Day 59 – Monday, March 24, 2025

One Year Journey Through the New Testament

Luke 15

Welcome to our journey through the New Testament!

Parable of the Lost Sheep

Matt. 18:12-14

1 Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. ² And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.” ³ So He spoke this parable to them, saying:

⁴ “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which 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 neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ ⁷ I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. 

(Luke 15:1–7, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• As Jesus was ministering to the crowds, all types of people began to gather around Him. Even tax collectors and sinners. The nerve of them to seek Jesus! At least that is what the Pharisees and scribes thought.
• They even talked about Jesus and condemned Him for allowing them in His company.
• Jesus then spoke the parable of the lost sheep. If a man had 100 sheep, and one was lost, wouldn’t he leave the 99 and go seek the one lost sheep? When he finds it, will he not carry it back to the fold and rejoice over its return?
• “I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over on sinner who repents that over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.”

Parable of the Lost Coin

⁸ “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? ⁹ And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’ ¹⁰ Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” 

(Luke 15:8–10, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• He then uses another analogous parable.
• A woman had ten silver coins. She lost one. What will she do? She will search the entire house, shine a light in every dark crevice, and look everywhere until she finds it.
• Then, she will calls her friends and neighbors and they will rejoice with her.
• Likewise, when one sinner repents, there is celebration in heaven.

Parable of the Lost Son

¹¹ Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. ¹² And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. ¹³ And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. ¹⁴ But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. ¹⁵ Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. ¹⁶ And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.

¹⁷ “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! ¹⁸ I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, ¹⁹ and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’

²⁰ “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. ²¹ And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

²² “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. ²³ And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; ²⁴ for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.

²⁵ “Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. ²⁷ And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’

²⁸ “But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. ²⁹ So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. ³⁰ But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’

³¹ “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. ³² It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’ ” 

(Luke 15:11–32, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• Finally, Jesus shares the longer parable about the lost son.
• A man’s younger son asked for his inheritance early. Once he received it, he left town and began to live it up. He eventually spent all his money and was alone.
• He got a job from someone tending swine, which was a horrible result for a good Jewish man. He realized the error of his ways, and purposed to return home, but this time as a servant, for he was unworthy of sonship.
• The father, seeing him come down the road to the house, ran to meet him. This was not considered dignified in Jewish culture, but the father’s joy overrode his decorum.
• The father restored the son to his former place in the family, and had a feast to celebrate his return. What a beautiful story of redemption!
• The older son, however, was not present when all this happened. He was probably at work and came home to find his younger brother being feted upon his return. He sulked.
• When the father came out to see why he was not celebrating, he stated his objections, pointing out that he had never gotten a party to celebrate him.
• The father explained the great joy that came from the restoration of his son to the family, and how celebration was in order.
• Don’t be mad when a sinner comes to the Lord in repentance. It does not make your salvation any less valuable. But the salvation of a lost soul is a massive transformation from death to life. That must be recognized and celebrated.
• Join the party!

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All Scriptures from New King James Version unless otherwise noted.

Join us this afternoon at 5:00 pm for a discussion of this chapter live online. Live@5 with Dr. Greg Sloop can be found on Facebook on the Dr. Greg Sloop page or on the Kannapolis Church of God Facebook page or Youtube page. Another blog will be posted each weekday at 6:00 a.m.