Dr. Gough

The Bible has all kinds of valuable literature.

--There is history - in Genesis and the Penteteuch.

--Sublime, inspiring poetry - in the Psalms.

--Authentic prophecy - in Isaiah and the prophets.

--There is great drama - in Job, and book of Esther.

--Rich wisdom for all ages - in the book of Proverbs.

--The incomparable love of God - in the Gospels.

--The practical application of it - in the Epistles.

--And what the future holds - in the final Revelation.

--In Luke 15 is a lost and found column, as our papers!

Life has its lost - things, animals, people, souls.

--Ever lost anything - besides money? Most have.

--Ever been lost, somewhere? Missed a road, or way?

--I was lost in a summer camp. And London, England.

--Lost - but found! Yet, what of many lost souls?

Three lost things, here. A sheep, a coin, a son.

--All important, valuable. Moreso, a son or daughter.

--Thank God, all were found! Which brought much joy!

First, Jesus told of a man with a "hundred sheep, loses one," he leaves the ninety-nine, "goes after the lost".

--Keeps looking, when he finds it, "lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing .. calls his friends, 'Rejoice with me, I have found my sheep which was lost" (v 6).

--Jesus adds, "I say to you .. there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents ..."

--That's Jesus, the Good Shepherd, looking for people.

Next He tells of a woman with a "lost coin." --Valuable to her, and "searches until she finds it."

--She turns her attention upon that which was lost.

--She finds it, and "rejoices .. I found the lost."

Don't you wish lost people were as simple to find?

We come to the "lost son" - most famous parable of all!

--Jesus told these stories to save self-righteous folk.

--Until we are "born again" in Jesus, all are like this son - we've gone our own way, out in the world.

--God both saves sinners, and restores sons who sin!

--In His great love!

God's love will not let you down. Nor let you off.

--And He will not let you go .. on and on as you are.

--"God is not willing that any should perish" (II: Peter 2:9). Aren't you glad the Lord cares about you?

Like it or not, humanity is a lot like sheep - easy to stray away, and rather defenseless from predators.

--Did I tell you my Dad, for a brief time, raised sheep?

--He soon went back to raising some cattle.

Notice, in verse 8, Jesus tells of a lost coin.

--Maybe, like this woman, you have misplaced something.

--She had "ten silver coins." Her living, probably.

--Or, maybe a headpiece, to signify her marriage, which is like losing the diamond from your wedding ring.

--At any rate, she needed this valuable coin to live on.

--Perhaps lost one tenth of her possessions! Costly.

What does she do? Like the shepherd, she looks for it.

--She "lights a lamp. Sweeps the house. And carefully searches .. until she finds it" (v 8).

--This dear woman, perhaps a widow, doesn't give up.

--As a result of her diligence, she finds it!

--Calls around, "Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece I lost" (v 9).

--Listen to Jesus, "I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents" (v 10). I tell you, that's wonderful.

--It is true, isn't it, the longer lost the harder to find.

Most coins, then as now, have some image on them.

--People, compared to coins, have God's image in the beginning upon us - but that image can wear away.

--And makes a coin - or person - harder to find.

--What truths, and lessons, our Lord wants us to see.

There's a lost sheep, and lost coin, and two lost sons.

--My friend, coins and sheep are valuable to an owner.

--But most valuable of all, is a son or daughter.

--Now Jesus tells us about this particular son, and his brother, in the rest of Luke 15.

No matter how many children, everyone is loved, alike.

--Parents'hearts go out to their sons and daughters.

--So does the Lord, to us. Yet, some will stray away.

All are familiar with the son we call the Prodigal.

--He said, "Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me." He wanted his inheritance right now!

--So the father "divided to them" (v 12), both sons.

--Each son given their share, like God gives free-will.

Luke pictures this family, home, servants, flocks, all the father's love, that the son left, for his world.

--What did he do with the inheritance? '`Wasted it."

--In fact, "he wasted it all .. on prodigal living."

--Money gone, friends gone, homeless and hungry.

--He "began to be in want" (v 14). A "lost" son.

Across the street from us lived a family of three kids.

--Two boys, and a girl who was often picked on.

--After graduation, things so bad, she ran away.

--For months, no one knew her whereabouts.

--I don't think they went to church. Only neighbors.

--One day we got a call from her, in Philadelphia.

--I often went to Philadelphia. Spoke to parents.

--"Would you, when you go, please contact her?" I did.

--A Christian family had taken her in. We counselled.

--Prayed. Wanted to take her home to WV. She came.

--Friend, being lost is a miserable, sad experience!

--Let's love the lost, and those wandering away.

--Love and forgiveness is the greatest reconciler!

We might tire of discipline, a spouse, home, or job or the Lord, or church, or prayers. Please don't.

--May I remind you, we take our troubles with us!

--Unless we change our life, we don't change our situation; just our location! Better to change us!

Did you see the degrees of the son's downward path?

--It began at home in a restless, rebel heart.

--Away from father and home, on sin's slippery slope.

--He,as many do, looked for joy in wrong places.

--Then, note the degrees of his restoration back home.

--We think the world can give us a good time, that sin is not so evil, and that there's no pay-day. Wrong!

--So,. straying away from our Heavenly Father is costly!

Like it or not, this pictures all who walk away from of loving Heavenly Father, and His House, in sin.

--Ask any in any rescue mission, whether sin is costly.

Sin takes us farther than we ever thought we'd stray.

--It keeps us longer than we ever thought we'd stay.

--It costs us more than we ever thought we'd pay.

Think about that. The Prodigal did. Was "born again"

--Recalled what he'd left and lost. His dad's prayers.

--"He came to himself." Headed for father and home.

--Separation is always our doing - not God's.

--Salvation is always God's doing - as we yield to Him.

--He realized Satan had deceived him! A changed man!

This father, others, had been praying .. watching.

--"When still a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck, kissed him" (v 20), the smelly, sweaty, sin-soiled son!

--That's like the welcome God gives to you or me!

This Prodigal came home. Humbled. Reverent. Changed.

--"Father, I have sinned .. no more worthy to be called a son." My friend, that's the way to come to God.

--"Make me a hired servant." But listen to his father.

--"Bring the best robe, put it on him. Put a ring on his hand. Sandals on his feet." That's sonship!

--Got him cleaned up. Dressed up. Looked like a son!

--Added, "This my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found" (v 24). A day of rejoicing!

Isn't that just like the Lord? Ready to forgive us!

--Doesn't give him a verbal lashing, or to a woodshed.

--Takes us to His heart of love, shown on a cross!

--When Jesus paid for the "sins of the world."

--That satisfied a just and holy God, for Jesus arose!

--We may have our cross. But share His resurrection!

I see the Trinity in these three lost things.

The passion of the Lord Jesus, in the "lost sheep."

--The patience of the Holy Spirit, in a "lost coin."

--The pardon of the Heavenly Father in the "lost son".

Friend, it is a tough world today, to be lost in.

--Jesus said, each of these lost were found.

--How about you? Are you saved? Sure .. of heaven?

--Salvation is not in a church. Creed. Or baptism.

--It is in a Person - Jesus - Who died and rose again.

--Be "found" in Him today!