The Plowman

Introduction:

Have you ever lost something of great value to you? Something that may not have been of any value or worthy to anyone else but it meant something to you? I have a tendency to like “a” shirt. And I will wear that shirt until it is worn out – then I’ll latch onto another one. It’s a flaw in my otherwise flawless character! One day I went to the closet for my shirt. It was gone. “Rheadon where is my shirt?” “What shirt?” “My shirt! What shirt…what kind of question is that? She probably threw it away – she knows I love that shirt. What did I say? Oh, nothing dear.” I ransacked the closet. Nothing. Emptied the draws in the dresser – not there. Dumped the laundry basket. The washer? No. The dryer? Empty. I’m going to find my shirt if it kills me. After an exhaustive search I found it – yes where I had left it – wadded up on the floor. I wept.

He had done it before. It was nothing new – in fact every time he got the chance he ran away. I never understood it. He was greatly loved. He was abundantly provided for but he wanted more. He didn’t seem to care about the pain he caused when he ran away. Our weenie dog had run away again! I got on my bike and circled the block calling for John. No response. We got in the car and with great intensity and determination my eyes searched as I called out his name. “There he is.” As we pulled up beside him I threw open the door and he jumped into my lap. My fear and frustration were gone. All that matter was that he was found.

Lost things. What happens when something that you love is lost? And what happens when it is found? That’s what I want us to think about this morning as we explore Luke 15.

Text: Luke 15:1-24

The Scriptures are clear – those who are “outside” of Christ are “lost.” Those who have not repented of their sin and put their trust and confidence in Christ and Christ alone are separated from God. They are aliens and strangers. They are denied both the pleasure and the benefit of His presence. They know nothing of his peace, mercy and grace. They are, in the words of the apostle Paul, “dead in trespass and sin.”

What is the attitude of God toward those who are lost? Many only see the response of His holiness. They think of His wrath, His vengeance and His judgment. While God is holy and while there is a fearful judgment that awaits those who die in their sin – that is not the whole picture. If we want a true picture we must add to His wrath and judgment His love and grace. That is the focus of our text. Luke 15 is one of those mountain peaks in Scripture. The story of the “prodigal son” is one of the most familiar texts in all the Bible but I think that it is often viewed out of its context.

Now it is in response to all this that Jesus tells them this parable. (15:3) What follows is one parable. Not three but one. They must be taken together in order to get the whole message.

Thesis: Salvation is the work or our great and compassionate God.

Reflected in this parable is the work of God the Son, God the Holy Spirit and God the Father. Salvation is the triune work of God. These are not three parables looking at one truth from three perspectives. Rather it is looking at the one great work of God and seeing the depth of that work.

There are three things I want us to note in our text.

1. The lost sheep reveals the heart of God grieving over the one lost. (15:3-7)
2. The lost coin reveals God’s compassion in diligently seeking the lost. (15:8-12)
3. The lost son reveals the love of God joyously receiving the repentant sinner. (15:13-24)

Introduction
It is not a popular theme. I understand that it is not a pleasant subject and there is a sense in which I understand the lack of discussion.  It is unsettling and disturbing, so most folks would just as soon not deal with it.  But the fact is death comes to all.  Death is the most democratic institution on earth.  It allows no discrimination and tolerates no exceptions.  The mortality rate is a solid 100%.  One out of one dies!  The Bible is clear – death is not the end of personal existence.  Life does not end at the grave.  That makes the big question – “What then?”  What happens after death?  According to Jesus the fate awaiting those who reject the Gospel is as bad and terrifying as can be imagined – and everyone needs to be told.  Yet the doctrine of hell has fallen on hard times.  Baptists who were once known as those “hell fire and brimstone” folks have become too sophisticated to talk of such “old fashion” notions.

According to a nation wide survey in 1968, 70% of Americans believed there was a literal hell.  Eleven years later, in 1979, Newsweek conducted another survey and found that only 58% believed in a literal hell.  A 1988 survey found only 39% thought hell might exist and a year later; a Gallop poll found only 24%.  In 20 years the numbers fell from 3 out of 4 to only 1 in 4.  Martin Marty, in preparing a series of lectures on the subject of hell for a presentation at Harvard, surveyed the major theological journals of the past 100 years and failed to find a single entry dealing with the subject of hell.

There has been a disturbing trend within the church in the past 30 years.  Groups of scholars gather for dialogue and inevitably they manage to “talk away” any doctrine they find disturbing or troublesome.  They take the Scriptures and look at each story, each event and determine whether or not it fits their view of God.  If it doesn’t fit into their system it is excluded.  “This must be something added later rather than a part of the original.”  I’m thinking that maybe it’s time for less dialogue and more monologue, and let’s let God do the talking.

Text: Luke 16:19-31

This is a familiar passage.  It is one of the most recognizable of Jesus’ parables.  There has been a great deal of discussion as to whether this is a parable or an actual account.  I’m convinced that it is a parable.  And that Jesus used it to punctuate his discussion with the Pharisees that took place earlier in chapter 16.  Keep in mind a parable is meant to be heard.  It is intended to drive home a point.  It is not intended as exhaustive theological teaching.  It serves to illustrate basic truths concerning the Kingdom of God.  The thrust of this story is to drive home the point that:

Thesis: In the life to come, there is a hell to shun and a heaven to gain.
Jesus, with the skill of an artist paints for us a moving portrait of the life to come.  The drama is played out in three acts.

1. As the curtain rises on act 1 we discover a stark contrast.  (16:19-21)
2. act 2 – A startling reversal.  (16:22-24)
3. act 3 – A frightening reality.  (16:25-31)

The frightening reality revealed in this closing section is that it is forever.  The plain language of the text is that the condition in which one dies is unchanging throughout eternity.  The rich man in death did something he had not done in life.  He earnestly sought the grace and mercy of God, but it was too late.  Nothing could be done to ease his torment.  He sought to have a warning sent to his family that they might not suffer this same fate.  The response was that they had sufficient warning.  The Scriptures were clear.  Hopelessness, despair and isolation is the lot of those who die without Christ.

Now, the rich man was not damned because of his wealth.  Lazarus was not exalted because of his poverty.  The rich man was in hell because of his sin and his failure to acknowledge his sin and embrace Christ.  Your future life is dependent upon your relationship with God not your works.  Not how good you are or what you try to do.  The issue is what have you done with Christ?  Is this a message of despair?  No.  You’ve heard the message of the Gospel.  The door is open.  If you are not a believer.  If you have not trusted in Christ and Christ alone, I urge you for the sake of your soul – come to Christ!