Who's You're One 2026

Who’s Your One? The Heart of the Shepherd and the Mission of the Church

Primary Text

Luke 15:1–7 (ESV) The Parable of the Lost Sheep

Luke 15:1–7 ESV

1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” 3 So he told them this parable: 4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that 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 that was lost.’ 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

A Question That Changes Everything

Every church wants to grow. Every pastor wants to see lives changed. Every believer agrees the lost matter.

But Jesus never started with crowds—He started with one.

As we move toward Easter Sunday, we’re not launching a program. We’re embracing a priority.

One prayer. One name. One relationship. One invitation.

Who’s your one?

Exegetical Background (Luke 15:1–2)

“Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled…”

Key Observations

Jesus attracts the lost — not through entertainment, but grace and truth.

Religious leaders grumble — because the mission of God disrupts comfort.

Luke 15 is Jesus’ response to criticism, not curiosity.

👉 What follows are three parables, all emphasizing God’s heart for the lost. We focus on the first: the lost sheep.

Big Idea

The heart of God relentlessly pursues the one who is lost—and He invites His people to join Him in that pursuit.

I. The Value of the One (vv. 3–4)

“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them…”

A. The Shepherd Notices What Others Miss

One sheep out of a hundred seems insignificant.

But the shepherd counts.

Loss is personal, not statistical.

📌 Exegetical Insight In first-century Palestine, a shepherd was personally responsible for every sheep. Loss was not acceptable—it demanded action.

B. The One Is Not Replaceable

The shepherd doesn’t say, “I still have 99.”

Heaven never views people as expendable.

The gospel is not about numbers—it’s about names.

Application: Who in your life would be “easy” to overlook—but heaven refuses to forget?

II. The Costly Pursuit of the One (v. 4)

“Does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?”

A. The Shepherd Takes the Risk

Leaving 99 feels irresponsible—unless you understand the shepherd’s heart.

The pursuit is intentional, sacrificial, and urgent.

📌 Exegetical Insight The phrase “until he finds it” implies persistence, not convenience.

B. The Lost Sheep Does Not Find Its Way Back

Sheep don’t self-correct.

They don’t cry for help.

They wander silently.

Theological Truth: Lost people don’t need better directions—they need a rescuer.

Application: Who are you waiting on to “figure it out,” when Jesus calls you to go?

III. The Joy of the Found One (vv. 5–7)

“And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing…”

A. Restoration Is the Shepherd’s Work

The sheep is carried, not scolded.

Grace precedes growth.

Strength belongs to the shepherd, not the sheep.

B. Heaven Celebrates One Repentant Sinner

One soul matters more than religious self-satisfaction.

Heaven throws a party over what earth barely notices.

📌 Exegetical Insight Jesus contrasts heaven’s joy with the Pharisees’ resentment—revealing whose heart truly reflects God’s.

Application: If heaven celebrates the one, why wouldn’t the church?

IV. From Parable to Practice: Who’s Your One?

This parable is not just a story—it’s a mission.

A. Identify One

Not a crowd.

Not a vague group.

One person you know by name.

B. Invest in One

Pray consistently.

Build relationship intentionally.

Love without agenda.

C. Invite One

Easter is coming.

Resurrection Sunday is a divine appointment.

An invitation can be an act of obedience, not pressure.

Closing Vision (Launch Moment)

As we leave today, don’t think about who should hear this sermon.

Think about who God placed in your life.

Because somewhere right now… There is one who is lost. And the Shepherd is already moving.

The question is—will you join Him?

Who’s your one?