The Bible was written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit by over 40 different authors from all walks of life:shepherds, farmers, tent-makers, physicians, fishermen, priests, philosophers and kings. Despite these differences in occupation and the span of years it took to write it, the Bible is an extremely cohesive and unified book.

True Forgiveness!

Have you ever tried to forgive someone and found you simply couldn't do it?

You've cried about it and

- prayed about it and

- asked God to help you.

But those old feelings of resentment just failed to go away.

Put an end to those kinds of failures in the future-

- by basing your forgiveness on faith rather than feelings.

True forgiveness doesn't have anything at all to do with how you feel.

It's an act of the will. It is based on obedience to God and on faith in Him.

That means once you've forgiven a person-

- you need to consider him permanently forgiven! When old feelings rise up within you and

Satan tries to convince you that you haven't really forgiven, resist him.

Say, "No, I've already forgiven that person by faith. I refuse to dwell on those old feelings."

Then, according to 1 John 1:9-

Believe that you receive forgiveness and cleansing from the sin of unforgiveness and from all unrighteousness associated with it including any remembrance of having been wronged!

Have you ever heard anyone say, "I may forgive, but I'll never forget!"

That's a second-rate kind of forgiveness-

- that you, as a believer, are never supposed to settle for.

You're to forgive supernaturally "even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Eph. 4:32.

You're to forgive as God forgives.

To release that person from guilt permanently and unconditionally and to operate as if nothing bad ever happened between you.

You're to purposely forget as well as forgive.

As you do that-

- something supernatural will happen within you.

The pain once caused by that incident will disappear.

The power of God will wash away the effects of it.

And you'll be able to leave it behind you once and for all.

Don't become an emotional bookkeeper-

- keeping careful accounts of the wrongs you have suffered.

Learn to forgive and forget.

It will open a whole new world of blessing for you.

"Love...is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it pays no

attention to a suffered wrong." 1 Corinthians 13:5.

LUKE 15: 1-32(PARABLES OF LOST SHEEP, LOST COIN AND LOST SON)

EXEGESIS PAPER

LUKE 15: 1-32

PARABLES OF LOST SHEEP, LOST COIN AND LOST SON

DEAN SHINAVER

THIS IS A REQUIREMENT OF AMRIDGE UNIVERSITY OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE, DR. RODNEY CLOUD TO FULFILL A MASTER DEGREE IN DIVINITY, FALL 2009, OCTORBER 25, 2009

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 3

BACKGROUND 4

THE SIGNIFICANT OF THE PARABLE 5

BIBLIOGRAPHY 11

INTRODUCTION

This parable of lost sheep, lost coin and lost son is very unique and meaningful for our

Christian life. The parable of the lost sheep is very applicable to the great work of man's

redemption. This is an example that even though a man who lost a sheep. He left his 99

sheep to look for another one. The lost sheep represents the sinner as departed from God,

and exposed to certain ruin if not brought back to him, yet not desirous to return. God

will not leave one lost sheep and He will look for the lost sheep. Christ is earnest in

bringing sinners home. In the parable of the lost piece of silver, that which is lost is one

piece, of small value compared with the rest. Yet the woman seeks diligently till she finds

it. This represents the various means and methods God makes use of to bring lost souls

home to himself, and the Savior's joy on their return to him. How careful then should we

be that our repentance is unto salvation. The lost son is a represent of a sinner who comes

back to a father and repents his sins. God wants all sinners to come back to Him and

repent. These three parables represent the love of Jesus to all sinners. He loves us so

much.

I. Background

A. The surrounding.

"This passage is an addition to the first edition of the fourth gospel. It is suggested that

the early exclusion from the gospels may be due to its inconsistency with the strict

disciplinary treatment of adultery then customary."[1] Luke particularly addressed the

needs of the poor and this parable reaffirms that God seeks the social outcasts, the lost.

In this chapter starts with the Pharisees and the scribes murmured/grumbled saying,

?"This man receives sinners and eats with them. V.2" This sentence unlocks the meaning

of the parable."[2] Jesus portrays two groups of people who were in conflict: the tax

collectors/other sinners verses the Pharisees/scribes. We have seen this conflict several

times before in the life of Jesus. The Pharisees also grumbled when Jesus ate with Levi,

the tax collector (Luke 5:30) and also when Jesus stayed at the home of Zacchaeus, the

chief tax collector (Luke 19:7).

"In chapter15 where there are three parables on this theme. They illustrate that the

goodness and mercy of God is for everyone, especially the most neglected and despised.

Luke's parable is triggered by the grumbling of the Jewish religious leaders because Jesus

has eaten with outcasts."[3] Crowds came to hear him (Luke 15:1). Jesus let them stay for a

short time, and he taught them. But many Pharisees, who were the leaders of the Jewish

religion, did not like this (Luke 15:2). They said that a good man should not be with

sinners.

B. The theme.

Lost and found: this is the theme of Luke 15. A pair of short parables (of the Lost

Sheep and Lost Coin) builds up to the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Luke has inherited a

form of the Lost Sheep; Matthew knows of it, too. Luke has paired it with the Lost Coin.

Once more, he ensures that his stories give equal weight to a man (who has lost the

sheep) and a woman (who has lost the coin).

C. The key word in Greek

"The key word of chapter 15 is "repent". The word translated repent in English New

Testaments is the Greek word metanoeo. Repentance involves a change of mind , waking

up to reality, seeing things as they really are, and recognizing the error of your ways ,

resulting in a change of action. Repentance includes forsaking old patterns, habits,

priorities, and all things that have controlled you (gods). Repentance means accepting

Jesus as Lord. To repent is to forsake all other gods and embrace Jesus Christ as your

Lord and God."[4]

II. The significant of the parable

A. The parable of the lost sheep (Luke15:1-7).

Jesus told the parable of the lost sheep when the Pharisees criticized Him for socializing

with sinners. Through this story of compassion, Jesus revealed his rescue mission for

sinners. Many Pharisees did not realize that God offers hope to sinners. The Pharisees

thought that a sinner had to obey their traditions and their religion. They thought that they

were the only good people. The parable begins with a straying sheep (Luke 15:3-7). A

sheep apart from its shepherd is defenseless and in grave danger. Jesus views any person

apart from Him as lost. "So justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us.

We look for light, but all is darkness; for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows"

(Isaiah 59:9).

"The parable of the lost sheep also illustrates Christ's attitude toward the saved sinner.

The parable gives no indication of the shepherd ever rebuking or chiding. Instead, he

hoists the sheep upon his shoulders and takes it home. An adult sheep may weigh

anywhere from 110 to 125 pounds; it would be no small effort to carry one over the

shoulder. For joy over finding that which was lost, the shepherd bears the discomfort.

Likewise, Jesus bore the weight of our sins upon the cross." [5]

This is the only verse in the Bible where we find a sheep on Jesus' shoulders. We find

three references to the word, "joy," in this short parable, and two more references to joy

in the next parable. There is great joy in the heart of God when anyone who is lost is

found. We remember that Jesus is declared to be the Good Shepherd in the Gospel of

John 10:1-18. The Good Shepherd lays down his life for his sheep, knows the

sheep and the sheep know him.

"Finally, the parable of the lost sheep offers an extraordinary glimpse of heavenly

emotions. The shepherd calls his friends and neighbors together, saying, "Rejoice with

me." The rescue of the lost sheep was a cause for proclamation and celebration.

Similarly, Heaven rejoices when a sinner repents and is restored to fellowship with God.

This joy is cheerfulness; it is calm, considered delight. It is a deliberate emotion

thoughtful and sustained"[6]

B. The lost coin (Luke 15:8-10)

The next parable is about a woman who loses a coin. She looks for it very carefully, and

she finds it. She then calls to her friends to be happy with her. In the same way, said

Jesus, there is great happiness in heaven when a sinner repents. "This is the only time

where the word, "drachma," occurs in the New Testament. Its value was equivalent to a

denarius, which was worth a day's wage."[7] The woman sweeps the house and searches

diligently until she finds it. In this way, the woman of the house is equivalent to the good

shepherd in the previous parable that searches for the lost sheep. There is a focused

diligence as both the woman householder and the good shepherd search for what is

precious to them and lost.

The woman is joyful in her heart that she has found what was lost. Jesus is telling us how

happy and joyful God is when we finally are found; when we finally come to our senses

and return to God and his ways. Again, the context unlocks the meaning of the parable.

This parable was addressed to the Pharisees who did not think that they were lost but

actually, they were.

"The key word in both parables is "repent." We know that these parables are an

invitation to repent. We know that we need to understand what Jesus meant by us

repenting and returning to God."[8]

C. The lost son (Luke 15:11-32)

"This story sums the central message of the whole New Testament. If you truly

understand this story of the father, the lost son, and the older brother, you will begin to

grasp the central thrust of Jesus and the main emphasis of the New Testament."[9]

It is important for us to understand the context or setting because the context or setting

unlocks the meaning of the parable. It isn't very often that the key is in the context, but

the key that unlocks this parable is its setting. The parable begins like this in Luke 15:1

"Jesus was eating with a group of publicans and sinners. When the Pharisees saw it, they

were very upset and said, ?Jesus, why are you eating with this kind of people? They

aren't religious enough for you.' Then Jesus said, "There was a man who had two sons.

In the parables of Jesus, it seems that we often have two sons. The two sons are symbolic

of two alternative ways to live life. The two sons are symbolic of the "either-or" in life, a

fork in the road, a choice between "this road" and "that road," between "this way of life"

and "that way of life."

There was man who had two sons and one son wanted his portion of the inheritance. The

father complied and gave the younger son his portion of the wealth. The older son

received two thirds of the inheritance and the younger son received one third.

The lost son spent all his money and now he works for a citizen of that country who sent

him to his fields to feed pigs. "In Biblical says, this is the lowest a Jewish person could

ever fall: to eat with the pigs. He comes to his senses and goes back to

his father. He asks for a father's forgiveness. The father loves him and forgives him."[10] The

father is very happy and said to the servants ".Let's have a feast and celebrate..v.23"

The older son comes back home. He got mad and his father told him that we had to

celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was

lost and has been found.' "There is more joy in heaven over one sinner who comes to his

senses and returns to God and God's ways, than over self righteous people whose hearts

have become hardened to people they doesn't like. "The Pharisees were symbolic of the

older brother who erroneously thought he was morally and spiritually superior in

comparison with the younger brother."[11]

So, basically, we have two brothers in this parable. We have one brother who is the lost

son of the flesh and the other is a lost son of the spirit. Both are loved. Both are loved

deeply by God, the Father. The older son's attitude was like the attitude of the Pharisees.

In fact, Jesus told these three parables because of their bad attitude towards Jesus.

the Pharisees and scribes did not know that they themselves were lost. Even though they

were in synagogue every Friday night; even though they tithed and were financially

generous to their synagogue; even though they followed the devotional rituals of their

religion; the Pharisees were still lost. The Pharisees were the hypocrites, the "white

washed tombs," who looked good on the outside but inside of their hearts, they were

filled with jealousy and love of money. The Pharisees could fool people around them, but

they could not fool Jesus or God. Jesus uses this parable as another invitation for the

Pharisees (who are symbolic of self righteous people) to repent and change their (our)

ways.

The "lost' in this parable are not those outside the synagogue but those inside the

synagogue. The parable does not focus as much on a person who wandered away from

the church and is considered a "lost soul" but on a religiously self righteous person who

is still within the religious community but who doesn't know that he/she is lost. The

"lost" are not the "outsiders" but the "insiders."[12]

When a religiously self righteous person repents, there is great joy in heaven. The lost

and found is connected to Luke 14:21 "The servant came back and reported this to his

maser. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, "Go out

quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the

blind and the lame."

Jesus comes to the sinners. People who acknowledge that they are sinners, repent and

accept Jesus into their lives.

Bibliography

Alfred E. Garvie. The Joy of Finding (An Exposition of Luke 15:11-32). Charles Scribner's Sons, January 1, 1914

Caleb Rosado. What is God like?: A story of Luke 15. Review and Herald Pub. Association, July 1988

Carillon Pub.God's Word Today Feb. 1998 Luke, Chapters 15-24. Carillon Pub., January 1, 1998

Darrell Bock. Luke 9:51-24:53 (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament). Baker Academic; 3rd edition, May 1, 1996

Henri J.M. Nouwen. The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming. Image Books / Doubleday Publishing Group, March 1, 1994

James W. Moore. Jesus' Parables of the Lost And Found. Dimensions for Living, 2006

Joel B. Green. The Gospel of Luke (The New International Commentary on the New Testament) Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, October 1997Caleb Rosado (Author)

Joel B. Green. The Theology of the Gospel of Luke (New Testament Theology). Cambridge University Press, May 26, 1995

Marshall I. Howard. Gasque W. Ward. Gospel of Luke: A Commentary on the Greek Text (New International Greek Testament Commentary). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, November 14, 1978

Rudolf Steiner. Robert McDermott. Catherine E. Creeger. According to Luke: The Gospel of Compassion and Love Revealed. Steiner Books, July 2001

Stephen G. Griffith. Bill Deckard. Prodigals and those who love them: study. Colorado Springs, CO : Focus on the Family, 1991

William R. Williams. God's rescues. New York : A. D. F. Randolph & co., 1871

[1] Caleb Rosado. What is God like?: A story of Luke 15. Review and Herald Pub. Association, July 1988

[2] Darrell Bock. Luke 9:51-24:53 (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament). Baker Academic; 3rd edition, May 1, 1996

[3] Joel B. Green. The Gospel of Luke (The New International Commentary on the New Testament) Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, October 1997

[4] Marshall I. Howard. Gasque W. Ward. Gospel of Luke: A Commentary on the Greek Text (New International Greek Testament Commentary). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, November 14, 1978

[5] William R. Williams. God's rescues. New York : A. D. F. Randolph & co., 1871

[6] Rudolf Steiner. Robert McDermott. Catherine E. Creeger. According to Luke: The Gospel of Compassion and Love Revealed. Steiner Books, July 2001

[7] James W. Moore. Jesus' Parables of the Lost And Found. Dimensions for Living, 2006

[8] Carillon Pub.God's Word Today Feb. 1998 Luke, Chapters 15-24. Carillon Pub., January 1, 1998

[9] Henri J.M. Nouwen. The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming. Image Books / Doubleday Publishing Group, March 1, 1994

[10] Joel B. Green. The Theology of the Gospel of Luke (New Testament Theology). Cambridge University Press, May 26, 1995

[11] Stephen G. Griffith. Bill Deckard. Prodigals and those who love them: study. Colorado Springs, CO : Focus on the Family, 1991

[12] Alfred E. Garvie. The Joy of Finding (An Exposition of Luke 15:11-32). Charles Scribner's Sons, January 1, 1914

Pastor Dean's Education

Let's not forget the blood that was shed for this great nation. Let's not forget the men and women that have died and made the sacrifice so we can have the freedom to love, to worship, and to excercise our faith.FlyHigh Ministries salutes all the soldiers who have made such a sacrifice. Let's not forget the Sacrifice that Jesus made on the Cross that allowed us to have fellowship with the Father.

1John 4:9-10 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we love God, but that He love us and sent His Son as an atoning Sacrifice for our sins.

Declaring His Promises

DECLARING HIS PROMISES:

Ex 23:27 I will send My terror before you and will

throw into confusion all the people to whom you shall

come, and I will make all your foes turn from you [in

flight].

Deut 20:4 For the LORD your God is the one who goes

with you to fight for you against your enemies to give

you victory."

Deut 28:7 "The LORD will cause your enemies who rise

against you to be defeated before your face; they

shall come out against you one way and flee before you

seven ways.

Deut 33:27 The eternal God is your refuge and

dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting

arms; He drove the enemy before you and thrust them

out, saying, Destroy!

Isa 42:13-17 The LORD will march out like a mighty

man, like a warrior he will stir up his zeal; with a

shout he will raise the battle cry and will triumph

over his enemies. 14 "For a long time I have kept

silent, I have been quiet and held myself back. But

now, like a woman in childbirth, I cry out, I gasp and

pant. 15 I will lay waste the mountains and hills and

dry up all their vegetation; I will turn rivers into

islands and dry up the pools. 16 I will lead the blind

by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I

will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light

before them and make the rough places smooth. These

are the things I will do; I will not forsake them. 17

But those who trust in idols, who say to images, 'You

are our gods,' will be turned back in utter shame.

Isa 54:17 But no weapon that is formed against you

shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise

against you in judgment you shall show to be in the

wrong. This [peace, righteousness, security, triumph

over opposition] is the heritage of the servants of

the Lord [those in whom the ideal Servant of the Lord

is reproduced]; this is the righteousness or the

vindication which they obtain from Me [this is that

which I impart to them as their justification], says

the Lord.

Isa 65:24 And it shall be that before they call I

will answer; and while they are yet speaking I will

hear. [Isa 30:19; 58:9; Matt 6:8.]

Luke 1:37,45 For with God nothing is ever impossible

and no word from God shall be without power or

impossible of fulfillment.

...And blessed (happy, to be envied) is she who

believed that there would be a fulfillment of the

things that were spoken to her from the Lord.

John 15:7-8 If you live in Me [abide vitally united

to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live

in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be

done for you. When you bear (produce) much fruit, My

Father is honored and glorified, and you show and

prove yourselves to be true followers of Mine.

1 Cor 15:25-28 For [Christ] must be King and reign

until He has put all [His] enemies under His feet. [Ps

110:1.] 26 The last enemy to be subdued and

abolished is death. 27 For He [ the Father] has put

all things in subjection under His [Christ's] feet.

But when it says, All things are put in subjection

[under Him], it is evident that He [Himself] is

excepted Who does the subjecting of all things to Him.

[Ps 8:6.] 28 However, when everything is subjected to

Him, then the Son Himself will also subject Himself to

[the Father] Who put all things under Him, so that God

may be all in all [be everything to everyone, supreme,

the indwelling and controlling factor of life].

1 Cor 15:54-57 And when this perishable puts on the

imperishable and this that was capable of dying puts

on freedom from death, then shall be fulfilled the

Scripture that says, Death is swallowed up (utterly

vanquished forever) in and unto victory. [Isa 25:8.]

55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is

your sting? [Hos 13:14.] 56 Now sin is the sting of

death, and sin exercises its power [upon the soul]

through [the abuse of] the Law. 57 But thanks be to

God, Who gives us the victory [making us conquerors]

through our Lord Jesus Christ.

DECLARING HIS POWER....

Rom 4:19-20 He did not weaken in faith when he

considered the [utter] impotence of his own body,

which was as good as dead because he was about a

hundred years old, or [when he considered] the

barrenness of Sarah's [deadened] womb. [Gen 17:17;

18:11.]

20 No unbelief or distrust made him waver

(doubtingly question) concerning the promise of God,

but he grew strong and was empowered by faith as he

gave praise and glory to God,

Ex 15:6-10

6 "Your right hand, O LORD, has become glorious in

power; Your right hand, O LORD, has dashed the enemy

in pieces. 7 And in the greatness of Your excellence

You have overthrown those who rose against You; You

sent forth Your wrath; It consumed them like stubble.

8 And with the blast of Your nostrils The waters were

gathered together; The floods stood upright like a

heap; The depths congealed in the heart of the sea. 9

The enemy said, 'I will pursue, I will overtake, I

will divide the spoil; My desire shall be satisfied on

them. I will draw my sword, My hand shall destroy

them.'

10 You blew with Your wind, The sea covered them; They

sank like lead in the mighty waters.

Deut 26:8 And the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt

with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm, and

with great (awesome) power and with signs and with

wonders;

Ps 106:9 He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it dried

up; so He led them through the depths as through a

pasture land. [Ex 14:21.]

Isa 40:25-26 "To whom then will you liken Me, Or to

whom shall I be equal?" says the Holy One. 26 Lift up

your eyes on high, And see who has created these

things, Who brings out their host by number; He calls

them all by name, By the greatness of His might And

the strength of His power; Not one is missing.

Isa 40:28-31 Have you not known? Have you not heard?

The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends

of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary.His

understanding is unsearchable. 29 He gives power to

the weak, And to those who have no might He increases

strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary,

And the young men shall utterly fall, 31 But those

who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They

shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run

and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

Isa 44:24-26 [Judah Will Be Restored ]

Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, And He who formed

you from the womb:"I am the LORD, who makes all

things, Who stretches out the heavens all alone, Who

spreads abroad the earth by Myself;

25 Who frustrates the signs of the babblers, And

drives diviners mad; Who turns wise men backward, And

makes their knowledge foolishness;

26 Who confirms the word of His servant, And

performs the counsel of His messengers; Who says to

Jerusalem, 'You shall be inhabited,' To the cities of

Judah, 'You shall be built,' And I will raise up her

waste places;

Eph 1:17-22 [For I always pray to] the God of our

Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that He may

grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation [of

insight into mysteries and secrets] in the [deep and

intimate] knowledge of Him, 18 By having the eyes of

your heart flooded with light, so that you can know

and understand the hope to which He has called you,

and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints

(His set-apart ones), 19 And [so that you can know

and understand] what is the immeasurable and unlimited

and surpassing greatness of His power in and for us

who believe, as demonstrated in the working of His

mighty strength,

20 Which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from

the dead and seated Him at His [own] right hand in the

heavenly [places],

21 Far above all rule and authority and power and

dominion and every name that is named [above every

title that can be conferred], not only in this age and

in this world, but also in the age and the world which

are to come. 22 And He has put all things under His

feet and has appointed Him the universal and supreme

Head of the church [a headship exercised throughout

the church], [Ps 8:6.]

Col 2:12-15 And you, being dead in your trespasses

and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made

alive together with Him, having forgiven you all

trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of

requirements that was against us, which was contrary

to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having

nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed

principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle

of them, triumphing over them in it.

Rev 1:16-19 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet

as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to

me, "Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.

18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am

alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades

and of Death.

GOD SENT US A SAVIOUR

IF OUR GREATEST NEED HAD BEEN INFORMATION

GOD WOULD HAVE SENT US AN EDUCATOR

IF OUR GREATEST NEED HAD BEEN TECHNOLOGY

GOD WOULD HAVE SENT US AN SCIENTIST

IF OUR GREATEST NEED HAD BEEN MONEY

GOD WOULD HAVE SENT US AN ECONOMIST

IF OUR GREATEST NEED HAD BEEN PLEASURE

GOD WOULD HAVE SENT US AN ENTERTAINER

BUT OUR GREATEST NEED WAS FORGIVENESS,

SO GOD SENT US A SAVIOUR(JESUS CHRIST)