Pastor Nelson Bonilla: 9-14-25 “The Heart of God vs. The Attitude of the Flock”  

Luke 15:1-10
Have you ever been in a room, maybe at your house or a member of the family’s house, maybe school or your workplace where most people are excited, laughing, celebrating something wonderful and yet you see around and see people that feel nothing. They stand on the side with arms crossed, watching joy unfold, but unable to join in. The reason: they do not agree with what is going on; they believe their comfort, position and status may be in jeopardy and you can see them standing away from the group muttering. That was the Pharisees and teachers of the law’s posture, when Jesus welcomed tax collectors and sinners. 

You see, the Pharisees and teachers of the law recognized themselves as the guardians of the law… and Israel’s holiness. With their interpretation of the law and tradition they drew sharp boundaries between the “clean” and the “unclean.” “Clean” included people like them (the insiders) and the “unclean” included people like the tax collectors (the outsiders). Therefore, when they saw Jesus, who was considered by many as a teacher, eating with tax collectors and other “sinners”, they felt Jesus was threatening those boundaries.

Let us remember, in that culture, tables of fellowship were a big deal. Eating together meant recognition, friendship, even family-like bonds. By sitting in the same table with sinners, Jesus (who is believe was also Pharisee) was breaking social and religious norms. He was welcoming people considered unwelcome by the Pharisees and teacher of the law. The Pharisees feared this would tarnish their own reputation: if people saw them endorsing or tolerating this behavior, they might lose honor in the eyes of the community. The Pharisees’ holiness and status relied on separation, not inclusion. Jesus’ actions seemed to flip that… He offered grace… and welcome before people had cleaned up their lives through all the rites and practices stated in the law. 

This undermined the Pharisees way of life: if sinners could come to God just as they were, disregarding what the law says, then… what was the point of all their efforts? What was the point of the law?

So, this was the context, the background of these three beautiful parables known as the parables of the lost. The Pharisees and teachers of the law attitude made Jesus to share them.  

In conclusion, Jesus told the parables to teach that God’s kingdom is about His joy in saving the lost, not about protecting the status quo of the insiders.
This Sunday, I will focus in the Parable of the Lost Sheep. 

There is another valid question we should ask too, why did Luke choose to share this parable with his community? I am sure, Jesus taught many others, why this and no other? I will share three reasons why I believe Luke chose this parable.
First and foremost, Jesus shared the story of the Lost Sheep to highlight the value of those the Pharisees often dismissed, such as tax collectors, prostitutes, lepers, the blind, and women. The gospel of Luke was written some 30 or 40 years after Jesus told this parable, and he picked the parable because that practice still persisted in his community.

Reason number two: Nero’s persecution in the year 64 A.D… During this persecution some brothers and sisters were afraid of going out and share the gospel, they did not want to risk their lives and what they had. And by sharing the parable of The Lost Sheep and the other two with them -that also speak about lost-, Luke was telling them our place to be is not in the shadows, our place to be is not between four walls, our place to be is not in the safe or our  comfort zone, our place to be is where the lost sheep is; with these parables of the lost, Luke is telling them only those who risk what they have, what God has given them will accomplish what God wants; only those who risk who they are will be what God wants them to be. 

Reason number three, I believe Luke shared these parables was division among God’s people. We find division all over the New Testament, especially in 1 Corinthians, where in chapter 1, Paul complains about the different groups within the church of Corinth. One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas"; still another, "I follow Christ." 1st Corinthias was written the year 57 A. D. Therefore, that behavior is reflected in the Gospel.

Same letter chapter 11, Paul also complains about the divisions during the Lord’s Supper.  “I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you…when you come together, it is not the Lord's Supper you eat,21for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. 

If we read the whole letter, we will see that this kind of division had a simple reason, some of them thought they were better than the others; same way the Pharisees did when they compared themselves with the rest of the people, especially tax collectors. In Corinth the one who followed Paul thought they were better than Apollo’s followers; the one who followed Cephas or Peter thought they were better than the one who followed Paul. But it was another group who thought they were better than anybody else because they followed Christ.

Luke begins his introduction to these three parables of the lost, saying that tax collectors and sinners were gathering around Jesus and the Pharisees and teacher of the Law were murmuring because they thought, they were better than the tax collectors and sinners. Remember the Pharisee and the tax collector praying in the temple. The tax collector’s prayer was, “God forgive me because I am a sinner” and the Pharisee’ prayer was, “God, I thank you because I am not like this one…”     
Now, when Jesus said that the shepherd left the 99 in the open country, he did not mean to say, the shepherd was irresponsible. He meant to say, if you believe you are good and just, righteous and holy, you do not need me; you can take care of yourself, let me then go to look for the one who really needs me, the one who is suffering, the one who is in danger of losing his or her life. Verses 5 to 7 say, “And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” … I am sure Pharisees and teachers of the Law were not happy with this because they knew, they were the 99, they felt, they did not need Jesus’ message of salvation. 

Now, all this happened 2000 years ago. But, what about us today, what these parables, especially the one of the Lost Sheep, can teach us today? Is it message still relevant for us today? I believe it is; I believe it has the same message for us today; Jesus once again is telling us: do as I did, go and look for those who are at risk to lose their lives eternally, go and look for those who were here with you and now are not; go and take risk and talk to others about Jesus. Ask them if they know “Jesus loves them.” Go and tell them the body of Jesus is incomplete without them. This church is incomplete without those in our community that, like the lost sheep, are waiting for someone to lead them home. 

If we honestly think about the reason why many women and men have left the church, we must assume our guilt and go where they are and give them reason to come back. We must remind them that Jesus loves them and cares for them, the Good Shepherd has blessings waiting for them, that apart from Christ we cannot live a Christian life; only our relationship with him brings out in us the fulness of Christ.      
Let us show those who are lost in the “mountains” that through us, the Good Shepherd is looking for them. 

And now church let me finish with one thought that it’s being in my mind. We have asked many times, why do people not come to church? We invite them, we have dinner, we have some activities, and they do not come. What is wrong with them? According to the Lost Sheep parable that is the wrong question. The right question is, why do we not go and look for those who are away from church? What is wrong with us?
I invite you, in the name of the Good Shepherd, to make a personal commitment this week: Seek out and reach those who have drifted away from our community.
Consider making a phone call to individuals who have stopped attending church, reminding them of their place within our fellowship.

Visit those who are absent yet still belong among us, offering a gesture of care and restoring their connection to our shared faith.