Welcome and Announcements…
Slide #1
Prayer… Open our eyes Lord
Open you’re Bibles this morning to the book of Luke 15…it is here that we find 3 of the Parables that Jesus taught on.
Three main words come to my mind when thinking about these Parables…Lost…Found…and Rejoice.
Jesus was preparing to share 3 stories that focus on a very important topic…
Many of the people who had gathered around Him to listen were Publicans (…people who in Roman Times…were known as Tax Collectors) and Sinners (who were people much like you and I). (Modern Day Prodigals).
Read…Luke 15:1-2
Because Jesus looked at all people the same…
The Pharisees and Scribes (those who taught the religious law in those days… began to murmur amongst themselves…and began to criticize Jesus for reaching out to such unworthy people groups.
They could not believe that He would even associate with people who were less than average…let alone eat with them.
Let’s begin by looking at the First parable Jesus spoke about.
Slide #2 The Lost Sheep Read…Luke 15:3-7
In this Parable…the Sheppard begins with…100 sheep… but he loses 1…(in the worlds view…still a great percentage 99%…but the one lost holds great value to this Sheppard.
In those days the Sheppard was responsible for each sheep…and if one came up missing he would have to pay for the animal unless he could prove that it was killed by a wild beast. (This explains why he went looking)
If we were to paraphrase this parable…The Sheppard in this parable is Jesus Christ…and we all are His sheep...and one of us has come up missing (lost).
Jesus is concerned with every one of us. (The Publicans and Sinners of today)...
He took the time to include this parable in the Bible so that we would understand that each and every one of us are important to Him.
Because we are His sheep he does not want any of us to turn up missing when the final count is being taken.
The Second parable that Jesus spoke about is...
Slide #3 The Lost Coin…Luke 15:8-10 (read)
We don’t know much about this parable…but what we do know about it is that the coin itself was probably one of 10 coins that were set in a Jewish woman’s marriage headband.
And if one of the coins were to come up missing…it would be much like a ladies wedding ring today... that came up missing the diamond.
This is why she is seen frantically looking for the lost coin…because Jewish custom believed that every coin must be in place when the Lord returns for His children.
Jesus wants us to know He is concerned with the lost…and He rejoices when one who is lost is found and returns.
We see proof of this in verse 7…and 10.
The Third parable that Jesus spoke about is...
Slide #4 The Lost Son Luke 15:11-24
In this parable we find a home that is occupied by a Father and His two sons.
I would love to be able to tell you it was a perfect home (one like the Heavenly Father has prepared for those who claim Jesus as their Lord and Savior).
A home that is filled with Joy...Love…and Compassion…
A home where the Father is still found staring out the window looking for the return of His lost children.
But when I read this parable… I can’t help but think of it as a home… much like you and I would live in today.
It’s a home that is filled with anything that a world driven heart might desire.
Slide #5 Read Luke 15:11-12.
Here we see that the younger brother making an unexpected request.
He approaches his father and shares with him he’s tired of living under the house rules.
In his own mind…he convinced himself that he is ready to go out and conquer the world on his own.
He’s tired of living under the father’s rules…
He looks at life as many cows have before… how many of you ever heard the old saying….“The grass is greener on the other side of the fence”.
This boy is young and immature…
So the young boy decides it’s time to leave the home and head out into the world to live life the way he thinks it should be lived.
He approaches his father and makes one last request…(he asks for his portion of his inheritance)
So off the son goes living life to the fullest.
He finds out for himself what the world calls a good time.
He’s eating the finest foods…he hits all the nightclubs…he hits the casinos…and I’m sure the gentlemen’s clubs as well.
And we all know what happens when you have money…you are introduced to friends you never knew you had…you know the ones I’m talking about…the ones that let you pick-up the tab.
Still today people find themselves falling into the trap of thinking that the only way to have friends is to buy their friendships.
This son was just like many people today…he was living life to the fullest.
He was enjoying more than he ever imagined possible…meeting new friends every day.
(But being honest…all he was really doing was enjoying the pleasures of sin for a season).
I can only image what all the boy did…but as time always does reveal itself… “All things must come to an end”…the boy reaches into his pocket and pulls out nothing but lent.
Slide #6 (Read Luke 15:14)
The high life begins to turn around.
Not only is the boy broke…but the economy itself is beginning to fall apart as well.
The green grass that the cow once saw is now dried up and the land is in a famine…leaving the boy lost and alone.
(I think at this time the boy is probably thinking about the pleasures he once had at home under his father’s care...but he was too afraid to return to it).
We all know about that type of thinking…(Pride)…it’s a condition we daily struggle with.
We don’t like to admit that we might have been wrong.
This young boy is at the lowest point in his life…he desperate…he’s broke…he’s starving…and he is left with no other option…
So he devises a plan…he first returns to the ones who claimed to be his friends when he had money.
He reminds them that he was the one who picked up the tab for the drinks the food…and the girls.
He pleads his case with them… (And of course they all turned him away…like they never knew him)
This is when this boy learns a little about the world we live in today…the people you think are your friends are the first ones to stab you in the back.
So left with no other options…he shifts to plan B)… he is preparing to do something that any normal Jew would never attempt.
He heads off to the outskirts of town where he approaches a man who was a pig farmer and asks him for a job.
Slide #7 (Read Luke 15:15-16)
The farmer hires him…but the boy is still starving…matter of fact he’s so hungry that verse 16 tells us that…he was even willing to eat their slop.
This boy has hit rock bottom. It’s bad enough to be so hungry you would eat what pigs eat.
But also remember that Jews were not even allowed to touch a pig…let alone feed one.
How many of us here today have ever been at a point in our lives where we’ve made mistakes?
There have been many times in my life that I wish I could turn back the clock and relive the moment. (Ground hog day)
For this boy there seems to be no hope…But this is where we see the turning point of this parable…
When most people first hear about this parable they think of it as a lost son returning home to be saved…but this parable is not only about a lost son returning to the father.
(Pay close attention)…It’s a parable about a Father (The Father) who not only has a heart to save…but also has a heart that takes back a son (you and I) that needs to ask for forgiveness for his sins.
Slide #8 Read Luke 15:17-24…
This is the most important part about this parable.
The home that this son is asking to return home to is available to every one of us here today.
God tells us in John 14:2 that there is a place that has been prepared for everyone who boldly proclaims the name of Jesus and asks Him for forgiveness.
This is why I mentioned to you that the Father is still seen staring out the window looking for the lost sons return.
God wants each and every person here today to realize that even though we too have lived in the world.
We can turn from it…and return to the Father.
Soon each one of us here today will have the opportunity to partake of the Lords Supper.
But before we do…I want you to understand that life is full of opportunities that sometimes cause you to travel to another land and live.
And there is nothing wrong with having fun(just like the Prodigal son)…but if you really are a child of God…you realize that you cannot go thru life by living there…and not ask forgiveness for it.
I always like to give the opportunity to everyone present to ask Christ for forgiveness… before we take the Lord’s Supper together. (A personal time of cleansing)
Slide #9 I Corinthians 11:26-29 says…
“For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again. 27 So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. 29 For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself”
If you’re here today…and have never asked Jesus to forgive you…before we partake of the meal…you can ask Jesus to welcome you back home.
Take this time to settle any ought that you might have with a brother or sister.
Take this time to personally thank God for rescuing you from where you once had traveled.
Pray Men if you will come down to prepare to distribute the Lord’s Supper.
Every time we open up God’s word and study about Christ…we see that He was always preparing us for future things to come.
Slide #10 In Luke 22:14-20 We find Jesus and the Disciples preparing to Share the Last Supper Together.
The 12 that were in the upper room that night had no idea of the traumatic event that was preparing to unveil before their eyes.
But once again we see the compassion Jesus had for people…by taking time to share with His closest friend’s one of the things in life that hold great value.
Jesus knew that very soon… The Father was going to be calling Him home…and He wanted to share this very important meal with those who were closest to Him.
*Pass out the Bread
Read Vs. 19…
Pray for the bread
Take eat
* Pass out the Cup
Read Vs. Luke 20…
Pray for the Cup…
Take drink.
