Luke 15

Today's reading is one of the most beloved chapters in the Bible. It contains three parables, each answering the same objection from Jesus' opposition.

Interpreting Parables

Because these are parables, we should heed a few guidelines for interpreting parables:

• Focus on the main point, not every little detail. A parable is a story told to make a point -- so look for the main point Jesus is trying to make. Sometimes the details are there to make the story work, not to contribute to the point. Some people tend to interpret parables as though they are allegories (stories where every little detail stands for something else). This can lead to some really strange and unintended conclusions.
• When Jesus explains the purpose or meaning of the parable, don't look for something else. Some parables He deliberately left unexplained -- and for those, of course, we need to come to our own conclusions. But where Jesus (or the inspired writer of the account) tells us what He means or why He told the story, we need not press the parable for other meanings.

Initial context

The context of all three of these parables is the same -- Jesus was being accused of being too free in his association with "sinners". He even ate with them -- which was scandalous because they might not be as scrupulous about keeping the ceremonial regulations about cleanliness (what we now call "kosher") as the Pharisees expected.

Each of these parables is intended to answer that charge.

The Lost Sheep

In reading this first parable, I think it is useful to consider the motives of the shepherd and what it reveals about God. 1% of an investment is not a huge loss. 1% of a flock would likewise not be a devastating loss -- so I doubt a shepherd would be acting on the financial motives to put the rest of his flock at some degree of risk in order to purse the lost sheep.

So why? Because he cares about the lost sheep! It wasn't just 1% of the flock, it was an animal whose name the shepherd knew and in whom the shepherd had invested time and care.

My takeaways:

• God cares for the lost.
• God searches for the lost.
• God's kingdom celebrates the rescue of the lost -- more than the continued safety of those who do not need rescue.

The Lost Coin

The coin named here was the accepted daily wage for a common laborer. It was probably equivalent to about $100 -- an amount that, to some in their society and in ours, was not too great but that to others is a very large sum to lose.

The woman here was likely not well off. Some have suggested that these 10 coins might have been worn in some form of ornamentation, possibly representing her dowry. I doubt that -- because I think a more costly coin would have been named if that were the intent. Rather, I think this was her savings -- what she had to live on for a rainy day. To lose 10% of such a sum, if that was all you had, would have been devastating and certainly warranted her searching.

My takeaways:

• God values the lost.
• God searches for the lost.
• God's kingdom celebrates the rescue of the lost.

The Two Sons

There are SO many things we could observe and comment on:

• How long it took the prodigal to realize how far he had fallen and what his father's house might still offer...
• How carefully he planned the speech he intended to use on his return...
• How the father ran to him (an undignified act for a Jewish patriarch) and interrupted his carefully planned words of contrition...

But here the story takes an unexpected twist... what looked at first like a story about the prodigal, and then began to look like a story really about the father, now turns out to be largely about the older brother.

The older brother is angry -- at the prodigal's actions, at the forgiveness he received, and at the celebration in response. He considers it unfair.

The father doesn't back down -- the elder brother still has advantages over the prodigal, but the forgiveness and the celebration was appropriate.

And notice the lack of an ending. We never learn whether the elder brother relents and joins the party or separates himself from the celebration. I believe this is because Jesus wanted each of his critics to decide that ending by their own actions as they recognized that they were the older brother.

My takeaways:

• God values the lost to a degree some consider unseemly!
• God celebrates the return of even those who've left him in a scandalous manner!
• Many of us tend to be far more judgmental, far less loving, far less forgiving than He is.
• When we don't align ourselves with what God values, we risk missing out on the celebration of what He has done!

Elder Brothers Today?

It can little hard to spot the elder-brother attitudes today -- partly because some of them are easily accepted in Christian circles (after all, who can be against higher standards of righteous behavior, right?) -- but you can spot it if you're watching.

Sometimes it takes the form of criticisms similar to those of the Pharisees -- criticisms of association with people who are caught up in sinful practices or lifestyles. But sometimes it takes other forms that are a bit harder to spot.

"Why would a loving God allow horrible people to repent and be forgiven just because of faith? Should Jeffrey Dalhmer really get to go to heaven?"

Recognize it? That's an objection I've heard from people who feel they're living a good life without God and don't really need any kind of forgiveness. That's elder-brother thinking.

The answer? "That's who God is! He loves the lost, seeks them out, and celebrates their return." You can disagree with Him but you can't change Him. All you'll do is separate yourself from a party you don't really want to miss out on!

"Why should we bother spending money on foreign missions when there is so much need for our generosity at home?"

Have you heard that one? I've heard it voiced, in these words or others, by some of the most well-meaning believers I know. But still, I think this is elder-brother thinking, don't you think?

Why spend on missions? Because God cares about seeking out the lost. Because they're worth it. Because He celebrates their rescue even more than the ongoing well-being of those who need no rescue.

My prayer today:

Father, I want to love those you love and celebrate what you celebrate! Help me to have the heart for others that Jesus had. Help me today to see those around me as You would and to have wisdom in how I act and speak with them in a way that glorifies You and contributes to their reconciliation to You.

SCOTT PURCELL | Elder

Scott committed his life to Christ as a child under the teaching of his parents and church. He graduated from Ozark Christian College in 1989 with bachelors degree in Biblical Literature and served 8 years as Minister of two churches in Missouri and then 3 years as a Church Planter in San Marcos. Since then, he has worked as a technical trainer at Dell and Rackspace. In 2008 Scott and Nan joined HCBC-NW and then Hutto Bible in 2011. Scott serves in Small Group leadership, as secretary to the Elder board, and as the elder over IT and Discipleship. Scott and Nan have been married since 1985 and have three children (Mindy Schultea (married), Kate, and Matthew) and two grandchildren.