God’s Lost & Found Department

GOD’S LOST & FOUND DEPARTMENT

Luke 15:1-32

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR: CAUGHT IN THE ACT

1. There are times when we start to look down on someone else, and we find that we ourselves are guilty of the same things.

2. A third-grade teacher had three boys named William in her class. Because she called them all William, they never knew which one she was talking to.

3. One day during a lesson on efficiency, she thundered, “William, put that gum you're chewing in the trash can at once!”

4. All three of them started to rise, paused, then walked to the front of the class to dispose of their gum.

5. The teacher beamed. “I caught 3 with one rebuke! Now that's efficiency.” Lloyd Smith, readersdigest

B. TEXT

15 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners 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. Doesn’t he 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 will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. 8 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” 11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. 13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. 17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

C. THESIS

1. Almost every school & business has a “lost-and-found” depository, a “place where lost items are kept to await reclaiming by their owners.”

2. Luke 15 could aptly be called the Lost & Found chapter of the Gospels, for it contains only parables of lost things being found.

3. Let’s look at the similarities & contrast of these 3 stories – the Lost Sheep, Coin and Son.

4. The title of this message is “God’s Lost & Found Dept.”

I. THE SITUATION: JUDGING BY PHARISEES

A. JESUS EATING WITH SINNERS

1. The Pharisees & Teachers of the Law were scandalized that “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them” (2). They believed that since Jesus was a Prophet, He should avoid the sinful rabble.