Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 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.
“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15:1-10
Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 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.
“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15:1-10
Quite an audience for the King of Israel: tax collectors and sinners (prostitutes). Scandalous! And He eats with them. This is unacceptable to Pharisees and lawyers. Not socially expedient.
But Jesus is not seeking social status. He came to live among men for a specific purpose: to seek and save that which was lost. How would the spiritually needy be helped if Jesus shunned their company? What do ordinary humans do when we lose something? We go searching for it, of course. Our Lord does that, too, with regard to lost souls. Common sense examples: The shepherd whose one lamb has wandered away from the flock leaves the ninety-nine while he goes to find the one. When he finds it, he happily brings the little one home and calls all his neighbors to rejoice with him. That's the response in heaven when one lost soul repents. He is joyously welcomed as a recovered lamb who had been lost. Likewise, a woman who loses one coin out of her ten will upend her whole house to find it. Recovering the missing coin takes priority over all other concerns. When she finds it, she calls all her friends to celebrate with her. This recovery of the lost is no small issue with common humanity. How much more important must the recovery of lost souls be to the creator and redeemer of our souls.
Partying with the smug, self-righteous religious elite would accomplish nothing in Jesus' mission to recover lost souls. The self-righteous don't acknowledge that they are lost. Therefore, they don't wish to be found. The tax-gatherers and sinners, however, had no illusions about their miserable condition. They sincerely welcomed the care and attention of the Only Savior. And He was SO happy to welcome them home.
