Yet more parables

Luke chapter 15

We have looked at Parables that involve closed doors. 

We have looked at Parables about nature

We now look at parables about LOST and FOUND

WE are told that the tax collectors and sinners were gathered to hear Jesus, but the muttered against him saying, “The man welcomes sinners and eats with them”  This in one way was true, but they failed to recognise their own sin.  They were certainly proud and self righteous.

It against this attitude that Jesus tells three parables.

The Parable of the lost sheep

The Parable of the lost coin

And the parable of the lost ( Prodigal) son

APART FROM BEING LOST WHAT DO YOU NOTICE ALL THREE PARABLES HAVE IN COMMON?

(PAUSE)

THEY ALL SPEAK OF REJOICING

The shepherd rejoices with his friend about the sheep that was lost and he has found

The widow rejoices with her friends for the coin that was lost and found

The father rejoices over the son who was lost and found

We are told that there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

Have you ever thought you caused God and the angels to rejoice?  This chapter says we do when we repent.

The pharasees and scribed looked upon the tax collectors and everybody else with disdain.  They were filth

They thought themselves so much better.  They did not rejoice over sinners who repented.  Jesus is saying they should. In fact he is giving us a report from home because the presence of the father is his home and he tells us that at home there is rejoicing every time just one person ( can you imagine it just one) repents.

The scribes and pharasees probably realised he spoke against them and in my view the Son who stayed at home, who complained to his father, who would not celebrate, who would not even come into the house is just like the scribes and pharasees.  He thinks he deserves more because he has not behaved like his brother, but he should have been rejoicing.

Some weeks ago, Diz reminded us that fathers at that time did not run. It was not dignified.  However this father was so full of joy to see his son restored that he ran to him. 

Notice to how jesus communicates with crowd.  He draws them in, v4 by asking what man of you? Or suppose one of you has a hundred sheep.

Presumably some of the people gathered would have been shepherds. They would often have gone looking for lost sheep.

The ladies in the crowd would have lost coin at some stage

And many of the men in the crowd would have been fathers.

He told stories that related to their own experience, and would challenge them to be more godly, or confront them with their ungodliness.

When I started this series, all I wanted to do was look at a few parables and draw some simple messages.  However, in the couse of doing this, I have discovered how God has kept and is still keeping a promise to me, and I suppose that if we were to discuss it, we would discover that he is keeping a promise to all of us

After he told the parable of the sower, in Mathew 13: 11-12, he gives this promise and warning.”The knowledge,of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven,has been given to you, but not to them.  Whever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.

I used to wonder what this meant, but it is so obvious.  It is the knowledge of the kingdom of heaven and if you have that. If God has revealed himself to you and given you that, then you will get more. In fact, I find that it is a need. I want more and I get it.  God is keeping that promise to me.

The warning is to those who do not have this knowledge, ( but think they do) What they do have will be taken and I have seen this.    I have said there are those I know who walked with the lord, but it did not last, and what they once had is gone.

However the joyful thing is we will have more if we are faithfull

As a young man, I was very close to an old woman in my church.  I loved her, her name was Mary Allen. 

She came from Belfast, and she loved the lord with all her heart and had served him for many years before I met her.

One of my most moving memories of her was that one day, I was in her home and she told me how she prayed for me and she said, Lord, George is growing in grace”  I was and still am very moved by that remark. She could see that God was causing me to grow in knowledge of him, and I trust that he still is, and I trust that you are able to say likewise. 

Amen