Luke 15 Summary - 5 Minute Study

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LUKE 15 IN 5 MINUTES

WHEN:

• The events of chapter 15 were part of Jesus’ ministry on earth.

• These events took place between approximately 26-31 A.D..

CHARACTERS:

• Jesus - The Messiah and Son of God

• A Shepherd with a Lost Sheep

• A Woman with a Lost Coin

• The Prodigal Son - A young man who left home and nearly ruined his life.

WHERE:

• Luke does not share the exact location of these events.

• Luke 13:22 reads, “He [Jesus] went on his way through towns and villages, teaching, and journeying towards Jerusalem.

OUTLINE:

• THE PARABLE OF THE LOST SHEEP (15:1-7):

  • Jesus told this parable in response to the Pharisees grumbling about Him spending time with sinners.

  • A shepherd had 100 sheep but one got lost.

  • The shepherd left the 99 to search for the 1.

  • When he found it, him and his friends rejoiced.

  • Jesus compared their rejoicing to the rejoicing that goes on in heaven when a sinner repents.

• THE PARABLE OF THE LOST COIN (15:8-10):

  • Jesus asked, if a woman has 10 coins but loses one, “does she not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it?”

  • Upon finding the lost coin, her and her friends will rejoice.

  • “Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

• THE PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL SON (15:11-32):

  • A man had two sons. One day, his youngest son approached him and asked to be given his inheritance.

  • The father gave his son his portion of the inheritance. A few days later, his son left home.

  • The younger son wasted all of his money on sinful living and quickly found himself broke and in despair.

  • He resolved to return to his father’s house and ask his father to take him back as a hired servant.

  • When he arrived home, his father ran to him, hugged him, honored him, and forgave him.

  • But the father’s oldest son was angry that his father was so quick to forgive the brother who had shamed the family.

  • His father told him it was fitting to celebrate the return of his younger brother because he “was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.”

BIG PICTURE:

• The Bible tells us all me have sinned and wandered away from God (Romans 3:23).

• At some point, we are all lost sheep, lost coins, and prodigal children.

• Jesus wants you to return home to the safety and blessing of God’s care.

APPLICATION:

• How do you view people who are caught up in sin?

• Do you look down on them?

• Do you feel morally superior to them?

• Do you want nothing to do with them?

• Jesus intentionally spent time with sinners (Luke 15:2). He wanted to show them a better way to live, because He loved them.

• Are we like Jesus or are we like the Pharisees and scribes who weren’t interested in extending help to sinners?