Luke 15:1-32
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus.2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
8 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
God is there for us, and Only He is good...Mankind slips and falls from grace by temptation, mistake or some other means (with help from the evil one) -and we sin...God sends prophets, wise men, and teachers to help us with our slips, our falls, and our sins...We realize this and then return to our Father...Our Father is kind, and gentile, and forgiving, and LOVING...This has been the cycle of Humanity's Redemption...And St. Luke writes about this redemption cycle and story...
Redemption is the act of being saved from sin, evil, or an error we have made...Redemption cleans the slate on the sin, the evil, or error we have done...These parables of the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Lost Son are about redemption...When God gives us redemption, He does it immediately and unfettered...There are no strings attached to His redemption, because His LOVE is Unconditional Love...When we come to our senses and repent, He runs to us and He rejoices and celebrates...
One day a group of tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus...But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”...Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them...Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?..And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home...Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’...I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent...
Then Jesus teaches us about a Lost Coin...Suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one...Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?...And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’...In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”...
God loses one of His children and He is sad...He diligently works to gain then back, and home with Him again...And we see this in the Parable of the Prodigal Son...In the Prodigal Son, the Lost Son we see about one and even maybe two lost sons...The Loving Father, the Running Father is our Father in heaven...The Father has given His two sons their inheritance before He has died...The younger son wastes his inheritance on wild living...While the older son has done his duty and worked with his Father...The younger, now poor and broke son, returns home where his Father runs and greets him...He wants to celebrate the repented son's return to coming home...The older son cannot see why the Father is so forgiving...He doesn't understand His mercy and LOVE...
The Father tries to explain to the elder son that his younger brother was lost, but now is found, and it is a time for a happy celebration...Our Father wants us to be forgiving and merciful and to find Him...He seems always to be looking for us...When we are right and faithful to our Father, it is a time for rejoicing and celebrating...