Luke 15 - The gospel in the gospel 1 Now the tax collectors and - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

1 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:

Luke 15 - “The gospel in the gospel”

a) the poor and oppressed b) tax collectors and sinners (Zacchaeus) c) women (Mary) d) the samaritans (the good samaritan) e) the sick Luke — Jesus and the excluded ones:

1 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:

Luke 15 - “The gospel in the gospel”

The Pharisees gave to people who did not keep the law a general classifjcation. They called them the People of the Land; and there was a complete barrier between the Pharisees and the People of the Land. To marry a daughter to one of them was like exposing her bound and helpless to a lion. The Pharisaic regulations laid it down, "When a man is one of the People of the Land, entrust no money to him, take no testimony from him. Trust him with no secret, do not appoint him guardian of an orphan, do not make him the custodian of charitable funds, do not accompany him on a journey."

— William Barclay

A Pharisee was forbidden to be the guest of any such man or to have him as his guest. He was even forbidden, so far as it was possible, to have any business dealings with him. It was the deliberate Pharisaic aim to avoid every contact with the people who did not observe the petty details of the law.

— William Barclay

And the Pharisees and the scribes GRUMBLED, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” (v.2)

3 So he told them this parable:

Luke 15

3 stories | 1 parable

pharisees and the scribes

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 fjnds it?

5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his

shoulders, rejoicing. The fjrst story (vs.4-7)

6 And when he comes home, he calls together

his friends and his neighbours, 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

• ver ninety-nine righteous persons

who need no repentance. The fjrst story (vs.4-7)

8 “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she

loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she fjnds it?

9 And when she has found it, she calls together

her friends and neighbours, 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 second story (vs.8-10)

• Something is lost (sheep/coin)
• The owner seeks until he/she fjnds it
• When the owner fjnds what was lost, he/she

“calls together his friends and his neighbours, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me’ “ (v.6,9) A) Similarities:

DON’T FORGET:

This was addressed to the Pharisees

What is Jesus teaching here? This is not about the sheep or the coin

This is about GOD

The lost’s perspective The seeker’s perspective

What is Jesus teaching here? Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live? Ezekiel 18.23 [God] wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2.4

B) Differences: FAR from home INSIDE the house

the tax collectors and sinners the pharisees and the scribes

The third story (the fjrst two combined)

The third story (the fjrst two combined)

FAR from home INSIDE the house

the youngest son the

• ldest

son

A) The YOUNGEST son:

The society in which Jesus lived tradition hierarchy rules religion The youngest son is the big villain he ignores tradition he challenges hierarchy he breaks rules he despises religion

He was defjnitely LOST

B) What about the ELDEST son?

“Look, these many years I have served you […] yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends.” (v.29) “I never disobeyed your command…” (v.29) “But when this son of yours came…” (v.30) “… you killed the fattened calf for him!” (v.30) resentment self-righteousness envy superiority

He was LOST too

The third story (the fjrst two combined)

FAR from home (like the sheep) INSIDE the house (like the coin)

the youngest son the

• ldest

son

Pharisees and scribes Tax collectors and sinners

What can we learn with Luke 15?

1) There are two ways you may be lost

the youngest son who left autonomy transgression explicit rejection the brother: “close minded” the oldest son who stayed legalism/moralism

• bedience

hidden rejection the brother: immoral and irresponsible

DON’T FORGET:

The FATHER loves both

2) Jesus “came to seek and to save what was lost” (Luke 19.10), and the church, as the body of Christ, should not avoid the world but participate with him in this mission