THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD – I WILL FOLLOW HIM FOREVER!

JEHOVAH ROHI (3)

THE PARABLE OF THE LOST AND FOUND SHEEP

Both Matthew 18:12-14 and Luke 15:1-7 record Jesus’ parable about a shepherd who leaves 99 sheep in the fold to go in search of one that had wandered away. Jesus gave this illustration in response to the Pharisees who were angry that Jesus “welcomes sinners and eats with them” (Luke 15:2). The religious leaders in Jesus’ day had designed a system to exalt the self-righteous and exclude anyone who did not live up to their standards. They added so many rules to God’s law that no one could keep them all. When Jesus came, His style of ministry confused them. He seemed to be from God, yet He rebuked the outwardly righteous and welcomed the sinners. How could this man know God?

The people of Jesus’ day understood the relationship between shepherds and sheep, but the significance of a shepherd going in search of one lost sheep is sometimes lost on us. It seems strange that a shepherd would leave his flock to search for one missing sheep. This is an example to help us understand what Jesus is saying: a father and his five children are asleep in their home. Suddenly fire starts in the house. The father awakens to find his house filled with smoke. Panicked, he races to his children’s bedrooms and begins to wake them. Calling to some and carrying others, he stumbles down the stairs and out the front door. He deposits the sleepy children on the grass a safe distance away and then turns. Gasping for air, he counts his kids: Oyemi, Ebi, Ufuoma, Ifeanyi… where is Blessing? His youngest child, three years old daughter is missing!!! Four children are safe, one is not. What will this father do? He will ignore the danger of fire and will go back into that burning house. Why? To find his precious child trapped in the fire of sin!!! That is Love!!! God is a Father. He counts His kids. He rejoices that some are safe in Christ, prepared for eternity, close to His heart. But some are missing. This is the cry heaven and earth heard, the cry of the Father: “Where is Blessing?” God the Father sent Jesus on a rescue mission “to seek and to save the lost” (Lk 19:10). God did not abandon the 99. They are already safe in His kingdom, attended by His angels, and guided by His Holy Spirit. But His heart aches for those not yet in the fold. His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, went to earth and hell to find those lost sheep! Blessed be the Lamb of God!

When stubborn sheep want to go astray, The Good Shepherd allows them. He permits circumstances into their lives designed to make them look up. It is often in the midst of sorrow that we finally surrender our pride. We submit to our Shepherd, who carries us back to the fold. Jesus refers to Himself as the Good Shepherd, saying, “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd” (Jn 10:16,17). The 99 are still important to Him, but He knows the flock is not complete without the lost sheep. And a good shepherd always goes after the lost sheep.

“All we like sheep have gone astray” (Isaiah 53:6a), and yet Jesus chases after those who have wandered from the flock—not because we deserve to be found, but because He loves us. The shepherd in this parable is Jesus, and the sheep are His followers. When a believer is lured by the love of the world and wanders from God, Jesus begins the chase. His pursuit is relentless until the believer is returned home. The first lesson is that God is the Pursuer of men. The second lesson is the value of men who are created by God. The third lesson is to see the Amazing Grace and the reckless Love of God. God the Father and Jesus want every single backslider to be found and rescued.

“Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven” (Matt 18:10). Jesus warns the religious men to not despise the children, or those who are humble and have faith like a child. At that time, humble and needy people were regarded as having low social status. God does not discriminate people because He created them all. Each person, rich or poor, reflects the image of God. Jesus says that each believer, and especially the children, have guardian angels for protection who are in direct communication with God. Therefore, no believer is insignificant in His eyes. Angels are ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation (Heb 1:14). “To despise” means to look down on someone and see him as worthless. Lessons: respect every human being because they are all created by God. Refuse to discriminate against people based on their race, wealth, appearance or social status. Be careful with your words. Do not mock or joke about people. Look for ways to help those that are needy or discriminated against. Encourage others and not discourage them. God has not despised us but has welcomed us through Christ. As we mirror His gracious acceptance, our homes, workplaces, and churches become places where every person is treated with the honor their Creator bestows. Understanding the spiritual reality of angels and God’s care inspires us to live with a heavenly perspective.

“For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost” (Matt 18:11). Jesus refers to Himself as the “Son of Man,” a title that shows His role as the Messiah and His identification with humanity. This title is rooted in the Old Testament and signifies a divine figure with authority (Dan 7:13,14). Jesus came into this world. It shows that He had a life before He became The Son of Man, the Savior of sinners. He came to seek and to save those who are spiritually lost, separated from God because of their sins. This is the heart of the Gospel and the main purpose of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Lessons: We must preach the Gospel and rejoice for every sinner who is found and saved by the Lord Jesus Christ. We must have confidence that Christ actively seeks the lost sheep and none is too far for Him. Have compassion on sinners!

“If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?” (Matt 18:12). The number “hundred” signifies completeness and abundance, suggesting a full flock under the shepherd’s care. This flock is God’s people, with God or Christ as their Shepherd. Sheep are known for their tendency to wander, symbolizing men’s tendency to stray from God’s path. It shows the vulnerability and waywardness of sinners and their need for redemption. The shepherd leaves the 99 in the care of others and goes to find the lost sheep. It shows the value of each person. The shepherd’s action reveals God’s relentless Love and effectual Grace in pursuing men to salvation. It shows the personal nature of salvation, God’s care and His willingness to go to great lengths to restore a wayward soul. This points to the Cross, where Jesus died to save His sheep from sin and death. Selah!

The sheep symbolize Christ’ followers. The one sheep that goes astray represents those who wander away from the faith and need to be brought back into the fold. The 99 sheep represent the security and community found within the body of Christ. We are safe when we abide in His care. The sheep contribute nothing to their salvation except their lostness. Sin is not just a mistake. It is spiritual lostness. Without Jesus, you cannot find your way back. Recognize God’s irresistible grace in your salvation. It is God who pursues you, not you pursuing God. As believers, when doing evangelism, we should be proactive in seeking the lost. God will recover all His prodigal sons. No elect shall perish. Grace originates in the Shepherd’s heart, works through His costly pursuit, and culminates in Joyful restoration.

Another reason human beings are compared to sheep in the Bible is that sheep are prone to wander away from the flock. A sheep’s only chance of survival is with the flock under the care of a competent shepherd. Yet some sheep become proud, rebellious, or distracted, and they wander away. They see greener grass in the other direction or fail to notice when the flock moves away. Peter warned the church to be on the alert because the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (1 Pet 5:8). A lion does not attack the flock. It waits until a solitary lamb wanders far from the shepherd. The 99 sheep represent those who are already saved and safe in the fold. The focus of the parable is on the lost sheep. God does not want anyone to perish. Each person has value. Jesus was seeking those who were rejected by the religious leaders, the tax-collectors, prostitutes and the outcast. This reveals the amazing nature of Grace. Lessons: As members of the body of Christ, we must care for one another and help restore those who have wandered. Like Jesus, we go to where most backsliders are found, to people’s homes, in the marketplaces, student campuses, online communities, and low-class neighborhoods. See each person with compassion and no condemnation. Selah!

GOD PROMISED TO SEEK AND FIND THE BACKSLIDER

“Your own wickedness will correct you, And your backslidings will rebuke you. Know therefore and see that it is an evil and bitter thing That you have forsaken the LORD your God, And the fear of Me is not in you,” Says the Lord GOD of hosts” (Jer2:19). “I will return again to My place Till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek My face; In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me” (Hos 5:15). “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jer 29:13).

“The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways, But a good man will be satisfied from above” (PV 14:14). The backslider is a believer who knows the Gospel, has surrendered his life to Christ, but after some time decides to go away from the truth, back to the world. A silent backslider is one who continues to attend church services but, in his heart, he has gone away from faith in God’s Word. He becomes a religious hypocrite. The true backslider is the 100th sheep that has gone away from the flock. This sheep suffers many terrible things before Jesus, the Sheperd, finds her. The backslider will be filled with the ways of the world, but far from the Sheperd and the flock, he cannot find peace and joy. This is the prodigal son who eventually comes back home to his father. If “a backslider” dies in his sin, it means that he was never saved. He was only religious. God has promised to pursue, seek and find all His lost sheep and, and thru pains of repentance, He will bring them back to Him. Jesus said to His Father: “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled” (Jn 17:12).

This is the Bitter Harvest of Backsliding:

*Inner Emptiness. Self-chosen paths promise freedom, yet they leave the soul “filled” with rotten fruit, restlessness, anxiety, and guilt.

*Spiritual Barrenness. By distancing himself from the true Vine, the backslider forfeits the life-giving flow that produces lasting fruit.

*Bondage to Sin. What began as a small compromise becomes a controlling habit. Sin is addictive and a wicked master.

*Diminished Discernment. Persistent disobedience dulls the conscience, and hardens the heart, making it harder to recognize truth.

*Loss of opportunity for ministry and rewards in heaven. Loss of Joy of salvation. Loss of Testimony. No influence for Christ among others.

LESSONS FOR US:

*God pursues us. He does not passively wait for us to come back to Him. We don’t deserve to be found. It is all by His amazing Grace.

*God values each individual. He leaves the crowd to find one lost soul.

*God’s economy is different than men’s. Jesus risks the welfare of 99 to find one lost soul. Jesus tells men to sell all and follow Him.

*When Jesus finds the backslider, he does not punish him but carries him on His shoulders back to the fold. Jesus carries our burdens.

*Heaven appreciates repentance on earth. Jesus celebrates the salvation of each sinner. It is a communal celebration.

*Our spiritual internal state is crucial. Search your heart, conscience and motives of why you call yourself a Christian. Drifting often starts with neglected fellowship with God and His flock. This is an unbreakable principle: “Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return” (Gal 6:7,8). God is just and fair, rewarding each person according to their deeds.

*Take sin’s early signals seriously! Confess and repent before the slide gains momentum. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1Jn 1:9)

*Just as backsliders face the results of their ways, a good man will be rewarded. Stay close to the shepherd and His flock. Obey God’s Word.

*This is loving yet sobering warning: every heart moves somewhere. Choose paths whose fruit endures for eternal life! Follow the Shepherd! Worship the Lord!