This special Father’s Day message was preached by Dale Ratzlaff on Father’s Day in 2016.
DALE RATZLAFF | Pastor and Founder, Life Assurance Ministries (1936–2024)
Good morning and happy Father’s Day. This morning we are going to study together one of the most interesting, insightful and encouraging parables of Jesus. In it we will find good news for dads.
When I say “happy Father’s day,” I am sure that there are some of you who are thinking to yourselves: “Happy Father’s Day! Really? Are you kidding? My children often don’t remember me on this day. My kids are not walking with the Lord. What did I do wrong? I guess I was not a very good Father as they don’t attend church anymore. Happy Father’s day, I don’t think so.” Yet we smile.
I remember some years ago on a Mother’s Day, Carolyn and I were on our way to church when she said, “I hope the sermon will not be about the perfect woman of Proverbs 31 telling us all the things I should be doing. No normal woman could do all that.”
Perhaps some of you are saying, “I hope Dale does not tell us how to be the perfect fathers because that is just out of my reach.”
Mothers have a high calling. And the standard set for fathers is equally daunting. Perhaps some of you are saying, “I hope Dale does not tell us how to be the perfect fathers because that is just out of my reach.”
Anyway, my kids are now grown. If this is the way some of you feel, I have encouragement for you today. The parable we are going to study also has application to our wives and children. You will note that in your bulletins there is no outline with blanks for you to fill in, only numbers 1 to 3. The reason for this is that I believe as we go through this parable the Holy Spirit will make His application which will be different for different people. So if you are a father write down a few things that apply to you. The same goes for mothers. And for you young people one of the greatest of life’s secrets is to learn from the mistakes of others. See if you can write down two or three principles that will keep you from suffering the result of making bad decisions. I understand you fathers get a free hot dog after the service. Your free meal ticket is to show you wrote down three applications from our study.
We are not going to enforce that! But it would be a good idea to share with one another what God is speaking to you through this parable.
Open your Bible with me to Luke 15. Sometimes this passage is treated as three stories, but Luke clearly states it is one parable. Bible scholars often teach that a parable should not be required to have multiple applications. A parable usually illustrates one important truth. And there certainly is one very important truth in this parable. However, as we go through the three parts of this parable one cannot help but see additional truths the Holy Spirit wants to present to us for our contemplation, evaluation and acceptance. Therefore, in your notes, write down what you feel would be helpful to you. Truths or actions God is moving you to accept or accomplish. There is so much included in this section so let’s get started.
Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” So He told them this parable. (Lk. 15:1–3).
Buried within this parable—are numerous and weighty insights that challenge the most experienced interpreter of Scripture. The truths in this section expand our understanding of the assurance of salvation, the tireless saving activity of God, and the hilarious joy of the heavenly host for one sinner who repents.
This account is indeed one story but the three parts must be compared, contrasted and studied individually to get the weight of its profound truth. The shepherd loses just one sheep out of the hundred; only a one percent loss. The woman loses one of her ten treasured coins, a ten percent loss. The father is faced with the heart-breaking loss of fifty percent. There is an increasing crescendo of tragedy as the story moves from sheep to coin to son. When we consider the cause of lostness we gain insight into the breadth of the human condition. The sheep just imperceptibly wandered away. The coin was lost by no fault of its own; rather it was lost by the carelessness of a sloppy householder. The younger son was driven by selfish and popular desires. He wanted to make a name for himself in the Big Apple. He chose to leave home and go his own merry way. One can almost feel the hurtful knife that was thrust through the heart of the loving father as he watched his rebellious but beloved son disappear down the dusty road of self-will.
One of the overriding truths communicated in this parable is the joy in heaven over one sinner who repents.
One of the overriding truths communicated in this parable is the joy in heaven over one sinner who repents. This seems to be the spiritual glue that ties together this three-part story for it answers in the most profound and picturesque way the grumbling comment of the Scribes and Pharisees who in their disgust would not even utter the name of Jesus. “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” Yes, indeed! “This Man” does receive sinners and that is the only hope for us Fathers today. It is the only hope for our wives and children, and “This Man” —Jesus Christ is the exact representation of the Father.1
Jesus said, “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance” (Lk. 5:32).
We turn now to the first section of this three-part parable in verses 4-7.
“What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 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 which was lost!’ I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance Lk. 15:4–7.
The parable in just a few instructive word pictures communicates volumes to the attentive student. Jesus could have answered the grumbling Jews straight on, but such an answer would not have touched their leathered soul. So, as only the Master of communication could do, he responds by showing the close parallel between what He was doing in seeking a lost soul and what they might do in the case of a missing sheep. “What man of you…” Jesus draws both a parallel and a contrast between the way He receives sinners and the way the Jewish shepherd would search for a lost sheep. Jesus pictures what a “good shepherd” would do and thus allows His audience to mentally associate with the story in a positive way thereby building a bridge of communication. (Fathers, following the pattern of the Master Communicator building a bridge of communication between to you and your children is something worth considering). As the story continues it becomes quite evident that the word picture painted by the Master does not fit any Hebrew shepherd of the day but can only apply to the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep.2 Few astute business persons would risk 99% of their capital—the shepherd left 99 of his sheep in the open pasture—to recover the 1% that was lost. Here we see the motivation that drove the shepherd to search for the wayward sheep was not so much a selfish concern for capital. Rather, the Good Shepherd had the welfare of the sheep in mind. Soon it would be dark and the hungry coyotes and marauding lions would be prowling for their evening meal. But the Shepherd determined that they would not get his sheep. Likewise a good father puts the welfare of his family above his own financial gain—something we fathers might want to consider.
Consider why the sheep became lost. It was not rebelling against the will of the shepherd. It was not trying to leave the flock. Sheep are mentally near sighted. When one tuft of grass is eaten, another is seen a step or two away. So, unconsciously, without considering the consequences of each incremental movement away from the flock, it finds itself lost and is not able to discover the way back to the fold.
Without doubt the most assuring sentence in this part of the story is that Shepherd searched for the sheep how long? Tell me. Until he found it.
Without doubt the most assuring sentence in this part of the story is that Shepherd searched for the sheep how long? Tell me. Until he found it. This short declaration continues to provide an active hope to us Fathers, yes, mothers and grandparents, many a worried believer who saw their loved one step by step wonder away down the road of carelessness. It is a hope founded on the grace, mercy and unending love of God. Yes, it is more than a hope, it is a reality seen now by the eye of faith.3 He searched until he found it. Ponder that sentence, what does it mean to you? What does it mean to your family?
And what does the Shepherd do when He finds His sheep?
First, note what he does not do. There is no condemnation,4 no threats5 no scolding or beating6 The Shepherd lifts the sheep to his shoulder, rejoicing! It would be well for those who may have wondered away from God to meditate on this story and let the good news of the simple gospel penetrate deeply into the recesses of the soul. It is not the details of how or when we drifted away or even how far away from the flock of God we have wondered that counts. Rather, the focus of our attention should be on the loving heart of God who searches for us until he finds us and carries us back to safety 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 which was lost!
It becomes quite obvious now that the story of the rejoicing shepherd transcends—perhaps even contrasts—the reality of sheepherding. I recall the time I worked for my cousin who lived in Sebastopol California who had a few sheep that were fenced in an area of lush green grass and a watering trough which, from the human perspective, should have provided a comfortable home for the sheep. However, many times my first morning assignment was to get the sheep back into the pen, find where they had escaped and fix the spot. Often they had somehow managed to squeeze under the fence without any visible problem with the fence. This scenario went on day after day as I rounded up the stray sheep and “fixed” the fence. I must say that my attitude was not one of rejoicing! Rather, I began to have a certain disdain for such dumb animals that to this day colors my concept of sheep.
We see, then, that Jesus used the parallels of this story to build a bridge of communication with the Pharisees who had a manifest disdain for sinners, much as I felt for the wayward sheep under my care. As the story progresses, however, Jesus moves from parallels to contrasts. The shepherd calls for a party. Why? Not because he had finely fixed the fence so the sheep could not get out again; not because he has recaptured the 1% of his capital, but only because He has found His sheep which was lost. He had rescued it from the jaws of the lion that prowls around seeking whom me may devour.7 Then to drive home the truth of how God feels about the sinner who comes to Christ we read:
“I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”
When something or someone is lost, it captures our attention and its very lostness multiplies its value. Many years ago I had a little pocket knife that I treasured. There was really nothing unique about it but I had carried it for many years and hundreds of miles while backpacking in the high Sierras. With its various blades it had proven itself a useful tool in numerous and varied circumstances. One day it was missing. I searched for it long and hard. I could have purchased another, but it would not have filled the treasured place in my pocket that the old knife had. Some weeks later I found it and it was with joy that the lost was found.
This little story only provides a hint at the multiplication of the value of a lost person. As this one parable unfolds its three parts our Lord allows us to peer into the recesses of the depth of God’s love—a love that risks for our redemption.
We move now to part two of this parable in verses 8-10:
“Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost!’ In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” Lk. 15:8–10.
To broaden the scope and application of the parable having addressed, “what man of you…” in the first section dealing with the shepherd, Jesus now says, “Or, what woman… ” The story moves from a living sheep which inadvertently wandered away to the inanimate coin which was lost by the carelessness of the householder. In the parable of the lost sheep we noted a progressive transformation of the identity of shepherd: from a contemporary Hebrew shepherd to the Good Shepherd who only could be the Lord Jesus Christ. 8 In the same fashion the careless woman householder who lost the treasured coin, becomes a stand in for the God. She lights a lamp and sweeps the house in search of the precious coin just as our Lord came to seek and save the lost. While God has given to each a measure of faith,9 opened wide to door of salvation10 and desires all persons to be saved,11 some find themselves lost in the home or in the church primarily by the carelessness of others. Many forms of abuse, hypocrisy and neglect have distorted the love of God for thousands. Religion and church are for many held in disdain by no fault of their own—they view eternal realities through the distorted lens of personal hurt. Ask anyone who has done much counseling and they will tell you that there is more abuse, hypocrisy, neglect and personal hurt than most know. Children are more valuable than silver coins; let us not lose our loved ones because we are a careless householder−A thought worth our contemplation. Again, the story is one of success and not failure. The householder searched carefully until she found it! To emphasize the underlying truth of the parable, more space is devoted to the joyous celebration proclaiming the lost is found than how the coin was lost. What may seem like an insignificant addendum to the story, upon thoughtful contemplation becomes one of the cardinal truths: “There is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents.”
While it is true that the shepherd and the householder searched for the lost until they found it, there is still required a personal response of repentance from the lost sinner. God offers to all the free gift salvation and eternal life. We can take it or leave it.
“Whoever believes will in Him have eternal life” (Jn. 3:15).
“Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst” (Jn. 4:14).
“WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED” (Rom. 10:13).
We now move to the third story in this one parable. Look with me at verses 11,12:
“And He said, ‘A man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.” So he divided his wealth between them” (Lk. 15:11, 12).
In this last section the drama, intensity and pathos of the story is ratcheted up to peak level. In the brief stories of the lost sheep and the lost coin we have gained insight into the fervor of our God who searches for the lost sinner. Now as the curtain lifts we are given a front row seat to view the pain, the patience and the joy of the Father who risks His assets and reputation to bring His two sons into family fellowship. The younger son comes on the stage as we discover the desires that mastered him.
You young people pay close attention here. One of the greatest secrets of success is to learn from the mistakes of others.
First, there was the desire for wealth. According to Jewish law, the younger of two sons was to get one third of the inheritance upon the death of the Father. The older son who had the birthright would automatically receive the greater portion. However no child had the right to divide the parental inheritance until after the parent’s death.12
“The love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Tim. 6:10).
“And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living” (Lk. 15:13).
Verse 13 suggests two other desires that mastered the boy. The brilliance of this story is in its brevity yet its power can only be realized as we contemplate the picture behind each word. The younger son was driven not only by the selfish desire for wealth but he wanted to get away from home, out from under the watchful eye of his father. He wanted to be free—free to come and go as he pleased; free to do what he wanted to do; freedom to choose his own friends. Rich, young, and free—the anticipation and lure of what lies ahead has a universal enticement. After all what can a young person do here in Camp Verde? Right? The lure of the big city, the bright lights, and the undiscovered promise of pleasure heralded on the billboards pull this young boy like a magnet.
The desires that mastered the younger son in the parable are no different than the desires of many youth today.
- The desire for wealth,
- The desire for freedom and
- The desire for pleasure.
The story moves speedily now listing only the necessary details leaving us to fill in the canvas with our own paint and brush.
Like many a young person possessing wealth and freedom away from the father’s eye, the lure for pleasure draws him in. Suddenly the images that filled his mind with the excitement now turned into the reality of disaster. Lord, help us learn from the mistakes of others! Now we discover the Disasters that Met Him.
“He squandered his estate with loose living”
“Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him” (Lk. 15:14–16).
It was the desire for wealth that motivated the younger son to shamelessly ask for his share of the estate before his father’s death. Now it is all gone. Apparently the younger son had been enticed into a lude prostitutes den. He lost his wealth in the red light district.13 He left the confines of his father’s house so he could be free to do what he wanted. Now, broke, alone in a distant country, void of any true friends, the only employment he could find was to work for a Gentile pig rancher. He was so destitute that he asked to eat at pig trough but was denied. The pictures behind the succinct words of the Master’s parable are vivid and polychromatic. No first century Jew could have imagined a more hopeless and despicable fate—the son of a respectable Jewish land owner now wanting to eat from the pig trough of a Gentile! Absolutely detestable!
The Disasters Met Him
- He lost his wealth.
- He lost his pleasure, and
- He lost his self-respect.
Now in verses 17-19 we turn to the Discoveries that Made Him.
“But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.”’” (Lk. 15:17–19).
As soon as the young son “comes to his senses” and is enlightened by the grace of God, he is given a new revelation of his father, his home and his despicable condition. Now he can reason correctly. Now he sees the stupidity of his present circumstances. He realizes that there is only one way out of the predicament he finds himself in.14
Let me interrupt myself a moment, if some of you here feel that you are facing such huge problems, your condition feels overwhelming, and you cannot see the way out, let me remind you that there is only one way out. Here it is: “I will get up and go to my Father”. Here in rapid succession we see the elements of the changed life. Like the facets of a perfectly cut diamond God’s power to change the life shines through. It is the miracle of rebirth.
- “he came to his senses.”—Now he understands his sin and lost condition
- “how many of my father’s hired men have more than enough.”—Enlightenment and insight by Holy Spirit.
- “I am dying from hunger.” —Recognition of his personal need.
- “I will get up and go to my father.”— Decision to respond to God’s grace. Here is a thought worth remembering; nothing happens without a decision.
- “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight.” Rehearsed confession.
- “I am no longer worthy to be called your son.—Repentance.
- “Make me as one of your hired men.” Trust in God’s grace.
Those listening to the parable are now hanging on each word picture with attentive interest. The Scribes and Pharisees who were so discussed with Jesus when he ate with tax collectors and sinners wondered what the reaction of the father would be to such a despicable son who had done such unthinkable damage to the father’s wealth and reputation.
“So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him” (Lk. 15:20).
Behind each word picture there is truth wanting to be exposed. “So he got up and came to his father.” Grace is free, but there must be a response. “Whosoever will may come” , the wayward boy understood and took action. “So he got up and came to His father.”
Next we read, “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him and ran and embraced him and kissed him.”
Day after day the father had gone to a high spot on the road where he could look into the distance hoping and praying he would see his son come home. Today he does the same. Suddenly, he recognizes “My boy is coming home!” He looked at his tattered condition. In an instant the Father understood terrible disasters that had befallen his son, now he felt compassion for him. The Father runs to meet his boy something that Jewish gentleman did not do. Throwing reputation to the wind, he races to meet him. The foul odor of pigpen cannot stop him. He embraces his boy and kisses him. There is no scolding, no offer to give him a room with the servants, just full and total acceptance. The same Father is waiting to accept you.
“And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate. (Lk 15:21-24)
Each phrase is packed with meaning.
- “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight”. Notice the order that sin offends: First “against heaven”, then “in your sight”. Sin is first and foremost against God. This is true confession, “I have sinned,” no excuses.
- “I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” There is not a hint of self-righteousness; there is no blaming others as is so popular today.
- Upon hearing the confession of sin, the Father interrupts his son before he gets through his rehearsed speech. This indicates that the Father had already forgiven him. And the same holds true for you.
- “Bring out the best robe” The wording in Greek indicates this to be a long, flowing robe that was worn by nobles on state occasions. Perhaps it is a reflection of Isa 61:10: “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness.”
- Put a ring on his hand”. The ring is a sign of sonship as are the sandals. Slaves went barefoot, sons wore sandals.
Next, it says they began to celebrate. There was singing, eating and dancing, a real celebration.
So what were The Discoveries that Made Him?
- He discovered himself—a lost sinner
- He discovered his father—full of grace and truth, one who freely forgives and accepts repentant sinners and covers them with the festal robe of righteousness.
- He discovered home—A place where he could be open and honest, knowing he was a beloved son of his father. Note well the paradox of the story. The wealth, freedom and pleasure the boy was seeking in the far country he found in His father’s house. There was eating, singing, dancing and they began to be merry! Yes indeed, the wealth, the freedom and the pleasure the boy was seeking in the far country he found in His father’s house—Another thought worth your contemplation.
Now the parable moves quickly to the older son who represents the Scribes and Phrases who in verse two began to grumble, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them”.
“Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. And he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things could be. “And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.’ “But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him.”
Here we see the deep love of the Father pleading with his son to come into the home and join in the celebration. The way this is written in Greek indicates that there was a continual pleading, expressing a love that does not easily give up. Giving us a pattern how we fathers should continue to plead and pray for a stubborn, self-righteous son.
“But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him. But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends; but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’ (Luke 15:28-30)
And he said to him, ‘Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. ‘But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.'” (Lk 15:25-32)
In the older son’s conversation we see three sins that stand out in bold reliefs:
- The sin of self-righteousness—I have never neglected a command of yours. But he just did by not going in as the Father requested.
- The sin of Jealousy— “you have never given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends.”
- The sin of blame — “but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.”
The story ends abruptly and is unfinished. We are left hanging, wanting to hear “the rest of the story”.
Yes, indeed this man—Jesus Christ—does receive sinners and eats with them.
- Sinners—like the sheep—who unthinkingly just wander away and can’t find the way back.
- Sinners—like the lost coin—who are lost in the home because of neglect, abuse, hypocrisy and personal hurt. And the good news is that our Lord searches until he finds them.
- Sinners—like the younger son— who are overcome with the desire for wealth, freedom and pleasure and purposely go down the dusty road of self-will and have to hit bottom. But when they come to their senses and turn toward home, our Lord meets us with open arms and covers us with the robe of Christ’s righteousness.
- Sinners—like the older son—who are filled with self-righteousness, blame and jealousy. They too, can be forgiven but only if they repent and come to the foot of the cross.
Yes, this man receives sinners and eats with them and there is great joy in heaven over one sinner who repents.
What do you say, let’s go out and eat together in the Joy of the Lord! †
Footnotes
- Heb. 1:1–3.
- Jn. 10:15.
- Heb. 1:1.
- Rom. 8:1.
- 1 Pet. 2:23.
- Isa. 53:5.
- 1 Pet. 5:8.
- Jn. 10:11.
- Rom. 12:3.
- Jn. 3:16.
- 1 Tim. 2:4.
- R.C. H. Lenski, Commentary of the New Testament, Luke, p. 808.
- “who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes” Luke 15:30P
- Jn. 14:6.
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