The Good Shepherd

“The Good Shepherd”

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This chapter has been called God’s lost and found department. Jesus tells three stories about things that were lost and then found. There is a lost sheep, a lost coin, and a lost son; and when they are found there is great rejoicing.

We’re told in, V;1-2, why Jesus tells these stories. The scribes and Pharisees were criticizing Jesus because he was spending time with bad people, the publicans and sinners, the outcast of society.

V:2-Read.

They are murmuring under their breath in a critical and ugly way. They can’t believe that Jesus cares about sinners; so they say, this man receives sinners, and eats with them.

Well… Of course he does… Haven’t you been listening? Jesus had said that he didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Jesus said, the people who are well don’t need a doctor; it’s the sin sick who need Dr. Jesus!

They said Jesus receives sinners, the word “receives” means- he gave a sincere welcome, he was genuinely glad to have them listen to his teaching. He was glad to sit down and eat with them; he genuinely loved sinners!

The Bible gives us many examples of Jesus welcoming sinners and eating with them. When Matthew the tax collector got saved he had a dinner and invited all the other tax collectors to come and meet Jesus. Jesus gladly received the invitation, and ate with Matthew’s lost friends.

The sinners with there to hear Jesus preach, and he welcomed them, taught them and ate with them. Jesus had just told the people back in, 14:35-“he that has ears to hear, let him hear”.

And theses sinners were doing just exactly what Jesus had invited them to do, listening to him preach. V:1-“Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners to hear him”.

But the scribes and Pharisees, are sticking their fingers in their ears, they will not hear him, and they criticize and reject the sinners who are listening to him. They are condemning and criticizing Jesus for seeking, searching, and loving lost sinners.

Sinners were attracted to Jesus because he spoke a language they could understand, and he received them, was genuinely glad to see them, because he loved them. The Pharisees didn’t have any love in their hearts. When the religious crowd said, Jesus receives sinners and eats with them; they meant that as a criticism. But it is a compliment!

Thank God, Jesus receives sinners and eats with them; if he didn’t you and I wouldn’t be saved.

I heard about this the girl who went to Sunday school and came home all excited. Her name was Edith; and she said to her mother, mom did you know that my name is in the Bible? Her mother said, Edith, your name is not in the Bible! She said, yes it is, my Sunday school teacher read a verse in the Bible, and it said; Jesus receives sinners and… Edith with them!

Jesus receives Edith, Eddie, and any other sinner that comes to him!

In this atmosphere of the criticism Jesus tells this parable to show us how important sinners are to him.

The picture of the sheep and shepherd would be very familiar to these people. Sheep and shepherds were everywhere in the land of Palestine. The image of the sheep and the Shepherd had become a well-known picture of God’s loving care for his people.

David had said, the Lord is my shepherd, he leads me, and feeds me, and restores me, and anoints me, and protects me all the way to death.

Jesus was telling these religious people that he was the good Shepherd, who had come to seek the lost sheep.

Jesus story tells of a shepherd who had 100 sheep, he counts them and finds that 99 are present and accounted for, they are safe in the fold. But, there’s one missing, one lost. So he leaves the 99 safe in the fold, yes they are important to him, but they are safe. But the one lost sheep was in danger, so he goes out looking, searching until he finds the one lost sheep, brings it back and says; rejoice with me, I found my sheep that was lost.

The keywords are; lost, found, rejoice.

If you think this story is just about a Middle Eastern Shepherd and 100 woolly sheep; you have missed the point! The story is about sinners, who are lost and need to be found, that heaven might rejoice.

In this story we learn something about ourselves, our Savior, and where true joy is found.

In this story we learn about:

1. The Condition of Sinners.

V:4-“one of the sheep is lost…

This one lost sheep illustrates man who is lost in sin, far from the good Shepherd. The Bible compares us to sheep, we are the lost sheep in this story. -“All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every man to his own way”

-“For you were as sheep gone astray, but are now returned unto the Shepherd”.

If you have never repented of your sin, and asked Jesus to come into your heart as Savior and Lord; you are the lost sheep in this story.

I used to think when the Bible compares us to sheep, that it is a complement.

After all, sheep are not that bad. Sheep are fuzzy, white, soft, and clean. But the more I have learned about sheep, I have come to understand it is not a complement to be compare to sheep. There are things about the sheep that speak about the condition of a lost person; and they are not flattering at all.

I’ve learned that:

a. Sheep are Dumb.

We have trained all kinds of animals- dogs, lions, tigers, elephants, and dolphins. But you have never seen a trained sheep. There are no sheep Acts at Silver Dollar City, or the fair!

Spiritually speaking people without Jesus, are in spiritual blindness, spiritual ignorance; without spiritual understanding. A person may have more degrees than a thermometer, brilliant, well versed in math, science, history and can discuss sports, foreign-policy, and rocket-boosters.

But when it comes to spiritual matters, they are in the spiritual dark. The Bible says there’s none understand, there’s none that seeks after God.

If you ask a person who is lost, how does a person get to heaven? You will find out that many people are spiritually clueless, and they need the good Shepherd to find them; they are lost.

You may be here and you are able to quote the whole book of Romans, but without Jesus Christ you are spiritual lost, and don’t really understand what spiritual life is all about.

b. Sheep are Directionless.

Sheep have no sense of direction, they just wander, nibbling on grass, further and further away until they are lost. Far from the Shepherd and safety. It is the nature of sheep to wander, to be lost.

It is the nature of man to be lost, and continued to wander away from God. The Bible was right when it said, all we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every man to his own way. Just like sheep we are lost and wandering, nibbling on the weeds of sin, trying to find something to satisfy the hunger in our hearts. Sheep get lost and don’t even know their lost. The only thing worse than being lost, is being lost and not knowing your lost!

A person without Jesus is helplessly lost, and will never find the Lord Jesus by themselves. We talk about leading people to Jesus; because their lost, and can’t find their way to Jesus on their own.

Most animals have a built-in GPS, they can find their way home.

A dog gets lost, and after a few days he shows back up at home.

A cat gets lost…

A sheep gets lost they cannot find their way home, you have to seek them.

Jesus is telling us that sinners are like sheep, they are lost, and will wander through life and never be in right relationship with God, unless they are found. The Bible teaches that God takes the initiative in saving us. That God commissions the church to reach the lost sheep, because lost sheep doesn’t seek God, are the church. Our sinful nature leads us away from God, not to God.

We would never seek God, if he didn’t come after us.

Sheep travel in flocks, I have seen sheep walking in a single-file-line, making ruts in the pasture.

It reminds us of how people live their lives. They follow one another. Some of you this morning are lost, wandering away from God, following some lead sheep. Who are you following, and where they leading you?

They are going to the bar, and you’re following them! They are dating someone is not saved, and you’re following them!

They are doing drugs, and drinking, and you are following them!

You have no sense of direction, you have no internal compass that leads you to follow Jesus the Shepherd! Therefore you follow the flock of humanity that’s wandering into the wasteland of sin, nibbling on the grass that will never satisfy.

c. Sheep are Defenseless.

A sheep has no built in defense mechanism. He has absolutely no equipment to protect himself, and yet he has many enemies. The wolf, bear, lion, and coyote to name a few. All of those enemies consider sheep an easy meal.

Here’s a sheep wandering in the wilderness, nibbling on Satan’s grass totally defenseless and unaware of the great, great danger he is in.

· A cat can scratch.

· A dog can bite.

· A horse can kick.

· A skunk can- you know what a skunk can do.

Most animals have some way of defending themselves, but not a sheep, he is easy prey.

If you’re not saved; Jesus is not your Shepherd; and you have no defense against the devil or death!

You will not survive the attack of Satan and the world on your soul.

The roaring lion will eat you up!

You have no defense against the enemy, you have no inner spiritual strength; you are unable to save yourself. Sheep are not built for flight or fight, they need a shepherd.

In this story we learn about

1. The condition of the Sinner.

In this story we learn about:

2. The Love of the Savior.

V:4-5.

The shepherd in this story represents the Lord Jesus. Jesus said about himself in -“I am the good shepherd, the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep”. As we see what this shepherd did, we see what Jesus has done and is doing.

We see him:

a. Leaving.

V:4-“he leaves the 99 and goes after the one lost sheep”.

Jesus loves sinners, and goes after them, the members of the religious establishment stayed as far away from sinners as they could, but not Jesus.

I imagine this shepherd as he brings his sheep into the enclosure that evening, he is counting, 97, 98, 99… There’s one missing! He shuts the 99 in safe and secure, and leaves to seek the one lost sheep.

Somebody might say, what’s the big deal Mr. Shepherd?

You have 99, why worry about the one, that’s just a 1% loss. What businessman wouldn’t be happy with just a 1% loss? Forget about the one lost sheep, you have 99 in the fold. Besides when you find it, it would probably be all torn up, badly damaged, misused and abused, the wool torn off, it won’t be of any value. Wild animals have bitten it, scratched it, torn it up, it’s life will be all messed up, just let it go; forget about it.

But hold on… The shepherd represents Jesus; and Jesus is not willing that one should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

See it is not the value of the sheep that made the shepherd leave; it was the love of the shepherd for the sheep that caused him to leave his home and seek the one lost sheep. Why did Jesus leave heaven, the streets of gold, and the hallelujahs of angels; why did Jesus lay down a crown of gold, for crown thorns? -“For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost”.

The reason Jesus came to this world to die for us is because of his great love!

To the good shepherd, you are very important.

The good shepherd, the Lord Jesus loves you! If you had been the only person on this earth, he would have still left heaven and came and died on the cross for you.

To Jesus you are not just a number, he is interested in you personally.

If you are that one lost sheep this morning, wandering in the wasteland of this world, starving for a lack of spiritual food, the good shepherd left heaven and died for you.

The good shepherd, left heaven to rescue you.

We see the Good Shepherd

b. Leaving.

c. Looking.

V:4-“he goes after the lost sheep, until he find it.

Jesus the shepherd is seeking you this morning, he is looking for you. He has 99 safe in the fold, but his attention is focused outward, he is looking for the one lost sheep.

That’s what a churches needs to do! If we aren’t careful we can focus all of our attention on the 99 who are already here, and forget about the lost that are out there. We are thankful to be in the shepherd’s fold. But we must never become content, complacent, and comfortable.

And forget about the lost sheep in the wilderness of this world.

We must keep our heart close to the heart of the good Shepherd, and be interested in the ones outside the fold of God, the ones who are lost in the wilderness of sin.

Jesus the good Shepherd is an expert in tracking the lost sheep! If you’re lost, Jesus the good Shepherd is on your trail, looking for you, searching for you, to save you. You think you have wandered so far down the path of sin that the good shepherd can’t find you; you are wrong!

All of Jesus ministry he was on the trail of the lost sheep, lost people.

See Jesus sitting on Jacob’s well in ? What is he doing there? He is seeking a Samaritan woman who was lost and needed to be found.

See Jesus looking up in a tree. What is he doing? He is seeking Zacchaeus, who was lost and needs to be found.

V:4-“Until he find it… I’m glad the Lord Jesus is persistent! The good shepherd keeps on tracking, searching, and seeking for the lost sheep. How long has the good shepherd been seeking you? I picture the shepherd walking a mountain path, calling out as he searches for his lost sheep. The sheep is in great danger; every step could be its last as it nibbles its way to the edge of a cliff, it could slip and fall to the rocks below, and it would be all over.

I picture the little sheep getting stuck in the thorns, and is bleating, and bleating, and there is no way it can get itself out.

I see a mountain lion stalking the lost sheep, waiting for the right moment to attack and tear the sheep to pieces. If you are unsaved, you are the lost sheep; and according to

-“There is but a step between me and death”.

You are right on the edge of the cliff of death.

Satan the roaring lion is seeking you to devour, destroy, and damn your soul to hell! Satan, sin and society wants to tear up your life, marriage and family. Oh, how you need the good Shepherd, Jesus! Jesus the good Shepherd, is looking, searching for you.

V:5-Read. The shepherd found the lost sheep! I see the shepherd, as he hears the cry of the sheep, and reaches out with the long shepherd’s crook and rescues that sheep from the edge of a dangerous cliff, Jesus the good shepherd found the lost sheep.

I remember when Jesus found me! I was lost, alone, desperate, empty on the inside. I had wandered far away from the fold, nibbling on the green grass of this world. My life was on the edge of total destruction; I was all tangled up in the briers of sin, and couldn’t get loose. Sin was destroying my life, Satan, the roaring lion was stalking me to destroy me and damn my soul to hell. But thank God; I heard the shepherds call!

And as a lost, guilty, unsatisfied young man I cried out to Jesus in repentance and placed my faith in Jesus; and Jesus rescued me, he saved me!

It was the greatest day of my life!

When Jesus found me, V:5-“He laid me on his shoulders…

Jesus the good shepherd places us on his shoulders: he placed our sin on his shoulders; what a killing burden that was. Jesus bore our sins in his own body on the tree.

-“all we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way… And the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all”.

The strong shoulders of our good shepherd bore our sins on the cross, paid our debt, and rose from the grave victoriously. The good shepherd laid his life down for the sheep!

Jesus the good shepherd can carry the burdens of your life on His shoulders!

Do you think the good Shepherd will lose any of the sheep he has found?

-“those that you gave me I have kept, and none of them is lost…

-“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

In this story we learn about:

3. The Joy of Salvation.

V:5-“he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing”.

V:6-“And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, rejoice with me; for I found my sheep which was lost”.

The good Shepherd has great joy in finding lost sheep and bringing them back home.

“Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God Oh, it chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the ninety-nine”

There is great joy when the lost are found!

Salvation is a time of joy and celebration! There’s nothing that cause more joy than a sinner being saved!

1. There is joy in the heart of the one who was found.

For someone to be saved, rescued, found, is the greatest joy they will ever know. The great joy of knowing that your sins are forgiven, that God accepts you as his child, that Jesus will keep you safe for all of eternity.

When the Ethiopian eunuch got saved, the Bible says in -“He went on his way rejoicing”.

I remember the joy in my heart the day I got saved; and I’ve still got it.

2. There is joy in the person who does the finding.

-“For the joy that was set before him, Jesus endured the cross…

Jesus suffered the agony of the cross, looking forward to the joy of sinners being saved.

Nobody enjoys the salvation of a sinner more than Jesus!

3. There is joy in the community who hear the good news.

V:6, the whole village rejoices when the lost sheep is found.

This is a picture of what the church ought to be like when sinners are saved, there ought to be joy in this community. There’s nothing that brings greater joy and life to a church than people being saved!

When a church, cares for the lost, prays for the lost, seeks for the lost; and the lost is found, that church will rejoice and celebrates together.

That means that we are to:

· Pray for that man’s children to be saved.

· Pray for the woman’s husband to be saved.

· Pray for that friend on your team to be saved.

· Pray for that coworker to be saved.

As we share burdens and pray together that the lost will be saved; when they get saved we will all rejoice together!

Winning people to Jesus, and seeing people saved is what keeps a church happy!

4. There is joy in heaven when a sinner is saved.

V:7-“joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repents…

You can make heaven happy this morning, by repenting of your sin and receiving Jesus as your Savior. All of heaven rejoices when a lost person is found, saved. Jesus tells this parable to the scribes and Pharisees who were complaining that he received sinners. Jesus is telling them that a good shepherd, rejoices when lost sheep are found. They do not criticize the Shepherd, for going after lost sheep. Jesus said to them, V:4-“what man of you…

You are supposed to be the shepherds of Israel, but you are not going after the lost sheep; and that is why there is no joy in your life. All they are doing is criticize Jesus the good Shepherd who is going after the publicans and sinners, the lost sheep.

The only way to share the shepherd’s joy is by having a heart for lost sheep; and by joining Jesus in seeking, praying, witnessing to the lost, and shouldering the burden of serving the sheep that have been found.

Are you a lost sheep this morning?

The good shepherd loves you, he is seeking you, calling you. Respond to his call and come this morning and receive Jesus as your personal savior!

Do you have joy in your life this morning? The path to restored joy is to become like the Shepherd, and seek, witness, lead the lost to Jesus!