REFORCE WITH ME
Luke 15: 1-10 (p740) July 10, 2011
INTRODUCTION:
Have you ever communicated something to someone and you were really excited about it, but they miss the point ENTIRELY?!!!
I thought of this story...
On December 17, 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright made their first flight of an
airplane at Kitty Hawk NC. On their 5th attempt, the plane under the control of
Orville, embarked on a 12 second flight.
Wilbur rushed to the local telegraph office and sent the following message-WE HAVE
FLOWN FOR 12 SECONDS - WE WILL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS!
Upon receiving the telegram their sister, Katherine went to the newspaper office, told the
editor of her brother's new flying machine, and informed him, they would be home for
Christmas, if he would like to set up an interview.
He told her that was nice, and he would be sure to put something in the paper regarding
the boys.
On December 19th, the local paper placed the following headline on the 6th page of the
paper" "WRIGHT BROTHERS HOME FOR CHRISTMAS"
The most important story of the year - man's flight - and the editor missed it!
I don't believe the Editor missed the point because he was evil or stupid...he missed the point because of his "point of view".
He'd known the boys since their youth...and Katherine...He knew this family and the community, and because of that point of view he saw their being home for Christmas as the important event....not the first flight of mankind.
As we examine one of the most well known chapters in the New Testament its impossible for us not to look at it through American eyes...It's impossible for us not to receive the story like the Editor...because we've known since our childhood, we've raised boys of our own in this western culture, but maybe...just maybe we've also missed the most important news in doing so.
Kenneth Bailey an author and lecturer on Middle Eastern New Testament studies says
"If theology is presented in story form...(as Jesus does here in Luke 15), the meaning of the story cannot be fairly ascertained without becoming, as much as possible, a part of the culture of the story teller and his or her listeners."
He uses a great example...If I say "I'm mad about my flat" to an American audience it means "I'm hungry because someone or something punctured one of my automobile tires"...but if I use that same sentence to a British audience it means "I'm very excited about my new apartment!?
The culture of the speaker must be considered if what he says is to be understood.
So over the next five weeks (if Jesus tarries) we are going to look at Luke 15 through the eyes of a middle Eastern culture...and it is my hope that the words of Jesus will come alive with fresh insight as we seek to grasp the most important "News" in Jesus story.
"If a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step" its also true that "the first step must be in the right direction"...
Our first step with Jesus begins with....
I HIS FINAL JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM
In Luke's gospel Jesus begins his final journey to Jerusalem in chapter 9 and he arrives there in Chapter 19.
It is in these interviewing chapters that Jesus has an ongoing contact with the Pharisees...the so called overseers of "The House of Israel"
They have missed the most important aspect of God's story...The Messiah is here...He has come to bring salvation...the Pharisees consider themselves the pillars and protectors of "the House of Israel"...they should have been the Messiah's welcoming committee..but instead of welcoming the Messiahs message of salvation....
They complain...
"Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him...but the Pharisee and teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them".
It's essential we understand that when Jesus told these upcoming stories he was on his way to Jerusalem..but before he arrived there he would be caught in the middle of a storm.
[I remember driving to Florida with Kari and after 14 hours of driving we'd reached the Turnpike and first as we went through the toll booth a thunderstorm broke out...It rained to hard we couldn't see...we had to pull over.]
Jesus is on his way to the cross...Jerusalem was the goal...but until he got there a storm would break out until it came crashing down on him there.
The Pharisees believed Jesus posed a threat to the elite...and they would eliminate this threat with any means possible.
There biggest complaint...the actions that caused them to cloud up the most..."This man receives sinners and eats with them."
It is the very reason Jesus tells these three stories about a lost sheep, a lost coin, and finally a lost son.
In the mouth of Pharisee the word "sinner" meant "unclean", " A breaker of the Law"...in short anyone they condemned... the lowest of sinners...."The Tax collector" Someone who collaborated with the Roman government to please the Jewish people.
Judea was being colonized by Rome...The Romans occupied this land and they were bringing it under their authority...the hews hated being colonized...And they fiercely hated any who collaborated with the Romans...Revolt smolders underneath every Jews breath...Any cooperation with Rome and its tax collectors was looked at as a betrayal of the Jewish race and its religion.
Luke uses "sinner" 13 times and generally it means a person of low moral character...but when "Tax Collector" is linked with it...it means "traitor!"
And all these people were gathering around Jesus. He welcomed them...this is the issue for the Pharisees. He didn't buy their favor...He didn't cuddle them because of their power and popularity...
Sinners knew exactly where he stood, but were drawn to him anyway.
It caused the Pharisees and religious teachers to another...it's the Greek word that means "mourner"...repeated murmuring...Its the same word used in the Septuagint for the repeated "murmuring" of the people against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness in Exodus 15:25 "The people grumbled against Moses"
We get the picture of a continuous undercurrent of discontented complain about Jesus actions by the Pharisees...among themselves and through the crowds. The constant continuous message of the grumbling...
"This Man Welcomes Sinners"..."And eats with them"
The Greek word for welcome here is "prosdechomsi" and it's important because it doesn't just mean
he was willing to sit down and talk with them...it means "He welcomed them as a friend"
Its easy to know someone and they never become your friend...this word means I know you and welcome you as my friend...I'll let the walls down and let you get close.
It's the same word Jesus uses in Mark 9:37 when he says, "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me, but the one who sent me"
And the crowning b low was "Jesus ate with them" To eat with someone in the middle east is a sacramental act of acceptance at a very deep level...when you eat with someone in the middle eastern culture it is an acceptance of their value...it's a blessing of their person.
And all these meals took place with Jesus sitting down and eating with classes of people the Pharisees had ostracized as "unclean" "worthless" "traitors".
do you remember the Big fight between Peter and Paul over the question of eating with people Paul tells his side of the Story in Galatians 2: 11-18.
Galatians 2: 11-13 (p 824)
The issue was Peter use to sit and eat with unevangelized gentile Christians and then he stopped eating with them. To eat a meal with someone meant friendship, acceptance, welcome...Peter withdrew from that relationship because a group much like the Pharisees said..."If you eat with these guys..your dirty too...you're unclean too...the pressure was so severe it even effected Barnabas..."The Son of Encouragement"...it was hypocrisy.
[All of us have had people who withdrew...pulled back from the table...Kair and I have experienced it...and so have many of you...thank God for those who stay at the table..or have the heart of Jesus and eat with sinners.
Its in this context.
II JESUS TOLD THEM A PARABLE
Although there are there stories, Luke introduces them with a singular...3 stories but they comprise a singular meaning.
"Them" clearly refers to the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus is not talking to a general audience. He is addressing a very specific group of people who were upset and grumbling because He welcomed "outcasts" into full fellowship with himself.
"Suppose one of you has 100 sheep and loses 1 of them. Does he not leave the 99 in the open country and go after the lost sheep tell he finds it." (verse 4)
You can skip down to v verse 8 too..."Or suppose a woman has 10 silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?"
Remember who Jesus is speaking to...the supposed shepherds of Israel...the supposed caretakers of the house of Israel.
100 sheep comprised a lot of wealth...even 1 sheep was extremely valuable to a communal family. Those 10 coins were valuable..Probably all a woman had to feed her family for 2 weeks...losing one
those coins would be devastating.
The real question is...does the lost individual matter to God...it is the shepherds willingness to go after the one that gives the 99 their real security. If the one is sacrificed in the name of the larger group...then none in the group can feel secure..."what if I'm the one!"
When the shepherd pays a high price to find the one, he offers real security to the many. when money -our money is lost, we will pay a high price to recover it. Many times lost people are judged to be of less value..especially if I'm convinced they're not worth the effort.
But Jesus puts himself in the position of the shepherd..."I know my sheep and they know me."
We have no idea how long the shepherd searched ...but it meant climbing over hills and mountains and when he finally found the sheep his job was only half over.
"And when he found it he joyfully puts it on his shoulder and goes home...calls his friend and neighbors...and says Rejoice with me I have found my lost sheep".
And Jesus clearly says "Heaven rejoice like that when 1 sinner repents....
The Pharisees, Jesus is saying should have rejoiced at the tax collectors repenting...Sinners and outcasts being rescued...instead, they murmured...they grumbles...these were their sheep...these were their coins....and they had been lost...instead of searching for them the Pharisees made themselves feel better by convincing themselves "those people" aren't worth look for...
Remember sheep can't talk, coins can't talk...in the next story two sons walk on stage as they fell out of the circle of their father's love, and lostness finds a voice.
[The Power of the story intensifies when sons get involved...whether its through middle Easterners or American...sons change everything...lost sons impact fathers more than any other priority]
...or should.
