Celebrate When People Come To CHRIST - Luke 15:1-32 - March 19, 2006

Sunday School Lesson – Celebrate When People Come To CHRIST – March 19, 2006

This is lesson three (3) in our series ‘CHRIST Followers.”

Our background scripture is Luke 15: 1-32

The word sin means “to miss the mark.” The Pharisee’s used the term “sin” in an exclusionary way, meaning those who “missed the mark” were not living up to “their” standards. This can happen in churches today. We have to be careful that we do not judge another Christian based upon where we are spiritually.

GOD judges the heart; we tend to judge based upon outward appearances.

We need to keep in mind that GOD sets the standard. All Christians are sinners saved by grace. We all come from different walks and circumstances in life. We as Christian people have a tendency to judge other Christians based upon where we are spiritually and socially. In others words we are more accepting to others who are more like us.

GOD judges the heart and all of us come to JESUS the same way, by way of THE CROSS. Some of us Christians may not have to struggle with breaking free from old habits or addictions to sex, pornography, drugs, alcohol, stealing, lying, a bad environment and the list goes on. When a brother or sister comes to CHRIST we all need to pray for each other because all of us will encounter challenges in life. Satan will do everything he can to lure us back into a lifestyle that will compromise our testimony and faith in CHRIST. We tend to measure others by their habits which may not have anything to do with salvation but our prejudices.

When a member of our family, a friend, an influential person, a famous movie star or famous athlete accept CHRIST we rejoice. Also in prison ministry, when prisoners accept CHRIST, we rejoice. But what about a convict who is a pedophile who has hurt someone you know? Wow! This hit home with me.

I shared this with a dear friend who has and is working with people with various addictions. He made an interesting statement. Yes, a person with such an addiction is your brother or sister in CHRIST, just remember when you pray with them, keep your eyes open. He did not mean just pedophiles but anyone who is dealing with an addiction, we have to ask some very hard questions of them and hold them accountable for not slipping back.

As we study these parables JESUS is leading the righteous Pharisees to a spiritual conclusion. HE uses numbers to get HIS point across. First the parable where 100 sheep are involved and 1 sheep gets lost or 1 out of a 100; Then 1 out of 10 in the parable about the lost coins; Then 1 out of 2 with the parable of the lost son. These parables show the importance of the one (1) in need, regardless of the reason – the sheep wandered off on its’ own, the coin had nothing to do with itself being lost and the son made a decision to escape and get lost.

We all do dumb things but guess what? OUR FATHER STILL LOVES US EVEN WHEN WE DO DUMB THINGS. HE EITHER COMES LOOKING FOR US OR WAITS UNTIL WE DECIDE TO COME BACK TO HIM!!!!

I have heard it expressed, “If you do not feel as close to GOD as you once did, guess who moved?” GOD is always right where we left HIM waiting for us to return to HIM.



Let’s read Luke 15: 1-7:
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
1 All the tax collectors and sinners were approaching to listen to Him. 2 And the • Pharisees and • scribes were complaining, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them!” 3 So He told them this parable: 4 “What man among you, who has 100 sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the 99 in the open field[1] Or the wilderness and go after the lost one until he finds it? 5 When he has found it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders, 6 and coming home, he calls his friends and neighbors together, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep!’ 7 I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people who don’t need repentance.

Verses 1-2 tell us that JESUS was willing to associate with anyone, regardless of their social status, who wanted to listen and associate with HIM. CHRIST came to earth to call sinners to HIM not those who think they are righteous. The religious leaders got very upset with JESUS as expressed in the term “This man” in verse 2, which was intended to show their contempt. JESUS not only associated with these outcasts, based on the standards of the Pharisees, but HE even ate with them. Eating with them denoted acceptance and an intimacy the Pharisees thought repulsive.

JESUS in an effort to open the spiritual eyes of the Pharisees told them three (3) parables.

In HIS first parable, HE uses a common event to which most, if not all, could relate. A shepherd has 100 sheep but he discovers that 1 sheep is missing. The shepherd leaves the 99 and goes to search for the 1 lost sheep. He finds the sheep and is so happy that the shepherd has to celebrate by calling in his friends and neighbors for a party.

JESUS uses the celebration of finding the lost sheep to drive home the fact that GOD loves every human who repents of their sin and is safely back in the fold of GOD’S love and care.

In fact all of heaven breaks out in celebration. If all heaven celebrates one sinner repenting, this should motivate the righteous Pharisees to go seek the lost and bring them into a right relationship with GOD, rather than shun them. This pleases GOD.

Let’s read Luke 15:8-10:
The Parable of the Lost Coin
8 “Or what woman who has 10 silver coins,[2] Gk 10 drachmas; a drachma was a silver coin = a • denarius. if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? 9 When she finds it, she calls her women friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found the silver coin I lost!’ 10 I tell you, in the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.”

In this parable the coin has no mind of its’ own and has no control over it destiny. Yet it is lost. There are times through no fault of their on, a person is lost and they don’t even know it. But guess what? The one responsible for the coin knows the coin is missing and does all he can to find it and when he does, it is celebration time.

No one comes to CHRSIT unless GOD calls then. GOD calls every person to salvation. It is GOD WHO seeks and presents HIMSELF to us. GOD can use other Christians to witness to other people but a witness is only effective when GOD calls. We do not know who GOD is calling; it is our responsibility to be obedient to what GOD wants us to do. Some of us may plant a seed of GOD’S Word. We may, so-to-speak, do some watering, weeding, and digging around fertilizing or harvesting. All humans have to make a decision; do I accept or reject HIM?

Again JESUS makes it clear that there is celebration in heaven when even one sinner repents.

Let’s read Luke 15:11-32:
The Parable of the Lost Son
11 He also said: “A man had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate I have coming to me.’ So he distributed the assets[3] Lit livelihood, or living to them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered his estate in foolish living. 14 After he had spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he had nothing.[4] Lit and he began to be in need 15 Then he went to work for[5] Lit went and joined with one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to eat his fill from[6] Other mss read to fill his stomach with the carob pods[7] Seed casings of a tree used as food for cattle, pigs, and sometimes the poor the pigs were eating, but no one would give him any. 17 When he came to his senses,[8] Lit to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have more than enough food, and here I am dying[9] The word dying is translated lost in vv. 4–9 and vv. 24,32. of hunger![10] Or dying in the famine; v. 14 18 I’ll get up, go to my father, and say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. 19 I’m no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired hands.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father. But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, threw his arms around his neck,[11] Lit He ran, fell on his neck and kissed him. 21 The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I’m no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 “But the father told his • slaves, ‘Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger[12] Lit hand and sandals on his feet. 23 Then bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let’s celebrate with a feast, 24 because this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate. 25 “Now his older son was in the field; as he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he summoned one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 ‘Your brother is here,’ he told him, ‘and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’[13] Lit him back healthy 28 “Then he became angry and didn’t want to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 But he replied to his father, ‘Look, I have been slaving many years for you, and I have never disobeyed your orders, yet you never gave me a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your assets[14] Lit livelihood, or living with prostitutes, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.’ 31 “ ‘Son,’[15] Or Child he said to him, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”

JESUS goes from 100 sheep, to 10 coins and now to 2 sons.

The man has two (2) sons and the younger son wants his inheritance NOW! He is not willing to wait for his father to die. He wants it now. He could have asked for a gift but no he wanted his part of his father’s estate now. According to Jewish law, he was entitled to one-third of what his father owned.

His father granted the young sons request. The son converts any real property into cash and immediately leaves home.

He goes to the far country or foreign country. Children get fed-up with parental authority and want to get as far away for their parents as possible. This young man was no different. But soon his wealth has vanished and on top of having no money a famine hits the land where he is living. He cannot find employment which allows him to live in the lifestyle to which he is accustomed. He is hungry and will do anything he can to eat. So he finds a job slopping hogs. This is about as low as it gets for a Jewish boy. He doesn’t earn enough to even buy him a descent meal, so he resorts to eating the pig’s food, which is another step downward.

He tries to hold out but eating pig’s food is just not for him. His thoughts go back to how life used to be when he lived in the comfort of his father’s house. He says to himself, “Gee, even my father’s hired servants eat better than this.” He is at a crisis in his life. It is decision time. I have a plan. I will go back home and ask my father to forgive me and to hire me as one of his servants. I will confess to my father that I was wrong and ask him to forgive me. If my father rejects me, I just do not know what I will do. Boy did I mess up by leaving home. Dad was upset when I left but he is a good man, I hope he will forgive me. It is worth a try. So this young man begins his long journey home.

As he gets within a few hours of home he thinks, “Oh, I think I will rest. No, I must go on. I know I can make it home by early morning. Oh my feet hurt so badly and I am so tired and hungry. I must continue on.” As the sun graces a new day with the most beautiful sunrise he has ever seen, he sees the farm in the distance. Again he says to himself, “I can see the smoke rising from the chimney, oh for some of mom’s homemade bread. Oh my, I see someone coming down the road. I bet dad has sent someone to tell me go back where I came from. Oh, I bet dad is so mad at me. I did do a very bad thing. Oh well I might as well give my speech to dad’s servant and then go some other place. When I walk around this bend in the road, I will get to see who dad sent to give me the bad news.

Oh my! Oh my! It is dad! And he is running toward me. He must really be angry with me but he doesn’t look angry. In fact he looks happy.

Oh Dad! Oh Dad! You just don’t know how good it feels for you to hold me in your arms and feel your warm embrace. Dad! Dad! I am so sorry. I have sinned against you and no longer worthy to be called your son.

Hush my son. Not another word. Oh my son! Oh my son! You just don’t now how I have longed for this day. I have waited and watched for you every day since you left, hoping and praying for your return. Don’t say another word. Without any doubt I forgive you with all my heart. Welcome home my beloved son.

Quick! Bring the finest long robe, worthy of a king, and put on this my son. Put the family ring on his finger to show he is restored with full authority in my household. Place sandals on his feet because he is not a hired servant, he is my son. This is time for celebration. Slaughter the fatted calf and let’s have a party because this son of mine was dead but has been resurrected from the dead and lives. What unspeakable joy!

The older brother is in the field working away. He hears some noise. It sounds like some celebration. So he asks a servant, “What is going on?” Oh sir, your younger brother has come home and your dad has ordered that the fatted calf be slaughtered and to have a huge celebration.

Rather than rejoicing the older brother is angry. He is so angry he refuses to go to the party, so his father comes out to talk to his eldest son.

The older son unloads all his pent up hostility onto his father:
- I have been a slave to you all these years. (Bondage)
- I have always obeyed you. (Self-righteous)
- You have never even given me a young goat for a party much less a fatted calf. (You never gave me.)
- But when this no good, worthless son of yours comes strolling back home after he has wasted all your hard earned money on prostitutes, you have the fatted calf killed. (This son of yours. Not my brother.) (His brother did not waste his father’s money; it was his brother’s money.) (Mention of prostitutes = slander.)
- Boy talk about gratitude for all these years I have slaved for you. Staying here and working my hands to the bone. (I really wanted to be off doing what he was doing.) Who do you think has made this place what it is?
- Oh my son. You are my son and never forget that. It is true you have worked very hard and have enjoyed the fruits of your labor but please don’t let anger control your life. Do you not see that your brother was as good as dead but he is alive, he was lost but he is found! Come let’s celebrate!

Again there is a celebration when the younger brother returns home.

In each parable there is a celebration after the lost sheep and the lost coin are found and the lost brother returns home. The sheep wandered off on its’ on, the coin was lost through no fault of its’ on and the younger brother made a decision to leave on his on.

Regardless of the reason each was precious to the person responsible for it’s’ care. The care taker searched for the sheep and the coin because the object lost could not find its’ way back to the person responsible.

In the case of the young brother, circumstances had to be such to get him to make a decision to return home because he had the right and will to choose.

JESUS is talking to the Pharisees. HE uses situations to which they can relate. They understand the need for a shepherd to go search for a lost sheep and rejoice when he finds the sheep. They understand when someone loses a tenth of their money. They would be concerned about it’s’ loss, search for it and rejoice when they find it. The situation of the 2 sons gave them some pause to think. Here is a situation where a young Jewish son demands his part of his dad’s estate. He could have asked for a gift but he asks for his part of his dad’s estate, which may have been a little testy. Then this Jewish boy goes to a foreign country. A Jewish person going to foreign country was not a good thing. Then the young man wasted his resources living an impure life. This is bad but the worst thing is he had to end up slopping hogs, which is bad enough and is defiling. To top it off, he had to eat pig’s food which is definitely not kosher. Yuk! Yuk! This is about as bad it can get and this young man is about as defiled and unrighteous as he can get.

So the parable of the prodigal son is hard for the Pharisees to deal with, except the young man was getting what he deserved. GOD was really dealing with this young man. I think the Pharisees were expecting the father to reject the son when he returned home.

Surprise! Surprise!

To their surprise and dismay the father welcomes, forgives and restores the son to his family status.

The Pharisees could identify more with the older brother because just like the older brother, they were self-righteous. The older brother had a problem with an unforgiving heart, so did the Pharisees. It is all about the attitude of the heart.

The younger brother’s heart was made tender before his father. He had done wrong but he repented and because he experienced forgiveness, he would know how to forgive others for the rest of his life.

JESUS is teaching the Pharisees that, in contrast to our love, care and concern for an animal, a coin or a person, whether it is 1 out of a 100, 1 out of 10 or 1 out of 2, “How much more” does GOD seek and restore any person who is lost and repents. In fact when sinners repent of their sin, there is a party in heaven in their honor.

We who know GOD, through CHRIST, are to take the message of forgiveness to those who are lost.

JESUS in essence is saying, “Pharisees stop being a self-righteous, exclusive group, judging everyone according to your standard. But compare yourself to GOD’S standard and then see how you measure up. When you see others the way GOD sees them, you will reach out to the lost world around you.

GOD knows the heart and the circumstances of every human being. HE sets into action the course of events which will produce the most beneficial results for bringing one who is lost to HIM. HE places us, who know the truth, in their path to plant a seed, do a little watering, or a little digging, or the harvest. So be ready, those who need CHRIST are all around us, GOD will provide the opportunity if we are willing.

Our FATHER waits eagerly for all HIS children to come to HIM and say, “FATHER I have sinned against you, please take me back. I am willing to do whatever YOU ask me to do. I want to be your hired hand. Apart from YOU, I can do nothing and all the world can offer me is pig’s food. But YOU, FATHER, set a banquet table before me every day of everlasting love, care, peace that passes all understanding, fullness of life and grace.”

May we all enter into our FATHER’S presence crawl up into HIS lap, gently behold HIS kind, gentle, loving face and say Daddy I love YOU and thank YOU for forgiving me and restoring me. I want to have the most intimate loving relationship with YOU that is possible. And hear HIM say welcome home, MY child; I have been waiting for this moment since I first knew you before I created the world. WOW!!! Awesome!!!