Engaging Gospel Doctrine 144
Lesson 18:“He Was Lost, and Is Found”
Class Member Reading: Luke 15; 1715Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him.2And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.”(This was not just about the company Jesus chose to keep; he was making a far more profound statement: “by this action, Jesus is anticipating their inclusion within the kingdom of God” (OBC, 947).3So he told them this parable:4“Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it?5When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices.6And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’7Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.(or rather, those unaware of their need for repentance…)8“Or what woman having ten silver coins(“drachma”, worth about a day’s pay) , if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it?9When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’10Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”These parables emphasize the “gracious outreach of God”—God is the primary actor, seeking those who are lost, rather than the penitent sinner.
Here we of course have another of Luke’s masterpieces. Note what we can learn from each character.
11Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons.12The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.’ So he divided his property between them.13A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living.14When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need.15So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs.16He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything.17But when he came to himself (I think these are the most important words of the entire parable) he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger!18I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you;19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.”’(acknowledging his wrong, the consequences, and humbling himself completely)20So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him(Such touching care and intimacy).21Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’22But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.23And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate;24for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.25“Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing.26He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on.27He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.’28Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him(The father’s proactive caring is inspiring).29But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends.30But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’31Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.32But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.’”Note that the consequences of the younger son’s actions remain. The older brother’s response serves as the climax of the story (Read OBC, 948).
17Jesus said to his disciples, “Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to anyone by whom they come!2It would be better for you if a millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea than for you to cause one of these little ones(vulnerable people in the faith community) to stumble.3Be on your guard! If another disciple sins, you must rebuke the offender, and if there is repentance, you must forgive.4And if the same person sins against you seven times a day, and turns back to you seven times and says, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive.”5The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”6The Lord replied, “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.7“Who among you would say to your slave who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here at once and take your place at the table’?8Would you not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, put on your apron and serve me while I eat and drink; later you may eat and drink’?9Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded?10So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, ‘We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!’” Humble dedication and diligence.
11On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee.12As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance,13they called out, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”14When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were made clean.15Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice.16He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan.17Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they?18Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Jesus challenges elitism—what makes you right with God is behavior and where your heart is, not status or privilege.19Then he said to him, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.”
20Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed;21nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you.”22Then he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.23They will say to you, ‘Look there!’ or ‘Look here!’ Do not go, do not set off in pursuit.24For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day.25But first he must endure much suffering and be rejected by this generation.26Just as it was in the days of Noah, so too it will be in the days of the Son of Man.27They were eating and drinking, and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed all of them.28Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot: they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building,29but on the day that Lot left Sodom, it rained fire and sulfur from heaven and destroyed all of them30—it will be like that on the day that the Son of Man is revealed.31On that day, anyone on the housetop who has belongings in the house must not come down to take them away; and likewise anyone in the field must not turn back.32Remember Lot’s wife.33Those who try to make their life secure will lose it, but those who lose their life will keep it.34I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other left.35There will be two women grinding meal together; one will be taken and the other left.”37Then they asked him, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.”These are hard verses to understand—I turned to Joseph Fitzmyer’s Anchor Bible Commentary for clarification. These cryptic predictions stress that 1) the coming of the Son of Man (that will usher in the Messianic Era, what we think of as the Millennium) will be sudden and unmistakable, 2) that humans cannot be indifferent and uncaring, pursuing the ordinary needs of life, but rather remain vigilant, and 3) the act of judgment will dramatically divide humanity. “taken” and “left” probably means “taken” from destruction/into the kingdom and “left” to one’s fate. The final saying seems distasteful to us but refers to the inevitability of the appearance of the day of the Lord—its coming will be certain and obvious (of course, it didn’t come…)
Additional Reading: Matthew 18:11–14.
12What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray?13And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.14So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.
- Scripture Chain: Luke 15:4–10; Luke 15:11–24; Alma 26:11–16; D&C 18:10–16
Luke 15:4–10
4What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nineinthe wilderness, and go after that which islost, until he find it?
5And when he hath foundit,he layethiton his shoulders, rejoicing.
6And when he cometh home, he calleth togetherhisfriends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
7I say unto you, that likewisejoyshall be in heaven over onesinnerthatrepenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
8¶Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose onepiece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she findit?
9And when she hath foundit,she callethherfriends andherneighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.
10Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of theangelsof God over onesinnerthat repenteth.
Luke 15:11–24
11¶And he said, A certain man had two sons:
12And the younger of them said tohisfather, Father, give me the portion ofgoodsthat fallethto me.And he divided unto themhisliving.
13And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and therewastedhissubstancewithriotousliving.
14And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
15And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16And hewould fainhave filled his belly with thehusksthat the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
17And when hecameto himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18I willariseand go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I havesinnedagainst heaven, and before thee,
19And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
20And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and hadcompassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
21And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no moreworthyto be called thyson.
22But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and putiton him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes onhisfeet:
23And bring hither the fatted calf, and killit;and let us eat, and be merry:
24For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
Alma 26:11–16
11But Ammon said unto him: I do notboastin my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, myjoyis full, yea, my heart is brim withjoy, and I will rejoice in my God.
12Yea, I know that I amnothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I willnotboast of myself, but I willboastof my God, for in hisstrengthI can do allthings; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.
13Behold, how many thousands of our brethren has he loosed from the pains ofhell; and they are brought tosingredeeming love, and this because of the power of his word which is in us, therefore have we not great reason to rejoice?
14Yea, we have reason to praise him forever, for he is the Most High God, and has loosed our brethren from thechainsof hell.
15Yea, they were encircled about with everlastingdarknessand destruction; but behold, he has brought them into his everlastinglight, yea, into everlasting salvation; and they are encircled about with the matchless bounty of his love; yea, and we have been instruments in his hands of doing this great and marvelous work.
16Therefore, let usglory, yea, we willgloryin the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of hismercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel.
D&C 18:10–16
10Remember theworthofsoulsis great in the sight of God;
11For, behold, the Lord yourRedeemersuffereddeathin the flesh; wherefore hesufferedthepainof all men, that all men might repent andcomeunto him.
12And he hathrisenagain from the dead, that he might bring all men unto him, on conditions ofrepentance.
13And how great is hisjoyin thesoulthatrepenteth!
14Wherefore, you are called tocryrepentance unto this people.
15And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be onesoulunto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!
16And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into thekingdomof my Father, how great will be yourjoyif you should bring manysoulsunto me!
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