THE GOSPEL OF LUKE: - Vital Christianity

109• The Parable of the Lost Sheep (15:1-7)• The Parable of the Lost Coin (15:8-10)• The Parable of the Lost Son (15:11-31)People are LostThe Bible is clear that, apart from Christ, people are lost:• Jesus sent out His twelve disciples with the instruction, “Go rather to the lostsheep of Israel” (Mt 10:6).• Jesus answered His disciples, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”(Mt 15:24)• Jesus pointed out to His disciples, “. . . your Father in heaven is not willingthat any of these little ones should be lost” (Mt 18:11).Again, when Jesus was criticized for giving attention to “a sinner”—a tax collector-Zaccheus (19:7) by saying, “He has gone to be a guest of a sinner,” Jesus responded, “Forthe Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost” (Lk 19:10).In both the Old and New Testament the close relationship of God and His people isprojected in the figure of the Shepherd and the sheep (Ps 100:3; 23:1; Isa 40:11; 53:6;Eze 34:11-16; Mt 9:36; Jn 10).People are lost for various reasons:Reasons People Are LostRebellion (Unbelief and Disobedience)—The writer of the Book of Hebrews useIsrael as an example of rebellion (Heb 3:7-19). Rebellion means having our ownway by going against the grain of God’s will (Heb 3:7-19). The prodigal son wenthis own way.Self-righteousness (Pride)—The Elder Brother in the Parable of the Lost Sons(Lk 15:25-31) was as lost as his younger brother because he was smug in his selfrighteousness.He thought that his following the rules and regulations of the homemeant righteousness. Yet his heart was proud and lacked love and was filled withbitterness and resentment.