BIBLE STUDY LESSON 10

SERIES S --- THE SON OF YHVH

THE LOST

THE ONE LOST SHEEP

From Luke 14:25-15:32

Great crowds of people continued to gather around Yeshua, so He taught them again. [If any of you want to follow Me, and be My disciple, you must put Me first in your life, even above father, mother, wife, children, brothers or sisters. You must even put Me above your own life. To be My disciple, you must first take up your cross and follow Me. However, do not enter into this until you fully know the cost, just as you would first figure the cost if you were to build a tower, or building, to be sure that you can finish it. If you don’t, you may have only enough money to build the foundation, and people would laugh at you. Or, if you were a king about to go into battle, you would first sit down with your counsellors to see if your army of ten thousand could defeat the army of twenty thousand marching toward your kingdom. If not, you would send a delegation to negotiate a truce while the other army is still far away. So, what I am telling you is that you must count the cost and be willing to give up everything else to become My disciple. Salt is good to have, but if it has lost its salty qualities, it becomes worthless, for what can it season? It is not even good as fertilizer, so it is thrown out. If you want to understand what I say, listen carefully.] The Jewish leaders and teachers of the Law began to complain when they saw tax collectors and known sinners attending Yeshua’ sermons, for they felt that Yeshua was associating with them. [He not only associates with them, but even eats with them,] they grumbled. Then Yeshua told them this parable. [If any of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, will you not leave the ninety-nine safely behind to search for the lost one? When you find it, you will carry it home on your shoulders, call your friends and say to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep.’ In the same way there will be even greater joy in heaven when one sinner repents than for the ninety-nine who do not need to repent. If a woman who has ten silver coins loses one, will she not light a lamp and sweep the house until she finds it? When she does find it, she will call her friends and neighbours together and say, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way there will be even greater joy in heaven when one sinner repents.] Yeshua continued with another parable, [Once a man had two sons. The younger one approached his father and said, ‘I want the half of your estate that I will inherit someday, but I want it now.’ The father divided the estate and gave this son his half. Soon after that the younger son took his money to a distant country and wasted it on loose living. But when it was gone, a famine arose and he was soon living in poverty. At last, he found a job with a nearby farmer, feeding his pigs. He was so hungry that he thought of eating the carob pods which he fed to the pigs, for no one gave him food. At last, this son realized what was happening to him. ‘My father’s hired workers have far more to eat than I do,’ he thought. ‘I will return home to my father and will tell him that I have sinned against him and against heaven. I will tell him that I am not worthy to be his son and ask him to make me a hired servant.’ The son left the pigpen and returned home. But while he was still at a distance, his father saw him, and with great compassion ran and hugged him and kissed him. The son started to tell the father that he had sinned against him and against heaven and was no longer worthy to be called his son. But the father called for his servants and ordered the best robe for his son and a ring for his hand and sandals for his feet. ‘Kill the fattened calf and we will have a feast, for my son was dead, but is alive again; he was lost, but has been found.’] The feast began. When the older son came from the field, he heard music and dancing, and asked a servant what was going on. ‘Your brother has come home, so your father has killed the fattened calf to welcome him safely home.’ The older son was so angry that he refused to go in to the feast. Then the father came out to talk with him. [‘For years I have served you and obeyed your every command,’] the older son said to his father, [‘but you have not even given me a little goat, so that I could have a feast with friends. But when this son of yours comes home, after spending his inheritance on harlots, you kill the fattened calf for him.’] [‘My dear son, we have lived and worked together these years, so that whatever I have has been yours also,’ the father answered. ‘But I thought your brother was dead. Now he is back, alive and well. He was lost. Now he is found. Isn’t that good reason for us to celebrate?’]

COMMENTARY

LAMPS OF YESHUA’ TIME

People in Bible lands were afraid of the night-time hours because the darkness could hide murderers and thieves. For protection, every home that could afford the fuel kept a lamp burning all night long. When it was time for sleep, the lamp was filled with olive oil and the wick lighted with a flame from the cooking fire. It was set on a lamp stand or a ledge on the wall where the light could fill the room with its dim glow. Because the wick soon burned so low that the flame began to die, the lamp had to be tended several times during the night. The odour of a wick burning out would awaken the woman of the house. Like the ten virgins in Moshiach’s parable, she had to adjust the wick and refill the lamp.