Book of Luke - Ch. 15, Vs. 1-10 (02/15/2004)

Luke 15 and the Pharisees’ Complaint About Sinners

Okay, I think we're starting chapter 15 in Luke today, this is particularly painful for the Pharisees. Jesus was hanging out with some people that they considered to be sinners and tax collectors From their viewpoint.

These were terrible sinners. Couldn't figure out why Jesus would spend his time with them at all. So Let's have a word of prayer and then we will study this passage and see if If we can figure out why he spent time with them at all.

Could it be that the them is us? Lord we thank you for the good time. We had in our fellowship and the good meal that you provided for us today and The joy that we have as we share our faith together when we can come together On Sundays and we thank you for each family.

We thank you for the little children and the young people that are here we pray that they are hearing the word and That Lord as the children are so capable of doing they can store those things deep in their hearts Even in times when you think they might not be listening.

They usually are and we pray that you'll be able to use these Truths in their lives in these important days that will come forth in their future. Lord prepare them and make them strong. Thank you for our school that we're able to continue this not just on Sunday and Sunday school but Monday through Friday as well and Lord we pray for protection over the school as they travel this week and Father we thank you so much for your word.

We ask you to teach us from it one more time today in Jesus name. Amen. Verse 1 chapter 15 then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him and the Pharisees and scribes murmured saying this man receiveth sinners and Edith with them and he spake this parable unto them saying 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 and when he hath found it he layeth it on his shoulders rejoicing and When he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbors saying unto them rejoice with me for I have found my sheep which was lost.

I Saying to you that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repented more than over ninety and nine just persons Which need no repentance. 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 and when she hath found it She calleth her friends and her neighbors together saying rejoice with me for I have found the peace which I had lost.

Likewise I say unto you there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repented. Now the greatest story of all Is the one to come which I'm going to save for next week brother Otis will teach on that one but these two stories prepare the way and Begin to teach this lesson.

The Meaning of Hearing and the Murmuring of the Pharisees

About why it is that Jesus would spend time with those that the Pharisees considered to be publicans and sinners. So let's let's go back and look at these two stories. We'll leave the next one for next time.

Verse 1 then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. This word here is interesting because it talks about the publicans and sinners Came in to hear him. It really means that they gave audience to him.

It does not necessarily mean that they had ears to hear some of them did some didn't. But there are at least one two, three four at least five different words for here in the New Testament Greek and This particular one simply means to give audience to they were willing to at least let him speak.

Doesn't mean that they had miraculous ears opened up where they could hear the truth. So not all of these people were going to be saved. But there were some in the group that I'm sure were. Verse 2 it says and the Pharisees and scribes Murmured saying this man receiveth sinners and eateth with them.

This word murmured is to complain throughout the crowd. It was truly like a murmuring a rumbling that went throughout the crowd where you could hear noise. You could hear him talking and it all would run together and you could just tell that it was not a pleasant.

Talking was not a pleasant fellowship. It was a a sound of negative things being said throughout the crowd and this is what Jesus heard and But of course he could hear beyond what we could have heard if we had been there we would have just heard the murmuring.

He could hear the hearts murmuring and In answer to that murmur comes verse 3 and He spake this parable unto them saying What man of you having a hundred sheep if he lost one of them? Does not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness and go after that which is lost until he find it.

Election, Particular Redemption, and the Pursuit of the Lost Sheep

If you look at the wording in verse 4 very carefully. You see some things that you already believe but you see them reinforced in an amazing way. First of all notice that there is a specific number of sheep.

There is a number given and this is not unlike the fact that there is a specific number of elect people. Now secondly, I notice that all of these hundred sheep belong to the man. In John chapter 8 verse 21.

It says then said Jesus unto them I go my way and ye shall seek me, but you shall die in your sins. Whether I go you cannot come. Then said the Jews will he kill himself because he saith whether I go he cannot come and he said unto them you are from Beneath.

I am from above you are of this world. I am NOT of this world. I said therefore to you that you shall die in your sins for if you believe not that I am you shall die in your sins and. Then we see in verse dropping all the way down to verse 42.

Jesus said unto them if God were your father you would love me. For I proceeded forth and came from God. Neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do you not understand my speech? Even because you cannot hear my word.

So he doesn't say you will not he says you cannot. You are of your father the devil and the lust of your father you will do. He's a murderer from the beginning. He abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him.

When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own for he is a liar and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth you believe me not. Which of you convicted me of sin and if I say the truth, why do you not believe me?

He that is of God. Heareth God's words. You therefore hear them not because you are not of God. Shows very clearly that there is a group that are not sheep. There is a group that's not going to be counted in the number of sheep and later on.

We know the scripture of Jesus calls them goats. So what we learn is that there is a specific number of sheep and that this specific number. All of them belong to the man. So he says what man of you having a hundred sheep.

They all belong to this man. Then he goes on and says if he lose one of them. Doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness and go after that which is lost until they find it. So the third thing we see in verse four is there is a pursuing of the elect lost.

By the man that owns the sheep. There is a pursuing of the elect lost and. Then it says until he find it that phrase proves the fourth point this pursuing continues until Quote he find it. So there is no case where there is a lost sheep.

It's of this number that is not found. Now all of that's taught in one verse. I mean that's almost all of cows. Probably is all of Calvin's principles found in that one verse with just a few words. Specific number of sheep.

They all belong to the man. The man pursues each of these sheep in its own time and all of them are found. Now look at verse 5 and when he had found it he layeth it on his shoulders rejoicing. Notice it does not say if he had found it.

It says when he had found it. So there is no possibility of one of these lost sheep not being found. Now he lays it on his shoulders. These shoulders represent and picture Calvin's Preservation of the Saints which Calvin did not invent.

He articulated it better than anyone had up to his time. But the Waldenses that he studied under already knew it. They were already teaching all these things. They already believed strongly in the sovereignty of God.

That's why the Catholics hated them as the Roman Catholics were the Armenians still are. But these shoulders Represent the preservation of the Saints as the Lord goes out and finds his sheep. He puts them on his shoulders.

That's eternal security because he carries them all the way back. He doesn't leave it up to them to do the walking. He brings them and then it says when he had found this lost sheep. He layeth it on his shoulders rejoicing.

The rejoicing speaks a lot of gut about God. It shows that God's purpose is fulfilled in the finding of the sheep and that God himself enjoys that John 17 6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world thine they were and thou gavest Them to me and they have kept thy word now.

They have known that all things whatsoever thou has given me are of thee in John 6 35 and Jesus said of them. I am the bread of life. He that cometh to me shall never hunger. He that believeth on me shall never thirst.

But I said unto you that ye also have seen me and believe not all that the Father giveth me shall come to me and Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out for I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of him that sent Me and this is the Father's will which has sent me.

That of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing. But should raise it up again at the last day. See, that's the total number of the sheep all every one of his sheep Shall be brought back in and raised up in the last day and this is the will of him that sent me.

That everyone which beholdeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life. And I will raise him up on the last day and when he cometh home. Let's go to verse 6 now. I'm sorry back in Luke verse 6.

Christ’s Present Session and the Joy of Bringing the Sheep Home

Now we see that he's placed the sheep on his shoulders and he's rejoicing the whole time. He's bringing the sheep back home. So, I don't know could that depict how it is with Jesus now in the present tense.

You know, we talked about his past work or his finished work. We don't talk a lot about his present work, do we? What is he doing right now? The theologians call it his session. He ascended into heaven and sat at the right hand of the father his session.

What is he doing right now while he brings you and he brings me on his shoulders. He's rejoicing. We may not be enjoying every moment of this because of our flesh from time to time we Get into that mode of fear and worry and so forth.

But never doubt for a moment that Jesus is rejoicing all the way that he brings us home on his shoulders. So we ought to as well. We ought to rest on his shoulders and when he cometh home He calleth together his friends and neighbors saying unto them rejoice with me for I have found my sheep which was lost.

Imagine the banquet that we will have together when he presents us To this great cloud of witnesses that spoken of in Hebrews chapter 12 in verse 1. Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses.

Let us lay aside every weight and sin that does so easily beset us and run with patience the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith He presents us with great joy.

Joy in Heaven Over One Sinner Who Repents

Verse 7. I say unto you that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repented. More than over ninety and nine just persons which need no repentance. Now I don't believe that teaches what it sounds like it teaches.

I Believe it teaches that there is great joy when each of us individually comes into That knowledge of salvation that we have at the point when we talk about our salvation moment. But it doesn't mean that the Lord does not joy.

Rejoice over the rest of his sheep. That's what it sounds like it mean but doesn't mean that because what is happening here is Jesus is now speaking to the Pharisees. Who think they have no need of repentance you see?

And what he's telling them is that there's more joy in heaven over one of these sinners and Republicans that get saved than there is over all you guys that think you don't need repentance, so he's not contrasting the difference of the joy between the Person that just got saved and all the rest of us that got saved 20 years ago.

That's not what he's doing. It's a contrast between the one that gets saved and the ones who will never get saved as they don't think they need salvation. Either. What woman having ten pieces of silver if she lose one?

Piece does not light a candle and sweep the house and seek diligently till she find it. Look at the points in that one verse first of all there's a specific number a Specific number of pieces of silver.

All of these numbers belong to her. She seeks diligently and she seeks until she finds it. There is no opportunity of it not being found in this verse. Same as the other parable verse 9 and when she hath found it doesn't say when she might find it or if she finds it.

It says when she has found it. She calls her friends and her neighbors together saying rejoice with me for I have found the peace which I had lost. Hath found it doesn't say if she finds it. We also see this cloud of witnesses these friends that she calls together.

Which would be the Old Testament Saints the New Testament Saints that have gone on before as well as the angelic beings and Then it says that she had lost the peace that's kind of interesting to me that it says that the woman had lost the peace and It's as if it's saying that the Lord Jesus Because of the human race having fallen in the garden that that human race had been lost.

In other words, Jesus is the God man. He is the Son of Man and the human race Lost itself so to speak in the garden and It portrays it as if the Lord Jesus. I'm not talking about the father here. But the Lord Jesus it portrays it as if he had lost the peace.

Because he is part of the human he is human. And he gained it back By right of conquest on the cross just like it had been lost by Adam in the garden she had lost the peace. Verse 10 likewise I say unto you there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner.

That repentant notice. It says there's rejoicing in the presence of The angels so it's not just the angels that are rejoicing. It's those beings that are in the presence of the angels that's Saints from the Old Testament specifically from Hebrews chapter 11.

The cloud of witnesses is mentioned in Hebrews chapter 12 verse 1. So all of chapter 11 is talking about all the saints that have gone on before us and they're awaiting us. They're part of this cloud of witnesses and they are in the presence of the angels and there is rejoicing every time one single individual is born again and it's a Rejoicing that takes place because from their heavenly vantage point there.

They are watching one by one the elect being brought in. Those who were lost because of Satan and the fall. They're being brought in by the power of God and they're rejoicing. What an amazing scene we see here and what an amazing answer Jesus gave to these Pharisees who wondered why do you spend time with these lost people?

The Parable of the Lost Son and the Closing Prayer

Now next Sunday brother Otis talked about the The greatest parable of those that little group and that's the parable of the lost son. Let's pray father. We thank you for Your word and the beauty of it.

The nuggets that we can find in just one verse and Thank you that you give us time to go back and review things. We've learned before. And also to learn new things. Go with us as we go home today. Give us Your protection as we travel and later on this week as we have different members of our body traveling On the highway, we ask your protection.

And we ask it in Jesus name. Amen.