Lost And Found Series

Lost and Found

Series: Parables - Small Stories, Big Truths

Brad Bailey – June 27, 2021

[Note: This message is only slightly adapted from what I had taught entitled “Our Story” when engaging this passage in a series in the Gospel of Luke. Both series called for teaching the text in its entirety in one message...and therefore required a similar approach. I have previously done a 4 week series “Coming Home to Our Father’s Love” on tis Parable...which allows engaging each character.]

Intro

My added good morning to each of you joining today...and a warm welcome to those connecting at another time. I’m excited for this time...as last week we launched into a NEW series and focus for this summer season... that of engaging the Parables of Jesus. Each week we are engaging one of the parables of Jesus. As I noted last week, the parables are some of the most dynamic teachings of Jesus.

Parables are short stories... or illustrations... with big truth. Jesus came to declare and demonstrate that the kingdom of God was breaking into this world... and he used these parables to explain what this meant... what the Kingdom of God is like... and how to be a part of the kingdom. God’s kingdom will set wrongs aright… so he warns of being prepared. And because it’s God’s kingdom we need to understand our relationship with God... with the king of the kingdom.

And today that is what Jesus explains as we engage a parable that may be familiar to many... that which is often referred to as The Parable of the Prodigal Son.

And again it’s helpful to understand the context... because Jesus isn’t just telling stories... he’s providng stories as a way to respond to what people were not understanding. So we can note that this chapter in Luke’s Gospel account... begins....

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus.  But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” – Luke 15:1-2

As we saw last week, this was the underlying confusion and conflict that emerged around Jesus. When they assume that the world is simply divided between good people and bad people… naturally they wonder… how could Jesus be representing God…if he welcomes bad people...and eats with them. Such meals meant a lot in a culture in which sharing a meal was a significant expression of inclusion in one’s life.

Jesus responds with three parables capturing the same truth... first he tells a parable of a lost sheep... in which the shepherd leaves everything to find the one sheep... and then another about someone who lost a valuable coin... and then finds it. Each story ends with how they gather others to rejoice with them...explaining that the heavenly realm rejoices every time a life who was lost...is found and turns back to God. [1a]

Jesus then launches into a third parable that shares that truth... but it goes far beyond it. Jesus expands the whole storyline... in what I believe is the ultimate storyline of us all. He is saying to those who are upset... that they need to hear the real story that they are actually a part of. [1aa]

As we hear this story.... I encourage us to hear it like the long lost story of our lives. From the Gospel of Luke, chapter 15, beginning in verse 11 we read...

Luke 15:11-32

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 men 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 men.' 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. 25  "Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26  So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27  'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.' 28  "The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29  But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30  But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!' 31  "'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32  But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'"