Skip to content The Joy of Repentance: Luke 15-16 Jul 16 · 14 min ...more
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0:10 Good morning. Welcome to Stand on the Word. Alright. Today, we are in Luke chapters 15 and 16 verse 10 of chapter 15. Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of god0:22 over 1 sinner who repents. Now these 2 chapters we look we're looking at today appear to be almost in contradiction to the 2 previous chapters that we looked at where Jesus took on the0:34 religious crowd that was proud. He took on those who are indifferent to the call of God. And here, we read of God's compassion for sinners. In other words, we read of his love for us. Now for0:46 those who acknowledge their need for God, God is for them. God is all for us when we acknowledge our need for us. But if we think we don't need him, well, God can be indifferent to us as well. In0:57 chapters 15 in chapter 15, we have the parable of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost or prodigal son. 8 times in this chapter, we read of the lostness of man and the celebration1:09 that takes place when that which was lost is found. The first 2 parables speak to the love of god that seeks for us. And the third, the love of god that receives1:21 us in spite of what we have done. Verse 1, chapter 15. Then all the tax collectors and sinners drew near to to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes1:33 complained, saying this man receives sinners, and he eats with them. Now remember, okay, remember what I'm about to say. Jesus is our example. He receives1:45 or welcomes sinners. Remember, he spent the bulk of his time now with disciples. This passage is not an excuse to be 1 of the boys, so to speak. It is showing us the1:56 priority of having a heart of compassion for the lost, which is not just in words. It is in actions. Jesus intentionally interacted with the lost. Now2:08 2 applications of this trait that we see here in Jesus, this example. Number 1, our churches should be a place where the lost feel welcomed by our love and our kindness. Now this is2:20 not the same as, you know, what we heard about seeker friendly where there is a perpetual spiritual immaturity that allows people to feel comfortable in their sin and in their estrangement from god. No.2:32 A a a loving relationship will reveal to them the truth that will draw them unto their creator. See, the purpose of Jesus welcoming sinners was to see their2:44 lives changed by the truth that he was going to share with them. And they would respond by either receiving it and entering into the kingdom or rejecting it and going their own2:56 way. They would not be in different hangers on indefinitely. Number 2, as individuals, our heart should be like that of Jesus toward the lost, compassionate3:08 and kind, welcoming to those who are different and even those who, quite frankly, are difficult to get along with, not condemning, but caring. Now I I3:20 think I think this has been intentional. Alright? But love and affirmation have been conflated. Those 2 words. They that that that that that they're3:31 the same. Love loving the lost is not affirming the reason for their lostness. Okay? God loved all of us even while we were still sinners.3:44 But notice he he didn't affirm us, meaning he didn't tell us it was okay. What you know, the choice whatever choice we made was valid. He didn't tell us that. If we are to truly love others,3:56 we cannot affirm behavior that is contrary to the word and ways of God. Now we can love, which is what we have here in these parables this morning. It's not an4:08 affirmation of behavior that is in contradiction to the word of God, but it is love in spite of that behavior. Verse 3. So he4:20 spoke to them he spoke this parable to them saying, what man of you having a hundred sheep, if he loses 1 of them, does not leave the 99 in the wilderness and go after the 1 which is lost until he finds it. And when he4:32 has found it, he lays it on his shoulder rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors saying to them, rejoice with me for I have found my sheep which was lost. I4:44 say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over 1 sinner who repents than over 99 just persons who need no repentance. Or what woman having 10 silver4:56 coins, if she loses 1 coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together saying, rejoice with me for I have5:07 found the peace which I lost. Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of god over 1 sinner who repents. So what do these parables5:19 communicate? God's love for every human being. Well, we might be satisfied to say, oh, well, we we still have 99. Losing 1 is not bad. Or the5:31 woman who loses 1 of her coins, 1 of her 10 coins, doesn't say, well, I still have 9. Don't worry about it. No. She turns the house upside down. The middle picture I get is this woman worked5:43 through the night. I mean, she turned over every piece of furniture to find she looked in all the and and she stuck her hand down there in the in the couch, in the sofa where stuff slips into there. She was looking5:54 everywhere. And she finds the coin, and when she did, she told everybody on Facebook. Alright. Look again at verse 10. Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over 16:06 sinner who repents. Why? Why all the celebration over 1 sinner? Well, the account of the unnamed rich man and Lazarus in chapter 16, I6:18 believe, holds the answer. Look at verse 19, chapter 16. There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named6:29 Lazarus full of sores who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores.6:42 So it was that the beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. I find that just kind of that contrast is interesting. The the poor man, the6:54 beggar died, and angels carried him to Abraham. The rich man died also and was buried. And being in torment in Hades, this is the the rich man, he7:05 lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom. Then he cried and said, father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his7:17 finger in water and cool my tongue for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, son, remember that in your lifetime, you received your good things. And likewise,7:29 Lazarus evil things, but now he is comforted, and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you, there is a great gulf fixed so that those who want to pass from here to7:41 you cannot, nor can those who from there pass to us. Then he said, I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have 5 brothers that they7:53 may that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment. Abraham said to him, they have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them. And he said, no, father Abraham, but8:05 if 1 goes to them from the dead, they will repent. But he said to him, if they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though 1 rise from the dead, which in fact happened when Jesus rose from8:17 the dead. But notice the the the the, you know, I I know that there's a lot of jokes about hell. I mean, some have likened it to an eternal TSA line or perpetual trip to the DMV.8:29 But those certainly, those experiences can test your faith, but they're far from hell as Jesus describes it here. Hell is real. Now to be clear,8:41 this is an intermediate what he's talking about here is an intermediate place of torment for those who have not accepted the salvation of god by grace through faith. The ultimate dwelling place of the wicked will be8:53 after it it'll occur after the great white throne judgment. And by the way, for those who die in Christ, they are in a intermediate heaven, and the new heaven and new earth will be our9:05 final dwelling after the resurrection and second coming of our lord Jesus Christ. But also notice that he he said, you know, you got the good things when you were alive, and Lazarus, he9:17 had the evil things. I mean, again, we look keep the eternal in perspective compared to the the temporal. The things of this life are temporary, passing, but eternity,9:29 it's forever. I I want you to look again at verse 24. Then he cried and said, father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for9:41 I am tormented in this flame. Hell is real, and so is torment, and it will last forever. That means there will be no end to it. To behold, today is the day of salvation. We are9:52 living in a period of grace where we can receive the redemptive work of Jesus Christ and and be saved by believing in our heart that god raised him from the dead and confessing10:04 with our mouth that he is savior. Now listen to these other passages of scripture as it pertains to, to to hell because a lot of people don't believe it. They just don't believe it's gonna happen.10:16 Matthew 13 49. So it will be at the end of the age, the angels would come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of10:28 teeth. Second Thessalonians 1 9. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the lord and from the glory of his power. For if god did not spare the angel well,10:40 let me stop there. That was second Thessalonians 1 9. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction. And and notice partly what that destruction is. From the presence of the lord10:52 and from the glory of his power, they will be separated forever from the very presence of god. Even unbelievers benefit from the presence of God through his people in the Holy11:03 Spirit. I just think when you're completely think of the hopelessness, the hopelessness of not even having access to the presence of god.11:15 And then in second Peter 2 4, for if god did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into into chains of darkness to be reserved11:27 for judgment. You see, this is why god knows what is coming. He knows what hell is like. This is why the lord desperately seeks that 1 lost11:38 sheep. He knows what lies ahead. And because he has told us, we too must do all that we can to find that which is11:50 lost, point them to the grace of God made available at the cross to and encourage all that they would believe in their hearts and confess12:02 with their mouths that Jesus Christ is lord. There should be an urgency about our desire to share the gospel with the lost. We we we cannot be indifferent12:15 to what lies ahead. We need to pray. We need to pray for the lost, but we need to speak to the lost as well. Alright. Be sure and read the the the rest of today's,12:27 passage. It's, again, just filled with insight and understanding about the Christian walk and and what the lord has called us to as his disciples. Father, thank you for your word, and we thank you once again for the12:39 Holy Spirit. May the Holy Spirit continue to lead us on this journey, opening our eyes and our understanding. And, lord, as we saw here in these parables, the urgency12:50 and and intentionality of seeking out that which was lost, whether it was the sheep, whether it was the coin, or whether it was I I I think the the father was anticipating and praying13:02 for and waiting for that lost son to return home. Lord, whatever the situation is, may we be intentional in our prayers and in our efforts seeking that which is lost13:14 that we might point them to you. Father, give us that urgency and give us the, lord, just the persistence to seek and to point to13:26 you. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. Alright. Thanks again for being with me this morning. Until next time, keep standing on the word.13:38 Today's study comes from the stand on the word bible reading plan available for free at f r c dot o r g slash bible. By following along in just a few minutes a day,13:50 you can read through the entire Bible in just 2 years. Learn more and request the free reading guide at frc dot org slash bible.
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