During the ministry of Jesus, He always speaks to the people through parables. He uses these parables to illustrate His teachers and relate it with what is going on in their present life.
The Parable of the Lost Sheep is one of those parables He used to demonstrate His love for us. This parable in the Bible is included in the Gospels of Matthew 18:11-13 and Luke 15:1-7.
You can find the actual parables at the end of this page, but the Parable of the Lost Sheep summary is that a shepherd has 100 sheep, and 1 wanders off and gets lost. The shepherd searches for the lost sheep until he finds it and celebrates its return.
There are three things I would like to discuss with you in this parable that can be of good help in our lives today.
1. Jesus Is Our Good Shepherd
It is written in the Bible that Jesus is our shepherd, and we are His sheep. In John 10:11, Jesus said I am the good shepherd, and the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
When one of the sheep wanders away from his shepherd, it represents a person who wanders from Jesus by choosing to lead an evil or sinful life according to worldly pleasures. Jesus doesn’t stop that person from wandering because God loves us so much that He gave us free will to make our own choices in life.
But He never gives up on the person who walks away from Him, no matter how many others He has by His side. He still loves and misses and wants the lost one to return. Having that one person return home to Jesus is cause for a grand celebration.
How does the Parable of the Lost Sheep relate to us today?
Jesus told the Parable of the Lost Sheep over two thousand years ago, but the message is as relevant to us today as it was when He spoke the words.
2. God Loves You
The parable of the lost sheep gives us insight into God’s love for each and every one of us. His message is clear, God’s will is to bring all sinners home to Him. That includes you. He loves you. You matter to Him. Every last person matters to Him.
There are 7.8 billion people on our planet. God created each of His children and knew all of us by name. He knows us so thoroughly that He’s counted the hairs on each of our heads! God desires that all 7.8 billion people follow Jesus to enjoy eternal life’s magnificence. 7.8 billion people. Not 7.8 billion minus 1. He will go after that 1 until all His children are ‘home.’
If you are the lost one, you can be sure He’s searching for you and never giving up. Just say the word. He’s waiting with open arms to scoop you up and carry you home.
3. He Wants To celebrate You Today.
The moment you choose to turn to Him, He’ll open His arms and celebrate your return. His greatest joy is having one of His lost return home. And indeed, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:20
In Luke 15:7, I tell you that in the same way, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
Jesus declared a celebration in His kingdom when the lost sheep was found. He gartered His people to join in celebrating the return of the lost sheep.
You are so important to God that if you leave Him by choosing to live your life without Him, He will follow you to the ends of the earth. He stays by your side, whether you acknowledge Him or not. There’s nothing you can do that will stop Him from loving you.