Luke 15

Lost and Found, 6 March 2011

Big Idea

In Luke 15, Jesus tells three stores: a lost sheep, a lost coin, and a lost son. God rejoices when one lost child is found, and we are privileged to be able to be a part of His search and rescue mission.

Notes

God lost something…and He wants it back.

God uses people to reach people.

Jesus was a trouble-maker. The religious leaders were offended that He cared for the lost and even partied with them. He said,

“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
- Matthew 9:12-13

Jesus’ entire ministry can be summed up in Luke 19:10

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”

When we don’t understand God’s heart for people, our ‘religion’ can get pretty messed up.

The Pharisees grumbled over the very thing that heaven celebrates—the lost being found.

In the story of the lost son, the older brother didn’t have the heart of the father for the lost brother.

Those who think that they are close to God can, in fact, be as far from God as the irreligious, just in a different way.

Podcast

You can listen to the podcast here.

For Further Study

The Prodigal God by Tim Keller
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