Luke 15:1-7

to speak to you once again from the book of Luke chapter 15, new chapter, and verses 1 to 7 this morning. Luke chapter 15 and verses 1 to 7. Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners were to hear him. and the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners and eateth with them. And he spake this parable unto them saying, What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, let’s not leave the 90 and nine in the wilderness, go after that which is lost, so 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 found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over 90 and nine just men. persons which need no repentance. May God bless to us, his holy and sacred word this morning. There was a group of college students that was touring one of the U.S. major cities, and they went through a section where the slums were in the city. And one of the girls seeing a little girl outside playing, all dirty and filthy, was disturbed at that sight of the little girl. And she asked the guide, why doesn’t her mother clean her up? And the guy said, well, that girl’s mother probably loves her, but doesn’t hate the dirt. You obviously hate the dirt, but you don’t love her enough to go out there and clean her up. Until the hate of dirt and the love for the child, than the same person, the little girl is likely to stay away she is. Spiritually, that is the way it is for the Christian. We should love the sinner, but we should hate the sin. And that causes the sinner to be unclean, and so we hate that. Christ tells us in this chapter, Three parables, which are very familiar to all of us, but useful, I think, for the case at hand. And they all have to do with the main theme of the recovery of the lost sinner. We have the lost sheep, which talks to us about seeking loss. We have the lost coin, which tells us about the conversion of the loss. And we have the lost son, which tells us about receiving the lost. What prompted these parables is found in the first few verses that we read this morning, where Christ’s ministry attracted publicans and sinners, and he received them. And this was intolerable to the proud and self-righteous Jewish leaders. To them, this was proof enough to indicate that Jesus, Christ couldn’t possibly be the Messiah that he said he was. His claims could not possibly be true. Let me begin by saying this. You should realize Christ receives sinners. This is what we see in the first two verses. Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners were to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured. saying this man receiveeth sinners and eateth with them. We find here that the worst sinners may draw near to Jesus Christ. And it’s interesting that he talks about publicans and sinners here. Publicans, you recall, were tax collectors. They worked for the Roman government, made sure the Jews paid up their taxes. They were despised by the Jews. They were considered traitors, the most despicable sinners, because the truth of the matter is they were notorious thieves. We find they always overcharged on the taxes, and they got to keep all the extra tax. And the Roman government could care less as long as they got their money. And so this was. was the problem with the tax collectors. You recall Zachias in scripture was a tax collector. And after his conversion, he confessed this. If I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I will restore him four full. Which indicates, of course, that that’s how he made extra money. By false accusation, he was. was able to do that. Now, so the word sinners is a very general term here, which encompasses any flagrant violation of the law of God, like as being an adulterer or a harlot or a petty thief or a blasphemer or a Sabbath breaker or something of this nature. But that’s what we’re talking about here when we have the word sinner. Now, many common Jews were, considered in this class. They weren’t meticulous keepers of God’s law like the scribes and the Pharisees supposedly were. So they would be considered, you know, under the curse, as the scribes and the Pharisees would say. The scribes and the Pharisees would not eat or drink or converse with a person of bad character. they avoided them all together. Jesus, however, as the scripture indicates to us, was a friend of the sinner. He came into the world to save sinners, scripture tells us. So this involved being in contact with people who were known sinners. After all, how could you reach them with the gospel? Clearly, seeking the law. requires you to reach out and converse with obvious sinful people who are violators of God’s law. You can’t be so aloof that you avoid all contact or else you’ll never be able to reach these people for Christ. So the worst sinners may draw near to Christ. Notice that the worst sinners need to Christ. to hear the gospel. These people drew near to hear Jesus Christ in his teaching. Now, the reason Jesus had contact with these sinners was to preach the gospel to them. He wasn’t merely socializing or seeking a good time with these people. They came to hear his doctrine for the message of the gospel. which provides hope for sinners. You remember the woman that was taken in adultery in John chapter 8? You’ll recall that one day the scribes and the Pharisees brought before Jesus, a woman who was certainly guilty. He was caught in the act, as we said, of adultery. And Jesus was known for his compassion. for such obvious sinners. So the scribes and Pharisees wanted Jesus, I think, to suggest something less than the severe penalty that the law of God demanded, which is death. So they were trying to trick him into taking a less severe course than the law required. Well, Jesus truly. here embarrass these religious leaders by declaring, he that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone. Because the law of God said those who were eyewitnesses were supposed to be the first to initiate the punishment. And the others were to follow. Okay. You guys, go ahead, start. Slowly convicted by their own consciences, they all left, beginning with the most advanced and mature, scribing Pharisee, down to the less ones. Without accusers, there was no legal way to have the woman put the death, because the law required at least two witnesses in order to put some of the death. Still, she wasn’t innocent. She wasn’t adulterous, wasn’t she? So Jesus knew that, and so did she. However, Jesus, Jesus, did not condemn her. He forgave her, as the scriptures indicate to us. Neither do I condemn thee. Go and sin no more. He forgave her a verse. This is the free grace of forgiveness that is provided by Jesus Christ and is found declared in the gospel. There is forgiveness with the Lord for those who have acknowledge themselves to be sinners, even the most notorious of sinners, like an adulteress. The gospel isn’t about obtaining salvation by doing good works, by the law-keeping that the scribes and the Pharisees were pursuing. How would this be of help to those who were under condemnation for breaking the law already? The gospel, is about God providing Christ’s perfect righteousness to sinners through Christ’s work for his sinless life and a sacrificial death. It’s about God’s mercy and forgiveness by Christ’s death in the place of sinners as a substitute for sinners. This is why the common people heard Christ gladly. They had remorse on account of their sordid lives. And the gospel provided a remedy for them. Thus they heard Jesus gladly. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God, scripture tells us. It’s necessary to hear the gospel in order to be saved. and who better to hear the gospel? The one who knows he’s a sinner. This person knows he is guilty of violating God’s law and deserves any divine punishment that he receives. So if you love your neighbor, even the worst of sinners, you will attempt to teach him these basic principles of the gospel and what is found in Christ, who is the friend of sinners. So the worst of sinners need to hear the gospel. Now notice here, Christ receives the worst of sinners. This man receive his sinners and eateth with them. This was the condemnation of the scribes and Pharisees, but it was a badge of honor for Jesus Christ. These flagrant violators of God’s law were received by Christ. They were encouraged to come to Christ, regardless of God’s. of how sinful they may be. Jesus welcome sinners, come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, meaning under a burden of sin. I’ll give you rest, Jesus says in Matthew 11. To eat with sinners is to have fellowship with him. You recall when Zacchaeus was converted, Jesus went to his house and ate with him. Jesus still eats with sinners who believe in him in a spiritual sense. He makes his abode with you. And our fellowship was with the father, with his son, Scripture says. You remember when Jesus Christ rebuked the Church of Laeoticea in the Book of Revelation, Chapter 3, here’s what he said to them. Behold, I stand at the door and nodded to me. if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and I will sup with him and I will sup with him and he with me. I’ll have fellowship with you, but it takes repentance. Repentance of sin allows fellowship with the Savior. Acceptance with God is always based upon Jesus Christ. and us being found in him. I read a story about a minister who was a guest of some friends in Washington State who raised sheep. And one morning he was started when he looked out the wind, and he saw an old U go across the road, followed by the strangest-looking lamb that he ever saw. He said, the lamb appeared to have six legs. And the last two were dangling behind him. as if they were paralyzed. His skin seemed partly porn from his body. And one of the sheep herders explained, the lamb is really not the U’s. The U did have a lamb, but that lamb was bit by a rattlesnake and died. The U seemed remorseful and refused to accept the new lamb, which was an orphan and needed a mother. At first, she sniffed at it, and pushed the orphaned lamb away, apparently thinking, that’s not our family odor. So the herder skin the dead lamb, carefully drew the fleece over the living orphaned lamb, leaving the hind legs danging from behind. Now that you smelled the, the, you smelled the, the, lamb again and was satisfied. Oh, it smells like the right smell here. And adopted her as her own. As long as you’re covered by the righteousness of Christ, who is the Lamb of God, you’re going to be accepted by God. You will not be rejected. Without it, you’re not part of the family of God. This is the message that we proclaim the sinners that Jesus Christ receives sinners on the the basis of his person in work. Do you feel bad and wicked and guilty and deserving of God’s wrath? Are you remorseful? Are you ashamed of your past sin? Why, you’re the very type of person that Christ welcomes. You’re the very type of person who he saves and he came to save. Christ can pardon you and give you eternal life. So you should realize Christ receives sinners. My second point is this. You should realize Christ’s concern is not with the self-righteous. Now, you should consider the parable of the lost sheep. You see the background of this story, this parable. So with that in mind, let’s look at the parable itself that that Jesus lays out for us in this piece. passage of scripture. What man of you having a 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. When he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, rejoice with me, by I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over 90 and nine just persons which need no repentance. On order to expose the terrible mistake of the scribes and the scribes and the Pharisees, Jesus tells this parable. He uses a familiar. sight. Everybody would be familiar with shepherds and sheep and so forth. And what must be done when it comes to losing a sheep, having it stray off. And he uses this to illustrate God’s will with regard to sinners. Must straying sheep be ignored? Should they be neglected? Should they be despised, as the attitude of the scribes and the Pharisees seemed to indicate, what was the way a good shepherd dealt with lost sheep? Why, he went after the sheep, did he not? We read in Isaiah 4011, he shall feed his flock like a shepherd. He shall gather the lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosom and gently lead them that are young. Ezekiel 14, 15 and 16, says this, I will feed my flock, I will cause them to lie down, says the Lord God. I will seek that which was lost. Of course, Christ being God, manifested in the flesh, is fulfilling that verse of scripture. So Jesus says here, suppose you had a hundred sheep and you lost one of them. What would you do? You’d go. You’d go. You’d go. after the lost sheep as every good shepherd would. And that’s his point. Moreover, your search would not be half-hearted. You’d be very diligent in looking for the sheep until you found it. And when the sheep is found, would you not rejoice? It made me even celebrate with your neighbors and friends. I found the sheep that was lost. Surely, you must not think. Less of God, he tells us. When a lost sinner is brought to repentance, there is joy in heaven. When a sinner is brought to repentance, he tells us here in this text of Scripture. So you should consider the parable of the lost sheep. You should see the lost sheep. Here is a picture of God’s left. The shepherd in this passage, of course, is Jesus Christ, who is the good shepherd. I am the good shepherd, the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep, as John 11, a 10-11 says. So the lost sheep portrays an elect child of God who by nature is lost in sin and facing eternal ruin. In other words, the lost sheep are those who acknowledge themselves of sinners who have violated the law of God, and the parable stresses that the people. of God by nature are lost in the wilderness of sin. Indeed, during the whole course of your life, he’s sort of constantly going astray even after you come to Christ. Psalm 119, 176, David says this, I’ve gone astray like a lost sheep. Seek thy servant, for I do not forget by commandments. So even as a believer, as one who is already saved, he says, You have to act as a shepherd toward me and keep coming after me when I go astray. Thus, a sheep is a good description of one of God’s people. Lost by nature, straying in practice, and yet having a good shepherd over them to help them. Christ continues to rescue you every time you go astray because he’s never going to lose one of his people. So you should see the lost sheep here. as a picture of the elect. Now, this is not going to be so clear to you, but this is true also. You should see the 90 and 9 as the self-righteous. The Jewish nation as a whole, or in general, is being portrayed here by the 90 and 9. It often represented in scripture as a flock of sheep over which there are shown, shepherd, spiritual leaders, and political leaders. As we read in Psalm 77, verse 20, thou leadest by people as a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron. That included the whole nation, regardless of whether they were converted or not. We read that passage, and it’s very interesting. In Zachariah chapter 11, I don’t know if you’ve ever. weighed that passage carefully. But if you look at that again, I’d like to point a couple of things out. First of all, let me point out that this passage really relates to Jesus Christ. He is the shepherd. Thus saith the Lord, verse 4, Zachary 11, thus sayeth the Lord, my God, feed the flock of the slaughter, whose possessors slay them and hold themselves not guilty. And they sell them, say, blessed be the Lord, for I am rich, and their own shepherds pity them not. Here, we see the religious leaders who are not caring for the sheep properly. Verse 6. For I will no more pity the inhabitants. of the land, said the Lord. him, and I will feed the flock of slaughter. Even you, O poor, the flock. And I took unto me two staves, the one beauty and the other I called bands. And I fled, I fed the flock. Here we have the idea of Jesus Christ coming, and he’s teaching the nation. Their own leaders were taking advantage of them and harming him. But Jesus Christ, ties comes, and he’s told here, to feed the flock, which is set up for slaughter. Think about that in that. In other words, he’s to come and teach the nation, even though the nation itself will not receive him and indeed will be slaughtered. But in particular, he’s to come and He says he takes care of the humble of the flock, the poor of the flock, if you would. And they are the elect among the people of God. So I commend this passage to your consideration, because this is exactly what Jesus Christ is laying out for us here in this parable, in a sense. You’ll notice that Jesus in this passage, vindicates the conduct of conversing with sinners and neglecting the scribes and the Pharisees. The 90 and 9 are left in the wilderness. They are not taken into the shepherd’s house. Are they taken back to the shepherd’s house? No. The lost sheep is, but the 99 are out there in the wilderness. Many commentators claim that the men are out there in the wilderness. the 99 represent all the people God. But that doesn’t fit well with the context. Remember what he’s trying to explain. He’s trying to explain why he’s dealing with sinners. Notice the lost sheep is not restored to the flock, but is taken to the shepherd’s house or to the church of Jesus Christ, right? Look at the context, the verse 2. The fact that everybody needs repentance, And yet we find here that in verse 2, that the scribes and the Pharisees marmored, and you’ll notice in verse 7, I say unto you likewise, joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over 90 and nine just persons which need to repent. Let me ask you something. Who needs repentance? Doesn’t everybody need repentance? Well, what does he mean here? He means those who think they are just, like the scribes in the Pharisees, and don’t see the need of repentance. So God commendeth all men everywhere to repent, according to Acts 1730, and he’s told us in Luke 12.5, except you repent, you should all likewise perish. It is precisely the proud and vain Pharisees that thought they needed no repentance. Anyone who feels secure in their own good works and their lawkeeping thinks this way. The elects center, however, is brought by God through regeneration to see his sin and guilt, and he desires to be free from his sin. And thus, he repents. The 99 are only portrayed as sheep because they belong to the nation, but it’s the flock of the people. slaughter, doomed to destruction. In their rebellion, they saw no need of the shepherds that God sent, and certainly not of his son, the Lord Jesus Christ, the great shepherd. They are content to be out in the wilderness without a God-given shepherd to watch over them. Now, just as Jesus Christ focused on acknowledged sinners and not on the self-righteous, so should you. Now, of course, everybody should hear the gospel. I’m not saying we shouldn’t give them the gospel. But the gospel will never benefit you if you’re self-righteous. You think you are good enough for God. You don’t need to repent. I always say this. It’s impossible to save a Pharisee, unless he first becomes a public. Unless he sees himself as a sinner, what hope is there for this man? So you need to emphasize man’s sinful and fallen nature so that they see the need for Jesus Christ as the great shepherd. And this is what the scribes and Pharisees didn’t understand. That college student hated the dirt and the filth she saw in the little girl laying in the slums in the slums. but she didn’t hate, she didn’t love her enough to go out and clean her up. Spiritually, we need to love the sinner, but hate the dirt, hate the sin, which contaminates them. And like Jesus Christ, our goal is to seek the lost. That’s what he did. And that’s what we should be doing. And giving the gospel to those who, indeed need it so desperately. And we pray that the Lord will give us people who acknowledge themselves as sinners and see why Jesus Christ is so important and so precious because he’s the one who can take the sin. Let us close with prayer this morning. Heavenly Father, we bow before you with great joy. that through your son Jesus Christ, we have been tracked down. We’ve been saved from our sins. We’ve been taken on the shoulders of our Savior, carried in his bosom. We have a close relationship with him. Taken to his home to be in the church of Jesus Christ. We pray you’d bless us. We pray that we may rejoice in this. and that we may see our need, like our Savior, to reach out to people who are lost in sin. And Lord, whether they be notorious sinners or whatever the case may be, I pray, Lord, for the conviction of sinners, and let them see the preciousness and need of Jesus Christ, the Savior. In whose name we pray this morning with us. Thanksgiving. Amen.