Luke 15:1-7
The parable of the lost sheep is one of the best known parables in the Bible. Yet, we read the parable, bypassing the motivation for Jesus to tell the story. When the back story is added, the parable actually increases the depth of it’s meaning.
Jesus had a message that no one had heard before. It was based not on religious rules, but upon faith in a righteous relationship with God. It wasn’t the hard hearted law, but the open hearted life that made a difference. The result is that people flock to hear Jesus. They come for all walks of life and cross all economic boundaries. They are the outcasts who are not good enough for the religious set. When they come to Jesus, and He accepts them, the Pharisees, with arrogance and pride, denounce Jesus for accepting “publicans and sinners.”
There are so many commentaries on this parable, but God made it simple in my mind. First, the 99 who came were all accepted by the Shepherd. He loved them and cared for them. It didn’t matter what condition they were in. Jesus love us and accepts us as we are. Second, the sheep were willing to follow the Shepherd. We should willing follow Christ, our Great Shepherd. Third, when there is one who is lost, Jesus cares enough to track down even one who is lost. He tracked down me. I turned to Him. He will track you down, too. The question becomes, will you turn to Him?
Not only would these Pharisees and scribes never seek out the lost, they would never bother to care about those who came seeking God as their Shepherd. For these Pharisees and scribes, it was all about following the religious rules and holding on to the dictatorial religious authority. Their pride in themselves and their religion was more important than people.
Let’s set aside our pride and focus on our relationship with the Lord, seeking to help the ones who are lost and need a Shepherd. Our pride is never more important than people the Lord looks for and loves.
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