David Coote, President of International Bible College, San Antonio, gives these three outlines of the Lost Found trilogy:
THE LOST SILVERWas LostDid Not Know It Was LostDid Not Know the Way BackTHE LOST SHEEPWas LostKnew It Was LostDid Not Know the Way BackTHE LOST SONWas LostKnew He Was LostKnew the Way Back
There is an obvious progression of the self-consciousness of being lost and how to return to God in the three parables. The Holy Spirit takes us through these three stages on our journey to Christ.
The Pharisees and the scribes (teachers of the Law) criticized Jesus for associating with tax collectors and "sinners" (Luke 15:1-2). These strict religious leaders looked forward to the destruction of sinners. Their attitude of hate was wrong. [William Barclay, DAILY BIBLE STUDY SERIES, LUKE (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1958), pp. 206 ff.]. This criticism of Jesus precipitated Jesus’ three parables of finding the lost. (Trench, NOTES ON THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD, p. 133).
The Lost Sheep Found is recorded in Matthew 18:12-14 and Luke 15:3-7.
The Story
"What do you think? if a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost. (Matthew 18:12-14, New International Version).
Then Jesus told them this parable:
"Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, `Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. (Luke 15:3-7, New International Version).
Matthew’s account is a little different since it was given on a different occasion. Jesus’ disciples asked him, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" (Matthew 18:1, New International Version). Jesus, sensing their pride, used a little child as an object lesson to teach them humility. He then warns others not to offend a new convert. Next, he mentions that their guardian angels have direct communication with the Father—another warning not to cause a young convert to stumble. Jesus then tells the parable of the Lost Sheep Found.
Luke’s account was given when the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law criticized Jesus for fellowshipping with tax collectors and "sinners." Earle comments on the word "sinners":
"Sinner" (vv. 1-2) does not necessarily mean wicked men. The Pharisees applied this label to any who were careless about observing all the meticulous and multitudinous regulations of the "traditions of the elders" concerning ceremonial cleanness. Actually it was almost impossible for the common working man to keep all these rules. So he was considered unclean, a "sinner." [Ralph G. Turnbull, gen. ed., PROCLAIMING THE NEW TESTAMENT (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1961), THE GOSPEL OF LUKE, by Ralph Earle, ThD, p. 68].
Jesus then presents the parable:
"Suppose you have a hundred sheep and one gets lost. Because you are concerned about the safety of the lost sheep, you will leave the flock, search for the sheep until you find it, and carry it back to safety. You will share your joy with your friends and neighbors. Likewise, my Father and his heavenly host will rejoice more over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine believers who are right with him." (Paraphrased).
The Interpretation
The Jews were a shepherd people who understood the story well. Jesus told this parable to show how the Father feels about those who have strayed from him spiritually. The story evoked the compassion that a shepherd people would have for a straying sheep. Just as a shepherd loves his sheep and has an emotional attachment to them, so our Heavenly Father has an infinitely greater love for the sinner.
Clarke offers these firsthand comments:
No creature strays more easily than a sheep; none is more heedless; and none so incapable of finding its way back to the flock, when once gone astray. It will bleat for the flock, and still run on in an opposite direction to the place where the flock is; this I have often noticed. No creature is more defenseless than a sheep, and more exposed to be devoured by dogs and wild beasts. Even the fowls of the air seek its destruction. I have known ravens often attempt to destroy lambs by picking out their eyes, in which, when they have succeeded, as the creature does not see whither it is going, it soon falls an easy prey to its destroyer. (Clarke, COMMENTARY ON THE HOLY BIBLE, p. 878).
The oriental (Jewish) shepherd loves his sheep to the extent that he is willing to risk his own life in beast-infested mountains at night to seek a single sheep. (Earle, BEACON BIBLE COMMENTARY, LUKE, p. 171). Note that Jesus emphasized the shepherd’s concern in that he searched for [HIS OWN] lost sheep UNTIL he found it. The shepherd does not PUNISH the sheep for straying, or "harshly DRIVE it back into the fold" but COMFORTS the sheep by physical touch. He places his sheep on his own shoulders and carries the sheep back home. This is a beautiful story of the goodness and saving grace of our Lord. (Trench, NOTES ON THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD, p. 135).
Our Heavenly Father and his heavenly host rejoice when a sinner has been saved!
For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:17, New International Version).
Central Truth
GOD LOVES THE SINNER.
Conclusion
We need to be very careful not to become a stumbling stone for the lost. Rather, we need to become a stepping stone for the lost to reach Christ.
We do this by loving the lost as Christ does. Our Heavenly Father loves the lost so much that he gave his most valuable treasure—his Son—to die for them. Jesus loves the lost so much that he willingly died for them. If we partake of the love nature of God, how can we hate?
And weren’t we all lost sinners at one time? (And the best of us still miss the mark sometimes).
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