"He Saves the Unworthy and Recovers His Own"

Often times Jesus was criticized by the Pharisees for the company he kept. Religious leaders ostracized tax collectors and others who were deemed sinners and even denied them the chance to attend religious assemblies. Jesus accepted all and was criticized for this. Such is the case in Luke 15:1-10 when Jesus responds with two parables about lost things being recovered.  For the Pharisees Jesus wanted them to understand that God loves all men and not just the righteous or those who are not lost; however, Jesus also shows the nature of God which is abnormal in our human understanding. Pastor Donald teaches us that Jesus' nature when He Saves the Unworthy and Recovers His Own 

In the first parable of the shepherd who leaves behind the ninety-nine sheep to go and search for the one lost sheep, it does not seem to unusual until we think about it more closely. Who is watching the ninety nine sheep while the shepherd is off looking for one? The time that he is looking for the sheep would have been at night when it is more dangerous and less likely he would have found the sheep. The efforts the shepherd uses to find the one sheep shows the great value that the shepherd has for the sheep. Much the same the woman who searches for the lost coin may have exerted more effort than the actual value of the coin. In both cases after great effort of finding what was lost, the owners express their joy. It is the joy that an owner experience when finding something that has great value to them even if the value is not recognized by others. 

From this we learn three points about God.

1. He endures with sinners because he own humanity.

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." 

Genesis 1:26 ESV 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 

John 1:1‭, ‬3‭-‬4 ESV 

2. He endures with sinners because they bear His image and therefore are precious to Jesus.

“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 

Luke15:4

 “Or what woman, having ten silver coins,^[a] if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? 

Luke15:8

3. He endures sinners because He delights in our wellbeing.

Like the lost sheep, we must listen for our Lord's voice and respond to the calling of the shepherd. Otherwise we will remain lost and miss our chance to be rescued. 

So Jesus again said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.  All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.  I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 

John 10:7‭-‬9 ESV