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.
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