Lost and Found: The Rebel
Luke 15:1-32
I want to invite you once again to spend some time with the Savior as he interacts with ordinary people like you and me in extraordinary life-changing ways. This morning we are going to be with the Savior as he interacts with a crowd composed of two very different types of people, the outcasts and the spiritually elite. Now they really are not all that different from one another, that is part of Jesus’ point here, but they consider themselves to be very different from one another. Furthermore, they mirror two different perspectives you and I can have. You see, just like in all of scripture, there is a lot here for you and me, today. So in light of that, and in light of the gracious God who wants to speak to us through his word, let’s pray.
Luke 15:11-32 (ESV) - 11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. 17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.” ’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. 25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’ ”
The beginning of our passage sets the scene. Once again, tax collectors and sinners are drawing near to Jesus. It actually says they were all drawing near to him – not meaning that every sinner and tax collector on the planet was there but that a very large and significant number of sinners and tax collectors were drawing near to Jesus. Kinda like when you talk about a really great time you had say at a church luncheon – you might say, “everyone was there and we had an awesome time.” So it was with tax collectors and sinners with Jesus. And they weren’t drawing near to Jesus to get more of what they already had, sin that is, they were drawing near to him to hear him.
There was and is something magnetic about Jesus. To this day, Jesus continues to have the same sort of drawing power – there is power in his name and person and even many of the most hardened atheists still find themselves drawn to him. It is noted throughout scripture that people found his teaching captivating. His presence had an effect on those around him and he was able to draw people to himself who formerly had little or no interest in God. And he did all this while remaining uncompromisingly committed to the truth.
Too often we mistakenly think that these are mutually exclusive – a commitment to the truth and an ability to draw people. There is the notion that if you want to be a church that attracts a lot of people from an unchurched background then you have to take it easy on your teaching – don’t mention sin and hell too much, don’t talk about God as judge that often, please don’t speak too much about Jesus’ blood and all and don’t ask for too much commitment. With this perspective is the corollary, that if you are committed to truth than you need to just get used to attracting Christians because they are the only ones who might stomach the truth. And because of this false dichotomy you see churches that are light on truth and heavy on evangelism and outreach and churches that are heavy on truth and light on evangelism and outreach. Folks, Jesus was heavy on truth and heavy on evangelism and outreach. And he was incredibly effective at both.
Confirming what we see in our text is what Thom Reiner says in his book, “Surprising Insights from the Unchurched”. “Ninety-one percent of the formerly unchurched indicated that doctrine was an important factor that attracted them to the church…Almost all of the formerly unchurched responded that doctrine was important….. “Why,” we asked, “is doctrine so important to you?” The most frequent response was their desire to know truth or absolutes.” [1]
Folks, people who are seeking God because of his activity in their lives want to hear real answers from real people who really live it. They want life changing substance. They want something substantial and robust and comprehensive that makes sense and really works. Yes, it must be in a gracious context with humility and love but they want steaks to eat, not popcorn. They want grace and truth. Jesus himself is the master of this and so he attracted many sinners looking for help.
And we see here that the Pharisees were not real happy about this. The text says they grumbled, saying “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” They didn’t have the courtesy to refer to him as anything but “this man!”. And they talked among themselves, probably loud enough for Jesus to hear along with the tax collectors and sinners. So Jesus tells a series of three parables to answer their grumbling and the sinners wondering, the parable of the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost son – or the prodigal son. In these parables we have a look into the heart of God and I think if we look well, we will be surprised by what we see. We might also find ourselves convicted by what we see, or perhaps comforted, and I hope, compelled to grow in godliness.
After telling the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin, Jesus finishes this teaching lesson with the famous story of the lost son, or the prodigal, with which we are all pretty familiar. He is giving a three punch knock-out combination to the self-righteousness, reclusive hard-hearted Pharisees of his day and ours.
You guys know this story – probably pretty well. But I submit there is more to it than we are used to. Remember Jesus is telling these parables to the Pharisees in the presence of the sinners. With that in mind, let’s revisit this favorite parable.
There is a man with two sons and the younger decides he wants to go his own way – he is tired of being at home with the same old hum-drum and boring piety of his father. He wants out asap. He actually has the audacity to ask his father for his share of the inheritance ahead of time. Can you imagine that? Can you imagine going up to your father and saying – “Dad, I don’t want to wait around till you die, can you give me what’s coming to me now so I can get out of here.” More or less he is saying he would be better off if his father were dead. Well, he gets his inheritance from his dad and he gathers all his belongings and he leaves. He leaves with his broken hearted father standing, watching on the doorstep as he disappears beyond the horizon. Now, in that culture, this would have been a huge insult to the father and to the family – and in most families this would be an unforgivable sin resulting in permanent estrangement. The Pharisees and the sinners present would have understood this.
And the son takes his father’s hard-earned money and good name and squanders it in reckless living. A modern equivalent would be the son going to Vegas and staying at the best hotels and doing the best drugs and buying the best call girls in an orgy of dissolution, until he has nothing left. Furthermore, this prodigal finds himself broke in Vegas with a severe famine taking place – kinda like getting stuck in Vegas during the great depression. And he takes a job that was the lowest imaginable for a Jew – feeding pigs, for pigs were unclean detestable animals to Jews. And he is so desperate and hungry that he even longs to eat the slop the pigs are eating. He has hit rock bottom.
Sin can seem very attractive at first – the prodigal probably was very excited about his trip to Vegas at first. But the end of it was craving slop. Sin will always leave us craving slop in the end. It will deceive and then it will destroy. Please believe that, please. Believe that even when everything in you says it isn’t true – it is. Please young people – believe me, please, please old people, believe me, please my soul, believe this. It will save us from a million regrets.
At the point the son hits rock bottom he comes to his senses. He remembers that even his father’s servants had a better living than craving slop. He realizes that his current situation is foolish and being with his father, even as a mere house servant, is best. And he decides at that point to return – not demanding his father treat him as a son, but trusting in the father to be merciful and kind and at least treat him as a servant. He is fully ready to recognize the foolishness of his sin and the goodness of life with the father and so he admits his sin and unworthiness and puts his hope in his fathers mercy and kindness. That is a picture of repentance and faith, essential elements for life with God. God calls us to recognize our sin for what it is – craving slop, and to come to our senses. And in coming to our senses he calls us to turn from our slop with no excuses and to put our hope in his mercy, forgiveness and kindness
And so the son returns home – barefoot, bedraggled and destitute. What happens next is the most shocking part of the story. Most fathers upon seeing this son would stand on the porch deeply wounded and suspicious, perhaps even ordering the servants to lock the gates and keep this ingrate out. Not so the father in this story. While the prodigal was still a long way off this father saw him and had compassion on him – so much so that this distinguished mid-eastern patriarch ran like a school boy down the road and embraced him and kissed him before his son could say anything.
The son confesses his sin and unworthiness but before he can request to be treated as a servant the father interrupts him and calls for the best robe – the type of robe worn on very special occasions, an ancient tuxedo of sorts, and the family ring for his hand and a pair of fine sandals for his bare feet. And he throws a huge party for the son – killing the fattened calf – a specially prepared calf for only very special occasions like weddings and such.
The father’s response is way over the top. It would have been appropriate and very gracious to make the unfaithful but repentant son one of the servants. But to put the best clothes on him and sandals and the family ring and to kiss him and throw a party would seem ludicrous to those listening. But this is what this father is like. He is compassionate and passionate about his returned son. He says with joy and probably tears streaming down his face, “Let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.”
Yet, there is one person not joining in the festivities, the older brother. He hears the music and the dancing and wonders what’s up. A servant fills him in and he is fuming. His former façade of compliance turns into a face twisted in self-righteousness anger. When his father trys to get him to come in, he says to his dad, “Look, (a bad way to start a sentence) these many years I have served you and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!”
The elder son has totally missed it and is more aware of his self-righteousness in light of his brother’s unrighteousness, and more aware of what he thinks he deserves than the amazing graciousness of his father. Although he has spent many years near the father physically he has not been near his father’s heart. He is self-righteous and resentful at his father’s grace. The father tries to convince the son to come into the party. Sadly, their roles have reversed – he who was outside the family is now inside and he who previously appeared to be in the family is now outside. And that is where the story and this section of scripture ends. Jesus ends his story with the elder brother outside the home because this is exactly where the Pharisees of that day and this day are. And the big question is, “Will they repent and go in and truly find out what the heart of God is about?” The Pharisees have spent years thinking they were close to the heart of God because they did the external things required of them. Yet all the while they were very far from the heart of God. They are the elder brother. And they need to change.
You see, the father represents The Father. And the whole point of these three parables has been to teach the Pharisees and the sinners and tax collectors what the heart of God is like - all three parables point to the party atmosphere over the repentant sinner. In the previous two parables Jesus says, “there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” That is what is going on in heaven - joy over repentant sinners - before the angels. Now Jesus isn’t saying it’s the angels rejoicing but someone rejoicing before the angels. God is the one rejoicing like the father in this story, over one sinner who repents. Can you imagine that? Now I think it isn’t just God rejoicing – the angels are rejoicing –But can you imagine God rejoicing most of all? He is leading the cheers. He is at the head of the rumba line. He is the one getting the most altitude in the pogo. He is the one starting the wave. There is joy – great joy – in the presence of the angels over one sinner who repents. And it is the joy of the Father!
And Jesus is saying “Pharisees – you think you are close to the heart of God? Than you should be ecstatic over sinners coming to him – because he is.” And you know what – the same question applies to us. Are we more like the father in the story or the elder brother?
God loves seeing lost people return to him. He is even fixated on this – like the woman with the lost coin. He rejoices over lost sinners returning to him and he calls all of his true friends to rejoice with him. He runs like the father in the story towards those making even a feeble effort at repentance and embraces them and welcomes them into his family. God is uncompromisingly passionate about reaching lost sinners.
And if you are a lost sinner and know it you are in a good place. For he is so committed to reaching lost sinners that he sent very Son to rescue you. He came to live and teach truth and then without a flaw and then to go to the cross and die on the cross in your place, to pay the just penalty for your sins which are ultimately worthy of death so you could receive complete forgiveness and be freed from eating slop. And then his Son rose from the dead three days later to prove it all worked – for you, and me, and the glory of a Father passionate about saving sinners. And now he calls us to turn from our sin and trust in his Son and find new life as restored members of hi household – in his family. He will run to you if you will just turn towards him.
If you are a believer already the question is, “Are you like the father?” Are you uncompromisingly passionate about reaching lost sinners?” And if so, “what are you doing about it?” Are you passionate about reaching lost sinners and seeing them return to God? It’s either yes or no. If no, you and I need to cry out to God for help. We need our hearts broken and our lives filled with the heart of God. We need to see that Christianity without a passion for reaching the lost and a plan for reaching the lost is an immature and warped Christianity. There are three purposes for a mature church and a mature Christian – to glorify God, the good of the church and the salvation of the lost. Neglect any of these three and we are doomed to deficient and immature Christianity. It is simply unacceptable to claim the name of Christ and not see the necessity of sharing the heart of Christ for the lost. So repent and do the things you did at first – that is, revisit your own conversion and the mercy of God in saving you, refresh yourself in the wonder of undeserved forgiveness and kindness and reimplement the practice of telling friends and family of what he has done for you.
It might be that you simply need to set aside time and energy to develop relationships with people without Christ. If reaching lost people is so dear to the heart of God and so central to being a Christian than surely we should set apart at least 10% of our discretionary time to reaching lost sinners. Most Christians end up spending all their discretionary time on family or church. Certainly these are priorities. But we often do this to the exclusion of time with non-Christians – 1/3 of the mission of the church.
I have become very aware of this lack in my life. I no longer have the contexts of work and school I used to where I could rub shoulders with people without Christ. I have been more like a Pharisee than a Christian lately. God has brought this to my attention. And by his grace, because of his grace, I am taking some steps to repent and grow – let us do this together.
I am praying for lost people around me. I am planning time with lost people around me – Peg and I are targeting one night a week to spend time with non-Christian friends, I am hoping to start playing basketball with some guys on Tuesdays and Thursdays and I am planning on spending a few hours a week at Starbucks studying and building relationships. I have decided that I need to spend a minimum of 5 hours a week in outreach. That is a minimum starting point. So I am praying, I am planning and I am asking you guys to help me through prayer, encouragement and accountability – you see, we can’t do this alone – we must partner together to help each other and encourage one another – pray, plan and partner together to be like the father. He is uncompromisingly passionate about reaching the lost and he invites us in to his passion, to be close to his heart and to share in his joy. So lets pray, lets plan and lets partner together under his care to walk in his ways.