Lost and Found

LUKE 15:8-10
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?
9: And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.
10: Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

Introduction:

I sometimes get caught up in the reality of what God has done for us through His Son. Every now and then when I consider that what I deserve is death for the sins that I have committed, I am struck with a profound sense of gratitude for the salvation that has been made available to me through Jesus Christ. He did not have to pay for what I did.

I further think about what my options would be had not Jesus taken away my condemnation. Just like a man sitting on death row; no matter how much I would like to simply walk away from the consequences of my actions I would not be able to do so . The fact is that a guilty person no longer has the right to determine their fate. Their fate is now in the hands of the one who has the right to sit in judgment and execute the penalty which is called for by guilt.

When man was created in God’s image God did more than make a replica of Himself; God breathed some of Himself into man and man became a living soul. God didn’t stop when He made man a living soul; He blessed him, and He loved him, and He cared for him. God realized that man was not endued with the pure holiness that he possessed; that man possessed a weakness. This weakness was also a special quality. Even though this weakness would represent a potentially critical hazard to man, it is also the greatest indicator of man’s love toward God. (If a man chooses to give himself to God despite the weakness of the flesh for the things of this world then the statement is made strongly to God that we prefer Him over the alternatives that exist.

The love of God that He shed upon mankind compels God to make a way for us when our means are too weak. For the obstacles of life that we face; God makes a way. For the things of life that we need; God provided. For the journey to heaven that we so desperately need when this life is over here; God has made a way.( John 3:16-17 16: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17: For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.)

God sent Jesus to teach us how to get to heaven:

Jesus taught in “Parables”: Parable. [B] [E]

(The word parable is in Greek parable (parabole ) which signifies placing beside or together, a comparison, a parable is therefore literally a placing beside, a comparison, a similitude, an illustration of one subject by another

1: Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.
2: And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
3: And he spake this parable unto them, saying,

Jesus demonstrates that it is more effective for a person to discover the truth for themselves than it is to simply tell them. When someone discovers the truth for themselves it turns that which might be termed “subjective” into that which is “objective”. Objectivity removes doubt, debate, contrariness.

The parable shares themes of loss, searching, and rejoicing with the Parable of the Lost Coin.[2] The lost sheep or coin represents a lost human being.

As in the analogy of the Good Shepherd, Jesus is the shepherd, thus identifying himself with the image of God as a shepherd searching for stray sheep in Ezekiel 34:11–16.
11: For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.
12: As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.
13: And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.
14: I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.
15: I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD.
16: I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.[2] Joel B. Green writes that “these parables are fundamentally about God, … their aim is to lay bare the nature of the divine response to the recovery of the lost.”[3]

The rejoicing of the shepherd with his friends represents God rejoicing with the angels. The image of God rejoicing at the recovery of lost sinners contrasts with the criticism of the religious leaders which prompted the parable.[

THREE WAYS THAT THE LOST ARE LOST:

1. Wander off; drawn by their desire to find greener pastures on their own:

4: What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
5: And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
6: And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
7: 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.

He knew that he was lost. He knew that he had done it to himself. He didn’t know how to get back home.

2. Not even aware that it was lost:

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?
9: And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.
10: Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

The candle that she lit to find the money may have cost more than the money that she was looking for. (Jesus is worth more than any soul that He died for.) God expended great effort and expense to find those who didn’t even know that they were lost.

3. Those who choose to leave God and then must overcome the guilt of their prideful and selfish actions in order to return and confess and ask forgiveness for their betrayal.

11: And he said, A certain man had two sons:
12: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
13: And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
14: And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
15: And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16: And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
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!
18: I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19: And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
20: And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

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