THERE'S A SHEEP MISSING!
Luke 15:1-7
Jerry Vines
5/26/96
Luke 15 has well been called the lost and found department in the Bible. It is chapter where
Jesus told a series of stories about things that were lost and then were found. In the opening two verses
of the chapter we are told why Jesus gave these particular stories. Jesus told the stories about the lost
and found things in response to the criticism of the Scribes and the Pharisees. They were critical of the
Lord Jesus Christ because He associated with bad people. They were critical of the Lord Jesus Christ
because He took up time with people who were looked upon as the outcasts of society. The Lord
Jesus did meet with people who were bad people. In fact, on some occasions the Bible says He
attended banquets with them. It would be kind of like if I had a party and invited all of the alcohol
dealers and all of the harlots and all of the drug pushers of Jacksonville to come. Can you just hear it?
"Have you heard what Vines did? Have you heard the group of people that Vines was with on a
Friday night? Can you imagine a preacher of a church having a party with people like that?" Yet, that
is exactly why they criticized the Lord Jesus Christ. Sinners were doing just exactly what Jesus had
told them to do. In the last verse of chapter 14 Jesus said, "He that hath ears to hear, let them hear."
Verse 1 says that sinners drew near for to hear Him. They were doing what Jesus Christ had invited
them to do and yet Jesus is criticized for it.
The criticism of these Scribes and Pharisees is very revealing. You can almost see the sneer on
their face. You can almost catch the sarcasm in their voice when they say in verse 2, "This man
receiveth sinners and eateth with them." Sometimes in the Bible what is intended to be a criticism
becomes a ...
Luke 15:1-7
Jerry Vines
5/26/96
Luke 15 has well been called the lost and found department in the Bible. It is chapter where
Jesus told a series of stories about things that were lost and then were found. In the opening two verses
of the chapter we are told why Jesus gave these particular stories. Jesus told the stories about the lost
and found things in response to the criticism of the Scribes and the Pharisees. They were critical of the
Lord Jesus Christ because He associated with bad people. They were critical of the Lord Jesus Christ
because He took up time with people who were looked upon as the outcasts of society. The Lord
Jesus did meet with people who were bad people. In fact, on some occasions the Bible says He
attended banquets with them. It would be kind of like if I had a party and invited all of the alcohol
dealers and all of the harlots and all of the drug pushers of Jacksonville to come. Can you just hear it?
"Have you heard what Vines did? Have you heard the group of people that Vines was with on a
Friday night? Can you imagine a preacher of a church having a party with people like that?" Yet, that
is exactly why they criticized the Lord Jesus Christ. Sinners were doing just exactly what Jesus had
told them to do. In the last verse of chapter 14 Jesus said, "He that hath ears to hear, let them hear."
Verse 1 says that sinners drew near for to hear Him. They were doing what Jesus Christ had invited
them to do and yet Jesus is criticized for it.
The criticism of these Scribes and Pharisees is very revealing. You can almost see the sneer on
their face. You can almost catch the sarcasm in their voice when they say in verse 2, "This man
receiveth sinners and eateth with them." Sometimes in the Bible what is intended to be a criticism
becomes a ...
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