In this message we will cover five more aspects of the experience and enjoyment of Christ revealed in the Gospel of Luke.
In 15:3-32 the Lord Jesus spoke three parables depicting how the Divine Trinity works to bring sinners back, through the Son and by the Spirit, to the Father. In the first parable (vv. 4-7) Christ is portrayed as a sheep-finder, as a man seeking and finding the lost sheep.
“Which man of you, who has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?” (v. 4). Here the “wilderness” signifies the world. In the sight of God the world is a wild, desolate place where it is easy to get lost. The sheep-finder’s going into the wilderness to seek the lost sheep indicates that the Son has come to the world to be with men (John 1:14).
The Son came in His humanity as a sheep-finder to find the sinner as a lost sheep and to bring it back home. Concerning this Luke 15:5 and 6 say, “And when he finds it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes into his house, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.” The sheep-finder’s laying the sheep on his shoulders shows the Savior’s saving strength and His saving love.
Luke 15:22 presents Christ as the best robe. In the parable of the father receiving the returned prodigal son (vv. 11-32), the son returned to his father and said, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son” (v. 21). However, while he was still speaking, the father interrupted him and said to his slaves, “Bring out quickly the best robe and put it on him” (v. 22). The definite article the used with best robe indicates that a particular robe had been prepared for this particular purpose, and the slaves knew that this was the best robe. Literally, the Greek word translated best means “first.” When the son returned to his father, he was a poor beggar dressed in rags. But after the best robe was put on him, he was covered with a splendid garment prepared especially for him. With this best robe on, he was qualified to match his father.
This robe signifies the righteousness God prepared for the returned sinners. In particular, the robe signifies Christ as the God-satisfying righteousness to cover the penitent sinner (Jer. 23:6; 1 Cor. 1:30).
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