珠海市基督教香洲堂--欢迎您！

Lesson Seventeen

The Parables of the Lost Sheep

and the Lost Coin

Introduction

Have you ever lost something you considered very valuable? How did you feel? How long did you search for it before finding it or giving up your search?

★

Selected reading

Luke 15:1-10

【Luk15:1】 Now the tax collectors and 'sinners' were all gathering around to hear him.
众税吏和罪人，都挨近耶稣要听他讲道。
【Luk15:2】 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, 'This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.'
法利赛人和文士，私下议论说，这个人接待罪人，又同他们吃饭。
【Luk15:3】 Then Jesus told them this parable:
耶稣就用比喻，说，
【Luk15:4】 'Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?
你们中间谁有一百只羊，失去一只，不把这九十九只撇在旷野，去找那失去的羊直到找着呢？
【Luk15:5】 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders
找着了，就欢欢喜喜地扛在肩上，回到家里。
【Luk15:6】 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, `Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.'
就请朋友邻舍来，对他们说，我失去的羊已经找着了，你们和我一同欢喜吧。
【Luk15:7】 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.
我告诉你们，一个罪人悔改，在天上也要这样为他欢喜，较比为九十九个不用悔改的义人，欢喜更大。
【Luk15:8】 'Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?
或是一个妇人，有十块钱，若失落一块，岂不点上灯，打扫屋子，细细的找，直到找着吗？
【Luk15:9】 And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, `Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.'
找着了，就请朋友邻舍来，对他们说，我失落的那块钱已经找着了，你们和我一同欢喜吧。
【Luk15:10】 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.'
我告诉你们，一个罪人悔改，在神的使者面前，也是这样为他欢喜。

【Luk19:10】 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.'
人子来，为要寻找拯救失丧的人。
【Jhn3:16】 'For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
神爱世人，甚至将他的独生子赐给他们，叫一切信他的，不至灭亡，反得永生。

Questions for discussion

1. What different types of people were in the crowd as Jesus spoke? (Luke 15:1-2)

★

2. Why does Jesus tell the parable of the lost sheep and the lost coin? (Luke 15:2-3)

★

3. In the parable of the lost sheep, why do you think the shepherd would leave the 99 to search for one lost sheep? How does the shepherd react when he finds the lost sheep? (Luke 15:4-6)

★

4. How do you think this parable relates to the Pharisees’ grumbling? (Luke 15:7)

★

5. Picture in your mind the woman searching for the lost coin. Why do you think she was so desperate? What does she do when she finds the coin? (Luke 15:8)

Note: when Palestinian women got married they were given ten silver coins as a wedding gift. Losing one would almost be like losing a wedding ring.

★

6. Who represents the lost sheep or lost coin in these parables?

★

7. How did the Pharisees view sinners? How does Jesus view sinners?

★

8. According to these parables, what can we learn about God’s nature? How does God feel when His children are lost? What happens in heaven when one sinner repents? (Luke 15:7-10)

★

A time to reflect

Read Luke 19:10 and John 3:16. How does it make you feel to know that you are so valuable to God?

★