Jump Start # 980

Luke 15:4 “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?”

Luke 15 is the chapter of lost things. It begins with a shepherd who lost one of his sheep. Then it flows into a woman who lost one silver coin. Then it peaks with the man who lost his son. Luke shows us the picture of God in these parables. In many ways, these are not three independent parables but one thought with three points. The things lost had great value to the owners. The owners were desperate in seeking what was lost. Great rejoicing and celebrating took place after the lost was recovered. Salvation, grace and forgiveness are the running themes that connect these parables together.

Our verse today is about one lost sheep. In many ways it is better to have 99 safe and only lose one. Much worse would it have been to have lost 99 and have only one safe. The shepherd didn’t write off the one missing. He left the 99 and went on a search and find mission. His goal was to find that one sheep and bring him back. He doesn’t quit until he finds it.

Before we go much further with this, we must remember that this is a parable and it is very easy to read too much into the story and make it say things that Jesus never intended. Having said that, how would a shepherd find a lost sheep? I’m not a shepherd and had that been me out in the fields, there would have been 100 lost sheep and one lost shepherd.

It seems to me that the shepherd would begin where the sheep last were. Look around that area. Call the sheep by name. How does he know which one it is? He knows the sheep. Borrowing from John 10 and the good shepherd, he calls them and they hear his voice and follow. So the shepherd is looking, calling and searching. He knows sheep. He knows they tend to wander off and why they wander off. He looks for places a sheep might go for food. That drives the sheep more than anything else. Calling, looking and searching. This takes a while. And then, he stumbles upon the lost sheep. Most likely grazing and not even realizing that the flock moved on. The shepherd would tenderly pick the sheep up and carry it back to the rest of the flock. There is some peace that night knowing that everyone is right where they belong.

I’d expect that the shepherd would watch that sheep a little more closely. When it came time to move the flock again, the shepherd would make sure that the little lost one got the message, maybe, even standing with that sheep.

It sure seems like a lot of work for one lamb. Why not cut the losses and move on? Why the worry over the one? Because the shepherd was responsible. He was given the job to watch them and care for them. If he let that one go, what about the next one, and the one after that. The flock of 100 dwindles to a flock of 70 and then 50 and if he is fortunate, maybe he would show up with 45 sheep. The rest? They wandered off. Would you be happy with that as an owner of that flock? What would you think about the job of that shepherd? Would you hire him again for the next spring? From the owner’s perspective, lost sheep means lost revenue. The shepherd was hired to do a job. Losing sheep is not part of that job.

What does all of this mean to us? We are not out in the fields at night with sheep? I wonder how easily we give up the search for those who have wandered off? I wander if we expect them to find their way back to us? Are we out looking for those who have left? Do we know where to find them and how to reach them? Would they recognize our voice if we called them?

In many ways this parable was fulfilled in Jesus. We were the lost sheep. God didn’t stop and hope that we would catch up. He didn’t write us off. He sent Jesus. Jesus came to seek and save the lost. This parable answers the charge at the beginning of the chapter of why Jesus ate with sinners and received them. He did so because they were lost. He did so because He was trying to bring them back to the flock of God.

God has been looking. God has searched. God sent Jesus. The sheep must recognize the voice of God and come. Jesus calls, do we listen? Jesus is looking, are we hiding? Don’t expect a little voice in the night. Don’t think it will come by some grand and direct way. The call is through the Gospel message. The plea is there. God is calling. God is looking. Those who are seeking will find. Those who are asking, will receive an answer. The rest, who ignore the searching of God, may wander and wander for the rest of their lives. They may live in fear because they do not have a shepherd to protect them. They may go into dangerous places because they do not have a shepherd to guide them. Dirty, diseased, and distressed these wandering sheep never know or experience the wonderful relationship they could have with God. The lost sheep never leave God’s heart. He longs for them to return. After Jesus, God sent His apostles and preachers to call the lost. Even today, the message is ringing forth that God is looking for you. He hasn’t given up. He never will.

What a great God we have. He is looking for you, even today. He is calling. Won’t you listen to the Gospel message and come home. What stands in the way often times is God’s people. Sheep may wander off because of the mistreatment from other brethren. Shameful is what that is. God has never treated anyone that way. We serve God. We follow God. We listen to God. Come to God. Don’t let someone else be the reason that you are lost. God is ready to forgive you. God is ready for you to come home to Him.

God is looking…

NOTE: This may not be a typical Jump Start that you are used to reading. Most of our readers have a connection with God. Is there someone in your heart that you could share this with? Copy and email this to someone. Let them know that you have not forgotten them, nor have you written them off. You love them and want them to come home to God. One more attempt. One more search. One more try. Isn’t it worth it?

Roger