Luke 15 is actually quite a famous chapter. It contains the parable of the prodigal son which is known and studied throughout the whole world! That is what we will be studying next week.

Today we will be looking at 2 short parables that will tie in with the prodigal son. These are 2 shorter parables. It is the parable of the lost sheep and the parable of the lost coin. However, what many of us gloss over is the background to these parables. Let’s start there at the beginning of Luke 15. What is the reason why Jesus gave these parables in succession one after the other?

Luke 15:1-2
1 Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

The scribes and Pharisees were murmuring about Jesus. What about though?

• Was it His doctrine or His teaching? No.
• It was who He was eating with. Can you believe it? They would have a problem with who Jesus was eating with?
• He was eating with sinners. They would not believe that Jesus would socialise with such people!
• Now what sort of people was Jesus actually eating with?
• Mark 2:15-16
  15 And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him. 16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?
• Jesus was actually eating with the publicans, who were the tax collectors. And yes, they were dishonest people. They cheated people out of their money. They were worldly. They were many things that the Jews despised.

Now I guess we can look at it from the perspective of a concerned parent. I wouldn’t want my kids to hang out with dishonest people that cheated and lied, that were focused on the world. Those that smoked or were getting drunk all the time or getting in trouble. So from that perspective I guess we can understand a little. We wouldn’t want our kids to become like them right?

• This just goes to show the importance of having friends that can edify you and pray for you and help you to grow in your Christian faith, and the importance of mingling for the sake of being a blessing.
• To Christ, He was ALWAYS the latter. He was always a blessing no matter where He went. And He was a friend to everyone. The righteous and the sinners.
• He didn’t burden anyone with His problems. He took them all to God. But we do see how prayer is important even to Christ. In the garden of Gethsemane He yearned for the prayers of His disciples, but they all fell asleep.
• But you see, Jesus was a blessing everywhere He went. And He uttered a really important truth in Mark 2. Right after the scribes and Pharisees said that they couldn’t believe that Jesus was eating with publicans and sinners, how did Jesus respond?
• Mark 2:17
  When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
• Jesus did not come to same the righteous. He didn’t come to just hang out and socialise and mingle with just the righteous and form a righteous only club.
• No, Jesus came to call sinners to repentance. He came for the worst of the worst, for the helpless, for those caught in the web of sin.
• And so if that is you today, then Jesus came just for YOU!

With that, let’s read the parables now back in Luke.

Luke 15:3-10
3 And he spake this parable unto them, saying, 4 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? 5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. 7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. 8 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? 9 And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. 10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

The first parable is about a lost sheep and the second parable is about a lost coin. There are a few similarities between these two parables and also some difference. Let’s start with the similarities.

• In both these parables something is lost and then found.
• Also, somebody has to go and look for the lost sheep and lost coin.
• Also, both parables illustrate the lesson of repentance which we will look at in a minute.

However, there is one major difference between these two parables. What is it?

• In the first parable, what gets lost is a living animal. It walks off on its own without the notice of the shepherd.
• But in the parable of the lost coin, usually when we lose coins it is the owners fault. We dropped it or misplaced it. We are the ones that lost it. It is an inanimate object. It doesn’t know it is lost.
• But the sheep will eventually know that it is lost because it will get hungry and thirsty, and it will begin to cry out for help.
• This represents two different types of people in our world today. People that know that they are lost and people that don’t. People that are crying out for help but don’t know where to get that help from, and those that are comfortable in their lives and living in their lost condition.
• Both these groups need people to come and search for them. More on that in a minute.

Now remember, both of these parables illustrate the lesson of repentance. There is joy in heaven over one sinner that repents! What is the meaning of repentance?

• It means a change of mind, a reversal. It is not just saying sorry. It goes beyond just saying it. The change has taken place in our hearts and that’s why we say sorry.
• But here’s the question. Did the sheep change? No. Did the coin change? No.
• Generally we think of repentance, we think of change. However, do we see the changes in the sheep and coin? No. They were just simply lost, and then they were found.
• What did the sheep and the coin do? Absolute nothing!
• In these two parables repentance is illustrated but it really has nothing to do with us. It is more about what God does.
• Let’s have a look at a few texts on repentance.
• Romans 2:4
  Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
  • It is God’s goodness that leads us to repentance. So the change in our heart takes place as a result of what we see what God has done for us. When we see His goodness!
• Acts 11:18
  When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
  • God is the One that grants repentance, that gives repentance to us.
• 2 Timothy 2:25
  In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.
  • Once again we see that God gives repentance.
• You see, repentance is a gift from God. If we just simply look to our own selves, we would not repent. In fact, we might feel sorry for ourselves even more, and justify why our wicked actions are ok.
• For example, we might look at our poor lives and justify the reason why it’s ok for us to steal or lie to get our riches or money or even just simply to feed our family.
• So in order for us to have true repentance, we must see Jesus.
• And in the case of these parables, it is Jesus that comes looking for us because we’re helplessly lost in the case of the sheep, and we are happily and satisfactorily lost in the case of the coin.

So how do we know that the sheep represents us?

• Well, first it is in the parable.
• Luke 15:7
  I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
• But let’s go to another text.
• 1 Peter 2:25
  For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
• Isaiah 53:6
  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
• So it’s clear that the sheep represent us. Us as sinners. And we know in Romans 3:23 that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
• We are all lost. And if we are to be found, what has to happen? What is the process?
• Now remember, according to these 2 parables, repentance has nothing to do with us. It has more to do with the shepherd who looks for the lost sheep and the woman who looks for the lost coin.
• Both the sheep and the coin are incapable of doing anything to right their situation to be found again.

So who does the shepherd represent?

• John 10:11
  I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
  • He represents Jesus.
• In the first parable, Jesus is found looking for the lost sheep. This is what Jesus did 2,000 years ago. He came seeking to save us and to give us repentance.
  • Any time we have these feelings of remorse, of feeling sorry, having this impulse that makes us feel guilty, even for those who don’t know God, that feeling of guilt and desire for change comes from God. It is because of God’s goodness.
• But did you know that the word pastor in the Bible can also be rightly translated as shepherd as well? Both in the Old and the New Testament this is true.
• So not only does the shepherd represent Jesus, but is also represents God’s leaders today. God wants us to be just like Jesus. Not to mingle with only those that are righteous but also to mingle with sinners so that we can lead them to repentance.
• God wants us to be followers of Christ as well.
• You see, there is only 2 sides to this. We are either a lost sheep or we are a shepherd going out to help look for the lost sheep.

Now let’s have a look at the second parable in Luke 15. The lost coin. You see, in the first parable it was the shepherd that went looking for his sheep. How about in the second parable? Who was the one that was looking for the lost coin?

• It was a woman.
• What does a woman represent in the Bible?
  • Ephesians 5:25
    Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.
• The woman represents the church.
• This is the main work and calling that has been assigned to the church. To seek and to save the lost!
• We are to do the same thing as what Jesus did. To help people to repent. To bring them to Jesus that He may be the One that would grant them that repentance, that desire for a change in their life.
• So really, the 99 sheep are those who should be a blessing to the rest of the world. That is the work and duty of those that are just!

Now what does the woman have to do in order to find the lost coin?

• Luke 15:8
  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?
• She lights a candle. Sweeps the house. And seeks diligently.
• The first step is to light a candle.

What does the candle and the light represent?

• Revelation 1:20
  The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
  • The candlestick represents the church.
  • The purpose of the church is to shine light.
• Now this is an important detail here. Some of us ask – why do I need to be connected to a church? I love Jesus. I just want to follow Jesus. I don’t need to be connected to any church.
• But you see friends, Jesus was the One that established the early church in Acts 2. And today, God has given us a church so that we can shine our light through them. Not just any one individual. But as a church we need to go out to seek and save the lost!
• How about the light?
• Psalms 119:105
  Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
• If we are to help others to experience repentance and change in their lives, we must give them the Bible.
• And the church must be the one that will shine the light of God’s word to others to assist in that change that must take place in a person’s heart.
• So just as the righteous and just live by faith on the word of God, we must learn to give others and share with others the word of God as well.
• But remember, she also has to sweep and seek diligently. It’s not just a casual sharing of the word of God, but diligently sharing it and also a diligent study of it as well.

Here is an interesting side application:

• The woman lost one piece out of the ten pieces of silver. What does silver represent?
• Psalms 12:6
  The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
  • It represents the word of God.
• 10 pieces of the word of God. What could that possibly point to in the Bible? The 10 commandments!
• And it says that one was lost. Which one of the ten commandments was seemingly lost?
  • The fourth, the Sabbath commandment.
• And in order to find it the church had to turn on the light of God’s word and seek diligently, sweeping away the dust of tradition and they were able to find it again.

The first parable illustrates the work of Christ in the heart of those that are lost. He goes out to seek and to save them. He works upon their hearts. And in similar manner He has left that work for us to do as well. That is the gospel commission found in Matthew 28 and Mark 16.

The second parable illustrates even more the work of the church and how we are to follow what Jesus has done for us. And how we can seek and to save the lost is to help those around us to see the light of God’s word.

Today if we want to fulfil what God has called each of us to do, we must have the light of God’s word in our hearts so that we can share it with others. Being a Christian is not about just going to church and just sitting through a sermon, having fellowship with others and eating together. Being a Christian is all about experiencing that true repentance through the word on our hearts so that we can go out and be lights to the world. Unfortunately not many Christian’s are fulfilling that calling today. Too many of us are pew warmers.

So where can we start? Let’s give God a chance to work upon our hearts. Let’s spend more time in His Word.

Psalms 119:9-11
9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. 10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. 11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

Let’s give God’s word a chance to change us today and in this coming week.