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Copyright © 2012 J. Neely. All rights reserved.
Chapter 12 - Lost Sheep
Luke 15:3-7
3 And [de] he spake [epo] this [taute] parable [parabole] unto [pros] them [autos] , saying [lego] ,
4 What [tis] man [anthropos] of [ek] you [humon] , having [echo] an hundred [hekaton] sheep [probaton] , if [kai] he lose [apollumi] one [heis] of [ek] them [autos] , doth [kataleipo] not [ou] leave [kataleipo] the ninety and nine [ennenekontaennea] in [en] the wilderness [eremos] , and [kai] go [poreuomai] after [epi] that which is lost [apollumi] , until [heos] he find [heurisko] it [autos] ?
5 And [kai] when he hath found [heurisko] it, he layeth [epitithemi] it on [epi] his [heautou] shoulders [omos] , rejoicing [chairo] .
6 And [kai] when he cometh [erchomai] [eis] home [oikos] , he calleth together [sugkaleo] his friends [philos] and [kai] neighbours [geiton] , saying [lego] unto them [autos] , Rejoice [sugchairo] with me [moi] ; for [hoti] I have found [heurisko] my [mou] sheep [probaton] which [ho] was lost [apollumi] .
7 I say [lego] unto you [humin] , that [hoti] likewise [houto] joy [chara] shall be [esomai] in [en] heaven [ouranos] over [epi] one [heis] sinner [hamartolos] that repenteth [metanoeo] , more than [e] over [epi] ninety and nine [ennenekontaennea] just persons [dikaios] , which [hostis] need [echo] [chreia] no [ou] repentance [metanoia] . KJV-Interlinear
3 And He told them this parable, saying, 4 'What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture, 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 his neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!' 7 'I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. NASB
'What man among you,' is the question asked by Christ. 'What reasonable person,' is the point of this. Anyone who is reasonable, and responsible, and compassionate, and who owns property will certainly, one would think, look after his property with great care.
Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd and He looks after all His sheep (not just most of them - not assuming certain acceptable losses).
Isa. 53:6
6 All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him. NASB
There is a world of sheep that are as the ninety-nine sheep, a noble flock, yet God sends his Son to seek and save that which was lost.
Christ is said to gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them, denoting His pity and great tenderness towards poor sinners. Here He is said to bear them upon his shoulders, denoting the power with which He supports and bears them up. Those can never perish whom He carries on His shoulders.
Mankind was safe in the Garden until the fall of mankind. Once fallen, then we lost our perfect environment and became lost to God. God then set into motion in human history a plan by which He would send His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world as a man, the unique person of the universe, to retrieve all who were lost.
By His work on the Cross then each person who has believed in Christ has in effect been found by God and restored into the fold.
He collects one sheep at a time. One believer at a time accepts Christ as His savior, and is thus restored. Of those who have believed, then they are safe in the pasture, never without protection. God never removes their protection but is able to travel throughout the world and save one person after the other, without losing sight of those who have already believed.
Of those who are lost (unbelievers) then while lost to the flock, they have no communion with Him, they are lost to themselves and from God, the unbeliever knows not where he is, wanders endlessly and aimlessly, is continually exposed to the predators of the world, subject to its fears and terrors, are out from under the Shepherd's care, and lacking the green pastures (happiness) that he (the lost sheep) desires, and he cannot by himself find the way back to the fold. The lost sheep is at the mercy of the jungle with no one to help his situation.
Gods seeks out those who would believe, with the gospel. Actually the gospel is sent out to all of humanity, but the call is heeded only by those who will actually believe. It is those who are retrieved and brought back to the fold. Those who do not answer, those are not a part of the fold (never were) and they are left to remain out in the jungle to be forever lost (the Lake of Fire).
Remember from our prior study, the all Gods sheep know His voice (gospel) and answer His call (faith in Christ). And He knows all who belong to Him (pre-ordained believers, Rom. 8, who were seen in the divine decrees in eternity past).
At the time each and every believer expresses faith in Christ, then there is great rejoicing in heaven. When you believed in Christ there was a celebration in heaven because of you. Never thought you were important to anyone? Well at least once in your life, you were!!
God places great value on each believer, such that each and every believer is given the complete protective attentions of the Shepherd to be held up from the pressures of this world, to be cared for, to be provided for with Gods endless pastures (remember the definition of abundance - to provide more than could ever possibly be used in a lifetime - and a lifetime equates to eternity). Gods provisions are beyond mans comprehension.
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