The Joy of Finding the Lost Sheep
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Ezekiel 18
25. But you say, The way of the Lord is not fair. Hear, O house of Israel, how is my way not fair? Are not your ways not fair?
26. If a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity and dies, he dies because of the iniquity that he has committed.
27. If a wicked man turns away from the evil he has done and does law and righteousness, he will preserve his soul.
28. He has counted on himself and has turned away from all the iniquity he has committed; he will surely live and not die.
29. But the house of Israel says, The way of the Lord is not fair. O house of Israel, how is my way not fair? Are not your ways not equal?
30. So says the Sovereign LORD, O house of Israel, let each one of you do your own thing. Turn and repent, and depart from all your sins, so that iniquity will not overthrow you.
31. Put away all the iniquity that you have committed and renew your heart and spirit. Why do you want to die, O house of Israel?
32. I have no pleasure in the death of the dead, says the Sovereign LORD; turn yourselves and live.
Luke 15
1. All the tax collectors and sinners came near to hear the word.
2. The Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.
3. Jesus said to them in this parable,
4. Which of you has a hundred sheep, and if one of them is lost, does not he leave the ninety-nine in the field and go looking for the lost one?
5. And when he found it, he rejoiced and carried it on his shoulder
6. When he comes home, he will gather his friends and neighbors and say, “Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep.”
7. In the same way, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.
Content
Title: The Joy of Finding the Lost Sheep
Text: Ezekiel 18:25-32 , Luke 15:1-7
The 99:1 contrast is a contrast that common sense is incomparable. However, in today's text, the calculation method of the kingdom of heaven appears as precious as ninety-nine. This is a calculation that is possible only in Jesus' perfect plan of salvation.
When tax collectors and sinners came to Jesus and tried to listen, the Pharisees and scribes were not satisfied with Jesus' attitude toward receiving sinners, and as he ate with them, they complained to Jesus. Although the text does not specifically record the fellowship between Jesus and sinners at the table, the complaints of these Pharisees and scribes are understandable in view of the times and common social norms of the time.
However, it is worth noting that Jesus did not have table fellowship with religious leaders at all, and did not only have fellowship with tax collectors and sinners. The problem was not with Jesus who did not agree with their complaints, but with those who did not listen to Jesus' words of salvation while having dinner with Jesus. They did not attribute the problem to their unbelief, but to Jesus, who welcomed sinners. In this parable and two other parables, Jesus pointed out that the fundamental problem of the Pharisees' complaints was that they did not participate in the joy of salvation that was revealed through Jesus' work.
In the parable of 'the owner who finds the lost sheep out of 100 sheep carries the sheep on his shoulders and returns to his house with joy, he invites his friends and neighbors to a festival of joy'. He told me how much joy there is in heaven because of one sinner. Through these words, Jesus showed that his work was to find and repent of sinners. When sinners return through the work of Jesus, the phenomenon that follows is joy. That is why the Pharisees must also participate in this joy. In other words, the Pharisees and the scribes are not complaining that Jesus welcomes sinners and expresses his joy through table fellowship, but recommends that they participate in the table fellowship of joy.
Also, the expression “righteous people who do not need repentance” is not an objective evaluation, but a subjective evaluation that Jesus viewed the Pharisees and scribes from the viewpoint of them. This is by no means an acknowledgment of the fact that they are righteous who do not need to repent. It was the religious leaders' misunderstanding, and that's why they didn't feel the need for Jesus. However, Jesus invited them to the feast of salvation in the expression “the righteous who do not need repentance.”
What a foolishness that human beings' wrong preconceived notions and standards of value not only do not enjoy the joy of the heavenly feast, but also prevent them from participating in the feast...