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The Three Parables From Luke 15 Finding The Lost

By nature, sheep are wayward, defenseless They are in constant need of supervision The Bible often portrays men as “sheep” in both the O.T. & N.T. cp. Psa 23:1 100:3 Mt 9:36 25:32 The Three Parables From Luke 15 Finding The Lost The Lost Sheep vv. 4-7

The shepherd who went out to find & rescue the stray sheep = selfless The sheep’s value = its need for guidance, protection Christ is the “Good Shepherd”… He gave His life for His sheep cp. Jn 10:11 The Lost Sheep vv. 4-7 The Three Parables From Luke 15 Finding The Lost

The coin used = Greek drachma Equivalent to wages for 1 day’s labor To most, this coin would be insignificant After all, the woman had 9 others However, the owner saw it as important as the 9 she hadn’t lost She left nothing unturned to find it v. 8 The Three Parables From Luke 15 Finding The Lost The Lost Coin vv. 8-10

When lost, the coin was useless Yet, while lost, it was still valuable It still bore the image stamped upon it It never stopped being a coin It is the same re: lost people Precious souls still bear the “image” of their Creator Lk 20:24-25 Gen 1:26 The Three Parables From Luke 15 Finding The Lost The Lost Coin vv. 8-10

The youngest of 2 sons cannot wait for his share of the inheritance Upon squandering his estate, he finds himself in the “far country” vv What he wanted…trusted in is gone This is the sinner “afar off from God” cp. Eph 2:13 The Three Parables From Luke 15 Finding The Lost The Lost Son vv

He knew things could not be like they were if he returned home He would ask to be made a “hired servant” Working 1 day at a time, no guarantee of a job the next day and living on “poverty’s edge” The Three Parables From Luke 15 Finding The Lost The Lost Son vv

What a contrast!! He left home a prince…he came back a pauper Such it is with sin…it “bankrupts us” Mt 5:3 The 1 thing he didn’t foresee or couldn’t even imagine…grace & mercy from his father The Three Parables From Luke 15 Finding The Lost The Lost Son vv

Even when gone, he remained valuable His life may have been in shambles But he always had potential in his father’s eyes He was still loved & thought of often Rom 5:6-8 The Three Parables From Luke 15 Finding The Lost The Lost Son vv

There are different ways people become lost  Sometimes, men are lost like sheep Applications Sheep are senseless, careless…wanderers They do not know when they are lost There are myriads of people lost this way They have not openly rebelled…they have simply drifted away Heb 2:1 The Three Parables From Luke 15 Finding The Lost

There are different ways people become lost  Sometimes, men are lost like the coin Applications The coin did not lose itself…it was lost through the efforts of someone else This does not remove personal accountability Jesus warns of causing others to be lost through our efforts Mt 18:3-7 The Three Parables From Luke 15 Finding The Lost

There are different ways people become lost  Sometimes, men are lost like the young son Applications The son was not lost through carelessness, nor through the carelessness of others He was open, defiant, willful re: his desires Heb 10:26-27 This is the very essence of sin The Three Parables From Luke 15 Finding The Lost

The lessons of these 3 parables is not that man is lost The focus is God’s attitude toward the lost There is a search There is joy upon finding the lost vv. 7, 10 Conclusion The Three Parables From Luke 15 Finding The Lost

God misses everyone that is lost No true father can rest until all his children have come home safely Even more so re: our heavenly Father God desires that all would come home to Him 1 Tim 2:4 2 Pet 3:9 Conclusion The Three Parables From Luke 15 Finding The Lost

The Three Parables From Luke 15 Finding The Lost Won’t you be found today?

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