Luke 15: 1-7

NIV   Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes inners and eats with them." 3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 "Suppose one of you has 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. 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' 7 I tell you that in the same way there is more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do no need to repent.

 

The Message   By this time a lot of men and women of doubtful reputation were hanging around Jesus, listening intently. 2 The Pharisees and religion scholars were not pleased, not at all pleased. They growled, "He takes in sinners and eats meals with the, treating them like old friends." 3 Their grumbling triggered this story. 4 "Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn't you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it. 5 When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, 6 rejoicing and when you got home call in your friends and neighbors, saying, 'Celebrate with me! I've found my lost sheep!' 7 Count on it – there's more joy in heaven over one sinner's rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue.

 

    This is a parable, parabolē (Greek), likeness. A parable is thus a comparison of two objects for the purpose of teaching. We can also see in the New Testament that the parables also contain elements of other figures of speech, such as an allegory. There are some principles for interpreting a parable: perspective, cultural, and exegetical.

Perspective - understanding the parables in their relation to who Christ/God is and what  the Kingdom of God is. Cultural – one must not overlook the back ground in which our Lord lived and worked. Exegitical – what is the one central truth the parable is attempting to teach; how much of the parable has the Lord himself interpreted for the listeners; and is there a comparison and what is it?

   Chapter 15 of Luke could be titled, "Seeking the Lost" there are three parables in it about lost-ness and being found.

    Now, this parable…

The first thing that catches my eye is who the audience contained (vs 1) Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him. Why? Why would these folks of "doubtful reputation" be hanging around a preacher? I can understand verse 2, there's the church people…it is common and normal for church people to gather around someone who talks about God and God stuff. But these were not the "nice, Dudley Do-Rights" that were at Jesus feet listening intently, why is that? Could it be that Jesus didn't condemn…he just spoke truth? Could it be that Jesus was out in their world, walking their streets, eating in their homes…rather than simply expecting them to seek him out, come to his street, eat in his house (which he didn't have anyway)? Could it be that Jesus always built them up, made them someone…rather than expecting them to behave appropriately? In Jesus day every thing in life was based on who you were and what you had. But Jesus gave everyone who He came in contact with him - distinction, even a naked wild man! Jesus still does, for us that means………. if we are Christians, we give everyone distinction, worth! If we look at our lives who gathers around us, why? Who's streets do we walk, why? Who's homes do we eat in, why? So, if Jesus is our example, if we are to reflect Christ, who's listening intently at our feet? And on the other side of the coin, who's feet do we sit at? Would we identify with tax collectors and sinners (listening intently), or are we the Pharisees and teachers of the law (whining about who Jesus is hanging with), now really? In this parable see a comparison between Jesus attitude and that of the Pharisees toward people who were not considered appropriate, love/hate, acceptance/rejection.  

     O.K., sorry for the tangent, the parable…

Vs 4 "Suppose one of you has 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." The hundred sheep - this could be referring to mankind in the beginning before the fall. We were all a part of the fold, there was no separation. From this description then leaving the 99 would really be mankind and any one who sins (and we all have) being sought by the shepherd. That means everyone from the beginning of time through the future are diligently pursued by the shepherd who see their incredible worth. God wants all of us to come to be His sheep. Then he is most happy over this than anything else. Or this flock could be referring to those who already are a part of the Kingdom, already knowing the shepherd, Jesus. In this second explanation it would mean that there are those who have followed Jesus but for one reason or another have become lost, and the shepherd goes to retrieve them, seeks for them. When thinking this direction it would also really be indicating, that he leaves those who are in the flock (the church) to seek the lost one. He leaves the 99 in the wilderness! Now, leaving the 99 in the wilderness doesn't sound like the same Jesus who says in Matthew 28 "I will be with you always, even to the end of the age." Unless, the shepherd felt secure that the 99 would be safe, how could they be safe with the shepherd gone, especially in the wilderness? Safety - if they take care of each other, not expecting the shepherd to do it all. Safety - if they protect, feed, help each other, knowing the shepherd is seeking the lost one. Safety – in staying together, in unity. What would that mean for us as a church, who do we depend on to do the care, the teaching, the work, create the unity, etc. in the flock?

5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' Celebration, joy, party hardy! When the shepherd finds the lost one he puts it on his shoulders and dances a jig. What I don't see here is the shepherd spanking the sheep for being lost, no where is there any hint of blame, condemnation, fault, pointing the finger at, reproach, or criticism, just joy. As one of the ninety-nine what is my response to those who are lost? And am I really joy filled when they are found, or is my response, "it's about time?" Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

7 I tell you that in the same way there is more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do no need to repent.

This is pretty straight forward, it's a party in heaven when a sinner repents and do they know how to party! Just as a side note: repent means turning around, going the opposite direction, change. Now back to the fun time in heaven! Unfortunately, what's not here causes me to examine my motives and actions. I can't find the following reasons that cause heaven to whoop it up: church attendance; contributions; Bible memorization; service; and you can fill in the blank many times over. Don't get me wrong these things have their place but they are not what causes the festival. Heaven rejoices when a sinner comes to repentance, when they are reconciled to a relationship with God.

     The main point to this parable and the two that follow is not necessarily the love of the shepherd/father (although it's there) or the search (it's there too) but the joy over the found and the desire God has for that joy to be shared. In these stories we get the meaning of repentance and the incredible celebration that God has when a sinner is reconciled to Him. Remember these parables tell us about God through Christ.  RESOURCES: NIV Bible Dictionary,1987 Zondervan; Childers, Charles, Beacon Bible Commentary-Luke, Rueben Welch, Beacon Bible Expositions; Fred Craddock, Interpretation - Luke