The parable that we are looking at this week is the parable of the prodigal father. I want to remind you that the main character is not the lost son, but the father. Also, I want to remind you of the definition of prodigal. The word prodigal is a very old English word that actually means extravagant. It does not speak of youthful rebellion or sinful living. The main idea behind the word prodigal is that of wastefulness and excess. A prodigal person is a big spender who spreads his resources around, someone who is recklessly openhanded with large gifts.
I want to submit to you that the father was more of a prodigal than his son ever was. We are seeing the prodigal nature of the father in 4 things this week. Already, we have seen the prodigal nature of the father in the Rebellion of the Son, the ruin of the son, and the repentance of the son. If you need to catch up, check out the archives at kevinivy.com and catch up on part one. Today we will see the prodigal nature of the father in the restoration of the Son. Look at what happens in verses 22-24. But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to celebrate.
Not only did the father forgive him, but he restored him and he restored him in a prodigal (lavish, extravagant) way. He gave him a Robe. Every nobleman had a choice robe—an expensive, ornate, embroidered, one of a kind, floor length outer garment of the highest quality fabric and craftsmanship. Giving him the robe signified a greater honor than one would normally even think to confer on a son. This was the kind of courtesy reserved for an extremely prestigious dignitary. The father was publicly honoring his returning son not only as guest of honor at the banquet but also as a person of the utmost distinction.
He also gave him a Ring. This was the signet ring that had the family seal, so when the ring was pressed into melted wax on a formal document, the resulting seal served as legal authentication. The ring therefore was a symbol of authority.
He went on to give him Sandals. The sandals may sound like the least of the gifts, but they were highly significant. Hired servants and household slaves customarily went barefoot. Only masters and their sons wore footwear. This is not a servant. This is my son.
Finally, we see him kill the Fatted Calf. Such a calf would be grain fed only for an extraordinary occasion, such as the wedding of a firstborn son or a once in a lifetime banquet held to celebrate the arrival of an important dignitary. The animal would be carefully selected well in advance of the occasion, generously fed, diligently cared for, and kept penned up, apart from the herd. It would be enough to feed hundreds of people. Preparation would take the rest of the day, and the festivities would continue deep into the night. It would not be unusual for a party such as this to last three days or more.
The rebellious son had entrusted his life to the father, and the father had absolutely amazed and overwhelmed him by entrusting his resources to him. His father turned out to be the prodigal of the story. The prodigal nature of the Father was not met with open arms by everyone. The story goes on in verses 25-32.
"Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.' 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, 'Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!' 31 And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'"
Haven’t you always wondered, What happened then? Did he go in and celebrate? Did he walk away angry? Who knows? The ending simply isn't there. It leaves us hanging. There was an ending to the story however. Think about it. The father figure in the parable clearly represents Christ. The younger son in the parable represents the heathen, publicans, and tax collectors: the lost. The elder brother clearly represents the Pharisees, Scribes, and religious leaders. With all of that in mind, we can today fill in the remainder of the story, because we know how the elder brother responded to the father (Christ). The true ending of the story should read something like this: "The elder son was outraged at his father so he turned some of the servants against him and murdered him right in the very midst of the celebratory feast!" Ouch! The prodigal nature of the father (the lavish mercy, the excessive grace, and the extravagant forgiveness) is met with rage by the religious elite.
Christ is murdered. He is beaten, he is crucified, he is buried, and thankfully he is resurrected from the grave. The ironic thing is, even in his death he is pouring out grace, mercy, and forgiveness. The ending was not officially penned in the parable itself and I think that this is good. This allows for everyone who hears the story today to write his or her own ending by how they respond. How will you respond?
Will you crucify him all over again OR will you join the celebration by repenting of your sin, embracing the Gospel, and following Christ? The responsibility to rightly respond is yours.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
The Prodigal Father: Part 1
The parable that we come to today is probably the most popular parable in all of the Word of God. It is definitely the most popular parable in Luke’s Gospel. Though this parable is so well known, I do not believe that it is rightly known.
First, the main character is not the lost son, but the father. There are 3 parables in this chapter: the parable of the lost sheep, the parable of the lost silver, and the parable of the lost son. All three have Christ as the star! In the parable of the lost sheep he is pictured as the good shepherd. In the parable of the lost silver he is pictured as the one who came to seek and to save the lost. And now in the parable of the lost son, he is pictured as a gracious and merciful and compassionate Father. So, the main character is not the son, but the father.
Secondly, the title that we have come to recognize this parable by is backwards. We call it the parable of the prodigal son. I want to submit to you this morning that the title should be the parable of the prodigal father. I have a very good reason for this title. After all the word prodigal is a very old English word that actually means extravagant. It does not speak of youthful rebellion or sinful living. The main idea behind the word prodigal is that of wastefulness and excess. A prodigal person is a big spender who spreads his resources around, someone who is recklessly openhanded with large gifts.
I want to submit to you that the father was more of a prodigal than his son ever was. We will see the prodigal nature of the father in 4 things this week. First, we see the prodigal nature of the father in the Rebellion of the Son. Look at what happens in verses 11-13. And he said, "There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.' And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living."
This younger son was a rebellious son. He said to his father, give me my inheritance. Pull your will out of the safe, call a lawyer, and give me what is coming to me. For a son in that culture to request his inheritance early was equivalent to saying, I wish you were dead. And any father with a proper concern about the honor of his own name and the reputation of the family would now see to it that a boy like this received the full and just punishment for his disrespect. A son guilty of dishonoring his father to this degree could well expect to lose everything he had or was hoping to receive. He could expect to be permanently dismissed from the family. Actually, he would be viewed as dead. It was not uncommon in that time and place to hold an actual funeral for a child who disrespected and abandoned his home and family in this way.
The scribes and Pharisees are sitting on the edge of their seats in utter shock and amazement. They fully expected the prodigal son's father to drop the hammer on the wayward youth. After all, the father's honor had been turned to shame by his son's rebellion. Here is where we see the first sign of the father’s prodigal (lavish, extravagant, excessive ways). Rather than publicly strike the boy across the face for his disrespect, this father granted his rebel son exactly what he asked for. He dug out the will, called in the lawyer, and gave him his entire inheritance. That was a little excessive in the eyes of the religious leaders. Instead of punishment, he gave him what he did not even deserve. We see the prodigal nature of the father in his response to the rebellion of the son.
We also see the prodigal nature of the father in the Ruin of the Son. Look at what happens in verses 14-16. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
We see the prodigal nature of the father in the ruin of the rebellious son. The party has ended for the son. His funds have run out, his friends have run off, and a famine has set in. The son has lost his inheritance and he has lost his hope. He finds himself a job feeding pigs. He is at the lowest of the low. Rabbis actually are quoted as saying, “Cursed is the man who breeds swine.” Here is this young Jew working for a Gentile, feeding the swine, and even considering eating with them. Obviously, he is at his lowest point. He is ruined.
What is the father doing during the ruin of his son. It is dangerous to assume much of anything, but I think it is safe to assume that he is waiting and watching for him. It is evident that the father was looking diligently for the prodigal's return. Look in verse 20, “While he was still a great way off, his father saw him.” How else could he have seen him while he was still a long way off if he were not watching and waiting for him? We see lavish mercy, excessive love, and extravagant patience from the father. We see the prodigal nature of the father as he waits for his son to return from his ruin.
We also see the prodigal nature of the father in the Repentance of the Son. The son is awakened to his sin in verses 17-20a, “But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants."' 20 And he arose and came to his father.” He sees his sin. He sees the solution. He formulates his plan. He arises and begins to carry out his plan.
Look at the prodigal response of the father. 20b But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. He ran to him. In that culture of honor, especially in a situation like this, it would be nothing extraordinary if the father simply refused to meet the boy face to face. Yet, here was the father not shunning his son, but running to him. In the context of that culture, the father's action of running to the boy and embracing him before he came all the way home was seen as shameful. Nobelmen in that culture did not run. Running was for little boys and servants. No, noblemen walked in a dignified, authoritative manner with deliberate steps. The text uses a word that speaks of sprinting, as if he were in an athletic competition. The father gathered up the hem of his robe and took off in a most undignified manner.
Not only did he run to him, but he embraced him! Now that the boy was coming home, the Pharisees expected him to get what he deserved. It would be fairly typical to punish him first by publicly shaming him. A father in those circumstances might have his son sit outside the gate in public view for several days. The boy would be completely exposed to the elements—and worse, to the utter scorn of the whole community. In a typical village where everyone knew everyone else, the entire village would mock and verbally abuse him and possibly even spit on him. He would just have to sit there and take it while he waited. After a few days wait, the son would be expected to bow low and kiss the father's feet. But his father kissed him, and the verb tense means he repeatedly kissed him (the rag wearing, pig smelling, disrespectful son). He does not receive what he deserves (shaming). He receives what he does not deserve in abundance, in excess. He was embraced and kissed. Such an embrace with repeated kisses was a gesture that signified his full acceptance, forgiveness, restoration, and total reconciliation.
In verses 21-22 we read, And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' 22 But the father said to his servants. The father quickly cut him off. The prodigal never even got to the part of his rehearsed speech in which he would ask to become one of the hired servants. The father had already reinstated him as a beloved son, and the great celebration was to get underway.
The excessive, lavish, extravagant love, forgiveness, and mercy the father showed reveals his prodigal nature.
If you are not yet convinced that it is the father who is the prodigal in the story just wait until next time…
First, the main character is not the lost son, but the father. There are 3 parables in this chapter: the parable of the lost sheep, the parable of the lost silver, and the parable of the lost son. All three have Christ as the star! In the parable of the lost sheep he is pictured as the good shepherd. In the parable of the lost silver he is pictured as the one who came to seek and to save the lost. And now in the parable of the lost son, he is pictured as a gracious and merciful and compassionate Father. So, the main character is not the son, but the father.
Secondly, the title that we have come to recognize this parable by is backwards. We call it the parable of the prodigal son. I want to submit to you this morning that the title should be the parable of the prodigal father. I have a very good reason for this title. After all the word prodigal is a very old English word that actually means extravagant. It does not speak of youthful rebellion or sinful living. The main idea behind the word prodigal is that of wastefulness and excess. A prodigal person is a big spender who spreads his resources around, someone who is recklessly openhanded with large gifts.
I want to submit to you that the father was more of a prodigal than his son ever was. We will see the prodigal nature of the father in 4 things this week. First, we see the prodigal nature of the father in the Rebellion of the Son. Look at what happens in verses 11-13. And he said, "There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.' And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living."
This younger son was a rebellious son. He said to his father, give me my inheritance. Pull your will out of the safe, call a lawyer, and give me what is coming to me. For a son in that culture to request his inheritance early was equivalent to saying, I wish you were dead. And any father with a proper concern about the honor of his own name and the reputation of the family would now see to it that a boy like this received the full and just punishment for his disrespect. A son guilty of dishonoring his father to this degree could well expect to lose everything he had or was hoping to receive. He could expect to be permanently dismissed from the family. Actually, he would be viewed as dead. It was not uncommon in that time and place to hold an actual funeral for a child who disrespected and abandoned his home and family in this way.
The scribes and Pharisees are sitting on the edge of their seats in utter shock and amazement. They fully expected the prodigal son's father to drop the hammer on the wayward youth. After all, the father's honor had been turned to shame by his son's rebellion. Here is where we see the first sign of the father’s prodigal (lavish, extravagant, excessive ways). Rather than publicly strike the boy across the face for his disrespect, this father granted his rebel son exactly what he asked for. He dug out the will, called in the lawyer, and gave him his entire inheritance. That was a little excessive in the eyes of the religious leaders. Instead of punishment, he gave him what he did not even deserve. We see the prodigal nature of the father in his response to the rebellion of the son.
We also see the prodigal nature of the father in the Ruin of the Son. Look at what happens in verses 14-16. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
We see the prodigal nature of the father in the ruin of the rebellious son. The party has ended for the son. His funds have run out, his friends have run off, and a famine has set in. The son has lost his inheritance and he has lost his hope. He finds himself a job feeding pigs. He is at the lowest of the low. Rabbis actually are quoted as saying, “Cursed is the man who breeds swine.” Here is this young Jew working for a Gentile, feeding the swine, and even considering eating with them. Obviously, he is at his lowest point. He is ruined.
What is the father doing during the ruin of his son. It is dangerous to assume much of anything, but I think it is safe to assume that he is waiting and watching for him. It is evident that the father was looking diligently for the prodigal's return. Look in verse 20, “While he was still a great way off, his father saw him.” How else could he have seen him while he was still a long way off if he were not watching and waiting for him? We see lavish mercy, excessive love, and extravagant patience from the father. We see the prodigal nature of the father as he waits for his son to return from his ruin.
We also see the prodigal nature of the father in the Repentance of the Son. The son is awakened to his sin in verses 17-20a, “But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants."' 20 And he arose and came to his father.” He sees his sin. He sees the solution. He formulates his plan. He arises and begins to carry out his plan.
Look at the prodigal response of the father. 20b But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. He ran to him. In that culture of honor, especially in a situation like this, it would be nothing extraordinary if the father simply refused to meet the boy face to face. Yet, here was the father not shunning his son, but running to him. In the context of that culture, the father's action of running to the boy and embracing him before he came all the way home was seen as shameful. Nobelmen in that culture did not run. Running was for little boys and servants. No, noblemen walked in a dignified, authoritative manner with deliberate steps. The text uses a word that speaks of sprinting, as if he were in an athletic competition. The father gathered up the hem of his robe and took off in a most undignified manner.
Not only did he run to him, but he embraced him! Now that the boy was coming home, the Pharisees expected him to get what he deserved. It would be fairly typical to punish him first by publicly shaming him. A father in those circumstances might have his son sit outside the gate in public view for several days. The boy would be completely exposed to the elements—and worse, to the utter scorn of the whole community. In a typical village where everyone knew everyone else, the entire village would mock and verbally abuse him and possibly even spit on him. He would just have to sit there and take it while he waited. After a few days wait, the son would be expected to bow low and kiss the father's feet. But his father kissed him, and the verb tense means he repeatedly kissed him (the rag wearing, pig smelling, disrespectful son). He does not receive what he deserves (shaming). He receives what he does not deserve in abundance, in excess. He was embraced and kissed. Such an embrace with repeated kisses was a gesture that signified his full acceptance, forgiveness, restoration, and total reconciliation.
In verses 21-22 we read, And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' 22 But the father said to his servants. The father quickly cut him off. The prodigal never even got to the part of his rehearsed speech in which he would ask to become one of the hired servants. The father had already reinstated him as a beloved son, and the great celebration was to get underway.
The excessive, lavish, extravagant love, forgiveness, and mercy the father showed reveals his prodigal nature.
If you are not yet convinced that it is the father who is the prodigal in the story just wait until next time…
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Salvation, the Heart and Joy of God
Last time we were reminded that salvation is the work of God (if you did not read it, search the archives at kevinivy.com and read it). Salvation is not our work. It is His. We are saved by grace, through faith. Not only is salvation the work of God, but it is also the very heart of God. Listen to the message of the parable in verses 8 and 9 of Luke 15. “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.”
Salvation is the Heart of God. This woman so desired the lost silver that she thoroughly, consistently, and with great perseverance sought it until she found it. This woman searches carefully until she finds it. This woman lights a lamp. She sweeps the whole house. She leaves nothing unturned. When she comes to the end of her search, she can say, I have searched everywhere. She seeks it until she finds it.
Salvation is God’s Heart. We read in 1 Tim 2:3-4, “This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” God so desires that people be saved, that he has given us every opportunity and reason to respond. God has thoroughly revealed Himself to us!
He has given us the witness of the heavens. Just look up at the moon. The moon’s orbit creates the necessary tides upon the oceans. The moon orbits the earth from about 240,000 miles out. If the moon were to move in just one-fifth of this distance, the continents would be plunged under water twice a day. Just look up at the stars. There are only 4000 stars that can be seen without a telescope. Modern telescopes have verified that there are 10 million, billion, billion stars. Just look up at the uniqueness of the planets and at the power of the sun. 90% of all astronomers believe in God because they have looked up. The Psalmist in Ps 19:1 said, “The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. “
He has given us the witness of our conscious. There is a moral law in each of us that tells us that regardless of our beliefs it is wrong to rape, steal, and kill. If there were no such moral law or conscious within us, the world would be in chaos. Who set these universal rules in the heart of mankind? According to Romans, it was God. Rom 2:14-15 says, “For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness, and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them.”
He has given us the witness of creation. Just look around at the grass and trees and the animal kingdom. Look out at the ocean and the diversity of ocean life. The archerfish can shoot water into the air 15 feet and strike a small insect that it has chosen for a meal. Just look around period! That eye that you are looking around with comes with automatic aiming, automatic focusing, and automatic maintenance during one’s sleep. When stuck in the dark the eye can increase its ability to see 100,000 times. No one has to think about that, or give their eye instructions, or teach their eye to perform. It just happens. Did it just happen by accident or chance?
He has given us the witness of His Word. The Word of God was written over a period of 1500 years on 3 separate continents by more than 40 different authors in 3 different languages. Yet, despite its diversity, it comes together to present one story of God's plan to redeem mankind from sin, iniquity, and transgression.
Ultimately, He has given us the witness of Himself. God came to earth in the flesh. Every religion on earth tries to give its followers direction on how to climb the mountain to God. Most would claim that all the roads up the mountain are leading to God. Most would claim, that it doesn’t matter how you climb, or which side of the mountain you scale, because we are all striving to reach the same God. Christianity is not about climbing a mountain to find God. It is about God coming down off of the mountain to find us, pick us up, and carry us home. He came to seek and to save the lost.
Salvation is God’s Heart. He has turned on the light, He has swept the room, and He is seeking you out. God’s heart is salvation and we know it because of how clearly He has revealed Himself to us.
Finally, we need to be reminded that salvation is the Joy of God. Notice the reason he told the 2 parables in verses 1 and 2, “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." The Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling. They were grumbling because tax collectors and sinners (less important folks) were coming to Christ. And not only that, Jesus is enjoying and rejoicing in the fact that they are coming to him. This upset the religious crowd, so he told these parables.
Listen to verse 7 and verse 10. Verse seven states, “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." Verse 10 says, “Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” This is a description of the pleasure of God Himself. Notice that Jesus doesn't speak of the joy of the angels, but the joy in the presence of the angels and joy in heaven. It is the joy of God Himself. Salvation is God’s Joy.
The only feature of those 2 stories that seems exaggerated is the celebration. Most people who find a lost coin or a lost animal wouldn't actually go to the trouble of calling friends and neighbors together and having a public party to rejoice. This is a picture of heaven's joy over sinners repenting. Heaven's joy over the redemption of sinners is an ecstatic joy, almost exaggerated. That the Sovereign, Holy, Omnipresent, Omniscient, Omnipotent, Immutable, Eternal, All Powerful, Creator God would rejoice at the repentance of a totally depraved, ungodly, iniquity filled, sin filled, rebellious wicked sinners is OUTRAGEOUS. And we so often seem to take it for granted. Let us praise God that salvation is His joy.
These two parables are all about God seeking us, taking the initiative, and doing the work of salvation. These parables are not about the sinner’s response to God, but about God’s response to the sinner. So what kind of response is required of us? Simply put, we must repent and believe the Gospel. We must turn away from our sin and believe and embrace the Gospel of Christ (1 Cor 15). We must Seek the Lord while he may be found and call upon him while he is near. In the words of Jeremiah the prophet, “You will seek me and find me. When you seek me with all your heart.” Are you seeking God? If so, that is a reliable indication that He is seeking you. Don’t give up. Continue pursuing Him. Repent, believe and embrace the Gospel. Throw yourself upon the mercy and grace of Christ and he will carry you and rejoice in your redemption. Keep seeking Him until He finds you.
Salvation is the Heart of God. This woman so desired the lost silver that she thoroughly, consistently, and with great perseverance sought it until she found it. This woman searches carefully until she finds it. This woman lights a lamp. She sweeps the whole house. She leaves nothing unturned. When she comes to the end of her search, she can say, I have searched everywhere. She seeks it until she finds it.
Salvation is God’s Heart. We read in 1 Tim 2:3-4, “This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” God so desires that people be saved, that he has given us every opportunity and reason to respond. God has thoroughly revealed Himself to us!
He has given us the witness of the heavens. Just look up at the moon. The moon’s orbit creates the necessary tides upon the oceans. The moon orbits the earth from about 240,000 miles out. If the moon were to move in just one-fifth of this distance, the continents would be plunged under water twice a day. Just look up at the stars. There are only 4000 stars that can be seen without a telescope. Modern telescopes have verified that there are 10 million, billion, billion stars. Just look up at the uniqueness of the planets and at the power of the sun. 90% of all astronomers believe in God because they have looked up. The Psalmist in Ps 19:1 said, “The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. “
He has given us the witness of our conscious. There is a moral law in each of us that tells us that regardless of our beliefs it is wrong to rape, steal, and kill. If there were no such moral law or conscious within us, the world would be in chaos. Who set these universal rules in the heart of mankind? According to Romans, it was God. Rom 2:14-15 says, “For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness, and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them.”
He has given us the witness of creation. Just look around at the grass and trees and the animal kingdom. Look out at the ocean and the diversity of ocean life. The archerfish can shoot water into the air 15 feet and strike a small insect that it has chosen for a meal. Just look around period! That eye that you are looking around with comes with automatic aiming, automatic focusing, and automatic maintenance during one’s sleep. When stuck in the dark the eye can increase its ability to see 100,000 times. No one has to think about that, or give their eye instructions, or teach their eye to perform. It just happens. Did it just happen by accident or chance?
He has given us the witness of His Word. The Word of God was written over a period of 1500 years on 3 separate continents by more than 40 different authors in 3 different languages. Yet, despite its diversity, it comes together to present one story of God's plan to redeem mankind from sin, iniquity, and transgression.
Ultimately, He has given us the witness of Himself. God came to earth in the flesh. Every religion on earth tries to give its followers direction on how to climb the mountain to God. Most would claim that all the roads up the mountain are leading to God. Most would claim, that it doesn’t matter how you climb, or which side of the mountain you scale, because we are all striving to reach the same God. Christianity is not about climbing a mountain to find God. It is about God coming down off of the mountain to find us, pick us up, and carry us home. He came to seek and to save the lost.
Salvation is God’s Heart. He has turned on the light, He has swept the room, and He is seeking you out. God’s heart is salvation and we know it because of how clearly He has revealed Himself to us.
Finally, we need to be reminded that salvation is the Joy of God. Notice the reason he told the 2 parables in verses 1 and 2, “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." The Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling. They were grumbling because tax collectors and sinners (less important folks) were coming to Christ. And not only that, Jesus is enjoying and rejoicing in the fact that they are coming to him. This upset the religious crowd, so he told these parables.
Listen to verse 7 and verse 10. Verse seven states, “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." Verse 10 says, “Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” This is a description of the pleasure of God Himself. Notice that Jesus doesn't speak of the joy of the angels, but the joy in the presence of the angels and joy in heaven. It is the joy of God Himself. Salvation is God’s Joy.
The only feature of those 2 stories that seems exaggerated is the celebration. Most people who find a lost coin or a lost animal wouldn't actually go to the trouble of calling friends and neighbors together and having a public party to rejoice. This is a picture of heaven's joy over sinners repenting. Heaven's joy over the redemption of sinners is an ecstatic joy, almost exaggerated. That the Sovereign, Holy, Omnipresent, Omniscient, Omnipotent, Immutable, Eternal, All Powerful, Creator God would rejoice at the repentance of a totally depraved, ungodly, iniquity filled, sin filled, rebellious wicked sinners is OUTRAGEOUS. And we so often seem to take it for granted. Let us praise God that salvation is His joy.
These two parables are all about God seeking us, taking the initiative, and doing the work of salvation. These parables are not about the sinner’s response to God, but about God’s response to the sinner. So what kind of response is required of us? Simply put, we must repent and believe the Gospel. We must turn away from our sin and believe and embrace the Gospel of Christ (1 Cor 15). We must Seek the Lord while he may be found and call upon him while he is near. In the words of Jeremiah the prophet, “You will seek me and find me. When you seek me with all your heart.” Are you seeking God? If so, that is a reliable indication that He is seeking you. Don’t give up. Continue pursuing Him. Repent, believe and embrace the Gospel. Throw yourself upon the mercy and grace of Christ and he will carry you and rejoice in your redemption. Keep seeking Him until He finds you.
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