The Brinkley argus., 1914-04-24


 GOLDEN TEXT "Even so. I say unto you. there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that re- penteth." Luke 15:10.
 I. introduction, w. 1-3-We now come to that chapter in the Bible which contains three of the more celebrated parables of our Lord. In last weeks lesson we had set before us the severe terms of discipleship laid down by Jesus to the multitude which followed him as he left the house of the Pharisee. The writer, Luke, makes a close connection be- tween the final admonition about "ears to hear" in chapter II and verse 1 of this lesson. Jesus had sifted the crowd though he had left the door open to himself, for he was seeking those who were prepared to share with him in his enterprises of building and of conflict, if they could to by those outcast ones, the publicans and the sinners. They had no righteousness of their own, no spirit ual hope centered in themselves and they turned eagerly to one who was unqualifiedly honest with them though at the same time he set up heart searching conditions. What a con trast! The grumbling theologians, criticzing and pickering, grieved that he should demean himself by such associates. In reply, Jesus shows them the truth of the fundamental who eagerly sought to hear" by giv- ing them these parables. In the first two, the sheep and the coin, we see divine love seeking the sinner; in the third, the prodigal, we see the sinner seeking the father Christ's idea of The Pharisee holds aloof. Christ goes out from among the Pharisees and among the outcasts.
 True and False Shepherds.
 II. The Lost Sheep, w. 47.-The shepherd is God the son (Jchn 10:11, Shepherd" the Pharisees were false ones. This adds point to the parable; see the Old Testament rebukes for the same, Ez 34:7-10; Zech. 11:16-17; Jer. 50:6. The lost sheep belongs to the fold, but was out of place. These outcast ones were still Israelites and the backsliding Christian still belongs to the fold. A sinner is lost sheep. He is away from the care, the protec- tion, the guidance of the shepherd and is torn, bleeding, and ready to die" One such lost one will call forth the shepherds utmost endeavor to save it, far beyond the care lavished upon the ninety already safe in the fold. This means labor, toll, and pri- vation, and he keeps up the search until he finds it. This does not mean that all will be saved, see John 17:2, 12 R. ", but every sheep that is astray he will find. Once found 1t rests upon his shoulders, Is kept by his power, I Pet. Is. Over 1t he and the father rejoice, w. 23. 24. 32. There is here the evidence of the ir,- terest in the flock which is incom- plete and the interest of the owner as well. The safety of the lost one depended upon the shepherds s interest.
 Work of Holy Spirit.
 III. The Lost Coin, w. 8-1o.-These that they reveal the attitude of God toward men who are in their deepest need. Each is the story of something being lost and the fact that it Is found. The first is a revelation of the son, the last of the father, while this the holy spirit through the church. Rev. 22: IT; Eph 5:25. One of ten coins in this woman's marriage neck lace is lost, hence the incompleteness. The spirit will not rest until it is found, nor should the church. The woman takes her lamp-the word of God. Ps. 119 105; Phil. 2:15, 16-and sweeps the house. It has been sug- gested that sweeping usually stirs up a dust and that some are likely to object. So the world will object when the church of the living God begins to
 
 at any eager search for the lost ones, Acts 17:6. The woman is a sugges- tion to us in that she sought "dili- gently" until the lost coin was found. Then she. too. calls in her neighbors that they may rejoice with her Does the church keep up q like search? And do we know anything about the joy of the holy spirit? Gal 5:22, l Thess. 1:6 Over the wellbeing of the home the woman watches and again the search is in the interest of the owner and in the interest of the household
 W. Summary.-The chief value of these two pictures Is in their reyela- tion of the work and interest of the son of the spirit. The crowding null titude of publicans and sinners, held 1n contempt by the Pharisees, Jesus viewed as lost ones. Appalling as this suggestion is yet the sheep be- longed to the shepherd and the coin was the property of the woman This suggests the dignity and value of men and the tragedy of their condition Knowing all this and understanding the full significance of that tragedy. the son as the shepherd has under taken to seek and to save the lost,