14; Titus 3:4-6; James 1:16-18 How many of my father's hired men have more than enough bread Lk 15:18,19; Lam 1:7 Luke 15 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 15:11-32 The Tale of Two Sons - John MacArthur Luke 15:17-21 The Tale of Two Sons - Part 2 - John MacArthur Luke 15:17-24 The Loving Father - John MacArthur THE FIRST STEP OF REPENTANCE But when he came to his senses (literally "came to himself") - This marked the turning point. A personal "reality check" is the first step on the road of repentance! Before this moment he had been out of touch with reality, "beside himself" enslaved to and deceived by his sin, but now he "came to himself." As alluded to above, he was at the bottom in every way. The locals would not help him. He was unable to help himself. The only one he would look to was his father. When you are the end of your rope, you begin to face the facts! When a sinner comes "to himself" he is at the place where grace can abound "all the more" (Ro 5:20-note). Gotquestions - His painful circumstances help him to see his father in a new light and bring him hope (Psalm 147:11; Isaiah 40:30-31; Romans 8:24-25; 1 Timothy 4:10). This is reflective of the sinner when he/she discovers the destitute condition of his life because of sin. It is a realization that, apart from God, there is no hope (Ephesians 2:12; 2 Timothy 2:25-26). This is when a repentant sinner “comes to his senses” and longs to return to the state of fellowship with God which was lost when Adam sinned (Genesis 3:8-note).
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Cole reminds us that we need to think of how the father could have acted - “It’s about time! Here comes that no good son of mine! I’m going to let him crawl up to me on his hands and knees and beg for mercy. Then I’ll tell him to go clean up and make himself presentable before he sets foot in my house. I’m going to put him on restriction and lay down the rules! He’s going to have to toe the line from now on!” (Ed: This is what the Pharisees who were listening expected Jesus to say!) Ran - Oriental clothing usually consisted of a long robe so that in order to run his father would have to pull up (gird up) his skirt to run, which would expose his legs which was considered shameful.
Lucas 15
Cole - He is bitter, accusing his dad of being stingy and unfair. He is saying, “Just give me what I deserve for all my hard work!” Inrig - The older son has only contempt for such a response. In the light of the father’s appeal, the heart of the son is exposed. He speaks angry words that reveal who he really is. Appearances suggest a son respectful of his father, totally different from his rebellious brother; anger unveils attitudes every bit as contemptible as the attitudes that led his brother to leave home. In fact, what we learn about this older brother may explain why the younger brother wanted to go to the far country! (Borrow The Parables : Understanding What Jesus Meant) Mattoon - The fact that it is mentioned first reveals how important it is to the elder brother as he states, "I have been responsible for many years." Where is this heading? The answer is the fact that his younger brother was not faithful, he was not responsible, yet, he has a party thrown for him. This is not fair to the older brother! He does not understand why his father did this. The elder brother is focused on his achievements. They are the basis of what he feels he deserves. Folks also have this same attitude about going to Heaven. They feel their good works entitle them to eternal life. They feel they have earned their way to Heaven. God, however, has made it very clear what He feels about our good works. He does not want to hear us bragging in Heaven about them. Ephesians 2:8-9 ("not as a result of works, so that no one may boast"). (Treasures from Luke) For so many years I have been serving (douleuo) you - NET - "I have worked like a slave!" He uses the verb douleuo which means to serve as slave and in present tense pictures this as his habitual practice. Clearly he was not serving out of love, but out of a sense of duty, even drudgery. He considered his servitude of his father as slavery. He was going through the motions, waiting for his father to die so that he would gain full control of the estate. Mattoon - The older brother now addresses his purity and obedience toward his father's commands. He is promoting his self-righteousness, "I have not done anything wrong. I have been obedient. I have been good. I deserve to be rewarded." This is in contrast to the wild, wasteful lifestyle of his younger brother. When you get into "comparison mode" you feel cheated if someone, whom you feel beneath you, is blessed or prospers in some way, but you don't prosper. Outwardly, these things may have been true about this older son, but inwardly, the elder brother has not been so pure. His consistent temper reveals problems with bitterness, hate, pride, and selfishness, to name a few. The fact that no one notified him of the celebration is a big indication that he was known for being explosive. There are folks today that are just like this older brother. They believe they are pure when they are not. They believe their righteousness entitles them to a home in Heaven or rewards. God, however, is not impressed with our self-righteousness. Self-righteous people do not feel that others should go to Heaven because they do not deserve eternal life, just like the younger brother did not deserve this celebration. Like the older brother, self-righteous people look down upon sinners. Do you do this? If so, you are like the older brother and the Pharisee. (Treasures from Luke) I have never neglected a command of yours - Here he gives a blatant declaration that reflects his true heart attitude of self-righteousness! In the context of this parable in Luke 15, the elder son was in essence placing himself in the group of the "ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance." (Lk 15:7+)
Lucas 15
Cole - He despised his brother and resented the fact that while his brother went off to party, he stayed home and got stuck with all the work.(How to Receive God’s Abundant Mercy) Rod Mattoon - He is so bitter, he refers to his brother as "thy son." He feels that his lazy, wasteful brother does not deserve the forgiveness, compassion, or the respect that his father gave to him. He feels he needs to be punished, not honored or forgiven. The problem of this older brother is he lacks love for his brother, but also for his father. When you struggle to love someone, you focus on what you think are their faults. This is what the elder brother did. Let me ask, "Do you find yourself nit-picking people, constantly criticizing them? How do you treat your wife or husband? Are you gentle and loving, or constantly harping at them?" If you are critical and picky, is it because you feel that you have been treated unfairly? If so, realize that your spouse may have not done anything wrong at all. The problem may be with you. (Treasures from Luke) The Apostle John explains that the lack of love for his brother demonstrated that his spiritual eyesight was blind and he was in spiritual darkness (the irony is the elder brother complaining about the brother who was lost and now had been found was himself lost!) The one who says he is in the light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now. 10 The one who loves his brother abides in the light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11 But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes. (1 John 2:9-11+) Gotquestions - Just like the Pharisees, the older brother was defining sin by outward actions, not inward attitudes (Luke 18:9-14). In essence, the older brother is saying that he was the one worthy of the celebration, and his father had been ungrateful for all his work. Now the one who had squandered his wealth was getting what he, the older son, deserved. Who has devoured (katesthio) your wealth (bios) with prostitutes (porne) - Figuratively katesthio means to destroy. What an incredible word picture of the younger son greedily and ravenously "eating up" his father's life earnings like a "immoral glutton." How does he know the younger brother was with prostitutes? This description may be true but the elder brother does not know it. The truth is he is only surmising. Remember that the younger brother has been in a far country and he has not even spoken with his brother. NET Note - The charge concerning the prostitutes is unproven, but essentially the older brother accuses the father of committing an injustice by rewarding his younger son's unrighteous behavior.
Lucas 15
Cole - This part of the parable shows us that the sins of self-righteousness and pride can be just as fatal as sins of the flesh. Jesus is holding the older brother up as a mirror to the Pharisees, who prided themselves in their observance of the law. They looked with contempt on others who were not outwardly as good as they were. But, as Jesus so penetratingly shows, they were not keeping either of the two greatest commandments: They were not loving the Father and serving Him out of joy; and, they were not loving others as they loved themselves. If they had been doing so, they would have rejoiced to see sinners coming to Jesus. There’s a supreme irony in this story. The brother who was outside comes home and is welcomed inside to a feast. The brother who had never strayed, but who is probably hungry after working all day, remains outside, sulking. Everything that he needed was inside the house, but his anger and self-righteous pride kept him from the bounty and joy of the father’s table. So, the first has become last and the last, first. (How to Receive God’s Abundant Mercy)
Lucas 15
Cole - Jesus leaves the story there to make us consider our own response. If we are like the older brother, if we pride ourselves in being good, church-going people, if we see ourselves as better than prostitutes and drug dealers and thieves and other obvious sinners, then we need to judge our self-righteous pride. We would be greatly wrong to go out and join in the sins of the prodigal, so that grace might abound. But also, we would be greatly wrong to get angry at God for His grace toward such sinners and to demand that He give us what we deserve. Never ask God to give you what you deserve! We’re all sinners, desperately in need of mercy, not justice. Perhaps we started laboring in God’s field at sunrise and someone else comes in at 5 p.m. and gets the same pay as we do. Don’t begrudge him; just be glad that God is a God of great mercy, even toward the proud if they repent. If you, like the prodigal, have rebelled against God and have come to see your wretched condition, your response should be like his: Get up, leave your sin, go to the Father and appeal for His mercy. You will find it in abundance. J. C. Ryle (Foundations of Faith [Bridge Publishing], p. 218) tells of a mother whose daughter ran away and lived a life of sin. For a long time no one knew where she was, but finally she came back, turned to Christ in repentance, and believed in Him. Someone asked the mother what she had done to bring her daughter back and she replied, “I prayed for her day and night.” But that was not all. She went on to say how she always left the front door unlocked, even at night. She didn’t want her daughter to come home in the middle of the night and find the door locked. And it just so happened that one night the girl came home, tried the door, found it open, and went in, never to go out and sin again. That open door is a beautiful picture of God’s heart toward sinners. It’s open for you if you will come back to Him! (How to Receive God’s Abundant Mercy)