Luke 15: Finding the Lost and Celebrating Restoration
Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.
And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
And he spake this parable unto them, saying,
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?
And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
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.
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.
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?
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.
Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
And he said, A certain man had two sons:
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.
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.
And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
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!
I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, 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.
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.
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.
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:
And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.
And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.
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.
And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.
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:
But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
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.
Luke 15 is a pivotal chapter in Jesus' ministry, nestled within the "Travelogue to Jerusalem" (Luke 9:51-19:27). This section highlights key events, teachings, and miracles that contextualize Jesus' death, resurrection, and the founding of the church. Luke 15 specifically addresses the proper response to the arrival of God's kingdom, using three powerful parables centered on the theme of "lostness" and subsequent joyous restoration. These parables—the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son—reveal different facets of sin and God's unwavering love and pursuit of the lost.
The Setting: Grace Offends
Luke 15:1-2 sets the stage for these profound teachings. A crowd of social outcasts, including tax collectors and "sinners," gathers around Jesus, drawn to His message of hope and forgiveness. This gathering deeply offends the Pharisees and scribes, the religious elite known for their meticulous adherence to the law and their disdain for those they deemed unworthy. They grumble that Jesus associates with such people, questioning His judgment and holiness.
The Parable of the Lost Sheep: Foolish Straying
Jesus responds to their criticism with the parable of the lost sheep (Luke 15:3-7). A shepherd with a hundred sheep realizes one is missing. Instead of dismissing the loss, he leaves the ninety-nine safe in the fold and embarks on a determined search for the single stray. This shepherd's actions highlight the immense value God places on each individual, regardless of how foolishly they have strayed.
The shepherd's relentless pursuit demonstrates God's initiative in seeking out those who are lost. He doesn't wait for the sheep to find its way back; he actively goes after it. Upon finding the lost sheep, the shepherd doesn't scold or punish it but joyfully carries it home on his shoulders. He then calls his friends and neighbors to celebrate the sheep's return.
Jesus emphasizes that heaven rejoices more over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who do not need repentance. This challenges the Pharisees' self-righteousness and highlights the transformative power of repentance and forgiveness. Why, Jesus implies, can't the Pharisees share in this heavenly joy?
The Parable of the Lost Coin: Unknowing Loss
The parable of the lost coin (Luke 15:8-10) shifts the focus to a sinner who may be unaware of their lost condition. A woman possesses ten silver coins, a significant sum in that time, and discovers one is missing. Driven by a desire to restore what was lost, she diligently sweeps her house, lights a lamp to penetrate the darkness, and searches every nook and cranny until she finds it.
Like the shepherd, the woman exemplifies persistence and determination in seeking what is lost. Her actions underscore the importance of actively seeking out those who are separated from God, even if they are unaware of their need. When she finds the coin, she, too, calls her friends and neighbors to rejoice with her.
Again, Jesus stresses the parallel with the heavenly realm: the angels of God rejoice over one sinner who repents. This reinforces the idea that repentance is not a somber act but a cause for celebration, a restoration of relationship with God. Are the Pharisees, Jesus asks, more pious than the angels who celebrate repentance?
The Parable of the Prodigal Son: Intentional Rebellion
The parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32) is perhaps the most well-known and emotionally resonant of the three. It depicts a sinner who intentionally and rebelliously departs from God. A younger son demands his share of his father's inheritance, an act tantamount to wishing his father were dead. With his newfound freedom and wealth, he travels to a distant land and squanders his inheritance on reckless living (Luke 15:13).
When a severe famine strikes the land, the son finds himself in dire straits, forced to work feeding pigs—an abhorrent occupation for a Jew. Overwhelmed by hunger and desperation, he longs to eat the pigs' food, but no one offers him anything (Luke 15:16). This stark contrast between his former life of luxury and his current state of destitution brings him to his senses.
The son realizes the error of his ways and resolves to return to his father, not as a son but as a servant, hoping to find sustenance and shelter (Luke 15:17-19). He plans to confess his sin against God and his father, acknowledging his unworthiness.
However, the father's response is far beyond what the son anticipates. While the son is still a long way off, the father sees him, filled with compassion, runs to him, embraces him, and kisses him (Luke 15:20). The father's actions reveal his constant longing for his son's return and his unconditional love.
The father cuts short the son's rehearsed confession and commands his servants to clothe him in the finest robe, place a ring on his finger, and sandals on his feet—symbols of restored sonship and honor (Luke 15:22). He then orders a lavish feast to celebrate his son's return from the dead, his being lost and now found (Luke 15:23-24).
The older brother, however, is resentful and refuses to join the celebration (Luke 15:25-30). He points to his years of faithful service and obedience, complaining that he has never received such treatment. He even refuses to acknowledge the prodigal as "my brother," referring to him as "this son of yours" who devoured your assets with prostitutes.
The father gently rebukes the older son, reminding him that he has always been with him and that everything the father owns is his (Luke 15:31). He emphasizes the need to celebrate the return of his lost brother, who was as good as dead but is now alive (Luke 15:32).
The parable ends without revealing the older brother's final decision, leaving the listener to consider their own response. Jesus challenges the Pharisees and scribes, and us, to examine our hearts and ask whether we rejoice in the restoration of others or harbor resentment and self-righteousness.
The Heart of God: A Call to Compassion
The three parables in Luke 15 collectively reveal the heart of God, a heart that longs for the lost to be found and rejoices when they return. They serve as a powerful indictment of religious hypocrisy and a call to compassion, forgiveness, and celebration. Jesus challenges us to emulate God's love and pursue the lost with relentless determination, welcoming them back into fellowship with open arms.
The Pharisees and scribes were angry with Jesus for welcoming tax collectors and sinners because they had failed to understand the heart of God (Luke 15:1-2). He longs for the lost to be found. He’s filled with joy when a single sinner repents and comes home. He rejoices when a relationship is restored.
These stories are not just about individual sinners; they are about the kingdom of God and the radical inclusivity of God's grace. They invite us to participate in God's mission of seeking and saving the lost, extending His love and forgiveness to all who are willing to receive it. Luke 15 is a timeless reminder that God's love knows no bounds and that His greatest joy is found in the restoration of broken relationships.
Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.
And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
And he spake this parable unto them, saying,
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?
And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
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.
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.
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?
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.
Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
And he said, A certain man had two sons:
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.
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.
And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
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!
I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, 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.
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.
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.
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:
And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.
And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.
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.
And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.
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:
But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
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.
Luke 15 is a pivotal chapter in Jesus' ministry, nestled within the "Travelogue to Jerusalem" (Luke 9:51-19:27). This section highlights key events, teachings, and miracles that contextualize Jesus' death, resurrection, and the founding of the church. Luke 15 specifically addresses the proper response to the arrival of God's kingdom, using three powerful parables centered on the theme of "lostness" and subsequent joyous restoration. These parables—the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son—reveal different facets of sin and God's unwavering love and pursuit of the lost.
The Setting: Grace Offends
Luke 15:1-2 sets the stage for these profound teachings. A crowd of social outcasts, including tax collectors and "sinners," gathers around Jesus, drawn to His message of hope and forgiveness. This gathering deeply offends the Pharisees and scribes, the religious elite known for their meticulous adherence to the law and their disdain for those they deemed unworthy. They grumble that Jesus associates with such people, questioning His judgment and holiness.
The Parable of the Lost Sheep: Foolish Straying
Jesus responds to their criticism with the parable of the lost sheep (Luke 15:3-7). A shepherd with a hundred sheep realizes one is missing. Instead of dismissing the loss, he leaves the ninety-nine safe in the fold and embarks on a determined search for the single stray. This shepherd's actions highlight the immense value God places on each individual, regardless of how foolishly they have strayed.
The shepherd's relentless pursuit demonstrates God's initiative in seeking out those who are lost. He doesn't wait for the sheep to find its way back; he actively goes after it. Upon finding the lost sheep, the shepherd doesn't scold or punish it but joyfully carries it home on his shoulders. He then calls his friends and neighbors to celebrate the sheep's return.
Jesus emphasizes that heaven rejoices more over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who do not need repentance. This challenges the Pharisees' self-righteousness and highlights the transformative power of repentance and forgiveness. Why, Jesus implies, can't the Pharisees share in this heavenly joy?
The Parable of the Lost Coin: Unknowing Loss
The parable of the lost coin (Luke 15:8-10) shifts the focus to a sinner who may be unaware of their lost condition. A woman possesses ten silver coins, a significant sum in that time, and discovers one is missing. Driven by a desire to restore what was lost, she diligently sweeps her house, lights a lamp to penetrate the darkness, and searches every nook and cranny until she finds it.
Like the shepherd, the woman exemplifies persistence and determination in seeking what is lost. Her actions underscore the importance of actively seeking out those who are separated from God, even if they are unaware of their need. When she finds the coin, she, too, calls her friends and neighbors to rejoice with her.
Again, Jesus stresses the parallel with the heavenly realm: the angels of God rejoice over one sinner who repents. This reinforces the idea that repentance is not a somber act but a cause for celebration, a restoration of relationship with God. Are the Pharisees, Jesus asks, more pious than the angels who celebrate repentance?
The Parable of the Prodigal Son: Intentional Rebellion
The parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32) is perhaps the most well-known and emotionally resonant of the three. It depicts a sinner who intentionally and rebelliously departs from God. A younger son demands his share of his father's inheritance, an act tantamount to wishing his father were dead. With his newfound freedom and wealth, he travels to a distant land and squanders his inheritance on reckless living (Luke 15:13).
When a severe famine strikes the land, the son finds himself in dire straits, forced to work feeding pigs—an abhorrent occupation for a Jew. Overwhelmed by hunger and desperation, he longs to eat the pigs' food, but no one offers him anything (Luke 15:16). This stark contrast between his former life of luxury and his current state of destitution brings him to his senses.
The son realizes the error of his ways and resolves to return to his father, not as a son but as a servant, hoping to find sustenance and shelter (Luke 15:17-19). He plans to confess his sin against God and his father, acknowledging his unworthiness.
However, the father's response is far beyond what the son anticipates. While the son is still a long way off, the father sees him, filled with compassion, runs to him, embraces him, and kisses him (Luke 15:20). The father's actions reveal his constant longing for his son's return and his unconditional love.
The father cuts short the son's rehearsed confession and commands his servants to clothe him in the finest robe, place a ring on his finger, and sandals on his feet—symbols of restored sonship and honor (Luke 15:22). He then orders a lavish feast to celebrate his son's return from the dead, his being lost and now found (Luke 15:23-24).
The older brother, however, is resentful and refuses to join the celebration (Luke 15:25-30). He points to his years of faithful service and obedience, complaining that he has never received such treatment. He even refuses to acknowledge the prodigal as "my brother," referring to him as "this son of yours" who devoured your assets with prostitutes.
The father gently rebukes the older son, reminding him that he has always been with him and that everything the father owns is his (Luke 15:31). He emphasizes the need to celebrate the return of his lost brother, who was as good as dead but is now alive (Luke 15:32).
The parable ends without revealing the older brother's final decision, leaving the listener to consider their own response. Jesus challenges the Pharisees and scribes, and us, to examine our hearts and ask whether we rejoice in the restoration of others or harbor resentment and self-righteousness.
The Heart of God: A Call to Compassion
The three parables in Luke 15 collectively reveal the heart of God, a heart that longs for the lost to be found and rejoices when they return. They serve as a powerful indictment of religious hypocrisy and a call to compassion, forgiveness, and celebration. Jesus challenges us to emulate God's love and pursue the lost with relentless determination, welcoming them back into fellowship with open arms.
The Pharisees and scribes were angry with Jesus for welcoming tax collectors and sinners because they had failed to understand the heart of God (Luke 15:1-2). He longs for the lost to be found. He’s filled with joy when a single sinner repents and comes home. He rejoices when a relationship is restored.
These stories are not just about individual sinners; they are about the kingdom of God and the radical inclusivity of God's grace. They invite us to participate in God's mission of seeking and saving the lost, extending His love and forgiveness to all who are willing to receive it. Luke 15 is a timeless reminder that God's love knows no bounds and that His greatest joy is found in the restoration of broken relationships.