Lent · Fourth Sunday in Lent · Year C
Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
March 26, 2028
Overview & Insights
“The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost” (Luke 19:10).
After the scene at a Pharisee's table in 14:1–24 (cf. 7:36–50; 11:37–54), the focus turns to the much less conventional meals that Jesus enjoyed with social and religious outsiders. This theme was earlier raised by the meal in Levi's house (5:27–39) and by the “sinful woman” who disrupted another more conventional meal (7:36–50), and it has been reflected in Jesus's subversive ideas about who should be at the messianic banquet (13:28–29; 14:15–24). The issue for Jesus is not simply a matter of table etiquette, but rather of God's plan of salvation, which will be gloriously summed up at the table of an arch-sinner in 19:10. So a trio of parables here challenges the reader to rethink who is ultimately acceptable to God. They not only justify Jesus's unconventional practice but also, in the person of the unbending older brother, draw attention to the danger of opposing and, ultimately, missing out on God's grace.
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Commentary
Commentary on Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 Working Preacher
Walks through how the elder son's complaint reveals the real tension in the parable.
Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 Commentary Center for Excellence in Preaching
Argues the small narrative details, not just the plot, carry the parable's weight.
Luke 15 Commentary Precept Austin
Gives a verse-by-verse evangelical reading with cross-references for the whole chapter.
Luke 15 (Geneva Study Bible) StudyLight
Offers a concise Reformation-era gloss on the chapter's three lost-and-found parables.
Luke 15:11 interlinear BibleHub
Shows the underlying Greek for the opening line of the parable, word by word.
Two Sons, Lent 4 (C) Sermons That Work · Episcopal Church
An Anglican sermon on the parable's two very different responses to grace.
Luke 15:1-3 Enduring Word · David Guzik
An accessible verse-by-verse commentary, widely used across evangelical churches.
Background & Word Study
The Church Fathers
Sermons & Reflections
Worship & Prayers
Questions preachers ask
Is all of Luke 15 read this Sunday?
No. The Fourth Sunday of Lent in Year C appoints Luke 15:1–3, 11b–32: the framing verses plus the parable of the prodigal son. The lost sheep and lost coin (Luke 15:4–10) are read separately at Proper 19, Year C, in Ordinary Time.
Why is it called Laetare Sunday?
Laetare is the first word of the traditional Latin entrance antiphon, Laetare Jerusalem (Rejoice, Jerusalem). It marks the midpoint of Lent with a note of restrained joy; rose vestments may replace violet.
Do Catholics and Protestants read the same Gospel this Sunday?
Yes. The Revised Common, Roman Catholic, and LSB three-year lectionaries all appoint the prodigal son; their first and second readings differ slightly. The historic one-year lectionary is a separate system and reads John 6 instead.
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