1‭) ‬  They entertain,‭ ‬hold people's attention,‭ ‬are listened to by young and old,‭ ‬educated and the poor.  They make a connection with real life‭ (‬agriculture,‭ ‬justice,‭ ‬greed,‭ ‬love‭ & ‬Kingdom truth‭)

2‭)   ‬Only the spiritually awakened or hungry understood the truth behind the story, but not the casual onlooker.‭  ‬Hence most did not understand.

The disciples came to Him and asked,‭"‬Why do you speak to the people in parables‭?"‬ ‭ ‬Jesus answered,‭ "... The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you,‭ ‬but not to them.‭ ‬ For this people's heart has become calloused‭; ‬they hardly hear with their ears,‭ ‬and they have closed their eyes.‭ ‬ Otherwise they might see with their eyes,‭ ‬hear with their ears,‭ ‬understand with their hearts and turn,‭ ‬and I would heal them‭." (Matthew‭ ‬13:10,11,15‭)‬

LOST SHEEP,‭ ‬LOST COIN,‭ ‬LOST SON‭ (‬Luke‭ ‬15:1-32‭)

Jesus told this parable when the Pharisees criticized Him for socializing with sinners.‭  ‬His response to criticism was truth.

‬Then Jesus told them this parable:‭ '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?  ‬And when he finds it,‭ ‬he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. ‭ ‬Then he calls his friends and neighbours 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.' (‬Luke‭ ‬15:3-7‭)

 -‭ ‬A sheep without its shepherd is in grave danger.
 -‭ ‬Jesus focusses on the least one of the sheep‭.
‬
"And this is the will of Him who sent me,‭ ‬that I shall lose none of all that He has given me,‭ ‬but raise them up at the last day‭." (‬John‭ ‬6:39‭)‬

 -‭ The sheep is put over his shoulders‭ ‬-‭ ‬LOVE‭ ‬-‭ ‬NOT REBUKE‭.
 ‬-‭ ‬An adult sheep may weigh anywhere from‭ ‬50‭ ‬to‭ ‬60‭ ‬kg.
 -‭ ‬Jesus bore the weight of our sins upon the cross.

"He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree,‭ ‬so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness.‭ ‬.‭ ‬.‭ ‬.‭ ‬For you were like sheep going astray,‭ ‬but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls."‬  (1‭ ‬Peter‭ ‬2:24,25‭)‬.‭

 ‬-‭ The friends and neighbours must rejoice with the Shepherd.
 -‭ ‬Heaven rejoices when a sinner repents and is restored to God.
 -‭ ‬Imagine how the sinners with Jesus laugh at the irony of only one sinner repenting and‭ ‬99‭ ‬so-called righteous people sitting smugly and watching.

THE LOST COIN‭
 
"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?  ‬And when she finds it,‭ ‬she calls her friends and neighbours 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 ‬15:8-10‭)‬.

 -‭ ‬It indicates God’s true attitude towards sinners.
 -‭ The sinner is like a valuable coin which has been lost.
 -‭ ‬The woman is not lax about her lost possession.
 -‭ She lights a lamp to see clearly,‭ ‬uses a broom to reach places that might otherwise be inaccessible.‭  ‬Searching carefully,‭ ‬it must be found at all costs.

Jesus wanted all to understand how he felt about those who were lost.‭ ‬  Jesus himself said,‭ ‬"For the Son of man has come to seek and to save that which was lost‭."‭ (‬Luke‭ ‬19:10‭)

 -‭ Indicates the mission of the Son.
 -‭ ‬Jesus is Light of the World‭; ‬as the woman lights her lamp.
 -‭ ‬There is rejoicing in heaven over‭ "each one‭" ‬that repents.
 -‭ ‬Friends and neighbours must be told,‭ ‬as well as to share in the celebration.‭
‬ -‭ ‬Is the woman not the church‭?

God is not content for anyone to be away from Him:‭ ‬  " ... He is patient with you,‭ ‬not wanting anyone to perish,‭ ‬but everyone to come to repentance‭."‬ (2‭ ‬Peter‭ ‬3:9‭)‬.‭

THE LOST SON

Possibly the greatest story ever told was that of the Lost Son or Prodigal.‭  ‬Here it is the Father and two equally lost sons.‭ ‬ Their sin is just different.

The point is always that since Eden the Father has been searching for anyone who would respond.