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!