The parables of Jesus: The love of God for the Lost

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them." So he told them this parable: "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?  And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.  And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.'  Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.  "Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it?  And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.'  Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents." - Luke 15:1‭-‬10 ESV

Parables are told in response to a question or situation. They didn't come out of nowhere. Tax collectors were viewed similarly to how some see the IRS. They were morally repulsive and despised by the people of that age. They not only collected taxes, but added whatever amount on top that they wished. The Pharisees followed the law in that they avoided the corrupt. They would not even overrule this to share the law. So they grumbled against Jesus, who not only spent time with them, but ate with them. Eating with sometime is an embrace. Jesus drew the lost to him and embraced them.

The Search

There are people who do not trust, follow, and know God. In the Bible, they are called lost. They are not stupid or unintelligent. This is a spiritual lost-ness. They are spiritually blind.

So the lost sheep and the lost coin are important. We don't just leave it as is. They are valuable. It is obvious why one would search for them. The Pharisees were being called out in their interpretation of the law. God seeks out the lost. They are more valuable than any animal or possession. The God of the cosmos arranges things so that they could see God's love.

The Joy

The found sheep is thrown over the shoulder and the finder rejoices. We have lost things. But have we ever lost someone important to us? The lost son or daughter is found. All of heaven rejoices. God is not saying he is not loving the 99 righteous... He is just particularly focused on those who didn't know God and have now been found. Even with the countless thousands, millions, or trillions of the faithful... God is focused on those who are still lost. He is focused on each of the lost that are now found.

The Party

God tells people to share in his joy that people were being found. In order to share in this joy, you need to have God's burden for the lost. In order to rejoice with God over the found, we must be fully invested and fully concerned with the lost. God seeks and finds the lost through the church.

Church: Does your social circle look more like the Pharisees or Jesus? Do we only have Christians and people like us in our social circles? (Christians who are less than two years in are the most effective at reaching the lost. Christians tend to stay within church circles.)

Jesus is radically inviting, but he is also radically honest about sin. He pulled no punches. He was at the party, but he was not getting wasted. He called people out lovingly, graciously, tactfully, and wisely. We need to remember that God is working in hearts. We cannot save, but God can. We were once lost, but now are found. This is what makes us identify with the lost, but distinct in that we are saved by God.