CHAPTER 15

1 Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.
2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

There were many so-called "publicans" in Judaea. Their political office constrained them to collect tribute, tolls, and taxes. They were despised by the Jewish people, because they represented the fact that the Jewish people were under lawful debt to their conquerors, the Romans. As one can see in the Scripture above, the Pharisees and scribes deemed "publicans" equal with "sinners."

The people did not like being subject to taxation. And the "Pharisees and scribes" denounced those collecting the taxes.

But hear what Jesus said in Matthew 23:15, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves."

The Pharisees were very rigid in their religiosity. They had so many laws, rules and regulations that the major part of God's Word was meaningless. They forgot MERCY!

Therefore, Jesus called them "hypocrites" for condemning the tax-collectors and not showing the mercy of God which offers forgiveness and salvation. At the same time they would seek far and wide for a "convert" to Judaism. Then, they would subject that convert to many laws and regulations, making them as bad as the publicans.

The complaint of the Pharisees and scribes was intended to DISCREDIT Jesus!

There are many such statements from unbelievers today, simply trying to discredit Christ and abate their need for surrender to Him as Lord.

Please note that Jesus took this opportunity to teach a valuable lesson about people who are without Christ. They are LOST! And Jesus answers the Pharisees and scribes with three parables about LOST THINGS.

4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

First parable: THE LOST SHEEP.

A man who had 100 sheep was considered "well-to-do."
But even that man would realize the value of ONE sheep!
One sheep could bring several lambs!

Therefore, the owner of 100 sheep would not hesitate to do all he could to retrieve one lost sheep. Jesus owns "the cattle upon a thousand hills," (Ps. 50:10) Yet, He came to earth to retrieve LOST sheep!

If ONE, just ONE, LOST person is saved there is "joyh..in heaven"!!

Learn the value of ONE lost person!!
Though we cannot condone their behavior, we should certainly present them the Gospel of Jesus!

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 find it?
9 And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.
10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

Second Parable: THE LOST COIN.

The woman was obviously poor, for she lived in a house where a "candle" was necessary to inspect the floor. The "ten pieces of silver" represented either a life savings or her special "dowry." She certainly could not afford to lose, nor did she want to lose even ONE peice of that silver!

She lit a candle and swept the packed mud floor diligently until she found it!
And, when she had found it, she invited friends over to CELEBRATE!

Again, Jesus says there is "JOY in the presence of the angels of God over ONE sinner that repenteth."

11 And he said, A certain man had two sons:
12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.
26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.
27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.
28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.
29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:
30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

Third Parable: THE LOST SON!

There are MANY lessons to be learned from this parable!

First, the son was magnetized by the world so much that he left his "father" (truth, provider, life-giver) for the things that the world could offer him.

Second, the son even wished his father DEAD, for he demanded his "inheritance" BEFORE the father died!

Third, the father LOVED the son, for he gave him all that he requested.
The father kept looking, and kept looking down that road everyday to see if his son were coming home!
WHEN, the son returned, he accepted him gladheartedly!

Fourth, the son was so magnetized by the world that he SPENT all he had!
When he was without funds, his friends deserted him!
Then (assuming he was a Jewish man), he did an abominable thing: he went to work for a pig-farmer!
His hunger was such that he even desired the "slop" fed to the pigs!!
He musta been REALLY hungry!!

Fifth, the son realized his error and REPENTED. He determined to RETURN to his father.
He even rehearsed a speech: "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants."

Sixth, the father ACCEPTED and RECEIVED the son upon his repentance.
He didn't even allow the son to FINISH his prepared statement, because the father KNEW the son's HEART!

HOW MUCH IS THE VALUE of ONE SON?!!!

We are ALL "sons of God" by physical inheritance.
We all HAVE what God has provided in this world.

But we are not all "sons of God" by REPENTANCE!
And THAT'S what determines our spiritual eternity!

Seventh, the son that stayed home was JEALOUS!
He was so jealous and angry at his father for accepting the other son's repentance, he wouldn't even attend the party the father gave!
He COMPLAINED to his father.
He had no LOVE for his brother!

Verse 32 is one of the most magnificent statements in the Bible!
The son who was "lost," was "dead" to his father!
But, now that he "returned" (through repentance), that son was again "ALIVE" to his father!

This shows the manner of salvation.
When we, as lost people, surrender to Jesus as LORD, and repent of our sins which caused His death on the cross, then we are MADE ALIVE AGAIN to God!! ( John 3:3-17)

The Spirit of God enters a repentant soul, and SEALS him/her in the act of eternal salvation!
(See Ephesians 1:13)

Worldly lusts will take away ALL that you have!
Jesus said, "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matt 16:26)

Humble repentance is the path of salvation.
"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel." (Mark 1:15)

Remember, sin will take you farther than you want to go;
Keep you longer than you want to stay;
and, cost you far more than you can pay!

PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US IN BIBLE STUDY TOMORROW.