When Jesus was ministering to the people of His time, He often ate with people who were sinners, some even seen as the worst of sinners. The religious leaders of that time set themselves apart from such "awful" people and complained that Jesus associated and ate with such people. Once Jesus said it is the sick that need a doctor not the healthy. Which makes this point; how can one help and heal the sick if one always spends all their time with those who are well? Jesus came to find the lost sheep, coins and sons, heal them and rescue them giving them the hope and promise of life eternal.
The first parable tells us of a man who owned one hundred sheep and lost one. We see how hard the man searched for the lost one knowing the other 99 are safe and protected. We also read of how happy he is when the lost one is found. The parable ends with verse 7; "In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven't strayed away."
The second parable is of a woman who had 10 silver coins, each one worth about a days wages. She lost one and frantically searched her house to find it. When she found it she rejoiced over finding it. Tis parable ends with verse 10; "In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God's angels when even one sinner repents."
The third parable is of the lost son. A father has two sons and the younger son asked for his inheritance while the father was still alive. The father agreed and divided his wealth between his sons. The younger son took his inheritance, left home and squandered it all on "wild living" (prostitutes). He ended up in a foreign land, broke and staving, working for a man feeding pigs. He realized he had sinned against heaven and his father. He also realized his father's workers lived much better than he was living and decided to return home, ask to be forgiven and hopefully get a job as a hired hand.
The father reinstated him as his son with all the entitlements his position warranted and threw a great feast. The elder son was working in the field while all this was happening and when he was told the reason for the feast, he became very angry. He went to his father and complained explaining how he had remained with the father and done everything that was asked of him while the younger brother was off being wild and wasting his inheritance. (This is a more direct example of how the one who stay s faithful and does his father's will while great rejoicing occurs for the lost one as sited in the parable of the lost sheep and lost coin.) The parable of the lost son ends with verses 31 and 32; "His father said to him, "Look dear son, you have always stayed by me and everything I have is yours. we had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost but now he is found!"
In these teachings we get a glimpse from the perspective of the Kingdom of God. Those who are righteous work hard for the Father and while they have all that is the Father's they don't seem to get a great deal of acknowledgement. I believe, because that is precisely what believers should do. In the Kingdom, we should expect great rejoicing and celebration for any one of the lost being found. We should work hard along with the Father to help find the lost and with no ill feelings, then rejoice and celebrate with the Kingdom for the lost one's return. There are many other applications ofd these stories but I wanted to only bring out the main point.
We as followers, should work hard to help find the lost ones. We should rejoice when they come to faith for this is the Father's wish, that all be saved. Remember this, if you were once lost, know that all of Heaven rejoiced when you came to faith. If your are lost right now, remember there will be great rejoicing in the Kingdom when you are found. If you have always been righteous, never been lost and have spent your life working for the Father doing kingdom work, you are appreciated and all the Father has is yours. Join Him in the work of rescuing the lost and join Him in the great celebration!!!