Author: Bill Hall

The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate I have coming to me.’ So he distributed the assets to them.

Luke 15:12 CSB

One of the things we need not miss in this parable is the sheer evil of this request. It is of comfort to us to see that this young man was guilty of the level of greed and complacency that human beings have been guilty of throughout history. Rather than waiting for the proper time, this son asked his father for any inheritance money in advance.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your forgiveness in Christ! Without it we would never have any hope at all. The greatness of our sin is only overshadowed by the greatness of Your grace. Thank You! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

He also said, ‘A man had two sons.’

Luke 15:11 CSB

Here we have the beginning of one of the most beautiful things ever to come from a pen. The parable of the prodigal tells us so much. It stands as a shining testimony to the glory and love of Almighty God.

But, also, never miss the fact that this story is about two sons and their father. It is not just about the prodigal. Jesus is taking His previous teaching a step farther with this one, directly addressing the Jewish elite about their attitude towards sinners.

Heavenly Father, thank You so much for Your love for us! Most of all, thank You for giving us Your Word. It is a source of constant joy to our hearts. You are the rejoicing of our hearts. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

I tell you, in the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.

Luke 15:10 CSB

Even one conversion is cause for joy, rejoicing and celebration by God Himself. Yes, He knows who will be saved. He isn’t somehow surprised. The celebration is not an expression of surprise or relief. It is an expression of importance, glory, and relationship. Just as we expect the love and care of those close to us, though their actions are no surprise, we rejoice in them nonetheless.

I fear we have prioritized many things over salvation. We celebrate so much in so many ways. Yet we tend to be truly hesitant to be joyful at conversion. We hesitate because we want to be sure the conversion is genuine. Let me suggest that we simply rejoice and celebrate that much more when a person’s conversion is discovered to be false, and is then genuine afterwards.

Heavenly Father, You are glorious, good, and gracious! Thank You for Your wonderful treatment of Your people. You alone are Holy and we will praise You forever! Thank You for Your joy at our conversion. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

When she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found the silver coin I lost!’

Luke 15:9 CSB

Due to differences in time, this story doesn’t immediately make sense to us. But it would have to the people who were listening to Jesus. We should not think of the silver coin the same way we would a penny. This would be closer in value to one day’s wages. And, it was consistent with the culture that the woman would have a celebratory meal over this event.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your value of us. We can easily forget it, but You value us more than we value ourselves. You are so Holy and Pure, but You have made us holy. Thank You! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Or what woman who has ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it?

Luke 15:8

We will go to great lengths to recover things of value. The effort is worth the finding. Notice the word ‘carefully’ here. This woman does not want to miss anything. It would be a waste to put in the effort to make the discovery only to still fail by inches.

This just shows the care and great lengths we are to go to reach a lost soul for Christ. The effort is worth it. We do not have to skimp on the means and methods of getting the gospel message to these individuals.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your care for us! Just to know that You know each of us and love us so much is a wonderful blessing. You encourage me and cause me to have hope. You are the Rock that we can trust. You know everything that will be done and You have it all planned out. Thank You so much! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who don’t need repentance.

Luke 15:7 CSB

Sometimes Jesus directly spells out exactly what He is saying. He leaves no room for confusion. He wants everyone to immediately understand that the salvation of even one soul is cause for eternal joy.

Here where Jesus mentions joy in heaven, He is employing a Jewish custom that was meant to bring glory to the Father. Rather than directly saying that God will be joyful over one soul saved, He says there will be joy in heaven. This is a way of referring to God without directly saying His Name. It is done to remind the hearers that the LORD is holy.

Heavenly Father, You are indeed holy! You are the Thrice Holy One. You alone know just how significant salvation is. We understand but dimly the glory to You that it brings, and the ultimate joy it causes in our eternal lives. You are the only One Who can help us know what You have in store for those who love You. Thank You! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

and coming home, he calls his friends and neighbors together, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep!’

Luke 15:6 CSB

This verse communicates to Christians the kind of joy that Jesus expects to see among us when someone is brought to Christ. This should be something to celebrate. There is nothing more important than the rescue of a lost soul from eternal hell.

Heavenly Father, You are so unique! There is nobody like You. You have done what nobody would have thought possible. Your holy, just, and magnificent plan is the subject of our highest praise. Thank You! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

When he has found it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders,

Luke 15:5 CSB

Do not for a minute miss the embellishments Jesus adds to His illustration here. The shepherd looking for the sheep, upon finding it, experiences joy. This additional comment is very intentional on the part of the Lord.

Jesus wants for us to imagine a smile on the face of the shepherd. Not a smile because the sheep ran away and needed finding. Not a smile because the sheep was disobedient. A smile because, in spite of the situation, the sheep has been found, rescued, and restored to life among the sheep. A smile because the watchful care of the shepherd has kept this one from the abyss.

Heavenly Father, Your beautiful truth is a balm to our hearts! How can we ever thank You enough for being the beneficent Father that You are? We so easily take it for granted that You are good. But, that fact is the ultimate circumstance of existence. You are not just all-powerful, You are Holy. Your purity and goodness, the extreme perfection of Your love and kindness, are the most amazing thing we can contemplate. It is the only thing that overshadows Your great power and knowledge. You are, in Yourself, the Ultimate Good. Your righteousness is perfectly and completely expressed in Christ. Thank You! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

What man among you, who has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open field and go after the lost one until he finds it?

Luke 15:4 CSB

Many of the Jews were shepherds. This illustration instantly made sense to them. The question was therefore completely rhetorical.

Jesus often uses simple illustrations that people will immediately understand. This is important for two reasons. First, it shows that the message itself is straightforward. As Paul would say, service to the Lord is ‘reasonable’, and so is everything in Scripture. Second, ignorance is no excuse. The simplicity of the gospel is found difficult for so many not because it is hard to understand. It is just hard for many to accept.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your will and plan. You know what is best, and You can guide us in the best way. Thank You for all that You do in our lives! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

So he told them this parable:

Luke 15:3 CSB

This is one of the most beautiful parables of Christ. And, it is one of the most moving passages of Scripture. Jesus speaks of going after the one lost sheep, and highlights the joy in heaven over a single conversion. This is the truth, and love, and power of God in all their glory.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your wonderful love and truth and power! You are wonderful beyond our wildest imagination. You can see all of our lives in an instant, and know the end from the beginning. Thank You for Your faithful love! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.