Pastor Scott Andrews | April 12, 2026
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Luke 15:1-7
Three weeks ago, we finished Luke chapter 14, and let’s be honest, it was a difficult teaching. You remember, Jesus said three startling things about true disciples. First, if you want to be My disciple, you must love Me above all else – so much so that your affection for Me makes other relationships look like hatred, even toward your own families. Second, if you want to be My disciple, you must take up your own cross and follow Me. You see, following Me means you must be willing to suffer. And third, if you want to be My disciple, you must be willing to give up all your possessions for My sake. They aren’t actually your possessions anyway.
It was a difficult teaching – not my words, Jesus’ words. His words were actually a little stronger – if you don’t do these things, you cannot be My disciple. I suggested it was the fine print of the Christian life, of the gospel itself – you know, that tiny-font writing at the end of a contract most of us skip. We all do it – we sign up for something online, and it takes you through lots of disclaimers and rules – most of us just scroll down and select, I accept, without ever reading all the legal jargon. Jesus did not want us to skip it, to miss it – so He put it in bold print. It was hard to hear. And so, He finished that message with these familiar words, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Obviously, most of us have ears to hear – even if aided by modern technology. Clearly, He meant more than just the mechanics of hearing. He meant to hear with understanding, comprehension, leading to surrender and commitment. It was an invitation – He was calling them and us to submit to His lordship – to love Him first, to carry a cross, and to give it all up for Him. I guess the questions become, are we hearing? Are we listening? Are we responding?
You see, we get to Luke 15, remembering that chapter and verse divisions were added hundreds of years later to aid in study and understanding. But, Jesus had just offered an invitation to hear, to listen, to understand, and to submit. Chapter 15 verses 1-3.
Do you see it? There were some who listened, and some who did not. To be clear, they all needed to hear and respond – just like everyone in this room. Hearing words without response does not make one a Christian. Are you listening to the words that are coming out of my mouth – which are God’s words – the very word of God – and allowing them to change you?
Jesus had offered an invitation, and as was often the case, the broken, the sinners responded. You see, tax collectors and other sinners knew they were broken and needed rescue. Sick and needed a doctor. Dead and needed life. Jesus seemed to be an unusual religious leader, a rabbi, who understood them. More, He knew them in all their sinful challenges, and loved them anyway. Invited them to be His followers. So, they listened. It seemed they couldn’t get enough.
Now understand, tax collectors ranked very low on the societal/social strata of the day, and no wonder. They were seen as public enemy number two, very close to public enemy number one – the Romans. These tax collectors had teamed up with the Romans to do their dirty work – namely, to collect onerous taxes from the Jews – their very brothers – for Rome. It was a ruthless system of relentless taxation. We’ve talked about this before, so I won’t belabor the point. But Roman senators bought at public auction the right to tax certain areas – provinces. They didn’t do the dirty work themselves – no, they hired others to do that – who in turn hired others – eventually getting to the province itself, in which they would hire nationals, locals, to collect the taxes. And there were taxes on everything.
This is the way it worked – the senator was required to collect a certain amount for Rome – anything above the required amount was his to keep – his profit. So also, those they hired had the same arrangement – collect as much as you can – but pay me my due, keep the rest for yourself. It was snowball, all the way down to the locals, in our study, these turncoat Jews. To include, for example, Matthew, who sat in the tax collector’s booth in Capernaum – that is, before Jesus called him to be a disciple. Why would Jesus call a hated tax collector to be one of His own? Further, when He called Matthew, Matthew threw a party, and other tax collectors and sinners responded to the invitation to the party, to meet Jesus.
Who were the sinners? Well, they sort of came in two classes of people. First, there were those who were obviously sinners – prostitutes, liars, cheats, lawbreakers, reprobates, swindlers, thieves. The second class of people were simply those who were not part of a religious class. Just your normal, run-of-the-mill sinners who didn’t keep the traditions of the elders, the rules of the Pharisees. Understand though, the division between the religious and sinners was vast. The religious would have nothing to do with dirty sinners – who ranked about as low as Gentiles.
Listen, there was even rabbinical religious teaching that said, don’t associate with sinners. Don’t share a meal with them. Don’t even bring them near to teach them the Law. Why? Because you might become polluted in the process. Guilt by association.
Which leads to the Pharisees and scribes’ response to Jesus regularly hobnobbing with such sinners. You see, this is the third time in Luke they expressed their dissatisfaction with His association with such lowlifes. The first was in Luke 5 when Jesus called Matthew who threw a dinner party for Jesus, inviting other sinners – and Jesus attended the party. And so the Pharisees and scribes began grumbling to the disciples, saying, “Why do you eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Do you remember Jesus’ response? “It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” Remember that – we’ll come back to it.
The second time was in Luke 7 – an interesting story. Jesus is actually having dinner with a Pharisee named Simon, at his house, when a sinful woman came into the meal, wiped Jesus’ feet with her tears, dried them with her hair, and anointed them with perfume. Scandalous. Simon thought to himself, “If this man were a prophet He would know what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner.” But as we looked at that story, we saw Jesus did know what kind of woman she was – a sinner who needed a savior – just the kind of person Jesus came to rescue. So, after correcting Simon, Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins have been forgiven.” It’s what He came to do – forgive repentant sinners.
Back to Luke 15. The Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble – just like their forebears in the wilderness when they began to murmur, grumble and complain against God. But don’t miss what they said – it’s fascinating, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” Wait, what? They got it right! This should have been a cause for celebration, for rejoicing. This man – the Son of Man and Son of God – receives sinners. If this statement stood by itself, without the word grumbling, we would think, yes, that’s right – that’s what He came to do. To receive sinners. The theme verse of Luke will appear in chapter 19, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and save that which was lost.” Right. Hallelujah. This is cause for rejoicing. This is what He said back in Luke 5 – He did not come to call the righteous, but sinners. That’s us, right? Even though it came from the mouth of Pharisees, they unknowingly got it right, “This man receives sinners.” And He will eat with them in the marriage supper of the Lamb to come. This is good news. This is the gospel.
But they didn’t mean it as good news. They were grumbling. They were self-righteous. They thought they deserved God’s favor – to be saved by their own merit – their works of keeping their made-up religious system. And they thought the sinners didn’t deserve the time of day – and yet, that’s exactly for whom Jesus came. And that infuriated them.
So notice, Jesus told them a parable. That’s kind of interesting for a couple reasons. First, He actually told them three parables: the parable of the lost sheep, the parable of the lost coin, and the parable of the lost son. But the message, with slightly different gems to be mined, basically tell the same story and communicate the same truths. That which was lost has been sought and found which brings great joy. Second, notice to whom Jesus tells the three-story parable. The Pharisees and scribes were grumbling, so He told them the parable. Meaning, it is both a message of clarification – this is why I came, to joyfully find the lost – and it is a message of confrontation – we could even say condemnation. This is why I came, figure it out, or remain dead in your self-righteousness. You’re lost, too, and you don’t even know it.
So, let’s read the first story – parable part 1– the parable of the lost sheep in verses 4-7.
I’m going to tell you right now – I’m speaking to three groups of people here today. First, perhaps the majority, are those who had been lost, but the Shepherd found you. And you can rejoice, because, I once was lost, but now am found, was blind but now I see. Listen, He invites us to join Him in the rescue mission – to find the lost.
Second, I’m speaking to those who are still lost, and you know it. For whatever reason, you’re out wandering around. And maybe you’re finding it’s not working. You’re alone, you’re helpless, but you’re not hopeless. You see, I want you to know the Shepherd is seeking to find you. Will you be found, and allow Him to carry you, bear you on His shoulders, into His fold? Will you stop wandering, lost?
Well, third, I’m speaking to those in verse 7 – those of you who think you’re in the fold because of your own goodness, your self-righteousness. And the truth is, you’re lost, too. You’ve never been found, and heaven has never rejoiced over your salvation. But they can, today. Let me break the text into the following three points:
I. The Lost Sheep and the Seeking Shepherd (4)
II. The Found Sheep and the Rejoicing Shepherd (5)
III. The Found Sheep and the Rejoicing Community and Heaven (6-7)
If the last sermon in Luke was difficult, this one is glorious and holds out great hope for you. Jesus starts by inviting His hearers – namely Pharisees – into the parable. Notice, “What man among you.” He’s asking them to identify with the shepherd. Which would have been a bit offensive to them. You see, while their ancestral father Abraham and his immediate descendants were all shepherds, by this time, shepherds were despised. Do you remember when Jacob led his family down to Egypt, they had to settle in Goshen, away from the Egyptians, because shepherds were loathsome to Egyptians. Now, shepherds were loathsome to Jews. Even though their greatest king, David was a shepherd. Even though God Himself was likened to a shepherd, The Lord is my shepherd. They somehow lost that.
Further, the religious leaders were supposed to be shepherds of God’s people, Israel. But lousy shepherds they were, and by the time we get to the Pharisees, shepherds were lowly, despised. We talk about his – especially at Christmas. When Jesus was born, to whom was His birth announced? To lowly shepherds. Which should have communicated right at the outset for whom Jesus came – the broken, the lowly, the outcasts, the sinners.
So, when Jesus starts with, what man among you, if he has a hundred sheep – the Pharisees would have bristled. Don’t put us in the same class as shepherds. And yet again, as religious leaders, they were supposed to be shepherds of His people. We saw this a week ago Wednesday when we were led in worship by the youth in Passion Week. Pope Dom did a great job handling Ezekiel 34, which reads in part:
1 Then the word of the Lord came to me saying,
2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to those shepherds, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock?
4 “Those who are sickly you have not strengthened, the diseased you have not healed, the broken you have not bound up, the scattered you have not brought back, nor have you sought for the lost; but with force and with severity you have dominated them.
5 “They were scattered for lack of a shepherd, and they became food for every beast of the field and were scattered.
6 “My flock wandered through all the mountains and on every high hill; My flock was scattered over all the surface of the earth, and there was no one to search or seek for them.” ’ ”
11 For thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out.
15 “I will feed My flock and I will lead them to rest,” declares the Lord God.
16 “I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken and strengthen the sick; but the fat and the strong [speaking of the shepherds] I will destroy. I will feed them with judgment.
Cameron White, our youth associate, then took us to John 10 to show the fulfillment of this prophecy in Ezekiel – that Jesus Himself is the Good Shepherd who is seeking His sheep. Understand, the supposed shepherds in Israel at the time of Jesus – largely the Pharisees and their scribes, the Sadducees and their priestly class, were as bad as the shepherds of Israel denounced in Ezekiel. And so, they failed to see that Jesus was the One, God Himself, who would search and seek out His lost sheep. He would care for them, feed them, and lead them to rest.
Well, back to Luke 15. What man among you, if he had a hundred sheep – which would have been considered a sizeable flock – not huge, but this man was moderately wealthy – I guess we could call him middle class – if he had a hundred sheep and has lost one of them. You see, each night when the sheep are brought in from the fields in which they grazed, the shepherd – at least a good one – would count his sheep as they entered the fold. And this shepherd, when he counted, 96, 97, 98, 99 – there’s one missing! That’s important for a couple of reasons. First, well, he still had 99 – what’s one less? In business, losses are expected, right? But no, the one lost mattered to the shepherd. The one lost here this morning, matters to the Shepherd. I hope you’re seeing by now that the shepherd is Jesus Himself. Every one matters. After all, He said in John 6:
37 “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.
38 “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
39 “This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.
Of all that the Father has given Me, I will lose nothing. I will seek them and I will find them. They are Mine. My sheep hear My voice, and they follow Me. Do you ever wonder whether you’ll make it? You will – not because of you, but because you have a very good Shepherd.
Because look – when the shepherd sees one is lost, he leaves the ninety-nine in the open pasture and goes after the lost one until he finds it. The parable doesn’t say whether the shepherd leaves the ninety-nine in the care of a guard or another shepherd – that’s not the point. The ninety-nine are not lost, they are safe. What matters isthe shepherds leave them and goes after the one who is in danger.
Remember, sheep are dumb. They can hurt themselves by running off a cliff, running into a rock wall, actually falling over and not being able to get back up – legs hanging in the air – I’ve fallen and I can’t get up. Further, even if they remain upright and alive, they have no ability to find the shepherd – to find the flock. Don’t miss that – if they are to be found, the shepherd must seek them and find them. I told you a few weeks ago, there are really no lost people who seek – there is only One who seeks the lost – and that is the Good Shepherd.
Further still, they face the extreme danger of natural predators who would seek to find them, kill them, eat them. And sheep by themselves are most vulnerable – they have no ability to defend themselves. All they can do is run – and as I’ve told you before, they aren’t built for speed. This lost sheep is in a desperate state unless the shepherd finds him.
Which brings us to the found sheep and the rejoicing shepherd. Don’t miss the end of verse 4 – he seeks the lost one until it is found. Verse 5, when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders rejoicing. The shepherd would take the single sheep, lift it to his shoulders with its legs around his neck, and carry it home. The sheep would hear the voice of the shepherd. From that position on his shoulders, he could nuzzle and smell the familiar aroma of the shepherd. The sheep would feel safe and secure in the arms, on the broad shoulders of the shepherd. To be clear, for the shepherd – this was no small task. A sheep can weigh over a hundred pounds. But it has been found, and the shepherd lifts the load to carry the sheep on his shoulders. And it will not matter, because the shepherd will rejoice. Do you see that? The shepherd rejoices over the found lost sheep.
As I understand it, the oldest Christian statuary discovered, dating to the early fourth century, is this – the Shepherd carrying the sheep on His shoulders. This would have been great comfort to the early church, who had taken up their cross, and were suffering persecution for Christ.
Remember, the Shepherd in this story is Jesus Himself. Have you ever stopped to think that Jesus sought you and found you, and rejoices over you – over your being lost, but now being found and brought into the fold? Over Jesus rejoicing that one for whom He died has been saved. How could Jesus face the cross? For the joy set before, He endured the cross, despising its shame. For the joy of His sheep – He loves you, and He rejoices over you. And the Pharisees, well, they were irritated about Jesus seeking and finding, rescuing and carrying lost sinners.
Which brings us to our last point – the found sheep and the rejoicing community and heaven itself in verses 6 and 7. When the shepherd comes home, he is so overjoyed with finding his lost sheep that he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!”
Lots of discussion about who the friends and neighbors are – it could be referring to the church of the redeemed. There certainly should be celebration over every lost sinner who has been found by the Savior. You only have to see one of our baptism services, when people, often brand-new believers – lost and now found – are baptized, declaring their faith to this church family – to see the celebration. There is never more boisterous, joyful celebration than our baptism services – as it should be. Because all of heaven is rejoicing.
Because notice, Jesus seems to give the meaning of this part of the parable in verse 7. He’s done telling the story – now He applies it, “I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”
A couple thoughts about that. First, Jesus tells us there is joy in heaven over every single sinner who repents. Jesus attended a party on earth when Matthew repented – it was simply a type of what happens in heaven when a sinner comes to faith in Jesus Christ. Again, I ask – have you ever thought that when you repented and believed the gospel, that all of heaven rejoiced in the work of Christ and His gospel in your life? A sinner has been found. He or she who was dead has been brought to life – eternal life. I’ll save how Jesus applies this thought to an even greater degree when we look at the next parable of the lost coin.
But notice that last part of verse 7. There is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. It could be Jesus is saying that a new believer brings even greater joy than ninety-nine that have already been saved. Those who are already in the church, already declared righteous by the work of Christ, already in a process of sanctification – being made more like Jesus.
Possible, but I don’t think so. We must remember to whom Jesus is speaking these parables and why. He’s speaking to the Pharisees, who saw themselves as righteous, and saw sinners as beyond the reach of God’s favor – and were irritated Jesus would receive sinners and eat with them. So, He tells a parable that would have been an indictment – about how a true shepherd – Himself the Good Shepherd – goes after lost sheep. Sheep who know they’re lost and need a shepherd to seek them, find them. Sinners who know they’re broken. The sick who know they need a doctor. Then we remember what Jesus said way back in Luke 5 when they were irritated with Him for eating with Matthew and his friends. It is not the well who need a physician, but the sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but I came to call sinners. After all, the Son of Man has come to seek and save the lost.
Jesus is not suggesting the Pharisees were righteous and had no need of a savior. Oh no, understand, the first step in the salvation process is to realize you’re a sinner in need of a savior. If you think yourself good enough, you will not see the need – you will not respond to the call of the Shepherd. And you will die in your sins. I want to remind you of Isaiah 53:
5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,
And by His scourging we are healed.
6 All of us like sheep have gone astray,
Each of us has turned to his own way;
But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all
To fall on Him.
Three groups today. To those who have already been found – rejoice. Heaven does. To those who are lost this morning, wandering helplessly, I invite you to respond to the invitation of Jesus. To hear, to listen, to surrender and submit to the Lordship of Christ. He will gloriously save you. Heaven will rejoice. And to those who just come, thinking yourself good – perhaps by your coming – those over whom heaven has not rejoiced, I invite to see your sin and your need of a savior. Three groups of people, the found and now saved, the lost and wandering, the self-righteous to whom this parable was addressed.