Tell the Story
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
15 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”
3 So he told them this parable: 4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
The Parable of the Lost Coin
8 “Or what woman, having ten silver coins,1 if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ 10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
The Parable of the Prodigal Son
11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to2 one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’3 22 But the father said to his servants,4 ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”
Another time the Pharisees and scribes had a question. Actually, it wasn’t a question as much as it was a complaint. The religious leaders saw that sinners were drawing near to Jesus, and they didn’t like it. You might think they would be happy that sinners wanted to be around Jesus. But they were mad because Jesus seemed happy to be around sinners! “Why does this man eat with sinners?” they harrumphed.
(If you want to know what a “harrumph” is, it’s when you fold your arms, roll your eyes, blow out your nose, and look at someone who took your bike for a ride without asking.)
Of course, Jesus didn’t eat with sinners because he wanted to be like them. He ate with sinners because they need a friend like Jesus. Sinners need a Savior, and that’s just what Jesus is!
So Jesus told three stories.
“Suppose you have a hundred sheep,” Jesus said. “If one was lost, wouldn’t you go find it? And if you found it, wouldn’t you be excited? Imagine how excited God is when a lost sinner repents and is found.”
“Or,” Jesus said, “what about a woman with ten precious coins? If she loses one, won’t she look everywhere—under the rug and under the couch—until she finds it? And when she finds it, won’t she tell everyone her good news? Imagine how thrilled the angels are when a lost sinner repents and is found.”
Pretty good stories, don’t you think? But Jesus had one more, and it was the best of all.
“A man had two sons. The older son followed the rules and worked hard, but the younger son was wild and disobedient. He spent his father’s money on selfish and sinful things. The younger son was so foolish that he wasted his fortune until he had to live down in the dumps. Literally! He was so hungry he dreamed about eating pig slop.
“But then one day he thought about his father’s house. There was food there. Even the servants had enough to eat. So he decided to admit to his father that he was a sinner and didn’t deserve to be his son. The younger son got up and headed home.
“But before he got home, his father saw him and started running toward him. Did the father want to chase him away? Or wave a finger in his face? No, the father wanted to hug him. He was ready to give his son new clothes and a new start. The father threw a party in his honor. He was so excited that his lost son had come home.”
But you know who wasn’t excited? The older brother. He thought the father was being unfair. Just like the complaints of the Pharisees. Just like us too sometimes. We like parties for us, but not for others. Thankfully, that’s not what God is like. He always rejoices when a lost sinner repents and is found.
