Lost

The summer between my sophomore (2nd) and junior (3rd) year of my theological studies at Southern Adventist University, I joined my sister and several other friends as missionaries. We applied and were accepted as teachers for a summer program at the Ekamai International School in Bangkok Thailand. There I taught English and swimming. One evening we decided to explore Bangkok. We got ready and went out as a group. We were told to avoid going out by ourselves. We took a bus from close to where the school was to the nearest stop of the sky train. From there we rode the sky train to downtown and got off. We had no clear goal, we just wanted to look around and maybe buy a few things. There was one rule, we stick together, we go together, and we stop together. Easier said than done. Each one of us was interested in different things. One person wanted to look at musical instruments they had never seen before, one person was interested in trying the different foods, some were interested in the beautiful long sarongs, or art, knives, hats, dresses… there was so much to look at. There were stores, and street vendors, and everyone was trying to get our attention and offer us the best deal. “Come come” they would say to us, many times the only words they knew in English, as they tried to interest us in what they were selling.

I get easily distracted and soon enough I stopped to look at something, it was going to be a quick look, no need to alert the group. But a very friendly and determined salesperson approached me to tell me all about what I was looking at and began to lower the price as I stood there looking at it. By the time I realized I was by myself it was too late. I tried to find the group but the streets were packed with people, by this time it was dark, and I had lost my group.

I knew how to walk back to the sky train stop and I knew where to get off. The sky train had a stop not too far from the school. But the streets were dark and less busy in this quieter part of town. The street signs were difficult to read not to mention that I can’t read Thai. Once I got off the sky train I considered taking the bus. But I was afraid I would miss my stop on a crowded bus at night and end up farther away from the school than I was currently.

The bus was the cheapest option and in many ways the safest. Taxi was the most expensive and being by yourself in a taxi at night was potentially dangerous. The third option was the moto taxi. On our first day in Bangkok, a local doctor told us about what to avoid in order to stay healthy. Things such as fruit that was cut open on the street market, street food that was not fried or cooked in front of you (or just avoid street food altogether), don’t drink the water, don’t ride the moto taxi.

I know right? That doesn’t sound like medical advice. But it is because the moto taxis drive very aggressively. They can go up on the sidewalk, often go between cars, and even on the wrong side of the road if there’s an opening. (here’s a youtube video to give you an idea)

As a student missionary, I was constantly broke and was not sure if I could afford a taxi, especially if the driver decided to take the long route and charge me a premium. The bust was affordable but I was afraid of missing my stop. I was afraid of walking and getting lost and there would be no buses or taxis available away from the main roads. I saw a moto taxi and decided it was my best option. I had in my wallet a small piece of paper with the school address written in Thai. I showed it to the moto taxi and he nodded his head. He put on his helmet and I set on the back (there was no helmet for me). Traffic was heavy and off he went. I felt like he might be going in the wrong direction, but I am pretty bad with directions, I didn’t speak the language, and it was dark, so I held on for dear life and prayed.

The trip was taking longer than I had anticipated. Had he misunderstood the address? Was he taking me somewhere else? My cell phone didn’t work there and I didn’t have it on me. Also, I would not know who to call, the school was closed by this time and the other missionaries would hardly have been able to help me. I was looking around trying to recognize any of the buildings or street names but they all looked the same to me.

Finally, the moto taxi pulled up to the school. I was so relieved, I felt like I could breathe again. I paid the man and made my way to my apartment. I was safe.

Being lost was a terrible experience.

Luke 15

In Luke chapter 15 Jesus describes three kinds of lostness. The first one is being lost like a sheep.

Do you know how sheep get lost?

They nibble their way into lostness. They move from one tuft of green grass to the next. They keep moving along from tuft to tuft, and when they’re done nibbling they can’t find their way back to the shepherd and they’re lost. Some of us know what that is—to nibble ourselves bit by bit into the far country. (Bruce Larson and Lloyd J. Ogilvie, Luke, vol. 26, The Preacher’s Commentary Series (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc, 1983), 235.

Context

In Luke 15 we encounter a new scene in which the Pharisees and scribes complain of Jesus’ association with publicans and sinners (15:1–2). We have already encountered this criticism in 5:27–32 (Matt 9:11; Mark 2:16), in Luke 7:39, and will encounter it again in 19:7. Three parables follow that serve both as a defense of Jesus’ ministry to such outcasts (cf. 14:15–24) and an appeal to his opponents to join in celebrating their entrance into the kingdom (15:7, 10, 28, 31–32).

The parables are connected by theme (the joy of the lost being found) and by key words (“lost” and “found,” 15:6, 9, 24, 32; “rejoice” and “celebrate,” 15:6, 9, 24, 32). Together the three parables form a tightly knit unit with a single, strongly Lukan theme—God’s love for outcasts and sinners. (Robert H. Stein, Luke, vol. 24, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992), 400.

Sinners and Tax Collectors

Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.”
- Luke 15:1-2NKJV

According to the text, tax collectors and sinners drew near to Jesus because they longed to hear Him. It is significant that Jesus attracted sinners while the Pharisees repelled them. This causes me to wonder how people feel about some of our churches today. Are the lost attracted or repelled by our church?

Lost sinners came to Jesus, not because He catered to them or compromised His message, but because He cared for them. He understood their needs and tried to help them, while the Pharisees criticized them and kept their distance (see Luke 18:9–14). The Pharisees had a knowledge of God and His laws. They desired personal purity, but they lacked a love for lost souls. (Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 233.

Yet Jesus associated with “sinners” to offer them salvation through repentance and faith, not to participate in their sin. ( Robert H. Stein, Luke, vol. 24, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992), 403 bold mine) It is not noble to simply mingle with the suffering, Jesus loved them and desired to save them. Growing up In Brazil I remember when it was time for local elections. Politicians would show up, pass out candy, fix some potholes, and hand out t-shirts, flags, and hats. Once the ballots were cast they would disappear until the next election cycle. I don’t think they really cared that much for the people but seemed more interested in what the people could offer them. Jesus was not trying to win a popularity contest. He honestly had their best interest at heart.

And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.”

Jon Courson points out that even though they didn’t know what they were saying, the enemies of Jesus often shared profound insights about Him.

Some examples include:

“He saved others, but Himself He cannot save,” they said as Jesus hung on the Cross (Matthew 27:42). How true. If He had saved Himself, He could not have saved me.

“It is expedient that one man die for the nation” (John 18:14). Although Caiaphas meant it was better that a “rabble-rouser” die than that the whole nation be bludgeoned into submission by the Romans, he unknowingly spoke prophetically—for Jesus did indeed die not for a nation, but for the whole world.

“He receives sinners,” scoffed the scribes and Pharisees in an attempt to put Jesus down. But what a marvelous truth. He does indeed receive sinners. The religious community might reject me, high society might refuse me—but Jesus Christ will always receive me.
- Jon Courson, Jon Courson’s Application Commentary (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2003), 372.

Another way to look at this is to consider that those who considered themselves paragons of righteousness felt so uncomfortable in the presence of Jesus, whereas those who admittedly made no claim to righteousness felt drawn to the Savior. Undoubtedly it was the hypocrisy of the former and the lack of pretense of the latter that made the difference (see Luke 18:9–14). The one class felt no need of the blessings Jesus had to offer, the other class realized its need and made no effort to conceal it (see Matt. 5:3; Mark 2:5; Luke 4:26; 5:8). The one was content with its own righteousness; the other knew that it had no righteousness of its own to offer. We would do well to ask ourselves how we feel in the presence of Jesus. (Francis D. Nichol, ed., The Seventh-Day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5 (Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1980), 814.

God as a Shepherd

The metaphor of a shepherd is used for God in Ps 23:1–4; Ezek 34:11–16; and Jesus also uses it in John 10:11–15. The idea of God being a shepherd is not new. However, Jesus uses it to illustrate a specific point.

3 So He spoke this parable to them, saying:

4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 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!’
- Luke 15:3-6 NKJV

Leaving the ninety-nine

You might think that if someone possesses 100 sheep he would not mind losing just one. Especially if it will take extreme effort to recover that one sheep. It is very likely that the shepherd would not notice the sheep was missing until evening time when he would bring all his sheep to the sheep pen and count them. Oftentimes shepherds would bring their flocks together into one area wherein all of the shepherds would watch the combined flock. The next day, they would take their individual flocks into separate feeding areas. How did they separate the sheep? Each had a different song, chant, or call that their own sheep recognized—even as Jesus alluded in John 10:4. (Jon Courson, Jon Courson’s Application Commentary (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2003), 372.

When the shepherd leaves the ninety-nine sheep to go after the one it does not lower their value, they were safe, it is the lost sheep that is in danger. The shepherd’s determination to go after the one highlights how much he values each animal. (Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 233.)

The Search and Celebration

Imagine with me. It is the end of the day. The shepherd is tired, it is getting dark, and the temperatures are dropping. It s becoming more dangerous and less comfortable to be wondering about. Now it is time to cozy up next to a fire, eat, relax, and share stories and songs with the other shepherds. But instead, the shepherd leaves the ninety-nine sheep and goes after the one that is missing. The shepherd ignores his aching feet, the cold air, and stumbles in the darkness looking for the lost sheep. Maybe he stubs his toe on a rock he didn’t see, or slips on some sand over a rock, scrapes his shins, maybe his throat hurts from calling for the sheep. He is tired, it has been a long day already, but his love for the one sheep keeps him going. He may be uncomfortable but he knows the lost sheep is suffering even more. The lost sheep cannot save itself, she can’t defend herself against predators, and she can’t find her way back unless someone comes to her rescue that lost sheep will die. The sheep is scared, paralyzed by fear and anxiety, it can barely cry for help. The shepherd knows this and refuses to give up on that one lost sheep. Every single sheep matters.

The shepherd finally finds the sheep. But he does not punish the sheep for getting lost. He does not kick the sheep all the way back to the sheepfold to teach it a lesson. He takes the lost sheep, the sheep that caused him all this discomfort, hassle, and pain, and places that sheep on his shoulders and carries it back to safety. When the shepherd arrives back he does not tell all his friends about how much trouble this single sheep caused him. He does not describe how foolish the sheep is for getting lost, or how difficult it was to find and rescue the lost sheep. Instead, he celebrates that the lost sheep has been found!

More Joy!?

7 I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.
- Luke 15:7 NKJV

Righteous persons who do not need to repent. Compare 5:31–32 to Luke 10:13; 11:32; 13:3, 5; Acts 2:38; 17:30 it becomes clear that for Luke everyone had need of repentance, whether Jew or Greek (Acts 11:18; 17:30). I agree with Robert H. Stein that if the ninety-nine refer to the Pharisees and scribes, then these words must be understood ironically as those who think they are righteous and have no need to repent. Less likely is the view that Jesus assumed for the sake of argument the claim of his opponents that they were righteous. In the context of Luke 15:1–3 the parable is in fact a call for “the righteous” to repent by sharing God’s joy in the salvation of “sinners.” Most probably one should not press this detail in the parable and seek meaning with respect to who the ninety-nine represent. The basic reality to which this parable points is God’s great joy over the repentance of the lost as they receive life. (Robert H. Stein, Luke, vol. 24, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992), 404.)

As Wiersbe puts it,

“We must not make every part of the parable mean something, otherwise we will turn it into an allegory and distort the message.”
- Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 234. (Bold Mine)

Lessons Learned

The parable of the lost sheep is as much about God’s desire to save and the joy that follows the salvation of one sinner who repents as it is about how we ought to join God both in His care for the lost as well as the rejoicing over those who repent and receive salvation.

Jesus loved all and His love attracted sinners who longed for what only Jesus could offer. Jesus never made room for sin, but He also never turned away any sinner who came seeking Him. However, there are those who are religious, who secretly cherish sin, but in a desperate attempt to appear holy they mistreat, neglect, and shun the “sinners.”

Through this parable, Jesus revealed God’s great care for those that religious people despise.

May we be more like God in His desire to save the lost, and less like the Pharisees who seemed to seek salvation by segregation.