"Sweep The House"

U.S. Army Chaplain (MAJ) Ken Harris

CP Walker Multicultural Gospel Service

Taegu, South Korea

BIG IDEA: Every believer needs to know that there is great JOY in the HEART of God when someone who was LOST is FOUND.

REFERENCES: Luke 15:1-7 (Parable of The Lost Sheep); Luke 15:8-10 (Parable of the Lost Coin): These two are called Twin Stories; Matthew 17:24 (a “double drachma” is mentioned as the annual head tax paid into the temple treasury by every male); Mark 12:41 (Widow’s Mite); 2Kings 4:1-7 (The Widow’s Oil); Matthew 3:12 MSG (God making a clean sweep of their lives); Luke 3:17 MSG (God making a clean sweep of their lives); Genesis 29:1-30 (MSG) – The first wedding feast involved Jacob working 7 years for Rachael, but was given Leah instead. He therefore agreed to work 7 more years in order to get Rachael too;

I. ANNOUNCE THE PERICOPE: Luke 15: 8-10

II. READ THE PERICOPE: Luke 15:8-10

III. READ THE TEXT: Luke 15:8 (Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she finds it?)

IV. PURPOSE: To motivate the hearers to affirm to others that the COIN was LOST, at HOME, where you don’t expect to FIND LOST THINGS.

V. SERMONIC THEME: “Sweep The House”

INTRODUCTION:

God is Love; and the HEART of GOD and His love for humanity is never more self- evident than it is in the account of the FIRST MARRIAGE.

For who can ever forget the story of the First Marriage in the Garden of Eden, between Adam and Eve and the symbolism therein?

What man doesn’t get chills down his spines when he sees (in his sanctified imagination) God carrying Eve to Adam in Genesis 2:18-25?

Or What Woman doesn’t get weak in her knees when she thinks of the idea of God, himself, having a NEED to BE SO PERSONALLY involved in her WEDDING, and WHO SHE MARRIES, that HE personally GIVES HER TO HER HUSBAND? Wow!

********************TAKE 5 BEATS**********************

MOVE 1: My brothers and sisters, throughout scriptures – the heart and love of God is often exemplified through the illustrations of “marriage,” the “wedding ceremony,” and the “wedding parties”.

a. Jesus first miracle, of turning water into wine, was conducted at a Wedding Party in Cana of Galilee in John 2:9-12.

b. And who can ever forget the Wedding Party, in Matthews 25:1-13, where we first learn of the 5 Wise Virgins and the 5 Foolish Virgins?

c. Scholars that have studied Jewish Marriages tells us that the Parable of the Maidens, at the Wedding in Matthew 25:1-13, was dear to the early church.

d. In their expectations of the Second Coming of Jesus, … the bridegroom, so it seems was delayed.

e. Therefore, they found great comfort in this particular parable.

f. Not to mention, the fact that everybody loves a wedding.

g. In fact, Jesus, himself, said in effect that the joy of a wedding (in Matthew 24-25) is the proper sign of the kingdom of God.

*******************TAKE 5 BEATS*******************

MOVE 2: Now, although many (in our society) still value the institution of Marriage; most would agree that overall, it appears that our society has little appreciation for the marriage institution.

a. This is largely seen in the statistical data that more than half of American Marriages end in divorce.

b. This wasn’t the case during the First Century.

c. Though they weren’t without their problem - marriages (during the First Century) were arranged.

d. And, unlike today, the entire community embraced the Wedding Ceremony.

e. The bride, the groom and the guests were excused from certain religious duties and responsibilities because of a wedding ceremony.

f. Even the Scribes were excused from studying scriptures in order to participate in a Jewish Wedding.

g. This was primarily because a Wedding was a more important duty and privilege (Matthew 22:1-14).

h. Everyone was excited about a wedding. The neighbor’s daughters, like all girls in the First Century, were eager to be present at a wedding.

*****************TAKE 5 BEATS*********************

MOVE 3: One of the highpoints of the wedding came when the bridegroom took the bride from her father’s house to her new home, ….

a. usually in a litter, and everyone in attendance followed them there with music playing in the background, and plenty of cheers and laughter.

b. Weddings and Marriage Ceremonies were embrace by the entire community.

c. The story of the 10 virgins (or neighbor daughters) – 5 of which were wise and 5 were foolish - spoke volumes to the early Christians.

d. Because they understood the importance of NOT MISSING the WEDDING FEAST; and the importance of being PREPARED and in attendance at the entire event.

e. The highest point of the wedding, in the First Century, came during the final exchange of the DOWRY & The Kessef (or the ten pieces of silver) during the wedding feast …