Audio - The Parable of the Lost Sheep

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The Third Sunday After Trinity
June 8, 2008
The Parable of the Lost Sheep

TEXT:  NKJ Luke 15:1 Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, "This Man receives sinners and eats with them." 3 So He spoke this parable to them, saying: 4 "What man of you, 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 until he finds it? 5 "And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 "And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!' 7 "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.
 
This is part of a series of parables Jesus uses to teach the Pharisees and scribes the lesson of why He eats with sinners—Jesus just finished teaching them the parable of the great supper invitation—He told them that they had to be prepared to leave everything that they are comfortable with to follow Him—then Jesus gave the lesson of the salt losing its saltiness—then the Parable of the Lost Sheep
 
Jesus would follow up with more parables—the Parable of the Woman who lost her coin—The Prodigal Son—and ending with the Parable of the Unfaithful Steward—today we are going to focus on the Parable of the Lost Sheep
 
The background and setting for Jesus’ teaching this parable is that He is having supper at the home of a Pharisee—there are many other Pharisees and scribes at the supper—and there are many common people referred to as “sinners” by the arrogant Pharisees—the Pharisees have no respect or use for “sinners”—Jesus wants them to understand that a man filled with the love of God will show the sinner the error of his way—Jesus does this with the example of the salt losing its saltiness followed by the parable of the lost sheep
 
NKJ Luke 14:34 " Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? 35 "It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"
 
A little salt can change the flavor of the entire stew—but if it does not have its saltiness it is not worth keeping—because it cannot season anything—that is the example the Lord Jesus used to teach the Pharisees—these Pharisees are the great teachers of the things of God in their day—if they do not properly understand the things of God—how can they teach the sinners that need to know the error of their way?
 
The Pharisees despised “sinners”—they not only did not communicate with them—but they did all that they could to avoid any contact with them—one of the reasons the Pharisees despised Jesus is that He openly showed His love for the sinners—and now He is trying to teach the Pharisees by example and via parables—consider the words of the Prophet Isaiah concerning the Pharisees that would not approach a sinner
 
NKJ Isaiah 65:5 Who say, 'Keep to yourself, Do not come near me, For I am holier than you!' These are smoke in My nostrils, A fire that burns all the day.
 
Jesus’ example to these Pharisees also included the woman who touched Him at another supper—the Pharisees could not understand how He could be so near a sinner and allow her to touch Him
 
NKJ Luke 7:39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, "This man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner."
 
Before we consider the text, we should understand that sheep need constant shepherding—they cannot find their way home even if home is within sight—the shepherd leads them around—he uses his staff to guide the sheep—and his rod to protect the sheep—because a sheep’s only defense is its cute appearance—they can’t run fast—and they can’t fight—they can’t administer a ferocious bite
 
When they are with their shepherd—they are comfortable and safe—just as we are when we are walking with our Lord—we fear nothing—and He gives us instructions with His comforting Word
 
That’s the point of David’s 23rd Psalm—Isaiah also writes of the Good Shepherd
 
NKJ Isaiah 40:11 He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young.
 
Jesus came looking for the lost sheep of Israel
 
NKJ Matthew 15:24 But He answered and said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
 
And now for our text—the parable of the lost sheep
 
TEXT:  NKJ Luke 15:1 Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, "This Man receives sinners and eats with them."
 
This is the beginning of what would become a hostile relationship between Jesus and the Pharisees—the Pharisees were highly educated Jews—who were especially knowledgeable of the Old Testament—but they tended to be arrogant and looked down at those they considered sinners—they were not very compassionate—they were not very tolerant—they were not patient with those that needed help to understand—they despised Jesus—and took every opportunity to publicly attack Him—they disliked Jesus so much that they refused to even say His name—hence they refer to Him as “This man”
 
Jesus does not confront them and antagonize them—He approaches them with love—He offers them a simple unthreatening, neutral, parable—this allows them to see the truth—Jesus disarmed the hostile Pharisees—that they might see and understand the simple truth—that they might be saved
 
These Pharisees and scribes are part of the lost sheep Jesus came to seek—they were certainly lost—and they certainly had knowledge of the Scriptures—and just as Paul despised the Christians—these men despised Christ—and just as Paul was converted in an instant—these men could also be made to see the error in their way—and that’s why Christ is so patient with them
 
TEXT:  NKJ Luke 15:3 So He spoke this parable to them, saying: 4 "What man of you, 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 until he finds it?
 
Sheep were very common in the region—and none of the Pharisees or scribes tended sheep—therefore Jesus’ use of sheep was masterful—each man could project himself into this hypothetical situation—and analyze the question without emotion or personal involvement—Jesus asks the question for any or all to respond to—but yet no response will come—the question is one which requires no answer—the answer is so obvious
 
By using sheep—Jesus disarms the self-righteous pride that was blinding the Pharisees and scribes—the image He describes shows them why He eats with sinners
 
TEXT:  NKJ Luke 15:5 "And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 "And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!' 7 "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.
 
The sheep is carried home—on the shoulders of the Good Shepherd—friends and neighbors rejoice
 
The proper understanding of this earthly story with a heavenly meaning is this
 
Lost sheep = the sinner
 
Good Shepherd, Rescuer = Jesus the Christ
 
Carried home = taken to heaven—carried because we sheep cannot make that trip ourselves—Jesus is the Way
 
The rejoicers = the angels in heaven and the saints who went before us
 
Some feel that there is too much emphasis on the rejoicing of the one—and not enough over the 99 that are not lost—Luther gave a masterful explanation of this—when a mother has a sick child ready to die—and that child is healed—she rejoices nonstop for the cured child—while also being thankful for the remainder of her children that were never sick
 
Seeking the lost is the mission of the Church on earth—and our Lord has given us each other to help each other carry on this work
 
If we succeed there will be much rejoicing in heaven—we need to be patient—just as Jesus was patient—we need to present the message in a way that is non-confrontational—understandable—and a message administered with true Christian love
 
ALL GLORY BE TO GOD!!