The Lost Sheep - Luke

 

Luk 15:1  Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.

Luk 15:2  And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

 

 

Luk 15:3  And he spake this parable unto them, saying,

Luk 15:4  What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?

Luk 15:5  And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

Luk 15:6  And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.

Luk 15:7  I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

 

Key Words:

What man = Jesus (Psa 23:1) (Isa 53:3)

leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness = The truth is they are all lost  (Isa 53:6)

go after that which is lost = which it will be is not by an act of the sheep but by an act of God’s mercy  (Titus 3:3-7)

which need no repentance = in their own eyes, not God’s eyes (Luke 18:9-11) (Luke 13:3)

 

In other words:

We are all lost sheep and the joy in heaven will be just as great for each of us who repents of our sins and trusts Jesus as our shepherd.

 

Scriptural references:

Psa 23:1  <A Psalm of David.> The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

 

Isa 53:3  He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

 

Isa 53:6  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

 

Tit 3:3  For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

Tit 3:4  But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

Tit 3:5  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Tit 3:6  Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

Tit 3:7  That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

 

Luk 18:9  And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

Luk 18:10  Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

Luk 18:11  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

 

Luk 13:3  I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.