Welcome to Worship
November 13, 2022
8:30am
Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world. —(Isaiah 12:5)
Welcome to Worship: Rev. Bill Archer
Worship Song: Life of Praise
Prayer: Rev. Kevin Freeman
Redland Happenings and Welcome: Rev. Kevin Freeman
Worship Song: What A Beautiful Name
Ministry and Mission Moment: Jim Arnie
Scripture: Luke 15
Sermon Series: The Parables of Jesus – Truth to Build Your Life On
Sermon Title: The Three-fer Parable
Rev. Mark Adams
Sermon Notes:
1 - Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus.
2 - But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This Man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
3 - Then Jesus told them THIS parable:
4 - “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?
5 - And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders
6 - and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’
7 - I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in Heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
8 - “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?
9 - And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’
10 - In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
11 - Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons.
12 - The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So, he divided his property between them.
13 - “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.
14 - After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.
15 - So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.
16 - He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17 - “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!
18 - I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against Heaven and against you.
19 - I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’
20 - So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him.
He ran to his son, threw his arms around him, and kissed him.
21 - “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against Heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 - “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
23 - Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate.
24 - For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So, they began to celebrate.
25 - “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.
26 - So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on.
27 - ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
28 - “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So, his father went out and pleaded with him.
29 - But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders.
Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.
30 - But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
31 - ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.
32 - But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’” —Luke 15:1-32
What was Jesus trying to teach these ‘religious people’—and us—with this SUPER-PARABLE—this three-fer?
1.)
don’t look
to
people.
“The Word of the LORD came to me: ‘Son of Man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says; “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care of themselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock!? You [shepherds] have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. I am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable. I will rescue the flock from their mouths. I Myself will search for My sheep and look for them. I will rescue them.”’ —Ezekiel 34:1ff
“[Christians] are perceived to be long on madness and short on mercy, to be more committed to our consternation than we are to compassion.” —Joseph Stowell
“I have come to seek and to save that which was lost.” —Luke 19:10
“As the Father sent me, so send I you.” —John 20:21
2.) In God’s eyes ALL
— look far
than they —
think.
“When he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ —Luke 15:5-6
“When she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’” —Luke 15:9
“The father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate! For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So, they began to celebrate.” —Luke 15:22-24
“There will be more rejoicing in Heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons ‘who do not need to repent.’” —Luke 15:7, 10
“ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” —Romans 3:23
“There is NO ONE who is righteous—no, not even ONE.” —Romans 3:10
“The tears of the repentant form the wine of the angels!” —St. Bernard of Clairvaux
3.) God
for
. He
for the
.
“He left the ninety-nine in the open country and went after the lost sheep until he found it.” —Luke 15:4
“While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him. He ran to his son, threw his arms around him, and kissed him.” —Luke 15: 20
“He restores the joy of our salvation.” —Psalm 51:12
“He redeems us so that we can receive the full rights of sons.” —Galatians 4:5
“God is like a love-sick father Who cares more about us than our sin. He longs to welcome us home and restore us.” —Philip Yancey
“Interwoven in the text there is a sweet signification of the passion of Christ: He places upon His shoulders the sheep He has found. That is, He transfers to Himself the burden of us.” —Philip Melanchthon
“Jesus Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness—by His wounds you have been healed, For, you were like sheep going astray but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls” —1 Peter 2 24-5
“He redeems us so that we can receive the full rights of sons.” —Galatians 4
Time of Decision and Commitment: Surrender
Benediction: Rev. Mark Adams