Sunday, September 16, 2018

LUKE 15:1-10 GOOD SHEPHERD SEEKS GOOFY SHEEP


GOOD SHEPHERD SEEKS
GOOFY SHEEP
LUKE 15:1-10
(see also Matthew 18:11-14)

Luke 15:1 Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.

Susan: Chapter 14 ended with Jesus admonishing the crowd to listen closely to Him. The Pharisees and scribes did not heed this advice, but the publicans (Jewish tax-collectors who worked for the Romans) and sinners (notorious sinners such as prostitutes) flocked to hear Him.

Susie: Before we think that Jesus was stuck with the leftovers of society while the religious elite turned their backs on Him, read what Paul wrote in his first letter to the church at Corinth.

1 Corinthians 1:26-29 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.

Susan: God purposely chose sinners and tax-collectors. His glory would be splendidly displayed as He worked in and through them by the grace and power of Jesus’s death and resurrection.

Susie: The Pharisees and scribes thought themselves to be more righteous than others and not in need of forgiveness and grace. The very people they thought not worthy of God, were the ones who were humble enough to see their own need and listen to Jesus.

Luke 15:2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

Susie: This murmuring was not under their breath. The Pharisees and scribes were trying to discredit Jesus to anyone within earshot.

Susan: The Pharisees and scribes jumped at any opportunity to engage in assassinated Jesus’s character with a proverbial megaphone in hand. They would delineate the perceived shortcomings of Jesus in their eyes.

Luke 15:3 And he spake this parable unto them, saying,

Susie: Jesus responded to these murmurings by telling the following three parables. The point of each of them is the joy of God when even one sinner is saved by His grace.

Susan: The first of these illustrations involves a shepherd who has realized one of his flock of 100 sheep is missing.

Luke 15:4-5 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

Susie: The lost lamb is not seeking the shepherd. The shepherd pursues and seeks the sheep.

Psalm 119:176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.

Susan: We saw a meme on Facebook the other day that said it seems illogical to leave 99 sheep to look for just one, unless you are that one sheep in need of the Good Shepherd.

Susie: Sheep are not known for their smarts. The sheep was just grazing along not even realizing he had strayed from the flock. Before the Holy Spirit begins to draw us, to seek us, we have no clue that we even need the Good Shepherd. We just go about our day not realizing what we are missing. The shepherd was the one who knew the peril a single sheep faced alone in the wild—not finding water, injury, attack by wolves—and so was desperate to find the lost sheep.

Susan: Praise the Lord that Jesus, the Good Shepherd, has sheep radar and cares enough to pursue us when we don’t even know to look for Him. We have no idea what dangers we face and joy we may miss until the Holy Spirit unfolds the word of God for us.

Luke 15:6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.

Susan: The shepherd comes home from his relentless quest and throws a party because 100% of his flock are now safe in the sheepfold. Jesus is our Good Shepherd, and there is a party in Heaven every time He brings a lost sheep into the safety of God’s forever family.

Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

John 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

Susie: Our Shepherd not only risked His life to find us when we went astray, He actually laid it down and died in our place! When we place our faith in the Shepherd who sought us and bought us with His blood shed on the cross, we can rest on His shoulders until that day He carries us to the home He has prepared for us in His Father’s kingdom.

Luke 15:7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

Susie: Heaven rejoices each time a sinner— anyone who falls short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)—humbly places his or her trust in Jesus and is gloriously transformed into a child of God.

Susan: The just persons refers to the self-righteous people who think they are holy, but in reality, their “holiness” is so full of holes that it resembles swiss cheese. Holes so big one could drive a fleet of semis through them. They are blinded by their false righteousness which is only an outward façade.

Susie: Elsewhere Jesus described this type of person and the Pharisees in particular as “whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness” (Matthew 23:27). EVERYONE needs repentance, but the Pharisees and scribes did not see themselves as such.

Ponder this and Apply it: Sheep are basically clueless creatures who do not realize their dependence upon the shepherd until he is not there to provide for and protect them. “All we like sheep have gone astray” (Isaiah 53:6a) and our Good Shepherd seeks to bring us home. We need to be humble enough to realize we cannot find our way into the Kingdom of God, let alone earn it. We must place our dependence totally upon the Good Shepherd Jesus. When He calls us, all we must do is surrender ourselves to Him and be carried home. Is your trust in anything other than Jesus? Are you striving to be “good enough”? Give up that struggle and cry out to the One who will rejoice to bring you into His fold.

No comments:

Post a Comment