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Getting Lost

Loyal
Luke 15 has three well known parables by Jesus. All three are about something getting lost.
But the interesting thing, is they all get lost for different reasons.

Luke 15:4; "What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?
Luke 15:5; "When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
Luke 15:6; "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 which was lost!'
Luke 15:7; "I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.


Sheep aren't the brightest animals. They tend to wander and stray. Mostly because they make "dumb" (dare I say, "stupid") decisions.
I was reading a book recently about shepherding, sometimes the shepherds would "hobble" (deliberately injure) a sheep that was particularly
prone to wander. Often they would break a leg or something to keep them from wandering off so much.

But the good shepherd cares about the lost sheep, and will go find them. The thing I notice about the sheep above, is that the one that is lost
repented. The sheep that are found, "need no repentance". It is the unrepentant who are lost.

Luke 15:8; "Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?
Luke 15:9; "When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost!'
Luke 15:10; "In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."


This woman has ten coins. Possibly her life savings. Possibly a wedding dowry. But she loses one of her coins. Now, unlike the sheep
who was "dumb". This woman was simply careless. Unlike a sheep, a coin can't wander off on it's own. It only goes where you put it. If you lost it,
it was only because of your carelessness. But just like the shepherd, she goes to find it. Also like the sheep, what made this coin lost,
was that it needed repentance. Without repentance you are a lost sheep or a lost coin. Also, as was the case with the sheep, the angels
rejoiced, and their is joy in heaven over "one sinner who repents".

Luke 15:11; And He said, "A man had two sons.
Luke 15:12; "The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.' So he divided his wealth between them.
Luke 15:13; "And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living.


Finally we have the story of the prodigal son. I won't post the whole passage here, most of us know the story.
But unlike the sheep who was "stupid", and the coin that was lost because of "carelessness", this son gets lost out of deliberate action.
It wasn't an accident, it wasn't simple carelessness, he made a willful decision to leave his father.

He eventually comes to his senses and goes back to his father...

Luke 15:32; 'But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.'"

It says here, he "was lost and has been found". Just like the sheep and the coin, he was lost. Now all of these parables aren't
really about a sheep, or a coin, or even a son per se. They are about your soul. Your soul can be lost. But heaven rejoices
when a sheep repents, when a coin repents, and even when a son repents.

Luke 15:21; "And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

Some people don't even know they are lost. Like the sheep, they made stupid decisions, or like the coin they got lost because of carelessness.
Or perhaps they were like the son and made a willful decision
to leave their father. The good news is someone is looking for you.
But like the sheep, the coin, and the rebel son, you need to repent.
There are people who consider themselves "found", but they aren't really. In the next chapter Jesus gives another lesson.

Luke 16:15; And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God.
Luke 16:16; "The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John; since that time the gospel of the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.


There are people who don't want to repent. "But God knows your hearts". People want to be in the kingdom of God, some are
"forcing" their "way into it". They want to be in the kingdom without repentance. However Jesus says...

Luke 16:17; "But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter of the Law to fail.

Keep in mind, heaven and earth haven't passed away yet.

Luke 13:3; "I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.

Rev 2:5; 'Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent.
 
Loyal
There is of course, a good shepherd. But there are also "good sheep". These are the sheep who follow the shepherd.

John 10:26; "But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep.
John 10:27; "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;
John 10:28; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.
John 10:29; "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.
John 10:30; "I and the Father are one."


The sheep that really belong to Jesus follow Him. There are people who are trying to force their way into the flock.
These are the tares that get planted among the wheat.
But they don't really "follow" the shepherd. Jesus said they "are not of My sheep".

Two commonly quoted verses here are John 10:28 -29;

No one can take us away from Jesus. I am reminded of old western movies about "cattle rustlers" that came and stole cattle from
some one else's herd. No one can do that to Jesus. No one is stronger or greater than Jesus. He and the Father "are one".

But still, sometimes sheep get lost. If no one can take them from Jesus how does this happen?

Jer 50:6; "My people have become lost sheep; Their shepherds have led them astray. They have made them turn aside on the mountains; They have gone along from mountain to hill And have forgotten their resting place.

It's because of the three reasons in Luke 16 above. No one can "take us" from Jesus, but we can wander off on our own.
 
Loyal
Like "good sheep", there are also "good stewards".
A good steward isn't careless with their coins, (in this case talents, which aren't always money).
We all know this story.

Matt 25:14; "For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them.
Matt 25:15; "To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey.
Matt 25:16; "Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents.
Matt 25:17; "In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more.
Matt 25:18; "But he who received the one talent went away, and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.
Matt 25:19; "Now after a long time the master of those slaves *came and *settled accounts with them.
Matt 25:20; "The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, 'Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.'
Matt 25:21; "His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.'
Matt 25:22; "Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, 'Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.'
Matt 25:23; "His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.'
Matt 25:24; "And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed.
Matt 25:25; 'And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.'
Matt 25:26; "But his master answered and said to him, 'You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed.
Matt 25:27; 'Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest.
Matt 25:28; 'Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.'
Matt 25:29; "For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away.


The master has three servants, He gives all three of them some talents. The talents here represent things besides money.
They represent whatever God has given you. How are you investing it? Your time, your teaching, your compassion, your money,
whatever it might be. Two of the three servants made good decisions and invested wisely. The third servant wasn't quite so wise.
Now it's interesting, he didn't lose the talent that was given to him. He gave it back to the master. But this didn't make the master happy.


Matt 25:30; "Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

No one can pluck you out of Jesus's hand. But He Himself can decide to "Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness".
 
Loyal
what a blessing to read your God given talent in this bible study, thanks for sharing @B-A-C

that poor steward that did nothing with his talent reminds me of the modern day man who gets disability yet is capable of working and falls in to the snare of depending on the gonv for his mean of survival.
 
Loyal
Good reading brother, another important message.

As you conclude my heart reaches for John 15.

Bless you brother.
 
Loyal
that poor steward that did nothing with his talent reminds me of the modern day man who gets disability yet is capable of working and falls in to the snare of depending on the gonv for his mean of survival.

Paul talks about this too.

2 Thes 3:6; Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us.
2 Thes 3:10; For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.
2 Thes 3:11; For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies.
2 Thes 3:14; If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame.
 
Loyal
Discipline, self control, obedience, are very godly characters of what seem to help very much from people falling away,


you dont here much of these type of words from the pulpit these days
 
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