Nov 24
3
Old Testament Reading: Ezekiel 34:1-24
“The word of the LORD came to me: ‘Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord GOD: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered; they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them. ‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: As I live, declares the Lord GOD, surely because my sheep have become a prey, and my sheep have become food for all the wild beasts, since there was no shepherd, and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves, and have not fed my sheep, therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: Thus says the Lord GOD, Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require my sheep at their hand and put a stop to their feeding the sheep. No longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them. For thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord GOD. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice. As for you, my flock, thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and male goats. Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture; and to drink of clear water, that you must muddy the rest of the water with your feet? And must my sheep eat what you have trodden with your feet, and drink what you have muddied with your feet? Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD to them: Behold, I, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. Because you push with side and shoulder, and thrust at all the weak with your horns, till you have scattered them abroad, I will rescue my flock; they shall no longer be a prey. And I will judge between sheep and sheep. And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the LORD, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am the LORD; I have spoken.” (Ezekiel 34:1–24)
New Testament Reading: Luke 15
“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.’ And he said, ‘There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. ‘But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.’ ’ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. ‘Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’” (Luke 15)
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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.
Introduction
The three parables we have just read, the parable of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son, go together.
Christ told these three parables in response to the situation described in Luke 15:1-2. There we read, “Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear [Jesus]” (Luke 15:1). This means that, at this point in Jesus’ ministry, many who were known to be sinners within society were flocking to Jesus. The tax collectors were despised by the Jews. If Jewish, they were regarded as traitors because they collected taxes from their kinsmen on behalf of Rome. All of them had a bad reputation given the prevalence of corruption among them. Back in Luke 3, “Tax collectors… came to [John the Baptist to] be baptized and said to him, ‘Teacher, what shall we do?’ And [John] said to them, ‘Collect no more than you are authorized to do’” (Luke 3:14). In other words, he commanded them to repent of their sin of greed and corruption. If they wished to follow after God and Christ they would have to repent. Now we see that many tax collectors followed Jesus. I think we are to take this to mean that many of the tax collectors had turned from their sins and had believed in Jesus as the Messiah. The word “sinners” is more generic. It is used to refer to those who were known to live a life of sin. These sinners were known to be sexually immoral (see Luke 7:37), drunkards, and gluttons (see Luke 7:35). And these were the kinds of people who were responding to the preaching of Jesus and his disciples. These were the kinds of people who were turning from their sins and following after him. “The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear [Jesus]”, our text says.
In verse 2 we read, “And the Pharisees and the scribes…”, that is to say, those who were regarded as righteous within society, and who regarded themselves to be righteous, they “grumbled, saying, ‘This man [Jesus] receives sinners and eats with them” (Luke 15:2). When you and I consider the words of the Pharisees and scribes, “This man [Jesus] receives sinners and eats with them”, hopefully, we think, Yes, he does! Thanks be to God for the mercy and grace he has shown to us in the Messiah! But the scribes and Pharisees did not rejoice in this fact. Instead, they grumbled and complained.
Can we just take a moment to think about this reaction and let it sink in? The scribes and Pharisees – the religious leaders and shepherds of Israel – were bothered by the fact that Jesus would associate with sinners. Listen again to the text: They “grumbled, saying, ‘This man receives sinners and eats with them.’” Notice, they were not upset that Jesus was gaining followers. They did not grumble, saying, why are all these people flocking to Jesus? They ought to be coming to us! No, they themselves wanted nothing to do with these tax collectors and sinners and they were repulsed by the fact that Jesus received and ate with them! Think about it. What does this reveal about the religious beliefs of the scribes and Pharisees? What does this reveal about how they viewed God and his heart for sinners? What does this reveal about their expectations for the Messiah? What does this reveal about how they viewed themselves? In brief, they could not comprehend that God would show love to sinners like this. As they contemplated the Messiah, they did not envision him as one who would associate with sinners like this. When Messiah comes, he will certainly be one with us and associate with us, or so the scribes and Pharisees thought. And clearly, they viewed themselves as righteous! They looked upon the tax collectors and sinners with contempt. Only these beliefs in the mind a heart could produce this response: they “grumbled, saying, ‘This man receives sinners and eats with them.’”
The three parables that Jesus told, as recorded here in Luke 15, were told in response to the grumbling and complaining of the scribes and Pharisees. The meaning of each of these parables is basically the same. Each one reveals the truth about the heart of God towards sinners. God and his elect angels rejoice in heaven when a lost sinner recognizes his sin and turns from it to place their faith in the Messiah! These parables also teach us something about the mission of the Messiah. God the Father sent the son to seek and to save lost sinners! In Luke 19:10 Jesus states his mission in these exact terms: “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” These parables illustrate this truth. And finally, these parables condemn the scribes and Pharisees for their self-righteous and judgemental pride.
If time were not a factor, I suppose I could preach one sermon on all three parables. But given our time limits I thought it best to consider the first two parables – the parable of the lost sheep and coin – today. And to save the parable of the lost son for next Sunday.
The Parable Of The Lost Sheep
Look with me at verse 3. After informing us that “the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, ‘This man receives sinners and eats with them’” (Luke 15:2), Luke writes, “So he told them this parable…” (Luke 15:3). I take the pronoun “them” to be a reference up the scribes and Pharisees and to the multitudes that followed after him, many of them having been notorious sinners before their conversion. To whom did Jesus tell this parable? To the multitude that followed him and to the scribes and Pharisees. This parable, and the two that follow, were designed to condemn the scribes and Pharisees for their lovelessness, their self-righteous pride, and their judgemental spirits, while at the same time bringing comfort to the multitude of sinners that had followed after Jesus.
In verse 4 the parable begins. “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?” (Luke 15:4). Here Christ suggests that this is the behavior you would expect from a shepherd. If a shepherd has a flock of 100 sheep and one is missing, he will leave the 99 in the open country to graze while he searches for the one lost sheep.
The shepherd represents Christ. The 99 sheep represent the nation of Israel.
The nation of Israel is often described as a flock of sheep in the Old Testament. For example, Psalm 78 recounts the Exodus. Verse 52 speaks of God, saying, “Then he led out his people like sheep and guided them in the wilderness like a flock” (see also Psalm 74:1; 79:13; 95:7). Under the Old Covenant, the nation of Israel was God’s flock.
It seems to me that the Ezekiel 34 passage we read at the beginning of this sermon is very significant. That passage, written long before Jesus was born, is a prophecy about the coming Messiah. It concludes with these words: “I [God] will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the LORD, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am the LORD; I have spoken” (Ezekiel 34:23-24). So, the Messiah, the son of David, will be a shepherd to God’s people. Before that, God spoke to Israel, saying, “Behold, I, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. Because you push with side and shoulder, and thrust at all the weak with your horns, till you have scattered them abroad, I will rescue my flock; they shall no longer be a prey. And I will judge between sheep and sheep” (Ezekiel 34:20-22). So, according to this prophecy, when Messiah comes there would be judgments made within the flock of Israel. God would judge between sheep and sheep. And earlier in this prophecy, the shepherds, that is to say, the leaders within Israel, were condemned for being bad shepherds. The shepherds of Israel did not feed the sheep, they devoured them. The shepherds of Israel did not gather the sheep, they scattered them. And at the heart of this wonderful prophecy, the LORD God of Israel says, “Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord GOD. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.” (Ezekiel 34:11–16)
There is no way that the scribes and Pharisees – these experts in the Old Testament – did not think of this messianic prophecy when Christ told this parable. Jesus is here claiming to be the good shepherd of Ezekiel 34. He is the good shepherd who seeks after the scattered and lost sheep. The flock that he leaves behind is the flock of unbelieving Israel. The one that he pursues represents the elect remnant within Israel, God’s true flock, those who believed in the promised Messiah (see Romans 9:27; 11:5).
One thing to notice in this parable is that it was the shepherd who went to look for the lost sheep. This is how the prophecy of Ezekiel 34 portrayed the coming Messiah. He would be a good shepherd. He would be a proactive shepherd. He would “search for [his] sheep and [would] seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so [would he] seek out [his] sheep, and… rescue them from all places where they have been scattered…” This is what Jesus did in the days of his earthly ministry, and this is what he does to this present day. He is the good shepherd who came to seek and save the lost (see Luke 19:11).
Christ goes on to say in verse 5, “And when he has found [the lost sheep], he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing” (Luke 15:5). Notice three things about this verse:
One, the lost sheep did not find the shepherd, rather, the good shepherd found his lost sheep. Brothers and sisters, when you first placed your faith in Christ it may have seemed as if you found Jesus, but the truth is that Jesus found you! Christ was proactive. You were not. You were wandering in the wilderness and lost in your sins. God the Father sent Christ to atone for your sins. And the Father and Son sent forth the Spirit to call you to repentance and faith at the appointed time through the word preached. If you are united to Christ by faith, you did not find Jesus, Jesus found you.
Two, when the good shepherd found the lost sheep, he laid it on his shoulders to carry it home. This illustrates our miserable spiritual condition and the magnitude of our need. So weak and miserable are we in our fallen and sinful condition, we do not have the strength or ability to carry ourselves home. Christ, the good shepherd must carry us home. Consider how kind and compassionate he is. Consider how strong and able he is. Christ is able to carry his lost sheep home.
Three, notice that the good shepherd rejoices over the lost sheep he finds. In fact, verse 6 says, “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’” (Luke 15:6). Consider the heart that Jesus has for elect sinners. He rejoices over the repentance. He is glad to rescue them and to bring them into his fold.
In verse 7, Jesus explains the meaning of the parable with these words: “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” (Luke 15:7).
By these words of explanation, it becomes clear that Jesus is the shepherd who has come down from heaven to seek and save the lost and to carry them on his strong shoulders into their heavenly and eternal home. The one lost sheep represents the sinner who knows he is a sinner, repents, and falls into the loving arms of Jesus. The 99 represents sinners who think they are righteous and therefore see no need to repent.
This attitude of self-righteous pride was a pervasive problem with Israel in the days of Jesus’ earthly ministry. In Luke 18 we will find another parable wherein the self-righteous pride of the Pharisees is condemned. In Luke 18:9 we read. “[Jesus] also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: ‘Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:9–14).
The 99 sheep in this parable signified those within Israel “who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt”. The one sheep represented the elect within Israel. They were those who, by the grace of God, knew they were sinners. When Jesus Christ, the good Shepherd appeared, they, by the grace of God, “beat their breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” These repentant ones were carried into their eternal home by the good Shepherd having been justified. Those who thought they were righteous in themselves were condemned.
The Parable Of The Lost Coin
The parable of the lost coin has a very similar meaning. Let’s consider it briefly. Verse 8: “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’” (Luke 15:8–9).
It is interesting to read the commentaries on this parable. There are many different opinions as to who the woman represents, and what the house, the lighting of the lamp, and the sweeping of the house represent.
Clearly, the lost coin represents a lost sinner, just as the lost sheep represents a lost sinner in the previous parable. Verse 10 makes this clear. There Christ explains the parable saying, “Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10). The lost coin that is found must represent a lost sinner who is found, leading to rejoicing in heaven.
What does the house represent? Given the context, the house must represent the Old Covenant nation-state of Israel. The kingdom of Israel is referred to as the house of David in the Old Testament (see 2 Samuel 7).
Who does the woman represent? I think it is best to view her as a representation of the church, the disciples of Jesus, with Christ as the head. In the previous parable, it was emphasized that Christ is the good shepherd of Eziekle 34 who came to seek and to save the lost. It seems to me, that this second parable emphasized the truth that Christ also seeks and saves the lost through his church, his body, and his bride, with ministers of the word in the lead. Do not forget that in the days of his earthly ministry, Jesus went around preaching the gospel of the kingdom and calling sinners to faith and repentance, but he also sent his disciples out to do this work. His disciples, first the 12 and then the 70, were sent out into the house of Israel, to make a diligent search for lost sinners.
What does the lighting of the lamp represent? It must represent the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ! How did the disciples of Jesus make a search for lost sinners within the house of Israel in the days of Jesus’ earthly ministry? They preached the gospel of the kingdom, which is the gospel of salvation through faith in Christ the King! This is precisely how this great multitude, many of them tax collectors and sinners, came to follow after Jesus. It was through the preaching of the gospel in this region by the 12 and by the 70. The light of the lamp signifies the gospel of Jesus Christ shining forth in the darkness of the house of Israel as preached by Christ and his disciples. This is the light by which lost sinners are found.
And what does the sweeping of the house represent? It must represent the great cleansing of the house of Israel that was taking place in the days of Jesus’ earthly ministry and under the coming New Covenant. The Isreal of Old was filled with corruption and sin. As you know, under the Old Covenant, there were many within the house of Israel who did not believe in the promises concerning the Messiah or lived in obedience to God but rebelled against him. At times only a small remnant remained. But the Israel of God under the New Covenant is different. Who are the citizens of the Israel of God under the New Covenant? It has nothing to do with ethnicity (see Galatians 3:28). Under the New Covenant, the house of Israel is filled with only those who turn from their sins to place their faith in Israel’s Messiah. This sweeping of the house symbolizes the sweeping away of unrighteousness from the house of Israel.
The term, “house of Israel” appears frequently in the Old Testament. It is used often to refer to the Old Covenant nation of Israel. And it appears very frequently in the book of Ezekiel. I’ve already suggested to you that the parable of the lost sheep was meant to remind the scribes and Pharisees of Ezekiel 34. That passage condemns them, as shepherds within Israel, for their ill-treatment, unconcern, and even disdain for the lost sheep of Israel. And though I cannot prove it to you at this time, I do believe the parable of the lost coin and the image of the coin being found by a woman (the church) who lights a lamp (the light of the gospel) and sweeps the house, is meant to remind us of the words of condemnation spoken by Ezekiel the prophet against the house of Israel and also his words of hope.
God’s judgment is sometimes described in the Old Testament as a sweeping away. Isaiah 14:23 is about the judgment that God would bring upon Babylon. The text says, “I will sweep it with the broom of destruction,” declares the LORD of hosts” (Isaiah 14:23). Zephaniah 1:2-3 is about the judgment that God would bring upon the earth. The text says, “‘I will utterly sweep away everything from the face of the earth,’ declares the LORD. ‘I will sweep away man and beast; I will sweep away the birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, and the rubble with the wicked. I will cut off mankind from the face of the earth,’ declares the LORD.” (Zephaniah 1:2–3). To sweep away is to judge and to cleanse.
This is precisely what the Messiah did when he came to inaugurate the New Covenant. He came to seek and save the lost, first within the house of Israel, and then from all nations. How did he seek and save the lost? He and his disciples went through the house of Israel (a house filled with darkness) and held forth the light of the gospel of the kingdom. It was by this light – the light of the gospel that the lost coins were found! And what did Christ and the disciples of Christ also do as they preached the gospel? They pronounced judgment upon the unbelieving within the house of Israel. They swept the house as they searched for the lost sinners with the light of the gospel. The house of Israel remains under the New Covenant, but it is not a dirty house filled with unbelief. Under the New Covenant, the house of Israel is swept and lost coins are found as the gospel is preached.
[[I’d like to show you something in Ezekiel before concluding with a few brief suggestions for application. In Ezekiel 34, immediately after that passage we read earlier about the wicked shepherds of Israel and the coming good shepherd, God says this: “I will make with them [that is to say the true sheep of Israel who have the Messiah as their shepherd] a covenant of peace and banish wild beasts from the land, so that they may dwell securely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods. And I will make them and the places all around my hill a blessing, and I will send down the showers in their season; they shall be showers of blessing. And the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield its increase, and they shall be secure in their land. And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I break the bars of their yoke, and deliver them from the hand of those who enslaved them. They shall no more be a prey to the nations, nor shall the beasts of the land devour them. They shall dwell securely, and none shall make them afraid. And I will provide for them renowned plantations so that they shall no more be consumed with hunger in the land, and no longer suffer the reproach of the nations. And they shall know that I am the LORD their God with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, declares the Lord GOD. And you are my sheep, human sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, declares the Lord GOD” (Ezekiel 34:25–31).]]
What does the parable of the lost coin symbolize? It symbolizes how in the days of Christ’s earthly ministry the disciples of Christ were sent out into the house of Israel to seek and to save the lost. They searched for the lost with the light of the gospel of peace. They also swept the house of Israel by pronouncing judgment upon those who remained in unbelief. Christ instructed them, saying, “And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them” (Luke 9:5). And when sinners were found, it resulted in rejoicing. Rejoicing on earth and in heaven. These Pharisees and scribes who grumbled when they saw Jesus eating with tax collectors and sinners were in grave danger. Far from being with God and in agreement with his plan of redemption, they were opposed to him. Heaven rejoiced over the salvation of these sinners, but the shepherds of Old Covenant Israel grumbled and complained. If they would not repent of their self-righteous pride and receive Jesus as the Messiah, soon, they would be swept away.
Conclusion
To apply this text, I think we must simply look at these parables from two different vantage points: first, through the eyes of the scribes and Pharisees and then through the eyes of tax collectors and sinners who had turned from their sins to follow after Jesus.
When we consider these parables through the eyes of the scribes and Pharisees we are strongly warned about the sin of self-righteousness pride. It is possible that some here are like the scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ day. You falsy believe that you are right with God because of your own obedience and good works. You view God as being pleased with you and displeased with others based upon your own inherent goodness. You look down upon others, therefore. You see yourself as right with God but you see them as being irredeemable. All of this is contrary to the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ. If you persist in this way of thinking you will soon be swept away by God’s judgment.
When we view these parables through the eyes of the tax collectors and sinners who had turned from their sins to follow Jesus, we will be moved to a sense of gratitude and thankfulness to God for the marvelous Savior he has provided for us. Jesus Christ is a good and loving shepherd. Indeed, he came to seek and save the last. How kind God has been to us to send Christ to redeem us from our sin and misery through the cross! How kind God has been to us to send us the light of the gospel and to rescue us from our sin and misery by the effectual working of the Holy Spirit at the appointed and acceptable time.
Lastly, sinners who have been saved by God’s grace will also be eager to see other sinners saved by God’s grace. If we know merciful God has been merciful to us in Christ Jesus to save us from our sin and misery, never will look upon another sinner and say, this one is too far gone. This one is irredeemable. Jesus would never give his word to this one and sit at table to dine with him. Our Lord is a friend of sinners. He came to seek and save the lost. And when the lost are found, he and his elect angels in heaven rejoice. Let us be sure to have the same heart for sinners as our Savior has.
