Thursday, September 17, 2009

802The Man Who Loves Sinners

September 20, 2009

Sermon #802

The Man Who Loves Sinners

Luke 15:1 - 32 (NKJV) 1Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him.
2And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, "This Man receives sinners and eats with them." 3So He spoke this parable to them, saying:
4"What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?
5And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
6And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!'
7I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.


8"Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it?
9And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!'
10Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."
11Then He said: "A certain man had two sons.
12And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.' So he divided to them his livelihood.
13And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.
14But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.
15Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine 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 bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you,
19and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants."'
20"And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
21And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.'
22"But the father said to his servants, 'Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.
23And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry;
24for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' And they began to be merry.


25"Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.
26So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.
27And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.'
28"But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him.
29So he answered and said to his father, 'Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.
30But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.'
31"And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.
32It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.'"


Introduction: This is the Gospel of the Gospels. In it we have three parables concerning three lost men. One compared to a sheep simply wondered off; the second, compared to a coin was accidently lost; the third a prodigal son decided to go on purpose. Notice the reason for all three stories: "This Man receives sinners and eats with them."

  1. The picture of the lost sheep

    1. The sheep represent their chief wealth and livelihood

  • Food to eat ( 1 Sam 14:23)
  • Milk to drink ( Isaiah 7:21-22)
  • Wool for cloth (Job 31:20)
  • Sacrifices to God (Exodus 12:5-6, 20:24)

  1. Sheep are wayward and defenseless

  2. Sheep are a type of man's relationship to God

  • Psalm 23:1 - 6 (NKJV) 1The Lord is my shepherd;
    I shall not want.
    2He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
    He leads me beside the still waters.
    3He restores my soul;
    He leads me in the paths of righteousness
    For His name's sake.
    4Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I will fear no evil;
    For You are with me;
    Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
    5You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
    You anoint my head with oil;
    My cup runs over.
    6    Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life;
    And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
    Forever.

  1. The picture of the woman and her coin

  • The coin was a drachma. Ten drachma were tied together in a head band to mark the marriage of a woman. It was like losing her wedding ring.
  • She had to hunt on a dark dirt floor in which there were many places a coin could be lost.

  1. The picture of the lost son

  • He could not wait for his inheritance.
  • He "blew it."
  • He was forced by circumstances into the most humiliating thing a Jewish man could do.

  1. Jesus and "lost men"

  • Sometimes a man is lost as a sheep is lost.

    • It strays and does not recognize that it is lost.
    • They do not revolt against God.
    • They do not fight against the church.
    • They slip away with the tide.

    Hebrews 2:1 - 4 (NKJV) 1Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.
    2For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, 3how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,
    4God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?

  • Sometimes men are lost because of circumstances

    • Someone was careless
    • There was some event that turned them away (a death, rejection, an event for which they blame God).

  • Sometimes men are lost as was the younger son, because of a deliberate choice

  1. God's attitude toward sinners

  • The search

    • He not only accepts sinners but He goes out of His way to find them.

  • The Joy

    Luke 15:7 (NKJV) 7I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.

  1. The Lost but Saved

  • The prodigal lost fellowship with his father and the comfort of a home.
  • The prodigal lost his self respect.
  • The prodigal lost all that he had.
  • What he had to do!

Luke 15:17 - 21 (NKJV) 17"But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you,
19and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants."'
20"And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
21And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

  • He had to come to himself
  • He had to make a decision
  • He had to act
  • He had to confess

  1. The Saved but Lost

    Luke 15:25 - 32 (NKJV) 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    So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.
    27    And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.'
    28"But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him.
    29    So he answered and said to his father, 'Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.
    30    But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.'
    31"And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.
    32    It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.'"

    1. Self Righteous

    2. Jealous

    3. Heartless

ILL: He lost the fellowship of his brother and the joy of his father.

Conclusion: The amazing thing is that Jesus loved them all. He still does!
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