Luke 15 has 3 very famous parables which I feel show the three persons
of the trinity.
First let’s look at who the audience is. It says:
“Many dishonest tax
collectors and other notorious sinners often gathered around to listen as Jesus
taught the people. This raised concerns among the Jewish religious leaders
and experts of the law. Indignant, they grumbled and complained, saying, “Look
at how this man associates with all these notorious sinners and welcomes them
all to come to him!”>
Isn't it wonderful Jesus welcomes
even the 'notorious sinners'! The religious leaders knew the scriptures but as
Jesus said in John 5:39-40 they missed Him. We can know the scriptures so well
but miss one who is the very Word itself.
In response to the religious leaders Jesus told these 3 parables. Here is the first:
“There once was a shepherd with a
hundred lambs, but one of his lambs wandered away and was lost. So the shepherd
left the ninety-nine lambs out in the open field and searched in the wilderness
for that one lost lamb. He didn’t stop until he finally found it. With
exuberant joy, he raised it up, placed it on his shoulders, and carried it back with cheerful
delight! Returning home, he called all his friends and neighbours together
and said, ‘Let’s have a party! Come and celebrate with me the return of my lost
lamb. It wandered away, but I found it and brought it home.’ ”
Jesus calls himself the good shepherd (John 10:11)
and in this illustration He goes looking for the lost lamb. I love how in this
parable the shepherd doesn't stop until He finds the lamb, Jesus is always
pursuing people and never gives up. Does death stop Him? It says He
has defeated death, so maybe not! There is no criticising the lamb for
getting lost nor is there any requirement for it to do anything. The
shepherd does all the work, putting the lamb on his shoulders and bringing it
home. Then there is party. Don't we all love a party?! Notice the lamb is
brought home. Jesus continues and says in verse 7 the lost sinner is
coming home, returning to the fold. Jesus is bringing us back to where we
belong.
Jesus the shares another parable, the parable of the Lost Coin.
“There once
was a woman who had ten valuable silver coins. When she
lost one of them, she swept her entire house, diligently searching every nook
and cranny for that one lost coin. When she finally found it, she gathered all her
friends and neighbors for a celebration, telling them, ‘Come and celebrate with
me! I had lost my precious silver coin, but now I’ve found it.’ That’s the way God responds every time one lost sinner repents
and turns to him. He says to all his angels, ‘Let’s have a joyous celebration,
for the one who was lost, I have found!’ ”
We know God is spirit and therefore neither male
nor female, but in Hebrew the spirit is feminine, so we can maybe attribute
this parable to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit leads us into all truth (John 16:13)
and in this parable the subject is a valuable silver coin. We are valuable and
the Holy Spirit is leading us into that truth. No matter how covered in 'dirt'
a coin is, it is still worth it's original value. As are we. Again, the
coin doesn't have to do anything to be 'saved' and isn't rebuked for getting
lost. The parable ends with a celebration, showing how happy God is when we
return to Him.
The last parable is often called ‘ The Prodigal Son’
but in The Passion Translation it is titled ‘The Loving Father’ which I think
is a more accurate title.
Then Jesus said, “Once there was a father with two sons. The younger son came to his father and said, ‘Father, don’t you think it’s time to give me my share of your estate?’ So the father went ahead and distributed between the two sons their inheritance. Shortly afterward, the younger son packed up all his belongings and travelled off to see the world. He journeyed to a far-off land where he soon wasted all he was given in a binge of extravagant and reckless living.
“With everything spent and nothing left, he grew
hungry, because there was a severe famine in that land. So he begged a
farmer in that country to hire him. The farmer hired him and sent him out to
feed the pigs. The son was so famished, he was willing even to eat the
slop given to the pigs, because no one would feed him a thing.
“Humiliated, the son
finally realized what he was doing, and he thought, ‘There are many workers at
my father’s house who have all the food they want with plenty to spare. They
lack nothing. Why am I here dying of hunger, feeding these pigs and eating
their slop? I want to go back home to my father’s house, and I’ll
say to him, “Father, I was wrong. I have sinned against you. I’ll
never again be worthy to be called your son. Please, Father, just treat me like
one of your employees.” ’
“So the young son set off for home. From a long
distance away, his father saw him coming, dressed as a beggar, and
great compassion swelled up in his heart for his son who was returning home.
The father raced out to meet him, swept him up in his arms, hugged him dearly,
and kissed him over and over with tender love.
“Then the son said, ‘Father, I was wrong. I have
sinned against you. I could never deserve to be called your son. Just let me
be—’
“The father interrupted and said, ‘Son, you’re
home now!’
“Turning to his servants, the father said, ‘Quick,
bring me the best robe, my very own robe, and I will place it on his shoulders.
Bring the ring, the seal of sonship,[j] and
I will put it on his finger. And bring out the best shoes you can find for
my son. Let’s prepare a great feast[l] and
celebrate. For my beloved son was once dead, but now he’s alive! Once he
was lost, but now he is found!’ And everyone celebrated with overflowing joy.
“Now, the older son was out working in the field
when his brother returned, and as he approached the house, he heard the music
of celebration and dancing. He called over one of the servants and asked,
‘What’s going on?’
“The servant replied, ‘It’s your younger brother.
He’s returned home and your father is throwing a party to celebrate his
homecoming.’
“The older son became angry and refused to go in
and celebrate. So his father came out and pleaded with him, ‘Come and enjoy the
feast with us!’
“The son said, ‘Father, listen! How many years have
I worked like a slave for you, performing every duty you’ve asked as a faithful
son? And I’ve never once disobeyed you. But you’ve never thrown a party
for me because of my faithfulness. Never once have you even given me a goat
that I could feast on and celebrate with my friends as this son of yours is
doing now. Look at him! He comes back after wasting your wealth on
prostitutes and reckless living, and here you are throwing a great feast to celebrate—for
him!’
“The father said, ‘My son, you are always with me
by my side. Everything I have is yours to enjoy. It’s only right to
rejoice and celebrate like this, because your brother was once dead and gone,
but now he is alive and back with us again. He was lost, but now he is
found!’ ”
Many people have
taught on this parable so I will try to just bring out the points that strike
me. In response to Philip asking ‘show us the Father’ in John 14, Jesus
says ‘for anyone who has
looked at me has seen the Father’. So Jesus here is wanting us to understand what the Father is like. The
story is about two sons and a further reminder that we are all God's children.
The Father doesn't require anything from either of the sons, He supplies all
their needs and more. The younger son wastes what he is given but the Father
doesn't criticise him when he comes home. He just welcomes him, not requiring
anything from him. He doesn't even let him finish his speech!
The older son has been
the 'good boy' and worked hard, but again he doesn't know the Father. He feels
he has been a slave, working hard and never disobeying, although we never hear
the Father giving any orders. The Father goes out to meet the son, again
showing that God is always seeking. The parable ends there. Jesus indicates that
God's grace is never ending.
I believe that in
these 3 parables Jesus is sharing the different attributes of the Trinity and
giving a beautiful glimpse into how God welcomes us back into our home. We can
have a loving relationship with a God who does not judge, but instead chases
after us and sweeps us into His arms. I hope this will encourage you today.
(All references are from The Passion Translation)
