Salvation, the Work of God

We come today to a chapter of parables. There is the parable of the lost sheep, the lost silver, and the lost son, all of which point to the salvation of the sinner. We must understand that these parables are not referring to a backslidden believer. They are referring to lost sinners and to how God responds to them! Furthermore, these parables are not about the sinner’s response to God, but about God’s response to the sinner. This week we will look at the first 2 parables in Luke 15 and we will conclude next week with the parable of the prodigal.

In Luke 15:1-10 we read, “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. 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.”

As we think about God’s response to the sinner, we see three things about salvation in these parables that we will be reminded of this week.

First, we see that Salvation is the Work of God. We read in verses 4-6, 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. In this parable we see very clearly that salvation is ultimately God’s work. After all, what does the sheep do? All that the sheep has done is get lost. He has gotten himself into mortal danger. He is as good as dead. A sheep separated from the flock and left to wander by itself in the wilderness will die, even with an abundance of food and water all around. It is only a matter of time before the lost sheep would succumb to the stress of being separated from the flock. Sheep are not generally independent thinkers. Their natural inclination is to stay together in flocks. If one got lost, it faced serious stress. Its stupidity and clumsiness were maximized. It is only a matter of time before the lost sheep will be devoured by predators, or die due to exposure to the elements. The sheep was as good as dead!

Just like that lost sheep, a lost person is as good as dead. The Bible tells us in Eph 2:4-5, “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved.” We are dead and left to ourselves we have no hope. We will always run from God, not to God. We will stray from the shepherd not run to him. Isa 53:6 reminds us that “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way.” The sheep was hopeless and helpless on its own, so if there is to be any hope, the shepherd has to find the sheep. We are hopeless and helpless left to ourselves, so if there is to be any hope for us, God has to do the work.

Think for a moment about Lazarus? He had been dead and buried for 4 days. Jesus comes on the scene, has the stone removed, and says, “Lazarus come forth.” Lazarus walks out of the tomb alive to everyone’s joy and amazement. He did not find Jesus and then receive life. Why? He couldn’t! He was dead! He was given life by the Sovereign Lord and then he came out to Jesus. He didn’t hear the voice of the Savior calling his name and then come to life. He came to life and then heard the voice of Christ and was able to respond to it. It was God who did the work!

We see in this parable that the shepherd leaves the 99 and goes in search of the lost sheep. The shepherd's duty would be to leave his flock in a safe place together and go in search of the lost sheep. That is exactly what the Lord did. He said in Luke 19:10 that “the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” The good shepherd seeks out the lost sheep. In Ezek 34:11-12 we read, “For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness.” God, the Good Shepherd does the work of our salvation. He seeks us.

Not only does the shepherd go in search of the sheep, he picks it up and carries it to safety. The shepherd lays the sheep on his shoulders and carries it back to the flock, back to the fold. He doesn't even leave it to the sheep to travel home in his own power. He lifts it up and carries it. Isa 40:11 says, “He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.” In Isa 46:4 we read, “I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save.”

The sheep does absolutely nothing in this parable. The entire saving work is attributed to the shepherd. Clearly, salvation is God’s work. May we never forget that our redemption is all of grace and none of works. It is all of God. Next time, we will see that salvation is also God’s heart and great joy. Until then…