For the last couple of weeks we have been talking about Jesus presenting Himself as the good shepherd and referring to us as His sheep.
Photo credit: ©iStockphoto/stephenmeese
In addition to the quotes I’ve mentioned before from John chapter 10, Jesus also used a well-known parable to illustrate His love for each one of His sheep:
Then Jesus told them this parable:
“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’
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. (Luke 15:3-7)
This parable was intended to portray a person who was part of Jesus’ flock but turned away and got lost. They strayed away and lost sight of the shepherd and the flock.
The amazing thing about Jesus’ love is that the parable shows that the Shepherd doesn’t wait for the sheep to realize that it is lost and call for help. He doesn’t sit and wait for it to come back to Him. He pursues the lost sheep! He wants to bring each one back to His flock.
He leaves the other 99 sheep behind and go rescue the one that got lost. And that’s another message to us. The 99 that were left behind must also rejoice for the one sheep that was lost and was recovered.
Our pride might tells us that Jesus is giving more attention to the lost sheep than to the other ones in His flock, the other 99. But love tells us that we should also care for the lost sheep. Whatever breaks Jesus’ heart should break our heart too.
The same way that He pursues the lost sheep, we must also do it. But He must always lead the way. We must follow Him even in rescue missions, so pride doesn’t fool us and lead us astray too.
One of my favorite songs, “Leaving 99” by Audio Adrenaline, talks about this parable. Check it out:
If you got lost, look around, the loving Good Shepherd is coming for you. He wants to take you back to His flock. Let Him do it.
If you’re in the flock, and you feel left behind, just put your pride aside. Look to the world through the lenses of love. That will change your perspective and you will realize that you are loved indeed. In fact, the Good Shepherd has already given His life for you to prove it. Go on and help care for the lost sheep that He is bringing back home.
Shortly after I came to the Lord, all those years ago… back in ’66… one of the first hymns I heard in church as a special was “Ninety and Nine”. It’s a great story. And it’s definitely “me”… IF He hadn’t taken that time, I would’ve been a dead “goat” a long time ago b/c I wasn’t serving Him in any positive way; living a very sinful life. And HE saw me as a very lost and damaged and frightened… and less than bright… “lamb”/sheep… and He moved in to save me. Couldn’t have experienced a miraculous blessing like that if HE hadn’t taken the time to do it.
Beautiful, Joanne. All of us were at one (at least one) moment in our lives a lost sheep. Thank you for sharing this beautiful testimony.
Joanne, about the hymn you mentioned, I found the story of how the poem came to be a hymn, it’s an inspiring story, check it out:
The Ninety and Nine
Elizabeth C. Clephane, 1830–1869
Written for children by an invalid woman, Elizabeth Clephane, in Melrose, Scotland, the text appeared in a newspaper and caught the attention of Ira Sankey, the well-known music associate of evangelist D. L. Moody. Since he was on the way to their next evangelistic meetings in Edinburgh, Scotland, Mr. Sankey simply tucked the poem in his vest pocket and thought no more of it. During the service that afternoon, Mr. Moody concluded his stirring message on the Good Shepherd and abruptly asked Ira to close with an appropriate solo. Startled, Sankey suddenly remembered the poem in his pocket. He related that he breathed a quick prayer for divine help, struck the chord of A flat on his little pump organ, and began to sing, composing the melody as he went. When Sankey reached the end of the song, both he and Mr. Moody were in tears. During the invitation, many “lost sheep” responded to the call of Christ.
During their series of evangelistic meetings in Great Britain, Moody and Sankey held a service in Melrose, Scotland. The two sisters of Elizabeth Clephane were in the audience. To their surprise and delight, they heard their departed sister’s poem set to a melody and sung by Ira Sankey with great spiritual impact.
From:
http://www.scriptureandmusic.com/Music/Text_Files/The_Ninety_And_Nine.html
I knew it was an Ira Sankey hymn, etc., but hadn’t ever checked re: the other source. How neat to see the whole story. Thanks for sharing that. Amazing how the Lord opens spiritual doors for people, isn’t it? That hymn big for Moody; Just As I AM a big one for Billy Graham… and it hit my heart in many ways just after I was saved. Sometimes people think we should be singing only the contemporary and modern songs in church, but I don’t agree. The Holy Spirit worked in and poured into many hearts over the years for music, and just because our music style changed doesn’t mean the Spirit was removed from the older songs, some even back hundreds of years. I, generally, have favorites in many of the musical phases, am pretty flexible, but love to sing and worship when I can sense the Spirit exploding in me. That’s all that counts. Again, thanks for sharing.
Thank YOU, Joanne, I always appreciate your insights and comments very much.