THE TRAGEDY OF BEING LOST

Luke 15

By David J. Riggs

Intro.
   A. Please turn to Luke the 15th chapter.  
   B. This chapter contains three well-known parables of Jesus: the   
      Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Prodigal son.  
      1. A good title for this chapter is, "The tragedy of Being      
         Lost."  
   C. The first two verses introduce the setting for the parables     
      which follow (Luke 15:1-2).  
      1. The scribes and Pharisees had an attitude problem (pride,    
         self-righteousness - Luke 18:9-12).  
      2. Jesus shows that it is the will of the Father that sinners   
         repent.  
      3. The scribes and Pharisees should have rejoiced that sinners
        were being converted.  
      4. As result of their complaint, Jesus delivers the three       
         parables.  

I. Luke 15:4-7 - The Tragedy of Carelessness
   A. The shepherd would leave the 99 in a fold where they would be   
      safe and go after the one in danger.
      1. When the lost sheep was found, it was a time for jubilation  
         and celebration.
   B. In the parable we see the tragedy of being lost through
      carelessness.  
      1. Christians can be lost through carelessness (Luke 8:14). 
      2. Christians can carelessly accept a certain error.  We are    
         taught to beware of false prophets who come in sheep's       
         clothing (Matt. 7:15).  
      3. Christians can carelessly fellowship those who are living in
         adulterous marriages.  
         a. Churches, in their eagerness to obtain new members, can
            blindly accept those living in fornication.  (1 Cor.      
            5:4-5,13)
         b. The Oak Ridge church has a policy that before new
            members are identified with us, we want to meet with them
            so that they can ask questions about us and we about      
            them.
            (1) This policy has been proven to be beneficial in       
                keeping the church pure.
   C. Jesus' own application of the parable is that there is great    
      joy in heaven when the lost are found (when sinners repent and  
      turn to God). Look at verse 7 again.   
      1. Edersheim quotes a Jew who said, "There is joy before God
         when those who provoke Him perish from the world."  (The
         Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, Vol. 2, p. 256).
         a. Jesus in Luke 15 shows us a very different concept of     
            God. Ezek. 33:11

II. Luke 15:8-10 - The Tragedy of Uselessness
   A. The parable of the lost coin shows the tragedy of being lost
      through uselessness.
      1. The coin was of no value when it was out of circulation.
         a. Ill. I read about one who bought an antique desk which    
            had a secret drawer which was full of old gold and silver 
            coins worth thousands of dollars.  Also, a small boy      
            bought an old trunk that had a small box in it that was   
            full of money. He took it back to the auctioneer who      
            told him, "Sonny, it all belongs to you because you       
            bought the trunk."
         b. The money in the old desk and trunk was useless when it
            was out of circulation.
      2. Christians can be lost when they lose their usefulness.
         a. Some today become useless through lack of zeal.  We
            encourage all:
            (1) Don't give up the race (Heb. 12:1-2)
            (2) Don't give up the fight (1 Tim. 6:12).
            (3) Don't give up the service (2 Tim. 2:4).
            (4) Don't give up the work (1 Cor. 15:58)
            (5) Don't give up the pressing toward the goal (Phil.     
                3:13-14).
            (6) Don't give up the efforts to be a vessel of honor (2  
                Tim. 2:20-21).
      3. Again, the main lesson of the parable is that there is great 
         joy in heaven when one sinner repents (vs. 10; Rev.          
         3:19-20).

III. Luke 15:11-24 - The Tragedy of Being Lost Willfully.
   A. Verses 11-13 - He did all those things wilfully.
      1. He wilfully asked for his inheritance.
      2. He wilfully went into a foreign county.
      3. He wilfully wasted his substance with riotous living.
   B. Verses 14-16 - Things can rapidly change for the sinful.
      1. He was hit with two disasters at the same time: a money
         shortage and a food shortage.  Food would have been even
         harder to get during a famine. 
      2. Pigs were unclean to the Jews, and to be feeding them was a
         detestable occupation.
      3. The "carob pods" were from trees corresponding to our beech
         trees which have nuts inedible to humans.
         a. He was so hungry that he would have eaten the pig's food
            and no one gave him anything.
         b. The pigs seemed to be better off than he was.
   C. Verses 17-19 
      1. It says that he came to himself.  He came to his senses.
         a. Severe hardship has a way of causing us to face facts.
         b. It is better when the Word of God causes us to come to    
            our senses.
      2. We admire his humble, thorough confession.
        a. Not like some who say, "If I have offended anyone, I am
           sorry."  In other words, "I don't think I have sinned, but 
           if you think I have, I'm sorry."  This is no confession at 
           all.
        b. Or, not like some who have no humility, who supposedly
           repent and then demand that they be immediately restored
           to the position of influence which they had before they
           sinned.
   D. Verses 20-24 
      1. All the tears,  all the remorse, all the good intentions,    
         all the wonderful resolutions we may have, are worthless     
         until acted upon.
      2. In his weakened condition, the return home must have been
         difficult, but somehow he made it.
      3. The father's heart went out to him.  He never lost interest  
         in his son.  He was continually looking for him.  He         
         receives him with a warm reception.
      4. The father didn't say, "I told you so," or "I hope you have
         learned your lesson."  Instead, he gave him the best of      
         treatment because, as he said, - vs. 24
      5. This parable reveals the unfailing love of God.  God is      
         always willing and ready to forgive.

IV. Luke 15:25-32 - The Tragedy of Bitterness
   A. This is not a new parable but an extension of the preceding     
      one. In
      this, we see the tragedy of being lost through bitterness.
      1. These seldom consider themselves lost. They are like the
         scribes and Pharisees.
   B. Verses 25-26 - We see common-sense wisdom in the reply of the
      servant.
   C. Verses 28-32
      1. Some of the evil traits we see in the elder brother:
         a. Anger (vs. 28)
         b. Sulking or pouting ("would not go in" vs. 28)
         c. Self-righteousness (vs. 29a)
         d. Self-pity (vs. 29b),
         e. Contempt ("this son of yours" vs. 30a)
         f. Slander (vs. 29b - the younger son may have been guilty   
            of this or he may not have;  the elder brother had no way 
            of knowing)
         g. Envy (vs. 29c)
      2. Gal. 5:19-21 - sandwiched between the gross sins are the one
         more common among Christians (the devil's hamburger).
      3. Bitterness and hate will condemn us just as will riotous     
         living (I John 2:10-11; 3:14-15; 4:20-21)

V. What are some general principles we can learn from these
   parables?
   A. They marvelously describe the character of God.
   B. We have a loving Father that cares for us.  We need to be       
      careful (willing to repent) lest we be lost through             
      carelessness (as the lost
      sheep), uselessness, (as the lost coin), wilfulness (as the     
      lost son), or bitterness (as the elder brother).
   C. They characterize our concern for the lost. Eph. 5:1; 2 Cor.    
      3:18
   D. They make it easy for all sinners to surrender their hearts to  
      God. God is not harsh and mean and out to destroy, but is kind, 
      loving, and ready to receive and forgive all who will repent.

Concl. Are you lost? Are you dead in sin? You can be found! You
  can be alive!
  A. If you are lost in sin, you can be found by obedience to the     
     gospel. 
     You will be found; you will be alive.
  B. If you are lost through carelessness, uselessness, wilfulness,
     bitterness, you also can be found, you, too, can be alive.

Chart #1
The Lost Sheep - The Tragedy of Carelessness

 Carelessly absorbed in something else

 Carelessly accept a certain error

 Carelessly fellowship those in sin

 There is great joy in heaven when such repent

Chart #2
The Lost Coin - The Tragedy of Uselessness

 Was of no value when out of circulation

 Some become useless through lack of zeal:
    
   Don't give up the race - Heb. 12:1-2
   Don't give up the fight - 1 Tim. 6:12
   Don't give up the service - 2 Tim. 2:4
   Don't give up the work - 1 Cor. 15:58
   Don't give up the pressing toward the goal - Phil. 3:13-14
   Don't give up the efforts to be a vessel of honor - 2 Tim.
        2:20-21

 There is great joy in heaven when such repent

Chart #3
The Lost Son - The Tragedy of Being Lost Willfully

 He willfully did all those things

 We admire his humble, thorough confession

 Shows God's unfailing love; His willingness and readiness to
  forgive

Chart #4
The Elder Brother - The Tragedy of Bitterness

 These seldom consider
  themselves lost

   Anger
   Sulking or Pouting
   Self-righteousness
   Self-pity
   Contempt
   Slander
   Envy

 Bitterness and hate will condemn us just as will riotous
  living

The Central Theme: "The Father's
Yearning Love for the Lost"

    They marvelously describe the
     character of God

    We have a loving Father that cares for
     us

    They characterize our concern for the
     lost

    They make it easy for all sinners to
     surrender their hearts to God

    Are you lost?  Are you dead in sin? 
     You can be found!  You can be alive!