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The Fourth Sunday in Trinity
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
June 28, 2009

TEXT:  (Luke 15:1-10 NKJ) Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, "This Man receives sinners and eats with them." 3 So He spoke this parable to them, saying: 4 "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5 "And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 "And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them,`Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!' 7 "I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. 8 "Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? 9 "And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying,`Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!' 10 "Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."
 
This is the first in a series of parables Jesus uses to teach the Pharisees and scribes the lesson of why He eats with sinners—first the Parable of the Lost Sheep—next the Parable of the Woman who lost her coin—The Prodigal Son—and ending with the Parable of the Unfaithful Steward—today we are going to focus on one parable—the Parable of the Lost Sheep
 
 
This is among the most known of the parables—and we have discussed this parable several times over the years—we are aware that sheep are associated with God’s people from the very beginning of Scripture—Abel raised sheep—and he offered his sheep to God in thanksgiving
 
(Genesis 4:1-4 NKJ) Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, "I have acquired a man from the LORD." 2 Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3 And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD. 4 Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering,
 
Abel’s blood was spilled upon the earth because of that offering—Abraham and his nephew Lot tended sheep—Jacob—whom God named Israel—tended sheep—Moses was tending sheep when God called him to lead the children of Israel from Egypt
 
(Exodus 3:1 NKJ) Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
 
God chose the Pascal Lamb to be used in the Passover which saved the firstborn of the Israelites—and all of God’s people—as they were led out of Egypt by Moses—God’s people were saved by the blood of the lamb—40 years after they crossed the Red Sea—Moses begged God not to leave His people—the congregation of Israelites—God’s flock of believers on earth—without a shepherd
 
(Numbers 27:16-17 NKJ) "Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, 17 "who may go out before them and go in before them, who may lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the LORD may not be like sheep which have no shepherd."
 
David—the King of Israel—was described as a shepherd boy
 
(2 Samuel 7:8 NKJ) "Now therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David,`Thus says the LORD of hosts: "I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel.
 
There are many Psalms written about sheep—the Great Shepherd—and God’s people—the flock—none more familiar or more quoted than the 23rd Psalm
 
(Psalm 23:1-6 NKJ) a Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.
 
To properly understand this Psalm we need to know al little about sheep—sheep will not seek food—you need to lead them to it—hence He makes me to lie down in green pastures—sheep will not drink from a moving stream—the shepherd must “pond” the water for the sheep to drink—hence He leads me beside still waters
 
Sheep need constant shepherding—they cannot find their way home even if home is within sight—the shepherd leads them around—he uses his staff to guide the sheep—and his rod to protect the sheep—because a sheep’s only defense is its cute appearance—they can’t run fast—and they can’t fight—they can’t administer a ferocious bite—when they are with their shepherd—they are comfortable and safe—just as we are when we are walking with our Lord—we fear nothing—and He gives us instructions with His comforting Word—that’s the point of David’s Psalm—Isaiah also writes of the Good Shepherd
 
(Isaiah 40:11 NKJ) He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young.
 
Jesus came looking for the lost sheep of Israel
 
(Matthew 15:24 NKJ) But He answered and said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
 
And now for our lesson—the parable of the lost sheep—Jesus is teaching this lesson at the beginning of what would become a hostile relationship between Jesus and the Pharisees—the Pharisees were highly educated Jews—who were especially knowledgeable of the Old Testament—but they tended to be arrogant and looked down at those they considered sinners—they were not very compassionate—they were not very tolerant—and they were not patient with those that needed help to understand—they despised Jesus—and took every opportunity to publicly attack Him—they disliked Jesus so much that they refused to even say His name—hence they refer to Him as “This man”
 
Jesus does not confront them and antagonize them—He offers them a simple and neutral parable—this would allow them to see clearly the truth—to remove anything confrontational or personal—that they might see and understand the simple truth—and most importantly, they might be saved
 
These particular Pharisees and scribes might be the lost sheep Jesus came to seek—they were certainly lost—and they certainly had knowledge of the Scriptures—and just as Paul despised the Christians—these men despised Christ—and just as Paul was converted in an instant—these men could also be made to see the error in their way—and that’s why Christ is so patient with them—sheep were very common in the region—and none of the Pharisees or scribes tended sheep—therefore—Jesus’ use of sheep was masterful
 
Each man could project himself into this hypothetical situation—and analyze the question without emotion or personal involvement—Jesus asks the question for any or all to respond to—but yet no response will come—the question is one which requires no answer—the answer is so obvious—by using sheep Jesus disarms the self-righteous pride that was blinding the Pharisees and scribes—the image He describes shows them why He eats with sinners
 
TEXT:  (Luke 15:5-7 NKJ) "And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 "And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them,`Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!' 7 "I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.
 
In the parable the sheep is carried home—on the shoulders of the rescuer—friends and neighbors rejoice—the proper understanding of this earthly story with a heavenly meaning is this
 
Lost sheep = the sinner
 
Rescuer = Jesus the Christ
 
Carried home = taken to heaven—carried because we sheep cannot make that trip ourselves—Jesus is the Way
 
The rejoicers = the angels in heaven and the saints who went before us
 
 
 
Some feel that there is too much emphasis on the rejoicing of the one—and not enough over the 99 that are not lost—Luther gave a masterful explanation of this—when a mother has a sick child ready to die—and that child is healed—she rejoices nonstop for the cured child—while also being thankful for the remainder of her children that were never sick
 
Seeking the lost is the mission of the Church on earth—and our Lord has given us each other to help each other carry on this work—if we succeed there will be much rejoicing in heaven—we need to be patient—just as Jesus was patient—we need to present the message in a way that is non-confrontational—understandable—and a message administered with true Christian loveALL GLORY BE TO GOD!!