When Jesus fills his fellow Jews in as to why He welcomes tax collectors and sinners to come near and listen to Him, He begins with a parable of a shepherd of 100 sheep who leaves 99 of them behind to go after one that has gone astray. Though that sounds like a risky endeavor, Pastor Jeremy explains that the hope of the 99 lies in the fact that the shepherd goes after the one that has gone astray. Likewise, the hope and the joy of the church is that her Savior goes after the one that has gone astray.
