THE KÏNCr’ è BUS INESS
December, 1040
4 S I
J A N U A R Y 26, 1941 • CHRIST'S; CONCERN FOR THE LOST L u k e 15
W ILLARD HOTEL is located In the left wing of the Bible ' Insti tute building, next to the Public Library park, ad joining the Church of the ? Open Door. It is-operated as a first class temper ance hotel, surrounded* by a Christian environ ment that assures a safe, comfortable and exclu sive place to stop. 13 stories of fireproof con struction. Rates:
head down, no thought of direction, and thinking only-of present pasture. But the one sheep is missed out of the hun dred, and the owner at once goes after it. The picture shows the love of the Lord for His own and love as the im pulse that governs the action of the Lord. Here is Love’s activity: “Go after that which if lost,“ leaving the ninety and nine safe in the fold; Love’s per sistence: “U n t i l he find it,” with no thought of abandoning the search be cause of distance^or difficulty; Love’s provision: “Layeth it on his shoulders,” with no recriminations or driving with blows or forcing the wearied beast to spend its remaining strength in return ing; Love’s joy: “Layeth it on his shoul ders, rejoicing” (the joy of the sheep is not mentioned, biit only the joy of the Owner in recovering His own); Love’s consummation: “W h q n he cometh home” ; Love’s fellowship: “Calleth to gether his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.” Love cannot contain itself within it self. It must give expression to what it -is, and the wider the expression, the happier love becomes. There is rejoic ing in„ heaven over the sinner who re pents, nbwever far that sinner may have wandered. Publicans and sinners had wandered far, but the Lord was seek ing them, and would, with the heavenly company, rejoice over, their return. If these rriurmurers would have fellowship with their God, let them also rejoice in the fact that Jesus was then seeking the lost ones. The lost coin represents those who are. unconsciously astray (vs. 8 - 10 ). Jesus speaks of “my” sheep, and “the” lost coin. That particular coin was lost because it was detached from its com panions—a hint of the oneness of God’S people. We are tempted to think of our fellows, those who fall into a state of backsliding, as though they had lost their new nature and were no longer one writh us in the new nature we pos sess by grace. But; while their position is evil, and they themselves astray and out o f fellowship, their nature imparted at regeneration is not destroyed. We need to remember the word that “none of.us liveth to himself” in the church, the body of Christ. The candle in the parable represents - the Word of God which alone can Sfcek and find the miss ing ones; the sweeping represents the need we ourselves have of constant cleansing to rid us Of the tubbish that surrounds' us and may hinder some lost one. The word “diligently” reminds us of the deadening power of sin, making the lost one difficult to find and difficult to restore to the proper place. But it is
Labe 15:1 Then drew near unto him all the pnhUeans and sinners for to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes mur mured, saying, This man recelveth sinners, and eateth with them. , 3 And he spake this parable nnto them, 1 What man of yon, having a hnndred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine, in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, nntil he find Itl 5 And when he hath fonnd it,, he layeth it on- his shonlders, rejoicing. 6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for 1 have fonnd my sheep which was lost. 7 I say nnto yon, that likewise joy shall be in heayen over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine Jnst persons, which need no repentance. 3 Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek dili gently till she find itl 9 And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and hef neighbors together, say ing,. Rejoice with me; for 1 have fonnd the piece which I had lost. # 10 Likewise, I say nnto yon, there is Joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. LESSON T E X T : Lk. 15:1-10. GOLDEN T E X T : “ The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Lk. 19:101. DEVOTIONAL READ ING : John 10:11-18. Outline and Exposition I. T he A ccusation (1, 2) W HEN publicans and sinners the despised classes among the Jews. The Pharisees and scribes looked upon them as being outside the bounds of God’s grace. When, therefore, Jesus re ceived these despised ones, He gave offense to the ruling classes. The -murmuring revealect that the Pharisees and scribes were controlled by the spirit of Cain who could ask, “ Am I my brother’s keeper ?” (Gen. 4:9). But the Lord Jesus Christ had come to meet the heart needs of sinners. His reply reveals some principles that gov ern His quest. II. T he A nswer (3-10) The answer, of which our lesson is but a part, is one parable concerning a lost sheep, a lost coin, and a lost son. It is a lesson for backsliders. There was a loss of position, not of nature. The lost sheep was still a sheep, the coin still a coin, and the boy still a soy. The first was unintentionally astray, the second unconciously astray, and the third deliberately astray. All were re turned to the proper place. Spiritually, we may say that the Son goes in person after the property, the Spirit goes in the church a f t e r the ornament, and the Father goes in providences after the fel lowship of the son. The lost sheep (vs. 3-7) represents those who are unheedingly going astray,
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came near to hear Jesus, the Pharisees and the scribes murmured. Publicans and sinners were
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