He graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M., 1976 in Bible exposition) and Califo More, Acts 11:18), and is inextricably bound up with saving faith. He could sell the capital if he chose, but the buyer could not gain possession until the death of the donor.4. In either case, you are worthy only of Gods condemnation. But this final parable proves this assumption to be entirely false. Luke 10:19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 1 John 5:10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. Legacy Standard Bible Lets put this question in hold, momentarily. (primarily physical), I look, see, perceive, discern. Bible Verses We are very much the same way with God. 46-47.). No, there is not, at least not until the celebration. Related Topics: Soteriology (Salvation), Cultural Issues, Robert L. (Bob)Deffinbaugh graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with his Th.M. Earlier, it was my understanding that the first two parables described Gods heart for the lost. 6 There is some question as to what the reading of the original text should be at verse 21, as indicated by the marginal note in the NASB. Thanks for stopping by! We have all heard stories of lost dogs or cats traveling great distances to get back home. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is now found. WebPhilippians 3:8. Let me summarize several pertinent characteristics of the Pharisees, as our Lord exposed them: (1) The Pharisees loved the place of honor at banquets (Matthew 23:5). What Does the Bible Say About Lost? - OpenBible.info Jesus said that whoeverbelieves in Him can receive eternal life (John 3:16). Once again, heavens joy at the repentance of one sinner is like this (note, in the same way, v. 10, for the second time). The older brothers works didnt work, but the younger brothers repentance did. eternal security, You could also be receiving false teaching from someone who believes you can lose your salvation. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. Luke 5:27ff.). The Cross And Unjust Suffering (1 Peter 2:19-25). The author is not writing to believers here but about unbelievers. Few of us will choose to identify with the older brother, and yet, in the context of chapter 15, he is the central figure, his sin is most in view, and his reaction to his brothers repentance and return is our Lords explanation for the grumbling of the Pharisees and scribes. All Rights Reserved. As you well know, the story of the prodigal son is one of the most familiar stories in the Bible. The woman hunts diligently for a single coin. After the extra point was kicked he mumbled, Divorce, huh? This, for the older brother, was not enough, for he would have preferred to have been with his friends (v. 29). p. 241. The younger son loved material thingsmoneymore than his father or than his family, because he asked for his portion at the expense and risk of his family. 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. They wandered in the wilderness in a desert region; They did not find a way to an inhabited city. Blind, physically or mentally. If. And grace will lead us home. The same lions or wolves that were stalking his sheep might stalk him as well. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! She, too, would call her friends and neighbors, so that they could rejoice with her. He put it securely on his shoulders and carried it home. Peter reminds his readers that they too were once lost, wandering aimlessly in their sins. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. So they began to celebrate. For the Pharisees, this was a humiliating exposure of their sin and their hypocrisy. As such, it is a picture of a lost sinner. Once upon a time there were two families who lived next door to each other. The imagery of sheep is a common one in the Scriptures, primarily because they lived in a rural society , Today, it stands as a testimony of what was. My dear people of Mars Hill Baptist Church, my Shepherd reminds me today that I too am a testimony of what was. But unlike this special house, I have a different testimony; I once was empty, lost and undone, wandering aimlessly in my sin, but the Great Shepherd came and found me. They had ears to hear what the Savior was teaching. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular. Pigs were more valuable than he. Ibid. Peter was not a shepherd by trade; he was a fisherman. The lost sheep and the lost coin were passive in the process. 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. Specifically, they were grumbling about the fact that Jesus received sinners2 and ate with them (v. 2). 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. 8:32). When weve been there ten thousand years, The Cyber Hymnal (http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/a/m/a/amazing_grace.htm), Hymnary.org (http://www.hymnary.org/text/amazing_grace_how_sweet_the_sound). 5 For a Jew no occupation could have been more distasteful. For this son of mine was dead and has come back to lifehe was lost and is found! Then they began to celebrate. Tagged as: Would she not have found the lost coin eventually? Suppose that someone were to come along with a one-paragraph explanation of all the rules (impossible as it seems), easily understood and applied by the masses. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. He rescued (saved) me from the destruction of my lostness. for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found! And they began to celebrate. Once again, in his conclusion, the author of Hebrews says Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better thingsthings that belong to salvation (Heb 6:9), so in our case, that is for believers, the author feels sure of better things for believers. 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. Let that be a lesson to you, in case you ever get the notion you dont want to go to church! All these years Ive been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 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. Peace Presbyterian Church | Welcome The younger brother partied with the pagans in a foreign land. God was going to bless His people for obeying His law. The biblical description of those who do not know Jesus Christ is not unsaved, but lost. See John 10:1-19 and John 21:15-19. The Good Shepherd knows His sheep by name (John 10:3). And would finding this one sheep be such an occasion of joy that one would want to celebrate with all his friends. Faith Alone, The Doctrine of Justification: What the Reformers Taughtand Why It Still Matters by Thomas Schreiner. For us, this story may seem to be a very heart-warming incident, only slightly tarnished by the sulking older brother. How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace. So is this talking about believers? As we (true believers) remember that we were once lost (in sin), how can we now as followers of Jesus Christ help those who are still lost? I was blind but now I see!' Why are all of our righteous acts considered filthy rags? This does not mean that certain actions are not necessarily evil. Hes holding it by its legs, so that it will not get lost again. Notice that the older brother is out in the fields working when the younger brother returns. Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. He chose you as His own before time began. In this chapter, Jesus stripped away all of the facade of self-righteousness and spirituality which surrounded the Pharisees. WebVerse Concepts or has found what was lost and lied about it and sworn falsely, so that he sins in regard to any one of the things a man may do; 2 Corinthians 5:13 Verse Concepts Let's have a feast and celebrate. 1 The Pharisees words are pregnant with meaning, I believe. 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. It had no protection and it would be only a short time before the coyotes or other predators would attack and kill it. Praise His Holy Name! Its just a story, of course. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ. Impossible! 9. Try going up to someone to share the gospel and tell they that they can be saved by trusting in Christ and receive eternal life but to be careful because they could blow it. 21:17). This last observation is the most crucial one for us. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? As Jesus said concerning His sheep, I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand (John 10:28). Heavens joy at the salvation is surely appropriate, and, in one sense, it is like the joy of the woman who found her one lost coin. When weve been there ten thousand years. Luke 15:7,9 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. The shepherd goes after one sheep. Let us give serious thought to the matter of biblical separation, for much that passes under this label is counterfeit. Praise His Holy Name! So he responded to the young mans comments by saying, You seem to indicate that God did everything when He saved you. New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition, New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition, New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition. WebI once was lost But now I am found Was blind but now I see CHORUS: Oh I can see You now Oh I can see the love in Your eyes Laying Yourself down Raising up the broken to life VERSE 2: You take our failure You take our weakness You set Your treasure In jars of clay So take this heart Lord Ill be Your vessel The world to see Your life in me BRIDGE: When he came to his senses, he said, How many of my fathers hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! Its an empty, hopeless word when Why Your Church Needs Vacation Bible School, Gods Amazing Conversions Through Dreams and Visions Part Three, Gods Amazing Conversions Through Dreams and Visions Part Two, Gods Amazing Conversions Through Dreams and Visions Part One, Ice Dragon: Legend of the Blue Daisies Movie Review, Phoenix Wilder And The Great Elephant Adventure Movie Review, The Boxcar Children: Surprise Island Movie Review. Our text is Lukes account of three parables, each of which describes the finding of a lost item, and each of which describes the joy and celebration which resulted. These parables show Gods concern and compassion for sinners, but not for sinners en masse, but for individual sinners. Joy is to be one of the characteristics of the Christian. 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). Rather, do what these sinners in Jesus day did: Draw near to Him and listen to Him. His self-righteousness is such that he expects, even demands Gods approval and blessings. Great was the celebration which followed her recovery. Why should this be such an offense to the Pharisees and the scribes? They loved attention. When a sheep becomes lost, it stays lost. It was only when he ran out of money and friends, and when he began to suffer hunger pangs that the young man came to his senses. Repentance begins, then, with seeing things straight, with seeing things as they really are. He allowed the son to go his own way, even when he could have prevented it (at least he could have refused to finance the venture). Explain what it means to be saved (rescued) by the Shepherd (Jesus Christ). One thing I do know. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. So they began to celebrate. to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. It was not the younger brothers sins which resulted in the fathers celebration, but in his repentance and return. They never cursed or fought loudly. But the angels rejoice when a sinner repents because that sinner will now spend eternity glorifying God and His grace in heaven. https://mymarshill.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/lesson19.mp3. Again, let me briefly apply this. Jesus began by directing His critics attention to their own attitudes and actions as it related to a lost sheep. (2) The Pharisees loved to restrict the saved to a select few, the elite of Judaism (Matthew 23:13). Didnt you do your part before God did His? The new Christian jumped to his feet and said, Oh, yes, I did. 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. They have given us a new set of rules for figuring our income taxes. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc. We will not seek the salvation of those whom we will not also welcome into our fellowship. The sins of these two sons were very different in their outward manifestations, but inwardly they had the same roots. The reason is that the full impact of the third parable (that of the prodigal son) is best grasped in the light of the setting (vv. In the last decade or so, hundreds have contacted us to say they believe they have lost their salvation or blasphemed the Holy Spirit. 9. 9:16f. He sought after you until He found you and rescued you from your hopeless condition. After checking with all the nearby mechanics and turning it in to the police for the required time, I claimed it as my own. The angels revel in the glory of God and God is glorified in His sovereign grace, secured by the death of Christ and revealed to undeserving sinners by the Holy Spirit. Discuss with prayer and thought. And who is adequate for these things? He sent His Son to secure your redemption by His blood. Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Plural. 1-2) and the first two parables (vv. (Verse 25) Peter reminds his readers of what they were before Jesus Christ became their Savior and Lord: For you were like sheep going astray., Wiersbe expounds: Every lost sinner is like a sheep gone astray; ignorant, lost, wandering, in danger away from the place of safety, and unable to help himself., Barclay writes: Men are all prone to wander and go astray, like silly sheep, which describes the condition of Peters readers before their conversion [repentance and trust in Jesus Christ which leads to their following Jesus].. The IRS has done it again. I am no longer empty and lifeless. Is salvation by grace plus works a false gospel? One of my best finds was a C4 automatic transmission, laying right in the middle of the road. The fathers words to his older son seem to say, The fatted calf (celebration and joy) were yours to enjoy at any time. The older brother did not think so. I fear that our failure to reach such pagan unbelievers with the gospel and then to integrate them into our churches is due to our twisted concept of spirituality. If you believe you have eternal life but then can lose it, then it was not eternal life that you received! How can we do the same? Should she be so happy at finding this coin? He knew the nature of sheep, that they are prone to stray, to get lost and to stay lost without the help of a shepherd. They never used tobacco, alcohol, or drugs. | The Blue Book Next week we will study the parable of the lost (or prodigal) son. What do I do about calling a priest father at my Catholic University? If you dont, then you will have to face Gods judgment, either after death (Heb 9:27), or at Christs appearance, and without Him standing in for you, you will pay for your own sins and for all time. Luke 15:24 NIV - For this son of mine was dead and is - Bible If, in the gospels we find Christ closely associating with sinners, then we can both have union with Christ and intimate association with sinners at the same time. The 99 sheep, the nine coins that were not lost, and the older brother who never strayed all represent the Pharisees and scribes. Your brother has come, he replied, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound. The older brother became angry and refused to go in. Many also cite Hebrews 10:26-29 which says, For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. He was in the place of honor, not them. Literally, what ultimately happens to a lost sheep? There is no outward rebellion here. Jesus said were in His and the Fathers hands (John 10:28-29). Bob was born and raised in a Christian home i More. After this, the issue of Jesus association with sinners arose (5:27ff.). The problem of the older brother, then, is self-righteousness. 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? (4) The younger did not any longer feel worthy of his fathers blessings; the older did. The sons repentant spirit is reflected in his deep sense of unworthiness. Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular. Peter reminds his readers that they too were once lost, wandering aimlessly in their sins. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them but dung, that I may win Christ. That one lamb may well have been killed, or it might never be found. 255 We should not let the modern chapter division make us miss an important point. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see. NIV He replied, 'Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. Jesus also confronts them in 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 18:9, with the parable of the Pharisee and the publican going to the temple to pray. WebLuke 15:1-32 ESV / 15 helpful votesHelpfulNot Helpful. Consider the similarities in these two sons with me for a moment. The heart of that father never forgot the wayward son. Sinning, sinful, depraved, detestable. In the case of the woman and her coin, everything was set aside until she found that coin. Then they said, Come and let us devise plans against Jeremiah. If a man decided to make gifts, he normally gave the capital but retained the income. It showed the effort and danger that the shepherd went to in order to rescue his lost sheep. 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. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, This man1 welcomes sinners and eats with them.. The words of the older son are the key to understanding his desires and attitudes. From apo and the base of olethros; to destroy fully, literally or figuratively. The mention of the killing of the fatted calf is the final straw for the older brother. Bible Verses About Lost He could make the truth simple; the Pharisees made it mind-bogglingly complex. Copyright 2010-2023 Telling Ministries LLC. Isaiah 35:10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. Ask God to burden your heart with the lost and to give you opportunities to pursue them with the gospel. I write this lesson on this Tuesday morning, October 22, 2012, in the lonely solitude of an empty house. I write this lesson on this Tuesday morning, October 22, 2012, in the lonely solitude of an empty house. If you seek her as silverAnd search for her as for hidden treasures; We do not see our signs;There is no longer any prophet,Nor is there any among us who knows how long. How many people do you think would go to the professionals? If that is what our God is like, then that is what we, as His people, should be like.