Leaving the Ninety-Nine
In Luke 15, we have a series of parables Jesus told about how he had come to seek the lost. The first such parable concerns sheep.
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? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just 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.
Luke 15:4-7
There is a great celebration over the sheep who was found. However, this is not the only sheep in the parable. There are ninety-nine other sheep mentioned as well and the shepherd leaves them “in the open country” to find the one who was lost.
Sweeping the House
He tells another parable.
Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? And when 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.’ Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.
Luke 15:8-10
Again, there is celebration over the restoring of the one that was lost. However, it was 1 in 10 coins and she was not rejoicing over the 9 coins she still had.
Prodigal Son
Finally, the most popular parable regarding this topic is told. To save space, I won’t quote the whole section (Luke 15:11-32), but would encourage all to read it for themselves. A summary would be that a man had two sons. One demanded his inheritance up front and blew it all on immoral living. He then tried to survive serving others but was starving.
Eventually, he returns home to beg for a position as a servant and his father throws a massive party and honors him for returning.
In this story also, there is another who was not lost. He stayed with his father the whole time and served him. He becomes angry with the celebration of his returning brother and refuses to participate in the celebration.
Need No Repentance
In each of these parables, there are the sheep who do not stray, the 9 remaining coins, and the son who faithfully served their father throughout the whole thing. In the first parable, we’re told they represent “righteous persons who need no repentance”. However, anyone who has studied scripture will tell you that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).
What is the point of these characters in the parable if all (Jew or Gentile, slave or free, man or woman) are lost and need repentance? Jesus was pointing to those who believed they were good enough just as they were.
In our current culture, it’s easy to get everyone to agree that the religious leaders of Jesus’s day had a self-righteousness problem. Most would agree with his point that they were wicked for believing themselves better than the tax collectors and prostitutes who were coming to Jesus.
However, it is much harder to get people to admit that this is a prevailing issue today as well. How many believe people are “basically good” and Jesus is only “good for some people”(at best)? How many believe they personally are living a good life, according to their own principles, because they are usually nice?
The problem with the Pharisees was not that they were too religious but that they believed they didn’t need to be made right with God. It is impossible for an atheist to be anything other than self-righteous and remain unbelieving for long. Once one acknowledges that he is sinful, he will feel the need for a savior.
If you believe you are the son, sheep, and coin who never strayed, know that there will be no celebration for you. It doesn’t matter if you believe in your own standard of righteousness or some collective standard. If it’s not God’s standard, it’s not good enough. If it is God’s standard, a simple review will show how much we have all fallen short and need Christ’s righteousness to make us right before a holy God.
People are not basically good. Only God is good. There is only one man who ever lived a perfect life and only by his blood can we be made right with the creator of the universe. Repentance is necessary for all of us. Today is the day to turn to him in faith and be saved.
