Luke 15:1-7

1. Luke 15:1-7 • The Shepherd and His Lost Sheep

2. Luke 15: 1-7 • 1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” • 3  Then Jesus told them this parable: • 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?

3. Luke 15: 1-7 • 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders • 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ • 7 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.

4. Parables

5. The Situation • People • Pharisees and teachers - religious leaders • Tax collectors and sinners - Roman collaborators and unfaithful Jews • Jesus • Meals • Jesus with sinners - the religious leaders criticize Jesus’ dining habits. • (Pharisees and friends) implied - they eat only with other “righteous” people • The Parable Explains Jesus’ Social Behavior

6. Shepherds • Who is the shepherd in the parable? • Jesus? • Religious leaders? • vv. 3-4: “So he told them this parable: ‘Which of one of you, having a hundred sheep . . .’ • Both?

7. Ezekiel 34:1-6, 11-12 • 1 The word of the LORD came to me: • 2“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? • 3 You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock.

8. Ezekiel 34:1-6, 11-12 • 4 You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally. • 5 So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals. • 6 My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.

9. Ezekiel 34:1-6, 11-12 • 11“‘For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. • 12As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.

10. Three Celebrations • Jesus with sinners = Actual setting • Shepherd with neighbors = Parable • Heaven = God’s Perspective = One Celebration

11. Luke 15: 1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3  Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 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.

12. The 99 • Left in the wilderness = Lost • v. 7 “who need no repentance” = wilderness = lost • Outside the party = Lost • Jesus is inviting them to join the party.

13. Repentance?! • Where? Who? • Without v. 7, we wouldn’t see it in the parable or the setting. • How did the sheep repent? • The Shepherd pays the price!

14. Dura Europos,Syriahouse church fresco, 3rd century Rome, 3rd-4thcentury

15. Alexandria, Egypt Jerusalem, 3rd century