May 29 Lost but Found Part 1

Luke 15:3-7 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “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? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 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.”
 
THIS is the first of three “lost but found” parables Luke 15 records. The key to hearing Jesus’ lesson in these parables is to remember he is responding to the Pharisees’ self-righteous comment in Luke 15;2 “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Jesus’ parables (Remember a parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.) are spoken directly to the Pharisees to awaken their hearts to two elements of God’s relationship with his people: 1) You are precious in his sight. 2) He is joyful to welcome you home. Jesus wants the Pharisees to see “God is love” (I John 4:8b) and themselves as sinners whom he has graciously come to invite to his table.
    See Jesus’ love as he describes one lost sheep’s value. Jesus reminds the Pharisees a good shepherd protected and cared for his sheep. A good shepherd is a loving caretaker to keep his sheep safe from thieves and predators. Such a shepherd would even risk his life to keep his sheep in the fold, safe under his care.
    Second, note the shepherd’s joyful response. “He joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home.” The shepherd doesn’t punish the wayward sheep. The shepherd doesn’t lead or chase him home. The shepherd doesn’t simply put him with the rest of the flock. He joyfully carries him home! Celebrating the sheep’s return, he even calls his friends. This good shepherd, caring for and loving his flock, proclaims the good news of the wayward, but beloved, precious sheep returning to the fold.
    Yes, Jesus wants the judging Pharisees to love God and love others as themselves. He is the Good Shepherd, who has come from Heaven to eat and drink with his sinful creation. Surely the dinner was a joyful occasion. Jesus had come to find his lost people, and they had come to feast with him. This is a picture of Heaven’s response to each person who says, “Jesus, you are my Good Shepherd. I come into your fold.”
    We easily look at people to judge them, forgetting we are sinners, too. Turn your heart, instead, to lovingly seek their souls for Jesus. Be as the Good Shepherd. Go after them with love, tenderness, forgiveness and kindness. Do what the Lord gives you to do. In his power, carry them home.
 
Prayer: Forgive me, Father, if I have pointed to others to say, “those sinners”. Turn my heart to love those who need to hear the good news. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.