The Lost Coin
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Jesus seems to be making these teachings in observance of the pharisees and theirgrumbling about Jesus receiving and eating with sinners/tax collectors.
And each teaching ends with the same thrust - there is joy at the sinner who repents - the lost son parable ends with the father instructing - “it was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead and is alive, he was lost and is found.”
The Father also readily receives the son back into his home, with much rejoicing.
He didn’t search though. The other parables feature the searching.
It seems like God is the shepherd, the woman. He is the one searching.
Therefore, the boy coming to his senses is doing so under the persuasion of the Holy Spirit. The same phrase is used when Peter realizes that he wasn’t in a trance, that God had actually freed him from prison. (Acts 12:11)
The first two parables are illustrations, the last one is a real life application.
The Spirit of God searches, desperately, for his elect. You are of worth, of value to the father, and he MUST have you home.
So Jesus’ disposition towards the lost was one of engagement. He interacted with them even though they were outsiders of the Jewish culture.
The statement “leave the 99” implies a a disposition towards those who do not know the Gospel. BUT the fact that the shepherd is a shepherd doesn’t mean he leaves the 99 to figure it out on their own. He will, of course, see to their safety and provision before stepping away from them for a time.
if a shepherd loses all his sheep, he ceases to be a shepherd.
It doesn’t imply neglect, but it does imply an availability to move a certain way when it’s needed.
It could also be in the same vein as Jesus’ other statement “the healthy don’t need a doctor”
maybe the 99 represent those that think they’ve got it all together. the self-rightesou.
SO, our church, our family, should be kept in order as ascribed by the Bible, but we should be able to flex. We should be able to move in pursuit of the lost when the opportunity comes.
The lost are coming to Christ, and he does not shrink away, he in fact teaches them the words of God intently and he (by inference) rejoices with them when they repent.
This means that as the Lord gives us opportunity we should faithfully proclaim his word.
which means we must know it.
and we know who is the Lord’s “sheep” by whether or not they know their master’s voice.
THE COINS AND THE SHEEP AND THE SON BELONG TO SOMEBODY ALREADY
In all three parables, the lost item is already the property of the owner. They are already the Lord’s, it’s merely a matter of them being found again.
We remember, in our evanglism, that it’s not our job to make an unbeliever repent. We’re calling the Lord’s sheep. we do so winsomly, you don’t call a sheep with the sound of a shotgun, but you do it with a feed bucket and a whistle. (might be exhausting this illustration here)
IT SEEMS LIKE in these illustrations that we aren’t necessarily hunting the lost, if I’m undertsanding the interpretations correctly… but rather we are making it plain who we are as foloowers of Christ, and in our intentionality of living, we bring the Word of God to those around us and watch what happens, ready to rejoice.
JESUS WAS RECEIVING THESE SINNERS in such a way that it provoked the pharisees to grumble about it. Concerned with their own personal “holiness” they’d never invite these typs of interactions personally.
the Pharisees accusation against Jesus is seen in the use of the word προσδέχομαι which carries a connotation of “Welcoming approval”
Jesus’ teachings clarify his position quickly, his approval comes along with repentence, not of their unrepentant lifestyles.
REJOICE WITH ME
God’s disposition is one of rejoicing when someone comes to faith, contrast with the Pharisees and scribes who grumbled that Jesus even got close to sinners.
So this implies:
Christians engage with non believers as the opportunities arise. with what? repent and believe. The gospel. The good news of Christ. Seriousness about sin, repentance, and forgiveness in Christ.
This also implies - that we know people. We meet them, we shake their ahnds, we invite them to our homes, we make efforts for hospitality.
We don’t just operate inside of our clique, but we expand it when we’re given the opportunities.
It means that we should bring the full weight of God’s truth to bear on situations, not being shy, not turning away from awkward conversations, but engaging directly, confidently, and compassionatly. Like Christ.
It means that when someone becomes a Christian, we should celebrate. We should celebrate every moment of repentance.
Wouldn’t that be a thing? To build a culture that celebrates God’s goodness in repentance?
This is why we sing the Doxology at our services, this is why we confess our sins together and then rejoice at the truth that “if we confess our sins he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness”
If we see our brothers/sisters refusing to rejoice, we entreat them, no come in to the party.
someone elses salvation/repentance doesn’t affect your standing with the King. You don’t receive less of an inheritance. There is no competition here.