Luke 15, The Lost and the Kingdom

Jesus gives a series of teachings on those who are "lost".

Luke 15: 1 - 10, Lost sheep, lost coin
Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."

Then Jesus told them this parable:

"Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, `Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.'

I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

"Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, `Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.' In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

The "silver coin" in verse 8 is the drachma.  A single drachma, in those days (says the NIV footnotes) was about a day's wages.

Jesus tells two short simple parables about things there are lost and the joy that occurs when they have been recovered.  This is a strong message, at the heart of the gospel.  In modern terms, Jesus is trying to great a "paradigm shift" in the theology of the Pharisees and religious experts.

What stimulates this parable? What paradigm shift is Jesus trying to create here?

Years ago, I was in a church where someone's purse was stolen on a Sunday morning. I overheard a member grumble, "What type of church is it, if our purses aren't safe?" My thoughts were, "What type of church are we, if only 'good' people come through our doors?"  I don't want to downplay the significant loss of a purse, with wallet, credit cards, drivers license and personal photos. But in this country our churches spend too much time trying to feel safe instead of reaching out to lost people who might make us uncomfortable.

Luke 15: 11-24, The lost son

Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, `Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.

"Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

"When he came to his senses, he said, `How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' So he got up and went to his father. 

"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

"The son said to him, `Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

"But the father said to his servants, `Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.

This famous story, the parable of "The Prodigal Son", has touched hearts across two thousand years. It is so embedded in the gospel that it is probably the most famous parable of the New Testament.  A street mission in Chicago has, on their podium, instructions to NOT speak on this parable since the addicts and homeless in the crowd have heard it too often!

Yet the parable is also very natural and believable.  Any of us who are parents can feel the father's joy.  Wouldn't you, too, react like the father does?

Luke 15: 25-32, There are other ways to be Lost

"Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.  So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on.

`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. So his father went out and pleaded with him.  

But he answered his father, `Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.  But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'

"`My son,' the father said, `you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.  But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'"

Some are lost and know it.  Some are lost but not yet aware.  In this parable there is one who thinks he is not "lost".  This other brother is consumed by jealousy and self-righteousness and so is blind to the free gifts that his father offers him.  This story, vibrant and colorful, is also rather natural (to me.) I can agree with the son's frustration.  (How often I have been very good? Yet no one cheered!)  But I also hear the father's consternation.  It is not about "being good".  There is here something much deeper than just doing right.  In this family, all this son needed was to ask....

Jesus is trying to get the attention of the Pharisees and scribes.  They, too, can enjoy all that God has to offer, if they wish. They can be part of the family! But they need to understand that they, like the second son, are also "lost".