1 Jesus Seeks the Lost Luke 15 Characters: Narrator, Jesus, Pharisee, Prodigal Son, Older Son, Father Narrator: Jesus Crucifixio

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

1 Jesus Seeks the Lost Luke 15 Characters: Narrator, Jesus, Pharisee, Prodigal Son, Older Son, Father Narrator: Jesus Crucifixio 1 Jesus Seeks the Lost Luke 15 Characters: Narrator, Jesus, Pharisee, Prodigal Son, Older Son, Father Narrator: Jesus crucifixion was coming near—he was in the very last weeks of his ministry. Large crowds had followed him, and came from all over the countryside to hear him preach. One day, some tax collectors and other “sinners” had gathered around to hear him teach. This greatly upset the Pharisees: Pharisee: This man welcomes sinners and eats with them. Narrator: Jesus did not respond directly to the Pharisee. Instead, he started telling the crowd a parable: Jesus: Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the lost sheep? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors, and says, “Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.” 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. Narrator: The crowd didn’t really fully understand the parable. Jesus was trying to explain to the crowd how God would feel when a sinner comes back to him, and repents of his sins. Jesus tried another parable: Jesus: Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, “Rejoice with me: I have found my lost coin.” In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. Narrator: After Jesus had finished his second parable, he knew that the crowd still didn’t understand the meaning. Jesus tried teaching the meaning through a third story. Jesus: Once, there was a man who had two sons. One day, the younger son told his father: Prodigal son: Father, give me my share of the estate, so I can go out and live on my own. Jesus: The father was disappointed with his younger son, but complied with his request, and divided the inheritance, giving him half. The younger son went off 2 to a distant country, and squandered his wealth in wild living. One day, the younger son thought to himself: Prodigal son: I wish I wouldn’t have wasted all of my money… now I have nothing… I’ll have to start working again. It’s too bad things aren’t growing because of this famine. Jesus: The younger son sought a job, and was given one feeding pigs. His boss didn’t feed him very well, and the prodigal son wanted to eat the pig food instead. No one really helped him out. One day, he finally figured things out: Prodigal son: How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and I am starving to death! I will return to my father, and ask him to take me back—I will ask him to treat me as one of his hired workers, instead of a son, because I have sinned. Jesus: So, the younger son returned to his father. Before the younger son even had a chance to meet with his father, his father spotted him in the distance, and was filled with compassion. His father ran to him, and hugged him. Prodigal son: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Jesus: But the father didn’t care about the younger son’s sins, instead, he commanded his servants: Father: Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet! Bring a fattened calf and kill it—let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found! Jesus: So, the family and the servants began to celebrate the younger son’s return. Meanwhile, the older son had found out his younger brother had returned, and refused to go to the feast. His father came out and pleaded with him. Father: My son, we have much to celebrate! Please come inside and feast with us! Older son: Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you hold a feast for him! Father: My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found. Narrator: Jesus concluded his third parable—although many in the crowd understood its meaning, the Pharisees did not. .
Recommended publications
  • The Feast of the Annunciation
    1 Pope Shenouda III series 5 THE FEAST OF THE ANNUNCIATION BY HIS HOLINESS AMBA SHENOUDA III, POPE AND PATRIARCH OF ALEXANDRIA AND OF THE APOSTOLIC SEE OF ALL THE PREDICATION OF SAINT MARK Translated from the Arabic first edition of April 1997 Available from: http://www.copticchurch.net 2 All rights are reserved to the author His Holiness Pope Shenouda III Pope and Patriarch of the See of Alexandria and of all the Predication of the Evangelist St. Mark Name of the book: The Feast of the Annunciation Author: His Holiness Pope Shenouda III Editor: Orthodox Coptic Clerical College, Cairo First Edition: April 1997 Press: Amba Rueiss, (Offset) - The Cathedral - Abbassia Deposition number at "The Library": 97 / 475 977 - 5345 - 38 In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the One God, Amen. You will read in this pamphlet about the Annunciation of the Nativity of Christ, glory be to Him, and the annunciations which preceded and succeeded it. It is the annunciation of salvation for the world. It is the first feast of the Lord. It is an annunciation of love, because the reason of the Incarnation and Redemption is the love of God for the world. The Lord Christ has offered to us rejoicing annunciations and has presented God to us as a loving Father. What shall we then announce to people? Let there be in your mouths, all of you, a rejoicing annunciation for everybody. Pope Shenouda III 3 The feast of the Annunciation comes every year on the 29th of Baramhat.
    [Show full text]
  • ABSTRACT Following the Good Shepherd: the Patristic and Medieval Exegesis of John 10 and Luke 15 Christine Mcintire Director: D
    ABSTRACT Following the Good Shepherd: The Patristic and Medieval Exegesis of John 10 and Luke 15 Christine McIntire Director: Daniel Nodes, Ph.D. This thesis presents an analysis of the exegetical tradition surrounding the Biblical image of sheep and shepherds. It focuses specifically on two parables given by Christ: The Parable of the Good Shepherd as recorded in John 10 and the Parable of the Lost Sheep as recorded in Luke 15. First, the Patristic and Medieval interpretations of each parable are addressed individually, identifying the ontological focus of the John 10 interpretations and the economical focus of the Luke 15 interpretations, noting a consistency of interpretations between the time periods. Finally, the thesis turns to Patristic and Medieval poetry, discovering them to blend the interpretations of each parable. This blend therefore provides an occasion for expressing the unified tradition of the sheep and shepherd image as a message of salvation. APPROVED BY DIRECTOR OF HONORS THESIS: ______________________________________________ Dr. Daniel Nodes, Department of Classics APPROVED BY THE HONORS PROGRAM: ______________________________________________________ Dr. Elizabeth Corey, Director DATE: ________________________ FOLLOWING THE GOOD SHEPHERD: THE PATRISTIC AND MEDIEVAL EXEGESIS OF JOHN 10 AND LUKE 15 A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Baylor University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Honors Program By Christine McIntire Waco, Texas May 2019 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
    [Show full text]
  • The Beatitudes in Jesus' Life
    CATECHIST RESOURCE The Beatitudes in Jesus’ Life 5–8 Luke 15 a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation. When he The Parable of the Lost Sheep had freely spent everything, a severe famine The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing struck that country, and he found himself in near to listen to him, but the Pharisees and dire need. So he hired himself out to one of the scribes began to complain, saying, “This man local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So to the swine. And he longed to eat his fill of the them he addressed this parable. “What man pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave among you having a hundred sheep and losing him any. Coming to his senses he thought, ‘How one of them would not leave the ninety-nine many of my father’s hired workers have more in the desert and go after the lost one until he than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying finds it? And when he does find it, he sets it from hunger. I shall get up and go to my father on his shoulders with great joy and, upon his and I shall say to him, “Father, I have sinned arrival home, he calls together his friends and against heaven and against you. I no longer neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me deserve to be called your son; treat me as you because I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you, would treat one of your hired workers.”’ So he in just the same way there will be more joy in got up and went back to his father.
    [Show full text]
  • A Parable of God's Love for Sinners: Luke 15:11-32 Patrick J Casey
    28 I Calvary Baptist Theological Journal/ Spring 1989 A Parable of God's Love for Sinners: Luke 15:11-32 Patrick J Casey The Lord Jesus Christ is the greatest instructor that has ever lived. From the religious leaders of Jerusalem to the common people of Galilee, those who heard Him recognized His unique teaching ability. As the Master Communicator, one of His most influential tools for communicating truth was His use of parables. One-third of His teaching involved parables. Although some may not fully understand the structure of a parable, the earthly stories that Jesus used to convey spiritual truth have penetrated the hearts of men for the past two thousand years. The word parable comes from the Greek word paraballo (para "beside," hallo "to cast") denoting something being placed beside another to make a comparison. A parable taught truth about an unfamiliar subject by making a comparison to something that was familiar to the listener. The following definition of a parable has been given. A parable is a brief story or narrative drawn from human life or from nature, not relating to some actual event, but true to life and concerning something very familiar to the listeners, given for the purpose of teaching a spiritual truth. 1 Parables were not unfamiliar to the Middle Eastern culture in which the Lord lived. Rabinowitz explains that parabolic teaching had been used with great frequency. The rabbis made extensive use of parables as a definitive method of teaching in the Talmud, and especially in the Midrash. Jesus, in his parables, was employing a well-established rabbinic form of conveying ethical and moral lessons.2 Casey I Parable I 29 The Lord, however, developed the parable to a level of artistic perfection that has never been equalled.
    [Show full text]
  • “The Prodigal God” Luke 15:11-32 by David A. Ritchie Sunday, May 12
    LUKE Part 60: “The Prodigal God” Luke 15:11-32 By David A. Ritchie Sunday, May 12, 2019 (The Third Sunday of Easter Season & Mothers’ Day) Scripture Reading 11 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. 14 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. 17 “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. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
    [Show full text]
  • The Gospel of Luke (An Overview and Reading Plan)
    The Gospel of Luke (an Overview and Reading Plan) I. Luke's Gospel begins with an extensive prologue. 1:1-4 Dedication to Theophilus 1:5-56 Announcement of births (John and Jesus) 1:57-2:21 Birth of John and Jesus 2:22-38 Presentation of Jesus in the Temple 2:41-52 Twelve-year-old Jesus in the Temple II. Note - Luke's “Gospel” was written in two volumes. These volumes were intended to be read together (Luke 1:1-4; Acts 1:1-5). III. Luke’s Gospel contains a large amount of material not found anywhere else. Prologue 1:1-2:52 Infancy Narrative Miracles 5:1-11 Miraculous catch of fish 7:11-17 Widow of Nain’s son 13:10-17 Crippled woman 14:1-6 Man with dropsy 17: 11-19 Ten Lepers Parables 10:29-37 Good Samaritan 11:5-8 Friend at midnight 12:13-21 Rich fool 15:11-32 Forgiving father 16:1-12 Unjust steward 16:19-31 Rich man and Lazarus 18:9-14 Pharisse and publican Also 7:40-43; 13:6-9; 14:28- 30, 31-32; 15:8-10; 17:7-10; 18:1-8 Stories 10:38-42 Mary and Martha 19:1-10 Zacchaeus 24:13-27 Walk to Emmaus 24:50-53 The Ascension (cf. Acts 1:6-11) IV. Jerusalem receives special emphasis in Luke. 2:22-52 Childhood visits to Jerusalem 9:51-19:40 Ten chapter journey to Jerusalem 19:41-44 Jesus weeps over Jerusalem 24:41-43 Resurrection appearances in and around Jerusalem 24:44-49 Jesus tells the disciples, “Stay in Jerusalem.” V.
    [Show full text]
  • “God Values the Lost” Luke 15:1-32 Sunday, January 29, 2017 Introduction: I Have Some Bible Projects That I Need to Finis
    “God Values the Lost” Luke 15:1-32 Sunday, January 29, 2017 Introduction: I have some Bible projeCts that I need to finish for two reasons. One reason is that the projeCts will help me learn more about the Bible. The other reason is that I am running out of years. Let me explain. 1. One Bible projeCt I have finished was to write some notes on the opening page of eaCh Bible book some baCkground information about eaCh book. 2. A Bible projeCt I started in DeCember is to write some background for each of the 150 Psalms. There are thirty-four Psalms without any inscriptions, but there are one hundred and sixteen with insCriptions. 3. A Bible projeCt that I may never finish, but I might, is to title each Chapter in the Bible. There are 1189 chapters in the Bible. I may never finish this projeCt, but I may. An example of what I am talking about is our Scripture Chapter today—Luke chapter fifteen. Open your Bible please to Luke 15 and let me show you what I am talking about. Text: Luke 15 • In most Bibles, passages have headings that tell what the following verses are about. • What I want to do is have a simple title for each chapter. • The title I have written in my Bible for Luke 15 is “Lost and Found.” Here is what we know. God values the lost (Romans 5:8). The Bible says, “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
    [Show full text]
  • Luke 15:1-10 “The Joy of Finding a Lost Sheep” 9/15/19
    Luke 15:1-10 “The Joy of Finding a Lost Sheep” 9/15/19 As the 14th Chapter of Luke closed we read of Jesus saying, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”1 - Then Luke 15 begins, “Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus.” It would seem like Jesus was getting His wish - He proClaims that anyone with ears should listen - And the next thing that Luke reCords is that tax collectors and sinners were gathering to do just that - These were the people who needed to hear the message - Jesus welComes them - Eats with them - And is teaChing them In spite of that looking like a good thing to you and I - The next verse says, “But the Pharisees and the teaChers of the law muttered, “This man welComes sinners and eats with them.”2 - As a sinner, I personally rejoice that my Creator sent Jesus to provide a way for me to be welComed into God’s Kingdom - But the Pharisees don’t seem pleased Psalm 14:2-3 “The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned away, all have become Corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.” The Pharisees and the teaChers of the law were the religious people of that day - They would have known these verses - They may even have taught these verses - Yet, somehow they did not ConneCt the truth that “all have turned away, (and) all have beCome Corrupt;” with the faCt that the Pharisees were also some of the sinners In addition, they should have been glad that tax ColleCtors and sinners were yearning for Jesus’ teaChings
    [Show full text]
  • The Beatitudes Lesson 5 “Blessed Are the Merciful”
    "Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, © Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org) The Beatitudes Lesson 5 “Blessed Are The Merciful” Introduction. 1. As with all the beatitudes, the fifth beatitude is most important to true and lasting happiness. 2. It logically follows the previous four beatitudes. a. The first beatitude stressed one must recognize his spiritual destitution, and his own righteousness cannot save. 1) Good works, wealth, power, education, fame, reputation, etc. cannot save. 2) None of these things can atone for sin. 3) Only the blood of Jesus can cleanse one from sin. b. The second beatitude sets forth that one should mourn over his wretched state, and if this sorrow is godly sorrow it will end with comfort. 1) Boasting about sin or rationalizing [as not so bad] or denying sin will not save. 2) It is not enough even to regret sin and be sorrowful over sin. (2 Cor. 7:10) 2 Cor 7:10 For the sorrow that is according to {the will} {of} God produces a repentance without regret, {leading} to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. 3) One must have godly sorrow, a realization he/she has sinned against God. 4) This godly sorrow must lead to repentance. (2 Cor. 7:10). c. The third beatitude reads, “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matt. 5:5). 1) It stresses this mourning [godly sorrow] will lead one to be humbly submissive to God and to be gentle to others.
    [Show full text]
  • The Cost of Retrieving the Lost (Luke 15:1-10) Some of the Gospel Readings During These Last Few Weeks Have Been Particular
    The cost of retrieving the lost (Luke 15:1-10) Some of the gospel readings during these last few weeks have been particularly difficult. So what a delight this morning, to have one of those gems unique to Luke. That is not to say that it is not challenging; far from it! Luke is not sparse on unique treasures. Some of the Christmas stories, present in Luke alone, contain riches which have contributed to the liturgy: Benedictus, Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis. The story of Jesus’ calling Zacchaeus out of his sycamore tree to be welcomed into his home is only found in Luke as, also, is the story of the Good Samaritan. We could go on; there is Luke’s focus in stories and practice on prayer, his emphasis on Jesus’ concern for women, with pushing the boundaries of equality and justice, and much more besides. Luke 15 is a truly remarkable chapter with its entire content absorbed in three stories which Jesus told about things, thought to be lost, which were found: the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost son. The lost coin and the lost son are in Luke alone, and whilst the lost sheep also features in Matthew, in Luke the detail is a little different. What I want to do this morning is first look at the context, what was it which prompted the stories in the first place? secondly, look at the stories themselves and, thirdly, the culmination; how the stories conclude. The context is Jesus being got at! There is grumbling in the background.
    [Show full text]
  • Luke Lesson 13-2
    Jesus Magnified Luke 14 and 15 Lesson 13 FIRST DAY: Read Luke 14 and 15 There is so much to learn from Jesus! He teaches us many things by His example, His instructions, and by His parables. It is only through Jesus that we can understand and embrace the way we are to live. Luke 14 began with Jesus in the house of a Pharisee. It would seem that this Pharisee had invited Jesus in order to entrap Him. However, Jesus was neither entrapped nor moved by this man’s untoward motives. Rather, Jesus used the occasion to minister healing and teach those present about humility and the cost of discipleship. In Luke 15, Jesus used a series of parables to illustrate the compassionate heart of God toward lost sinners. Pay close attention this week to Jesus’ example, instruction, and parables so that you may learn how you are to live as His disciple. Ask God to move you to a deeper appreciation and awareness of the compassion and wisdom of Jesus. SECOND DAY: Read Luke 14:1–14 1. According to Luke 14:1a, Jesus went to eat on the Sabbath at the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees. From Luke 14:1b remark on their behavior toward Jesus. 2. While Jesus was at the Pharisee’s house, a man with dropsy came to Him. Jesus asked the Pharisees, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath? (Luke 14:2–3). From Luke 14:4 note and comment on: a. What they did b. What Jesus did 3.
    [Show full text]
  • Sermon: Luke 15. the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin the Thing About The
    Sermon: Luke 15. The Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin The thing about the two parables that form today's gospel is that they are very familiar and we have known them since Sunday School. And we tend to think that we just need to master the lesson in the parables for them and us to set things right in our lives. But it just might be that we are altogether wrong in how we understand them. It comes as a surprise to realize that parables are not all about us. Rather, the parables of Jesus are primarily about the mysterious way that God deals with us in the world. Jesus is a genius story teller, and each time you read the parables you will be surprised to discover twists and turns that you haven't noticed before, buried there in the familiar facts in subtle nuances and details. Luke's Gospel relates three parables about lostness, culminating in the greatest of them all, the Lost or Prodigal Son. But today we have the lost sheep and the lost coin. Luke begins by saying the tax collectors and the sinners were drawing near to Jesus to hear him. The Scribes and the Pharisees grumbled about this saying "This man welcomes sinners, and he eats with them, and therefore he's a bad person." By this stage in his ministry the crowds who flocked to hear Jesus were warming to the possibility that he might well be the promised Messiah who would fulfill God's will for Israel and do wonderful things in and for the world.
    [Show full text]