Yet, Jesus illustrates that God’s kingdom and economy operates outside the realm of man’s understanding. Risking the lives of several sheep for one would not make economical sense. A herd of one hundred would be a modest flock in the day. In the story, the shepherd temporarily leaves the ninety-nine sheep to pursue the lost one. Keep praying! The Good Shepherd is out there searching! 2. Perhaps you have a family member or a friend whose salvation you have prayed for. The hope in this message is overwhelming! Even when we are far away from God, completely unaware of his presence, he actively pursues us, calling us to Himself. He cannot not wait for the sheep to come wandering to the fold or to hear his call. The way Jesus frames the question to the leaders in Luke 15:4 makes it obvious for them to see that the shepherd must go after the sheep. In this parable, the shepherd pursues the lost sheep. Jesus also calls himself the Good Shepherd in John 10. Throughout Scripture, the Lord is compared to a Shepherd ( Psalm 23 Psalm 80:1 Psalm 95:7 Ezekiel 34:31 Luke 12:32). In the parable, the shepherd represents God. Photo Credit: © Getty Images/Kristi Linton Whether or not the Pharisees heeded Jesus’ teaching, we today can take to heart these five lessons from the famous parable. When he finds the sheep, he carries it back to the herd and celebrates with his friends. Out of concern for the lost sheep, he leaves the others to search for the one. In the story, a shepherd of one hundred sheep loses one in the wilderness. Jesus is the Savior for the rich and poor, the Jew and Gentile, the clean and unclean. The gospel of Luke centers on a social gospel. Luke 15 introduces three teachings of Jesus that capitulate his mission and ministry. Where there needed to be reform, he changed it. The more I study the life of Jesus, and the stories he told, the more I admire how countercultural and outspoken he was throughout his life. 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. 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 Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them.
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