Where Are You in Your Relationship to the Shepherd?

"Objects are lost because people look where they are not;  instead of where they are."   -Henry L. Miller

Luke 15 has been called God’s Lost and Found Department. In these 32 verses, Jesus uses no less that 4 illustrations dealing with the lost and with God’s desire to see them saved and restored to fellowship with Himself. Luke 15:3-7 records the Illustration of the Lost Sheep. Luke 15:8-10 records the Illustration of the Lost Silver. Luke 15:11-24 gives us the Illustration of the Lost Son. And, Luke 15: 25-32 relates the Illustration of the Lost Sibling.

The backdrop for these “heavenly stories with earthly meanings” is found in Luke 15:1-2. In these verses, Jesus is seen reaching out to the lost and dying. We are told that “publicans and sinners” came to hear Him preach. Publicans were also known as “tax collectors."

These people worked for the Roman government and were despised by the Jews because they were friendly with the enemy and they placed on the people harsh and unfair tax burdens. Sinners, on the other hand, referred to the Jews who did not keep the Mosaic Law, and were looked down on by the Pharisees and other religious peoples.

It was these poor people who no one cared about that Jesus reached out to! In fact, He stated that as His very reason for coming into the world (Luke 19:10; Mark 2:17). Yet, when these people gathered themselves around Jesus, to hear Him teach, the religious establishment went crazy and began to criticize Jesus for “receiving” sinners.

The word “receiveth” means “to allow access to oneself”. The very people the religious world should have been reaching out to, were the very ones they shunned. Jesus, on the other hand, came to the world for lost, hurting, sinful people, and He reached out the them.

Jesus, knowing the hard hearts of these religious people, told them the parable that makes up the verses of this chapter. In this parable, Jesus uses four illustrations to teach them the value of every lost soul. He even uses this parable to teach them that they themselves might not be as secure as t hey thought they were.

Today, let's examine Luke 15:3-7, otherwise known as the Parable of the Lost Sheep. One day a shepherd counts his sheep. He expects to find 100 in his flock, but is dismayed to discover that one of the flock is missing. Motivated by the danger to the sheep and the loss to himself, the shepherd takes immediate action to restore this sheep to its proper place in the fold.

In this vivid account of searching, saving and shouting, we can see a clear picture of the love, longing and labor of the Lord Jesus for the lost. Starting with Luke 15:4 we see an emerging picture of the shepherd's compassion. We see his compassion for: a lost sheep, a lone sheep, a loved sheep.

This little sheep is in great danger! It is headed for ruin. It is headed for destruction. The shepherd knows this and is concerned about the condition of the sheep. He is moved to do something to save this lost sheep. By the way, this sheep is lost because it wandered away. It is lost by its own fault!

This sheep may have wandered away from the shepherd, but it was still precious to Him. There was value in that sheep and the shepherd wanted it returned to his flock. He cared about that one little lost sheep.

We know that only one sheep was missing, yet the shepherd still went. Another shepherd might have counted the personal cost and decided to let that one sheep go and be lost forever. But, this shepherd saw the value in just one sheep and he went after it.

Next, in Luke 15:5 we see the shepherd's commitment to his sheep. This was a two-fold commitment. It was a sacrificial commitment. For the shepherd, the search was dangerous and death was a possibility. And it was a successful commitment. The shepherd did not stop until his mission had been completed and the sheep had been found!

Finally, in Luke 15:6-7 we see the shepherd's conquest. It involves rescue  The sheep has been found and is rescued from the danger in which it had been! It involves rest. The sheep is not responsible for getting itself home. It may have wandered away, but the getting home is the responsibility of the shepherd! It involves rejoicing. This shepherd was able to rejoice with his friends and neighbors because his lost sheep was found. He was overjoyed with the rescue of this one, lost sheep!

So, where are you in your relationship to the Shepherd? Are you lost out on the dark mountains of sin? Do you need to be rescued today? If so, then you can be saved if you will come to Jesus! Others are saved, but are you as close to Him as you need to be today? If there is a need in your walk with Jesus, talk to Him about it.

Scripture: Luke 19:10; Matthew 18:12-14; John 10:11; 2 Peter 3:9; Romans 10:17; James 5:19-20

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we pray in Jesus' name that You would draw to Your son Jesus Christ those who do not know Him as Savior. We pray, Father, that they would be drawn in true repentance and by faith and by hearing Your Gospel of truth they would come to know that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. Amen

Have a blessed day!

Kelsee