16. Sunday after Pentecost, 09/12/2010

Sermon on Luke 15:1-10, by Andrew D. Smith

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."

The Holy Bible : English Standard Version. 2001 (Lk 15:1-10). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

The text for the sermon this morning is the parables of the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin. Jesus is still on his way to Jerusalem. But at this point, the tax collectors and sinners were gathering around him to listen to him. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them." Jesus tells these two parables in response to the Pharisees' charge. In these two parables we see the immeasurable and undeserved love of God.

What is the number one thing that a couple will do when they go out on a date? They will go out to eat together. They will share a meal and use that time to be with one another. When you go out to eat, do you go into a restaurant and sit down with just anyone at any table? No, you go out with friends or family or someone special. Interestingly, Jesus doesn't just eat with anyone either. He knows these sinners and he welcomes them to the table he shares with them. Jesus welcomes tax collectors, the lowest of the low, men who often made their money by extortion and violence. He eats with them. Jesus is the friend of tax collectors and sinners. [tell the parable]

The parable is wonderfully straightforward. The meaning is crystal clear, not only for the Pharisees but for Jesus' sinner friends. "I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent." When we say that Jesus eats with tax collectors and prostitutes, we need to be clear that he is not condoning sin. He eats with those who have repented of their sin, those who were formerly tax collectors and sinners. The distinction is made between the repentant and the unrepentant.

People who do not need to repent are no cause for rejoicing in heaven. Over each sinner that repents of their sin, there is great rejoicing and hallelujah choruses well into eternity. It gives God great joy for us to repent of our sin. It gives God far greater joy for us to repent of our sin than it does for us to try to impress him with what we think are our righteous deeds.

The Pharisees thought it pleased God when they treated sinners and tax collectors with contempt. They thought they were pleasing God by holding up their strict understanding of the law. No longer content with criticizing Jesus' disciples and their less than "holy" way of life, the Pharisees finally are bold enough to begin their attack on Jesus himself. The Pharisees believe that have plenty of righteousness based on their righteous acts. They have no need of forgiveness and that is the worst sin of all.

In telling these parables Jesus contrasts the hardness of the Pharisees hearts with the softness of the Father in heaven's heart. Do you want to know what God's love looks like?

The figure of Christ as Good Shepherd was one of the most common images in early Christian art. A simple Google search for mosaics and Jesus will turn up the beautiful images of the tomb of Galla Placida in Ravenna that dates from 440 AD. Jesus is depicted as a young shepherd sitting on a hill in a verdant field. In his left hand is the resurrection cross and his right hand is petting a sheep. Five other sheep look on contentedly. It is a visual portrayal of the love of the shepherd for the sheep. On many early Christian tombs the Good Shepherd is depicted carrying a sheep on his shoulders, all four legs of the sheep held securely by the hands of the shepherd. Once saved, the Shepherd will not let his precious sheep go. (Illustration from Concordia Pulpit Resources, Vol. 20, Part 4, 2010.)

God's love looks like the love of a shepherd for his sheep. The sheep wanders off and gets lost. With no way to get back on his own, the lamb is sought by the passionate love of the Shepherd. When the Shepherd finds the lost sheep, he doesn't just call and have the once lost creature walk back to town. He lifts the sheep up on his shoulders and carries it back to his village where he calls together his friends and neighbors to rejoice with him over the finding of his lost sheep.

Jesus himself draws the parallel with the rejoicing in heaven over a sinner who repents. Jesus picture of repentance here is truly beautiful too. Repentance is the humble recognition that we needed to be saved from our lost state, our life of slavery to sin, death and the devil. It is perhaps not just merely humility to say we need such a rescue, but even humiliating. We are saved by a Rescuer who humiliated himself into order to rescue us. This is what Jesus did when he carried our sins to the cross. Our rescue comes when Jesus finds us and takes us on his shoulders and carries us home to the Father.

May God grant us growth in faith in our gracious and loving God, and may God grow in us love for others that we never become Pharisees when it comes to loving others the way God loves them. Amen.

The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds through faith in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Rev. Andrew D. Smith
Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church
Hickory, North Carolina USA

E-Mail: smithad19+prediger@gmail.com

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