Well, really quickly, I need to apologize upfront from the beginning. If I sound like Pastor Jerry, it's because he's the one who's been teaching us. And if I don't sound like Pastor Jerry, then I just probably haven't been a very good student. So apologies either way upfront. Well, let's get into the text and read it together. So if you have your Bibles, please open to Luke chapter 15. Luke chapter 15. And we're going to read tonight verses 1 through 10. Luke chapter 15 verses 1 through 10. Hear the word of God. Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to him, and the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling, saying, this man receives sinners and eats with them. So he told them this parable. What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the 99 in the open country and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors saying to them, rejoice with me for I have found my sheep that was lost. Just so I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents. than over 99 righteous persons who need no repentance. Or what woman having 10 silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors saying, rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost. Just so I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents. Let's pray and ask for God's help. Father, I ask you to give me strength to bring your word to the church tonight. Lord, I pray that you would give each one of us ears to hear this message, to understand this text, to see the love of Christ for lost sinners. Lord, we pray that your spirit would make us more like Jesus, that we would see the lost more like he sees the lost. And Lord, that we would be better tools and better servants to you in evangelism. We pray all of this in Jesus name. Amen. Well, when Pastor Jerry gave us this assignment, he encouraged us to first pick something, a topic or a text that was personally encouraging or convicting for us. And I knew pretty quickly what my topic was going to be. For the benefit of my own soul, I really needed to reflect on the love of Christ towards sinners. Now, of course, there are many passages that would have accomplished this goal. So why Luke 15? Well, quite simply, I saw so much of my own heart exposed in this text when the love of Christ for sinners is set so clearly against the scribes and the Pharisees distaste for sinners. And if these parables were the method that Jesus chose to teach the scribes and the Pharisees, then they're good enough to teach me. Now, you don't need me to tell you that we live in a world gone mad. And you also don't have to spend a whole lot of time reading the news, watching TV, or glancing at the billboards as you drive down the interstate to realize that Our culture is utterly bankrupt. We are a culture who has abandoned all semblance of Christian norms. We proudly declare things like gender is fluid. And we say 2 plus 2, that can equal 5. And we say things as crazy as abortion is health care. We're a people upon whom the curse of Romans 1 has certainly fallen. Our culture has been given over to a debased mind to dishonorable passions. And as is often said in jest, and I must admit, I say this as well, because it's true. We live in a clown world. We really do. But the truth is, is that this clown world is the harvest field of the Lord. And we need to be following the example of our Lord who looked out upon the crowds and had compassion for them because they were harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. And I think meditating on the love of Christ for lost sinners shown to us in Luke 15 will make us fit to do this. Now, one final thing to note before we get started, Luke 15 obviously contains three parables. The two that we're looking at, that would be the parable of the lost sheep and the parable of the lost coin. There's also the parable of the lost son. Now, all three are used by Christ to illustrate his love for sinners, and they're told directly in response to the Pharisees and the scribes grumbling at him. But for the sake of time, we're not going to be able to look at the parable of the lost son today. Now my intent is to look at Luke 15 verses one through 10 under two different headings, a parable needed and a parable given. Under the first heading, we'll look at two different points, the lost drawn and the lost belittled. So let's start with the lost drawn. Luke 15 picks up after Jesus has just taught about the high cost of discipleship at the end of Luke chapter 14. He had proclaimed to the crowds that the love that they have for their earthly family members must seem as hate when compared to their love for him. He demanded that they must bear their own cross and follow after him. Jesus even commanded the crowds that they must renounce all that they have if they're to be his disciples. And at the end of that teaching, he makes a call where he says, quote, he who has ears to hear Let him hear. Now, we can assume that our text is part of that same scene, the same scene at the end of chapter 14. There's nothing there that would indicate a change in scenery or a change in audience. And so it's at this point that a surprising development occurs after Christ makes that call, saying, he who has ears to hear, let him hear. The most unexpected group of followers begins to assemble. this lowly group of tax collectors and sinners gather around the Lord to hear from him the way of salvation. Now, the text paints a pretty clear picture for us of the Pharisees and the scribes standing on the outside, looking in, and the lost drawing in closer to hear the Lord. Now, the lost, despite their lowly state and quite opposite of the scribes and Pharisees, had been given ears to hear the Lord's teaching. Now, the Lord obviously did not object to their gathering around him. His disposition was certainly a welcoming one. As J.C. Ryle points out about Jesus, he was one of whom people were not afraid. Now, it is also worth noting that the accessibility of Jesus that we see throughout the gospels was not normative amongst the religious teachers of the day, but such was his concern for lost souls. Whether it be young children, a ceremoniously unclean woman, a leper, a Roman centurion, Jesus was ready and willing to receive all of them. In fact, we would be hard-pressed to find Jesus speaking so much as a harsh word to the many lost sinners who interacted with him during his earthly ministry. On the other hand, we find many examples of Jesus speaking very harshly toward the established religious class of the day. We see him often rebuking the scribes and the Pharisees for their religious hypocrisy and legalism. And I have to wonder, are we as quick as Jesus was to receive lost sinners into our company and to share the good news with them? Is our disposition a welcoming one to those who are outside of the church? Uh, recently my wife, Stephanie started using these things called manner cards to help intentionally teach our children better manners and our manner of the week this week, which is actually hanging up in our kitchen says greet people joyfully. I wonder how many more gospel opportunities we would have if we simply followed this rule. If we committed to greeting people joyfully. Well, I'd like to look at one more question from verse one before moving on. Why did the lost draw near to Jesus? Was it to receive healing or to see amazing miracles performed? Had they heard about the great multitude that Jesus had fed and were hoping to get a free meal out of it? Well, the text answers this very clearly for us. They were all drawing near to hear him. As Matthew Henry states, they drew near to him, not as some did to solicit for cures, but to hear his excellent doctrine. And similarly, if any lost person today desires to come to Christ and to be saved, he must come to him not ready to receive his best life now or some increase in health and wealth or prosperity. No, he must come to Jesus ready to hear, ready to believe, and ready to obey his doctrine. So in verse one of this passage, we see that the lost are drawn to Christ. Next in verse two, we see that the lost are belittled by the religious class. Now there are two sets of people present for the telling of this parable. One are the tax collectors and the sinners, which we have categorized as the lost. Second would be the Pharisees and the scribes. Now the text tells us that upon the lost moving in closer to hear the Lord Jesus, the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled. Something about the lost moving closer to Jesus ignited their sinful passions. What was it? Were they jealous that the lost were perhaps cutting in front of them to get closer to Christ? Was it simple annoyance that caused them to grumble? No, it wasn't. It goes deeper than that. Luke captures for us the Pharisees and the scribes' chief complaint. Quote, this man receives sinners and eats with them. And I want to make two observations here about the scribes and the Pharisees. Firstly, the Pharisees and the scribes are obviously offended by this group of lost people. Now, during this time, tax collectors were viewed as dishonest traitors amongst the people of Israel, And sinners could rightly be understood from the pharisaical perspective as any person who did not keep in step with their extra biblical traditions. But more specifically, their revolt was at the utter lack of morality of this group of people. Thayer's Greek lexicon defines the Greek word translated here as sinner as preeminently sinful and especially wicked. Think of the adulteress at the well, the sinful woman who anointed Christ's feet with oil, the man blind from birth whom Christ healed, the defrauding Zacchaeus, Matthew, the tax collector turned disciple, the leper, the paralytic, the man with the withered hand. We could go on and on and on. These people were an offense to the Pharisees and the scribes. And ironically, what we see here is the men charged with teaching the word of God to the people of Israel, being unwilling to associate with the people of Israel. And obviously we see the problem here. But instead of associate and teach the people, they would demand that the centers clean themselves up first and make themselves worthy of their time. Now, the second observation, is the Pharisees were not only offended by the lost people, they were also offended by the Lord Christ. This man, this is how they refer to the Lord Jesus. Now you can almost hear the disgust embedded in their tone here, this man. What is so offensive about this man? Well, quite simply, he received sinners. He eats with them. We would say that the Lord Jesus welcomes sinners into his presence. Now, the Pharisees could not imagine welcoming and sharing a meal with the likes of this crowd. The audacity of Christ to allow these sorts of people into his company and even to dine with them is beyond comprehension for the Pharisees and the scribes. Therefore, they grumble. This man receives sinners and eats with them. They murmured amongst each other like their wandering fathers did in the wilderness. They just cannot help but grumble against the Lord. Now, we need to ask ourselves a question here. What is our reaction when we see the 21st century equivalent of a sinner? Do we draw back in disgust or do we receive them as the Lord did, ready to share with them the gospel of the kingdom? Now, at this point in his ministry, Jesus was very used to dealing with the religious class who would often take offense at his receiving and eating with tax collectors and sinners. And I'm not going to read all of the examples, but there are many places recorded for us in the Gospels where the Pharisees offer the same basic complaint about Jesus. And here are just a few examples. So one would be in Matthew 9-11, where the Pharisees ask the disciples of Christ Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners? Another example, Mark 2.16. Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners? Luke 5.30. Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners? Now, thankfully, Jesus himself answers these questions quite clearly, both for us and for the scribes and for the Pharisees on multiple occasions. And here are his responses to the questions. Matthew 9, 13, Jesus says, for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners. Mark 2, 17, those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners. And finally, Luke 5, 32, I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Now, the contrast that I want you to see here is the love that Jesus has for lost sinners versus the hatred expressed by the Pharisees and the scribes. Jesus receives sinners. He spends time with sinners. He preaches the gospel to sinners. He invites sinners into his company. He accepts invitations from sinners. And he does all of this to accomplish his mission. as stated by the Lord himself, for the son of man came to seek and to save the lost. Now, as our own pastor often says, Jesus didn't come to save those who have it all figured out. He came to save those who have made a train wreck of their lives. Well, in contrast to Jesus, the Pharisees have no love for the souls of lost men. They just cannot get past outward appearances and their own personal sensitivities long enough to show some concern for the eternal welfare of lost sinners. And again, we must ask ourselves, whom do we more closely resemble? And I'll confess all too often, I resemble the Pharisees and the scribes. I find myself struggling to look past the rough exterior of some people. and to see their never dying soul. But if I'm being honest, this reaction totally ignores reality. God forbid we think ourselves as any better or more deserving of Christ's love than any lost sinner. Those of us who are in Christ would do well to remember our helpless condition before Christ found us. Here are the Apostle Paul. And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience, among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath like the rest of mankind. That is us before Christ found us. And friends, if you have been washed If you have been sanctified, if you have been justified, it is only because of Christ's abounding and steadfast love for lost sinners. There is no room for your boasting. Without Christ, you were lost and without hope in the world. Well, under our first heading, we saw a parable needed where the lost were drawn to Christ to hear his teaching. and as a result were belittled by the Pharisees and the scribes who were present. And this brings us to our second heading, a parable given. Looking at verse three, so he told them this parable. Jesus responds to the grumbling of the Pharisees and the scribes to their utter disgust and amazement that he would welcome sinners into his presence by telling them a parable. Now, as R.C. Sproul used to say quite often, Jesus Christ was the greatest teacher that ever walked the face of the earth. Now, this fits with both what we know to be true, that certainly Jesus was the greatest teacher ever, but also with the testimony of scripture. No man ever spoke like this, and he taught them, not as one of their scribes, but as one who had authority. Everything that Jesus did he did with a divine purpose. And this includes his choosing parables to communicate much of his teaching. Indeed, we even see in Matthew 13, verses 34 and 35, a prophetic purpose for his parables, where the text reads, all these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables. Indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet. I will open my mouth in parables. I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world. Now in searching, you'll find no shortage of definitions for the term parable. And after doing quite a bit of searching, I have come to the place where I think that the common saying that is kind of out there for a parable, that a parable is an earthly story, excuse me, an earthly story with an eternal meaning. I think that is a definition that works quite well. Now we should note that a parable is not an allegory. So in other words, not every detail in the story carries with it a hidden meaning. Although commentators do differ as to what objects in certain parables are intended to represent specific truths. And it's also perhaps worth noting, maybe helpful for you, that some commentators also draw distinctions between Jesus's parables his illustrations, and his proverbs. So a parable of Jesus being a story using earthly pictures to teach an eternal truth, an illustration being like the teaching of our Lord found just before our text in Luke 14, where he says, quote, salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. Now, Jesus here uses the example of salt that has lost its taste to illustrate what is true of a former follower who has turned away from Christ. And finally, a proverb of Jesus being like what's found in Luke 740, where Jesus says, quote, a disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher. Now, why does Jesus respond to the Pharisees and the scribes in a parable? Well, we've already seen where the scriptures testify that Jesus teaches in parables as a fulfillment of what Asaph spoke in Psalm 78, when he said, I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world. But I also wanna look at how Jesus answers this same question, why do you teach in parables, when his disciples ask him, Now, if you have your Bibles, please open them with me, because I'd like you to see this. Open them with me to Matthew chapter 13. We're going to be reading verses 10 through 17. Matthew chapter 13, verses 10 through 17. Matthew 13, starting at verse 10. Then the disciples came to him and said, Why do you teach them in parables? And he answered them, to you, it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them, it has not been given. For to the one who has more will be given and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. Indeed, in their case, the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says, you will indeed hear, but never understand. And you will indeed see, but never perceive. For this people's heart has grown dull. And with their ears, they can barely hear. And their eyes, they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them. blessed are your eyes for they see and your ears for they hear. For truly I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see and did not see it and to hear what you hear and did not hear it. Now, is it any wonder that people came away listening to him saying no man ever spoke like this before? Well, We can see in this text two purposes for Jesus' teaching and parables. One, parables highlight the necessity of divine election. And secondly, parables reinforce the reality of human responsibility. First, divine election. Jesus says, to you it has been given and also, but to them, it has not been given. Jesus is drawing a distinction between two types of people. Those who have, by God's sovereign grace, been given the ability to know God and his truth, and those whom God has chosen to conceal his truth from. Now, this reality is something that plagues natural man. Natural man just cannot fathom that God would choose some, but not others. They think that it's not fair. And I guess it's not fair, specifically speaking, it's God being merciful. But ultimately their problem is really a wrong view of sin and a wrong view of God's holiness. The wonder is really not that God chooses some, but not others. That's not what should make us wonder. What should make us wonder is the fact that God chooses anyone at all. And instead of kick against that truth, We would be best to simply believe it by faith. Now, secondly, parables reinforce human responsibility. Jesus says, for the one who has more will be given and he will have an abundance. But for the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And here Jesus uses a proverb to show a spiritual reality. that those who value and nurture God's truth will receive abundantly more. Conversely, those who neglect God's truth, similar to the scribes and the Pharisees who disregarded God's law in favor of their man-made traditions, well, those people will lose even what little bit of God's truth they have. If a man finds himself standing with the goats on judgment day, he will truly have no one to blame but himself. And friends, if any of us here have been given eyes to see and ears to hear, let us be quick to give thanks and praise to God for the great mercy that he's shown us. Also, let us be more diligent to grow in grace. Let us be quick to read our Bibles, to go to the Lord in prayer, to gather with the saints in corporate worship. These are the means of grace that God has promised to bless, and we should be diligent in them. So to summarize, Jesus teaches in parables to reveal truth to his chosen disciples and to hide it from others. Now, Pastor Terry Johnson summarizes it well when he says, quote, because parables both reveal and conceal, both uncover and veil, they are compatible with God's purpose to graciously illuminate those who have been responsive to his ministry while withholding truth from and hardening those who were stubbornly resistant. They placed the responsibility for understanding squarely upon our shoulders without implying autonomy. At the same moment, they teach us that we are both culpable and dependent upon God's grace. While moving on now and examining the two parables before us, we see a similar flow and parallel themes in both of them. And my intent is to use those themes as guideposts for exploring the parables. And those themes are, one, the lost sought, secondly, the lost found, and third, the lost rejoiced over. Beginning now with the lost sought. As I mentioned earlier, each of these parables are used by our Lord to show his love for lost sinners, and his willingness and ability to save them. Now, many commentators take more of an allegorical approach to interpreting them, but as I've mentioned, I'm a bit cautious of doing that. And J.C. Ryle summarizes my thoughts on this approach well when he says, quote, I must decline assigning the allegorical meanings to every part of the parable, which many commentators have discovered. The two numbers, 199, the wilderness, the shepherds laying the lost sheep on his shoulders, the home, the friends, the neighbors, all appear to me to be subordinate circumstances of the parable, which were simply intended to illustrate one great leading truth, the deep self-sacrificing love of Christ towards sinners and the pleasure with which he saved them. Now, to illustrate this truth that Jesus is willing and able to save sinners, He uses the example of a shepherd who has lost one of his sheep and a woman who has lost a tenth of her wealth. Both of these individuals react to their loss in similar ways. We can note first that neither the shepherd nor the woman complains about their situation. There's no wallowing in self-pity, neither is there anxious inactivity. Now, perhaps we could say that the shepherd Having only lost 1% of his wealth has some reason for optimism, but certainly none of us would fault the woman having lost a 10th of her wealth to have a brief moment of panic. But that's not the case. The picture is not of the shepherd and the woman wringing their hands, wondering what they're going to do. No, instead, what we see is immediate and confident action taken. The shepherd leaves his flock in the open country and goes off after the one lost sheep. No questions asked. No other task was more important to him at that moment than the recovery of the lost sheep. Now, similarly, the woman lights a lamp and sweeps the house, seeking diligently for the lost coin. Now, perhaps her house was dark and dingy all the time, or perhaps, as I'm inclined to believe, it was nighttime. when she realized that she had lost one of her coins. Either way, sleep was no object for her. Much more important for this woman was the recovery of her lost coin. Now we can look at both of these illustrations and see a picture of how Christ seeks after lost sinners. Jesus did not sit idly by in heaven, watching his sheep go astray, wondering what he was going to do. No, but when the fullness of time had come, Christ took on flesh and entered into his creation to seek and to save his own. I think it's also worth reflecting here for a moment on the extent to which Christ went to save his people. Hear how the apostle Paul describes the sacrifice of Christ in Philippians chapter two, where he says, quote, though he was in the form of God, he did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men and being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Christ not only left the glory of heaven to enter into a sinful world, he took on human flesh. He experienced want. He was tired. He was hungry. He was grieved. Now, sometimes I think we lose a bit of the splendor of this mystery. The eternal word became flesh and dwelt among us. Eternal God taking on man's nature with all the essential properties and common infirmities yet without sin. But friends, if that weren't enough, he suffered under unjust rulers. He had false accusations leveled at him. He was tortured on the cross. Do all these things seem unfit to us for the creator of the universe? And if they do, we need to remember, Jesus did not think himself above it, such as his love for lost sinners. So we see first how the lost are sought by Christ. Next, we see the lost found. Notice that Jesus leaves no room for failure in these parables. The shepherd goes after the lost sheep until he finds it. The woman seeks diligently until she finds her lost coin. Failure is not an option. What was lost must be found. And in the same way, Christ will always save those who are his. Now, speaking of the salvation of his people, Jesus says in John 6, all that the father gives me, will come to me. And whoever comes to me, I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. Christ's atonement is effectual for each and every one of his sheep. And this should be such a comfort for us. Now, I know in our church, the doctrine of definite atonement is one that we hold dear and for good reason. But it really is a shame that so many Christians choose to idolize man's free will and man's sovereignty and rob God of his full glory of salvation in the process. And not only that, they're actually robbing the saints of a full assurance of salvation, which can only be found in a powerful Christ who can always accomplish the salvation of his people. Now, Christians can look at these parables and see the certainty of the lost being found and have confidence that God will always save his own. Friends, we can evangelize. We can share the gospel. We can speak about Jesus to our friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors. Not because we're convinced that our winsomeness will somehow change their hearts, because believe me, it won't. We can do it because we're convinced that God will draw his elect to Christ in his own time. Now, if you're an unbeliever listening to this, I implore you to see Christ rightly. See him as the Bible presents him. I don't care what you've heard about Jesus from what is called American evangelicalism. Christ is not a weak Savior. He's not sitting idly by, hoping to save everybody, but unable to save anyone in particular. That is not a biblical Christ. The biblical Christ is a powerful Savior who is both willing and able to save sinners just like you. And you would do well to put your trust in Him. Now, Although I do decline to assign an allegorical meaning to each component of the parables, I do think we can learn something of the type of centers Christ is willing and able to save by making some simple observations about the objects which are lost in each of the parables. And J.C. Ryle suggests, and I agree with him, the main objects in each of the three Luke 15 parables represents a different kind of lost center. The sheep represents the stupid, foolish sinner. The lost coin represents the sinner altogether ignorant of himself and of his condition. And the lost son finally from the third parable represents the daring and the willful sinner. Now we can learn from this that Christ is able and willing to save all sorts of sinners. And is this not consistent with his earthly ministry? Did he not call his disciples from all walks of life? Simon, the zealot, Matthew, the tax collector, Peter, the poor fisherman. We should see this and prayerfully expect that he'll do the same even today. So first we saw the lost sought. Secondly, we saw the lost found. Finally, we see the lost rejoiced over. Notice the shepherd's reaction when he finds his lost sheep. He isn't frustrated that he was made to go through so much trouble to find it. He isn't put out because of any inconvenience to himself. But even if he was, which one of us could blame him for that? Certainly a little bit of frustration would be understandable. But no, the text says that when he found it, he laid it on his shoulders rejoicing. Not only that, As soon as he carries the sheet back home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors and the celebration continues. Now we see a similar picture when the woman finds her lost coin. Upon finding her coin, she doesn't breathe a sigh of relief saying, wow, that was a close one. What would I have done if I didn't find that? No, she too calls together her friends and neighbors saying rejoice with me for I found the coin that I had lost. So we see the recovery of both the lost sheep and the lost coin are appropriate occasions for rejoicing and celebration. And this is important because the Lord Jesus uses these examples to compare the reaction in heaven when a single sinner repents. Now, does it seem strange that heaven would rejoice over the repentance of a single sinner? Think of how many sinners have repented in history, and each one causes heaven to rejoice. Doesn't that seem a little bit strange? But we see in that the love that the Lord has, the value that the Lord places on a single soul. Should we not long to rejoice with heaven over one sinner who repents? I believe we should. A question that we need to ask Has heaven rejoiced over you? Has there been joy before the angels of God over you? Have you repented of your sins? Or are you perhaps like the Pharisees and the scribes who had convinced themselves that they needed no repentance? This past Thanksgiving, we hosted my side of the family at our house for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with my sister's three boys and our four children. There was no shortage of action and play going on as we were finalizing the cooking. Now, my task this year was to fry the turkey. Mind you, this was the first time that I had ever fried a turkey and apparently the first time any of my family had ever seen a turkey fried. So the fry station was a popular gathering point. Well, after the turkey was fully cooked, we brought the bird inside to carve it and to serve it. And as I was carving the turkey, I heard a buzz start around the kitchen. Where's Lizzie? Has anyone seen Lizzie? Now, Lizzie is our youngest and was almost two years old at the time. All of the grandparents kind of at the same time looked at each other, each of them expecting the other to know where Lizzie was, but she was nowhere to be found. And as you would expect, I put the knife down and ran outside to the front yard looking for Lizzie, but she wasn't there. We ran around the side of the house to the garage, but she wasn't there either. We ran to the backyard. Certainly she's in the backyard. but she wasn't there either. Now, at this point, you can imagine my heart was in my throat. But as we're in the backyard, someone spots Lizzie playing under the deck in the sandbox with her four year old cousin, Luke. Now, don't ask me why no one was wondering where Luke was, but the point is, you can imagine the relief that we felt when Lizzie was found. There was joy in my house when we found that which was lost. But friends, the joy that Stephanie and I felt when Lizzie was recovered, it is not the same joy expressed in heaven when a sinner repents. In the case of a repentant sinner, there is no question that Christ's sheep will come to him. So it would be wrong to say that there's relief in heaven when a sinner repents, because the outcome was always secure. In fact, the word here translated joy means a calm delight, a gladness. What an amazing thought that is. Heaven and all its hosts rejoicing at the gathering in of every lost sheep. Well, may God grant us grace and be pleased to use us as he draws lost sinners to himself. I have two applications from the text this evening. First, if you are an unforgiven sinner listening to this, know that the Lord Jesus commands you to repent and come to him to receive forgiveness for your sins. You have seen in this text that Christ is both willing and able to save sinners. You've also seen in this text his special love for lost sinners. But friends, I have a warning for you. Christ will not always be the seeking shepherd and the searching woman of these parables. There will come a day when Christ returns to earth as judge. And if you wait until that day to repent of your sins and trust in him for salvation, it will be too late. Your fate will have already been sealed and you will suffer justly for all eternity for your sins against God. So I plead with you. Trust in Christ today while you still have time. Secondly, to all of the saints listening to this, let the accusation of the scribes and the Pharisees against our Lord be said also of us, that we receive sinners and eat with them. Let us model the love for sinners that Christ displays in this text. Let us be quick to greet those both inside and outside the church joyfully. Let our disposition be one that is welcoming and inviting to those who do not know the Lord. In doing so, we may find ourselves crossing paths with more lost people. We may find lost friends and acquaintances reaching out to us in times of trouble because they know that we'll listen to them. And the Lord may use those conversations to open up opportunities for us to share about his law and about his gospel. Let's pray. Father, we thank you for your word. We thank you that we can read it and your spirit can give us insight into its meaning. We thank you that we see an example here of the love that Jesus has for lost centers. Lord, we thank you that that love was shed upon all of us here who are in Christ. We pray that we would have a heart that seeks to reach lost people like Jesus did, a heart that welcomed sinners into our presence in order to share with them the good news of the gospel. So Lord, would you be pleased to use each and every one of us as you see fit to bring lost sinners into your kingdom? We pray this in Jesus' name, amen.