#1404 Luke 15 Part 2 A Loving Father and Two Sorts of Sinners

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.’” Luke 15: 11-32 ESV

Luke 15: 11-32 Prodigal Son

10Now as for you, son of man, tell the house of Israel that this is what they have said: ‘Our transgressions and our sins are heavy upon us, and we are wasting away because of them! How can we live?’ 11Say to them: ‘As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked should turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’ 12Therefore, son of man, say to your people: ‘The righteousness of the righteous man will not deliver him in the day of his transgression; neither will the wickedness of the wicked man cause him to stumble on the day he turns from his wickedness. Nor will the righteous man be able to survive by his righteousness on the day he sins.’… Ezekiel 33: 10-12

…8And you will again obey the voice of the LORD and follow all His commandments I am giving you today. 9So the LORD your God will make you abound in all the work of your hands and in the fruit of your womb, the offspring of your livestock, and the produce of your land. Indeed, the LORD will again delight in your goodness, as He delighted in that of your fathers, 10if you obey the LORD your God by keeping His commandments and statutes that are written in this Book of the Law, and if you turn to Him with all your heart and with all your soul.… Deuteronomy 30: 8-10

Rod Mattoon agrees that this parable "is one of the most well-known stories of the Scriptures. The story of the Prodigal Son has been labeled by Bible scholars as the "prince of the parables" or "the pearl and crown" of all the parables of the Bible. The great writer, Charles Dickens praised this story when he said that it was the finest short story ever written....Jesus taught us that God is our Father, and nowhere more so than in the story of the prodigal son. This story, together with the companion story of the older brother, is simply the story of God as Father. He who is known as Jehovah, Adonai, Elohim, El Shaddai, Jehovah-Jireh, the Almighty, the great I AM, is also "Father." In fact, Jesus speaks of God the Father twelve times in twenty-two short verses. If we miss, "God the Father," we miss the whole point of the parable. In this first section of three in this wonderful story, we will see how to go from living high on the hog to living with the hogs. This section is about trouble and tragedy that torments a person when they surrender to temptation. It reveals to us how quickly we can fall, fail, fumble, and flounder when we run away from our Heavenly Father." (Treasures from Luke) - Precept Austin

Father give the share of property that is coming to me - There are two sons in Jesus' parable, and by the laws of primogeniture in the middle east, and many eastern civilizations of that time, hence "#1 son", the oldest was entitled to a double portion. So the younger is asking for his third, or the equivalent of that now. He doesn't want to wait for the father's passing and he's actually demanding in an entitled manner that would have made the hair stand up on the necks of Jesus' listeners. This would of sounded disrespectful even to some from my generation here in the west, but respect of elders has fallen out of fashion for the general population these days. We are no longer under the law but under grace, yet the expectation of the law is still there, but God expects it to be of the freed will, an offering cheerfully given. Jesus Himself said, "I didn't come to destroy the law or the prophets but to fulfill them." 

…18“Which ones?” the man asked. Jesus answered, “ ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, 19honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.’” 20“All these I have kept,” said the young man. “What do I still lack?”… Matthew 19: 18-20

8Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and any other commandments, are summed up in this one decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10Love does no wrong to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.… Romans 13: 8-10

And He divided His property between them - As you may recall, His two prior parables were about God's joy over repentant sinners. This carries along in the same vein, the loving Father representing God, the older brother representing the Pharisees, and the younger brother the tax collectors and sinners. 

And there he squandered his property on reckless living - What he did with the money shows the intent of his heart when he was asking. He brings more dishonor and separates himself from his Father, the source of his inheritance, the one who raised him and wants what is best for him. It could be said of anyone who has received life, who has received above and beyond that, talent, that those things were given to them, and should be used to honor their source. 

18Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a man can commit is outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. 19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.… 1 Corinthians 6: 18-20

1 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.

3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Matthew 6: 1-4

…14You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they set it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.… Matthew 5: 14-16

And when he had spent everything - Sometimes having what we want leads us towards the world and away from God, towards seasonal pleasures that cannot begin to compare with eternal glory or eternal judgment. 

…2You crave what you do not have; you kill and covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3And when you do ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures. 4You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself an enemy of God.… James 4: 2-4

A famine arose in that country and he began to be in need - A lot of us won't go to the doctor till we are in the worst sort of way, but pain is meant for that, to make us aware that something is wrong, to seek a physician. It is a mercy that we grow hungry or else we would starve, and a greater mercy that we come to see our need. 

…3So when you, O man, pass judgment on others, yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? 4Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance? 5But because of your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.… Romans 2: 3-5

Vs. 16 He was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate and no one gave him anything - These were not easily digested by humans, a sort of last resort and even then roasted to make consuming easier. I remember overdosing as a young man and having people show up the next day to help me go find more drugs, but when I quit, or when you run out of money, as in the prodigals case, they were nowhere to be found. When I think of friendship now it is not the people who encourage me or act accepting of me as I move away from God's design, but rather those that confront me about my sin, that tell me of my need. Also a pig was the most unclean thing on the list of unclean animals, so to Jesus's listeners this son would probably not be worth redeeming at this point. In their minds it was as low as a person could go. 

 

Craig Keener - Animals ate these carob pods raw; people ate them roasted, but depended on them for sustenance only in times of famine. (Some later rabbis remarked that whenever Israel was reduced to eating carob pods, they repented.) no one gave him anything. Moralists commonly observed that those who were friends only for the sake of pleasure would abandon one when the money ran out. A normal ancient story might have ended here, with an obvious moral for listeners: don’t disrespect and abandon your father, or you might end up like this! Yet Jesus’ story continues. (See NKJV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible) - Precept Austin

vs. 17 But when he came to himself - Sometimes it looks like this, but everyone has to hit the bottom of themselves, of self reliance, selfishness, vain ambition. Like the Bible says, "blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted." 

Verse 18 Father I have sinned against heaven and against you - Every sin is against God, and there is no little sin, so those that think so or see themselves as good have the most difficult time of getting to this place. I have a very thick head, and you would think that overdosing 3 times would wake me up, or having epilepsy would slow me down. It wasn't till recent years that I saw God's hand of correction in it, and I cannot stop seeing His hand since. The younger son's prayer is one of contrition. 

…20Then Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshiped, 21saying: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.” 22In all this, Job did not sin or charge God with wrongdoing.… Job 1: 20-22

Vs 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son - No one is worthy, doing what you're supposed to do is not going above and beyond, entitlement is a dangerous sort of delusion. This sinner is approaching the right way, there is no strange fire in his bowl, no self righteousness. His only hope is compassion from his father.

…8Instead, won’t he tell him, ‘Prepare my meal and dress yourself to serve me while I eat and drink; and afterward you may eat and drink’? 9Does he thank the servant because he did what he was told? 10So you also, when you have done everything commanded of you, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’ ”… Luke 17: 8-10

…7in order that in the coming ages He might display the surpassing riches of His grace, demonstrated by His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9not by works, so that no one can boast.… Ephesians 2: 7-9

Vs 20 But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion - Our inability to forgive, to desire reconciliation is another sin called pride, look how far the father stoops to show his love. The father is guilty of nothing, even letting the son leave and not interfering with his finding bottom. You cannot call him an enabler; he only gave the son what he was going to give him anyway. If you want to live such a life then you must live it away from the father, because he has no part in such things, but he is praying and waiting for your return, trusting God with the results. Don't forget, this is a story about two kinds of sinners and a father who desires to see both of them come to repentance.

Vs. 21 And the son said to him - He says what he realized when he became truly woke, that he was a sinner and unworthy. But this is all the father lets him get out, the state of every man, but mingled with godly sorrow. "Blessed are the poor in spirit", he has nothing to offer but honest remorse and the hope of mercy. The father stops him before he can get out the rest and has his servants prepare a banquet, a banquet where he is the guest of honor, the cause for celebration. 

…47Therefore I tell you, because her many sins have been forgiven, she has loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.” 48Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49But those at the table began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”… Luke 7: 47-49

For this my son was dead - We are all spiritual still borns, inheriting sin from our parents, all the way back to Adam, and proving our judgment just by continuing this heritage both in the thoughts of our mind and the actions of our bodies. He was lost to his father, but at his lowest he saw himself and came home. The father's yoke was easy, the burden so light that even his servants were better off than the son when he was away from him. I remember the feelings of embarrassment, of feeling so stupid about the way my life had turned out, that I had done everything I was taught not to do, and now it stung. I had built up a wall of pride against having to admit how stupid I was, even trying to make stupid seem fashionable. I still struggle with the desire to make a joke of everything, but in light of the cross it is difficult to make light of what God hates. 

1And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2in which you used to walk when you conformed to the ways of this world and of the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit who is now at work in the sons of disobedience. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, fulfilling the cravings of our flesh and indulging its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature children of wrath.… Ephesians 2: 1-3

And is alive again - We use the same picture in being born again, which everyone must be who would come to a right state with God. This is the literal spiritual state, a state bearing eternal implications. 

…4But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved! 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,… Ephesians 2: 4-6

He was lost - Remember the preceding parables of the coin and the lost sheep?

Now his older son was in the field - He's out doing what he should be doing, working the family farm. He's a faithful son, like a few employees I have known over the years, but he's keeping a ledger of this. He is not wrong for doing what is right, but look a little further.

He was angry and refused to go in - His brother was lost, his brother was starving, his brother was on the wrong side of God, a cause for much grief and many a prayer for a father's aching soul, but the older brother could not be happy. He doesn't love his father as much as he thinks he does because he doesn't love his brother. 

…19We love because He first loved us. 20If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21And we have this commandment from Him: Whoever loves God must love his brother as well.… 1 John 4: 19-21

His father came and entreated him - Rather than sharing in his father's joy he was like the Pharisees who wrote off the tax collectors and other sinners who sinned differently than them. To see someone realize their sin, to realize their utter inability to fix the situation and bridge the infinite gap between them and a holy God, and then find in Christ the way to remedy all that, that is a miracle. The father describes it in the language of the miraculous, for being born again is a greater miracle than Lazarus being raised from the dead. One is solely tied to this life, the other to eternal life. Like the Pharisees, the ones who hung around the law, had the word read to them, the older son had no heart for the lost or joy for their return. Yet the father reaches out to him, and it is already a point of disrespect, he is now doing the same as the younger son, only in a different way. The father entreats him which is the same as pleading with him to repent.

…39And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I shall lose none of those He has given Me, but raise them up at the last day. 40For it is My Father’s will that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” 41At this, the Jews began to grumble about Jesus because He had said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.”… John 6: 39-41

I never disobeyed your command - Until now because his dad wants him to be happy, to share in the joy of his brother's restoration, but he rejects this. He is self righteous, not seeing himself as a sinner. "You owe me dad, for doing what I was supposed to do anyway. Of course you should love me because look how great I am compared to my brother."

…38As she stood behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears and wipe them with her hair. Then she kissed His feet and anointed them with the perfume. 39When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, He would know who this is and what kind of woman is touching Him— for she is a sinner!” 40But Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, Teacher,” he said.… Luke 7: 38-40

You never gave me a young goat - Poor you, you had a great dad that provided for you and taught you how to provide for yourself, God blessed you immensely, but you think it was all owed to you. Except for the working part and the loyalty he sounds like an entitled millennial, "you ruined my life because you didn't get me that 1000 dollar cell phone I wanted. Now I shall turn to a life of bitterness and crime, all because of you."

Who has devoured your property with prostitutes - He took his cut and blew it on hookers, and you are going to let him back into the house? We need to be wise and discerning, for sure, but this is a case of repentance, of someone who has seen their sin, had their heart break over the love they left, and returned in complete self denial. I have known people to fake this, but it shows quickly, they always lack the humility of the prodigal. The sin of the older brother is that he wants to see him as he was, he wants others to continue seeing him that way, and he is not hoping for his recovery, he is actually against it. 

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#1403 Luke 15 Part 1 Lost and Found Department

 

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

3 So he told them this parable: 4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

The Parable of the Lost Coin

8 “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ 10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15: 1-10 ESV

Luke 15: 1-6 The Lost

Alan Carr - Luke 15 has been called God's Lost and Found Department. In these 32 verses, Jesus uses no less than 4 illustrations dealing with the lost and with God's desire to see them saved and restored to fellowship with Himself. Verses 3-7 record the Illustration of the Lost Sheep. Verses 8-10 record the Illustration of the Lost Silver. Lk 15:11-24 gives us the Illustration of the Lost Son. And, Verses 25-32 relate the Illustration of the Lost Sibling. The backdrop for these “heavenly stories with earthly meanings” is found in Luke 15:1-2. Jesus, knowing the hard hearts of these religious people, told them the parables that make up the verses of this chapter. In this parable, Jesus uses four illustrations to teach them the value of every lost soul. He even uses this parable to teach them that they themselves might not be as secure as they thought they were. (Luke 15:1-7 The Lost Sheep) - Precept Austin

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to Him - A tax collector was one of their fellow Jews who bought the rights to collect taxes for Rome in a certain region. One of Jesus' disciples, Matthew, who is the author of the gospel bearing his name, was also a tax collector when Jesus called him. Don't read this as not sinners and sinners, for a tax collector was not only synonymous with a sinner, but one could read this as greater, traitorous sinners and sinners. They were despised by their fellow Jews, and when you read about them you start to understand why people hated them; it wasn't without reason. Tax collectors acted like mob bosses, collecting for the bigger boss, Rome, and Rome having an expectation of what they should receive from each area. The tax collector had to bring in at least that in order to not go to jail or to the cross, but that's not profitable, so in order to make money he has to tax the people above that. They used cronies, friends of intimidating stature and or temper, to shake people down for money. To their fellow Jews they were the worst sort of bullies, degenerate and greedy men. 

R Kent Hughes on tax collectors - For centuries before and after Christ, tax collectors were universally hated. Cicero insulted an opponent by saying that he must have imagined himself a tax-gatherer, "since you most thievishly ransacked every man's house, the warehouses and the ships, entangled men engaged in business with the most unjust decrees, terrified the merchants as they landed, and delayed their embarkation" (In Vatin. 5). St. Chrysostom preached, "The tax-gatherer is the personification of licensed violence, of legal sin, of specious greed" (Hom. 2.4)....They were loathed in every way. Synagogues would not accept their alms. Their testimony was not received in Jewish courts. They were held to be worse than the heathen. (See Luke: That You May Know the Truth) - Precept Austin

…31Jesus answered, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” Luke 5: 31-32

This man receives sinners and eats with them - When we say dumb stuff like this, it implies that we think we aren't sinners, or not to the magnitude of these at least. The Pharisees took Scriptures like  Proverbs 4: 14-15 and applied it to justify looking down on these people. They called them unclean, as though the Pharisees weren't. We are not to walk in the ways of evil doers, meaning do not participate in evil with or without them, but we are to bring them light, and the same compassion that a shepherd has for his lost sheep. In fact, the people we are to separate from are defined as those who claim to know the Lord, who have declared that they belong to God, and yet teach false doctrine and or live immoral lives. They are living by another gospel, teaching another Christ, and with these I confront them with the truth so they can see where repentance lies, but I make clear the distinctions between what Scripture teaches versus what they teach. I make sure that my children and others know that I don't have any part with them in this. You are also not to marry an unbeliever because then you are unequally yoked, but you should want everyone to be able to have a job to support themselves and their family, to have food and clothing, and to come to repentance through Jesus Christ. He taught us to love even our enemies, but not under any sort of delusions, He still uses the word enemy.

…13Hold on to instruction; do not let go. Guard it, for it is your life. 14Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers. 15Avoid it; do not travel on it. Turn from it and pass on by.… Proverbs 4: 13-15

…7Get rid of the old leaven, that you may be a new unleavened batch, as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8Therefore let us keep the feast, not with the old bread, leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and of truth. 9I wrote you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people.…

…10I was not including the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a verbal abuser, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat. 12What business of mine is it to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?… 1 Corinthians 5: 7-12

Go after the one that is lost - Here He does the opposite of the Pharisees, they start out with the premise of no value, these are worthless sinners, not worth the time or energy to even warn them of their state. Jesus refers to them as part of the 100, part of the flock, a thing of value that has wandered astray. I am a human being, and so I share with all other human beings a common ancestry. We all come from the same line, the same original parents, even science confirms this, there are no races, just different ethnicities, but one race, the human race. The Bible was way ahead of the game on this, things like racism are beyond ridiculous, we are all different shades of brown, levels of melanin, and some people want to make a big deal about this, but if you go by melanin then the most different of us are albinos because they are born without melanin. Now God teaches in His word that we are all made in His image, so when I look at you I should see something of great value regardless of how much melanin you have or don't have. It should be real easy for me to empathize with your plight, to relate to you, because we are both human, and we are therefore brothers and sisters. I should want for you what I want for myself, and if I am seeking forgiveness from God then I should be quick to pray for you and also quick to forgive. Jesus is treating them with value, something valued that is not written off, but so valuable as to necessitate a rescue mission. The Pharisees want no part in the rescue of gentiles, of those that differ with them politically, of those whose sins they have deemed worse than their own. They are bigots. 

…25God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that crawls upon the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 26Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness, to rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, and over all the earth itself and every creature that crawls upon it.” 27So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.… Genesis 1: 25-27

…19By the sweat of your brow you will eat your bread, until you return to the ground—because out of it were you taken. For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.” 20And Adam named his wife Eve, because she would be the mother of all the living. Genesis 3: 19-20

28But what do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first one and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ 29‘I will not,’ he replied. But later he changed his mind and went. 30Then the man went to the second son and told him the same thing. ‘I will, sir,’ he said. But he did not go.…

…31Which of the two did the will of his father?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you. 32For John came to you in a righteous way and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him. Matthew 21: 28-32

Rejoice with me for I have found my sheep - When a lost person is found, this is the lesson, God rejoices over this. It is the greatest calling to the church, not titles or positions, but the same call goes out regardless, whether you are a preacher, a tech services supervisor, a nurse, a homemaker, whatever your vocational calling, above that you are on a search team, looking for Christ's lost sheep by declaring the gospel and living a life that reflects Christ in you. 

…3For I was overjoyed when the brothers came and testified about your devotion to the truth, in which you continue to walk. 4I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. 5Beloved, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, and especially since they are strangers to you.… 3 John 3-5

There will be more joy in heaven - Even angels are engaged in the redemption story. 

…11trying to determine the time and setting to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. 12It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, when they foretold the things now announced by those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things. 13Therefore prepare your minds for action. Be sober-minded. Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.… 1 Peter 1: 11-13

MacArthur - Having drawn the scribes and Pharisees into the story, the Lord delivered a devastating application to them....The contrast between the scribes and Pharisees, who were indifferent to the plight of the lost, and God, who seeks them and rejoices when they are found, is striking.

Notice how this parable presents the picture of "more joy" in contrast to continual grumbling of the Pharisees. The shepherd rejoices, the neighbors rejoice, and heaven rejoices. This emphasis on joy continues in the second section of the parable describing the lost coin and the third describing the lost son. In fact joy/rejoicing/rejoicing is a key word in this parable occurring 6 times - Lk 15:5 = rejoicing; Lk 15:6 = rejoice; Lk 15:7 = joy”; Lk 15:9 = rejoice”; Lk 15:10 = joy; Lk 15:32 = rejoice.

Cole adds that "Heaven is already filled with joy, but when a sinner gets saved, they throw a party, just as the father of the prodigal son did! As he tells his older son, “We had (verb = dei = it is necessary, needful) to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found” (Lu 15:32)." (God’s Lost and Found) - Precept Austin

Having ten silver coins - He goes for something they like and so can easily relate to, money. Again, this shows value, He values the lost sheep, now a coin. The woman loses one, but she doesn't go, "that's okay, no biggy, I have nine more," no, she gets a lamp, lights it, and sweeps the house clean until she finds it. If you had ten kids and lost one would you not look for the one who was lost? If one of your children, friends, parents, is doin well, is right with God, but another is not, do you right that one off? Do you say, "oh well, at least one of my children is saved, a few of my friends and acquaintances know the Lord and obey Him as Lord." God, don't let me be so indifferent, let it cause my soul to ache, my praises to rise like incense, until you hear and change their hearts, and then let heaven and earth rejoice. 

…3One day at about the ninth hour, he had a clear vision of an angel of God who came to him and said, “Cornelius!” 4 Cornelius stared at him in fear and asked, “What is it, Lord?” The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have ascended as a memorial offering before God. 5Now send men to Joppa to call for a man named Simon who is called Peter.… Acts 10: 3-5

…13Yet to which of the angels did God ever say: “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet”? 14Are not the angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation? Hebrews 1: 13-14

11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands,

12 saying with a loud voice,

“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.”

13 And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying,

“To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.”

14 And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped. Revelation 5: 11-14

Over one sinner who repents - Those that don't teach repentance ignore this. God is perfect and need not change, repentance says you need to change, and grace gives the desire to do so and the power. Often we prefer men good with us rather than them being good with God.

…8If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10If we say we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar, and His word is not in us.… 1 John 1: 8-10

…17So if God gave them the same gift He gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to hinder the work of God?” 18When they heard this, their objections were put to rest, and they glorified God, saying, “So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.” 19Meanwhile those scattered by the persecution that began with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the message only to Jews.… Acts 11: 17-19

…9And now I rejoice, not because you were made sorrowful, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you felt the sorrow that God had intended, and so were not harmed in any way by us. 10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 11Consider what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what zeal, what vindication! In every way you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.… 2 Corinthians 7: 9-11

…14But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that your goodness will not be out of compulsion, but by your own free will. 15For perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back for good— 16no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a beloved brother. He is especially beloved to me, but even more so to you, both in person and in the Lord.… Philemon 1: 14-16

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#1402 Luke 14 Part 4 What Can You Afford

 

25 Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

Salt Without Taste Is Worthless

34 “Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? 35 It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Luke 14: 25-35 ESV

Luke 14: 25-35

R C Sproul - The corrupting influences of pragmatism are seen even in the church. “Seeker-sensitive” worship can increase attendance without ever seeing the congregation grow to maturity. Churches targeting specific ages or lifestyles might attract a lot of people from these groups and not minister to those who do not fit certain classifications. Beware of any ministry that emphasizes “what works” and do what you can to help your church avoid slipping into pragmatism. (Read this entire interesting devotional - Luke 14:25–33 Pragmatism)

ILLUSTRATION - Pollster George Gallup contends that fewer than ten percent of evangelical Christians could be called deeply committed. Most of those who profess Christianity don’t know basic teachings and don’t act differently because of their Christian experience. George Barna found that almost half (46%) of evangelicals read their Bible only once a week or not at all.

ILLUSTRATION OF COMMITMENT - As Alexander the Great was carrying his triumphant military campaign towards the East, he and a section of his army approached a strongly fortified, walled city. Alexander approached the city, demanded to see the king and set out terms of surrender. The king only laughed: “Why should I surrender to you? You can’t do us any harm! We can endure any siege.” In response, Alexander offered to give the king a demonstration. Nearby, within sight of the city walls, was a sheer cliff. He ordered his men to line up in single file and began to march them towards the precipice. The city’s citizens watched with horrified fascination as the column moved unhesitatingly towards and over the edge. Only after several men had plunged to their deaths did Alexander order the rest of the column to halt. He then called his troops back to his side and stood silently facing the city. The effect on the citizens was stunning. From spellbound silence they moved to terror. They realized they had no walls thick enough and no resources extensive enough to defend themselves against that kind of loyalty and commitment. Spontaneously they rushed through the gates to surrender themselves to Alexander.

It is impossible today to be sure of the authenticity of such a story. But there can be no doubt about the power of commitment. People loyal to a leader or a principle and willing to pay the price required will always overwhelm people who value comfort and convenience more than a cause. Our society generally does not breed strong commitment. The self-fulfillment ethic seduces us to believe that we have no higher loyalty than one to ourselves. The tragedy is that self-centered values eat away at commitment—not only at commitment to leaders and causes, but at commitments to marriage, family, and friends.

Believers are not immune to the world’s value system. One missionary statesman has observed an irony of church life in the 1990s.

While Third-World Christians are information-poor, they are commitment-rich.

Sadly, Western Christians are information-rich, but they are commitment-poor.

All generalizations are suspect, but that one seems to be uncomfortably true. Yet this condition collides with the plain teaching of Jesus. The demands of our master are incompatible with partial commitment or casual discipleship. The Lord’s call to Himself requires intelligent, unconditional allegiance to His person and work. Jesus was always intensely realistic about what it meant to be His follower. He was never a huckster pushing a product while hiding the real costs in the fine print. Instead, He realistically spelled out His requirements, nowhere more clearly than in Luke 14:25-35. In this passage Jesus makes a different use of parables than we usually find. Normally the main point the Lord makes is made powerfully in the parable itself and needs little explanation. However, the parables of the careless builder and the careful king are used almost as a modern preacher would use a sermon illustration. - Precept Austin

Now great crowds accompanied Him, and He turned to them and said - So here it is, the pinnacle that every Youtuber and social influencer is trying to achieve, lots of followers, and so what will Jesus say to keep them? 

If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children - If you think I have said this too many times before, well I'm going to say it again, and I'm not sorry. Jesus is the worst PR guy, the absolute disaster of disasters when it comes to sales campaigns. There's no buy one get one free, no customize to fit your lifestyle gospel, no negotiations, like, "I will give up this thing that You call sin, God, but You have to overlook this other thing You call sin because I am not willing to give it up." His statement here takes us back to His other gospel calls, and the reality of the division that it brings. Are you willing to follow Him even if it means ticking off your mom and dad? I have heard a woman's testimony of leaving Islam for Jesus where her dad and brothers wanted to kill her. I have heard of boys ostracized for leaving a fringe group, a cult, because they read the actual word of God and it didn't line up with teachings of their "church".  Their families shun them. Can you handle that sort of call, from a Man that says, if you deny me before men I will deny you before My Father? His call here is inconsistent with most of the modern so called evangelical church today. He is calling them to repent of all cultural ideologies, of ancestor worship, of fitting in, of compromise. When I listen to preachers on tv they are saying the word "gospel", but there is no call to repentance, it's a Jesus you can have as an addition to what you actually believe, a Jesus that won't question you, a Jesus that approves of you regardless of your commitment, and all you need to do is say a prayer where you ask him to come into your heart and then you have that added insurance policy, that is mentioned nowhere that I can find in Scripture. You know why you give that other gospel? It's because you are afraid of the consequences of the true gospel, of the crowd turning away and no longer following you, not Jesus, you. You're afraid of the disapproval of family and friends, of them calling you a bigot, of them throwing you out of their circles and community. If you're a pastor that teaches that other gospel, you do it to fill seats and offering plates, for self preservation, but you are no different than the Pharisees who travel over land and sea to make disciples of themselves who become twice the servants of darkness as you. I can' think of anyone more gross than the person that says they know Christ, they are a teacher, and here, "just say this prayer and make sure you come on Sundays to hear my sermons on better living, self help and watered down, doctrinally unsound explanations of passages of Scripture taken fully out of context. Your gospel is not about Christ, it is about you. Listen to Jesus' words consistent with this message.

… 15Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You traverse land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are. 16Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’… Matthew 23: 15-16

23But Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me. For you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” 24Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. 25For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.… Matthew 16: 23-25

If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate (miseo in present tense) his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he (ou = ABSOLUTELY) cannot (dunamai) be My disciple (mathetes) - If is a first class condition introducing what follows as assumed to be true from Jesus' perspective. Note the pronoun anyone, which implies a "no exception" clause. “Hate” is a Semitic expression for loving less. The parallel passage in Mt 10:37+ helps us understand what Jesus means by hate. Jesus is referring to coming to Him by grace through faith for salvation. When we compare the passage in Matthew, we can understand that Jesus is not using hate in an absolute sense, but in a relative sense. In other words, Jesus calls for such love and devotion of Himself, that by comparison all other relationships appear to be hatred. Jesus does no prohibit love of those close to us, but calls for our greatest love to be toward Himself. When we evaluate our devotion to every earthly tie, they must all be given a lesser place with Jesus alone receiving preeminence. Jesus is calling for complete commitment. Jesus is calling us to love Him above every person and every thing! He cannot be My disciple is a strong warning which is repeated three times for emphasis (Lk 14:26, 27, 33). The Greek negative term (for "not") used here is "ou" which speaks of absolute negation. The point is that if one is devoted to anyone more than Christ, he absolutely cannot be Jesus' disciple. Jesus is very clear about this.

Beginning with these words, Jesus "quickly put an end to the idea that He offered some kind of welfare program. Although the gift of eternal life is free to anyone who asks (John 3:16), the asking requires a transfer of ownership (Luke 9:23-note; Galatians 5:24-note). “Counting the cost” means recognizing and agreeing to some terms first. In following Christ, we cannot simply follow our own inclinations. We cannot follow Him and the world's way at the same time (Matthew 7:13-14). Following Him may mean we lose relationships, dreams, material things, or even our lives. Those who are following Jesus simply for what they can get won't stick around when the going gets tough. When God's way conflicts with our way, we will feel betrayed by the shallow, me-first faith we have bought into. If we have not counted the cost of being His child, we will turn away at the threat of sacrifice and find something else to gratify our selfish desires (cf. Mark 4:5, 16-17). In Jesus’ earthly ministry, there came a time when the free food stopped and public opinion turned ugly. The cheering crowds became jeering crowds. And Jesus knew ahead of time that would happen." (What does it mean to ‘count the cost’)?

THOUGHT - As you (I) go through each requirement of discipleship, you will need to take a close look at yourself asking, "Am I a disciple of Jesus Christ?" - Precept Austin

More on this from Matthew 10

Sit down and count the cost - He is making them think about it in quantitative terms, like He did with the rich young ruler. The cost of discipleship to Jesus is total commitment, ultimate loyalty. He gave all on the cross, received what was unfair for someone without sin in order to save someone like me, a sinner. So let's count the cost here: Are you willing to follow Jesus if you lose your family and they take you out of the inheritance? Are you willing to follow Jesus if it cost you every single one of your billion YouTube followers that pay for your special lifestyle. Are you willing to follow Jesus if your husband beats you or your wife leaves you for it. Are you willing to give up your delusions about being a good person, of human autonomy, of making your own way? Are you willing to follow Him if it is to a literal cross, a firing squad? That happens everyday in places all over the world. There are pastors in jail in China right now because they refused to preach the state approved sermons. 

…18Truly, truly, I tell you, when you were young, you dressed yourself and walked where you wanted; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. And after He had said this, He told him, “Follow Me.” 20Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them. He was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper to ask, “Lord, who is going to betray You?”…

…21When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?” 22 Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you? You follow Me!” 23Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. However, Jesus did not say that he would not die, but only, “If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you?”… John 21: 18-23

What king - Kings are not above reproach, and they sit in no special seat that keeps them from the consequences of bad decisions. From their seat their decisions affect much more than just themselves though.

Gary Inrig - Discipleship is not a casual or an occasional activity. Enthusiasm for it is important, but that will be insufficient to sustain a man plodding under the burden of the cross. Discipleship is an exciting adventure, but it is also a draining and demanding lifestyle. Warfare looks thrilling in the movies; it looks very different from the trenches. “Count the cost—it is no small matter to build a life for Me.” (The Parables : Understanding What Jesus Meant - Borrow)

Inrig - The second parable poses a very different problem. If it is foolish to begin without counting the cost, it is disastrous to delay one’s choice without considering the consequences. Not only do we need to count the cost of discipleship, we need to consider the consequences of refusing discipleship. One way or another, choice is inevitable. (The Parables : Understanding What Jesus Meant - Borrow) - Precept Austin

…17Food gained by fraud is sweet to a man, but later his mouth is full of gravel. 18Set plans by consultation, and wage war under sound guidance. 19He who reveals secrets is a constant gossip; avoid the one who babbles with his lips.… Proverbs 20: 17-19

He sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace - His terms are repent and believe, confess your sins, ask for forgiveness. The ability to repent is a gift even, so there is no room for pride, knowing that, listen to the prayers of David.

6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

9 Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom.

10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. James 4: 6-10

…16For You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You take no pleasure in burnt offerings. 17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. 18In Your good pleasure, cause Zion to prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem.… Psalm 51: 16-18

…9Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities. 10Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 11Cast me not away from Your presence; take not Your Holy Spirit from me.… Psalm 51: 9-11

Anyone of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be one of My disciples - Everything else is counted as lost, but what is the finite in comparison to eternity?

14This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after He was raised from the dead. 15 When they had finished eating, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love Me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.” Jesus replied, “Feed My lambs.” 16Jesus asked a second time, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.” Jesus told him, “Shepherd My sheep.”… John 21: 14-16

How shall its saltiness be restored - A Christian in name only, one without the true gospel, without the regenerating work of the Spirit, is no preservative to the truth, his nature is still that of death. He is without taste, without change, without Christ.

12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you. 13You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its savor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. 14You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.… Matthew 5: 12-14

Therefore, salt (halas) is good (kalos); but if even salt (halas) has become tasteless (moraino), with what will it be seasoned (artuo) - In Jesus' day salt was very useful as not only seasoning but also as a preservative. See more detailed discussion of salt below. Since most of us think of refined table salt (which is 97% sodium chloride) when we read Jesus' words, we cannot fathom how the salt could possibly become tasteless. What we do not realize in America, is that not all "salt" is the same. Some salt has less sodium chloride than our common table salt. In Jesus' day most of the salt came from marshes southwest of the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea's mineral composition differs from that of ocean water, which is approximately 85% sodium chloride (NaCl) whereas Dead Sea salt is only 12-18% sodium chloride. The point is that the impure salt derived from the Dead Sea was susceptible to deterioration and could lose its flavor, leaving useless crystals fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. Useless salt was simply thrown away. What will it be seasoned is a rhetorical question expecting a negative answer. It cannot be seasoned. It's value is lost.

Guzik - Salt is only useful when it has the nature of salt. A Christian is only useful when he has the nature of Christ. Salt that loses its "saltiness" can't be of use to Jesus. God looks for believers with "tang" that He can use. (Commentary)

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