Lost Sheep - Luke 15:4-7

that's a pretty good study spot.

Now knowing what I know about this man, I firmly believe that there was no sarcasm in that statement whatsoever and that he genuinely believed that the middle of that particular street to be one of the best study spots on ground. So my friend and I, we just sort of awkwardly laughed and nodded as he skated away up and down the hill and we continued our own conversation. I don't know if I've ever been better set up for a gospel conversation with anyone, but I didn't engage in that conversation because I assumed he would be unreceptive and maybe even offended by the gospel. I justified this to myself saying, I don't know him and I'm hanging out with a friend right now, so it's not my problem. Now, two days ago, I opened up Instagram and saw many of my friends reposting about this guy. At the age of 22, the man I neglected was driving on the highway, hit a tractor trailer, and died. Now, I don't know whether or not this young man was a believer or not, but I could have found out on that hill two years ago. Don't presume that you'll have another chance with someone or that they'll hear the gospel from someone else. Believer, at the end of the day, God is the only one with the ability to perform the miracle of changing the heart of stone to a heart of flesh. But we are the instrument God uses to build his kingdom. Don't deny God the opportunity to work his miracles in the hearts of unbelievers. As former lost sheep, who are we to decide who is and who is not fit for the kingdom of God? Realize that by doing so, you're actively fighting against the shepherd from fulfilling his mission. Whether or not you choose to deny the lost, God will not give them up, leading to our next point. Christ cared for the found. Christ care for the found. Notice in verse five, when the shepherd finally finds a lost sheep, he lays it on his shoulders. The shepherd doesn't walk alongside the sheep. He carries it tenderly on his shoulders rejoicing. Now I've never carried a sheep on my shoulders, but I can't imagine that's an easy task. However, the shepherd chooses to do so with gladness in his heart. Sheep are easily frightened and distracted. So by carrying the sheep, the shepherd prevents it from wandering off again. The shepherd bears the entire burden for the sheep, walking across rough terrain and making himself vulnerable to any potential danger, all while rejoicing because he has found his beloved sheep. Similarly, when Christ finds a lost, he carries them on his shoulders with all power and tenderness, and he successfully carries the sheep back home to the flock. If you're an unbeliever, I invite you to put your faith and hope in Christ Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Maybe you've gone off in search of greener grass that life has to offer and you're always finding yourself wanting more. Maybe you've been misled by someone or something and you're wondering how your life came to this. Maybe you're running from something, trying to find a place to hide, but wherever you turn, whenever you close your eyes, you feel restless and terrified. Whatever your situation is, run no further. God sent his beloved son, Jesus Christ, into this world to live a sinless life and to die for our sins, but death cannot claim victory. He rose from the dead, overcoming sin, and he offers life and reconciliation to God. If you place your faith in Christ, he will instill a satisfying purpose in you. He will never lead you astray and he will give you refuge. He will complete his work in you and make you whole. Rest in his tender love and trust in him to bring you home safely. Now what does this mean for us as believers? Well, whether you like it or not, Jesus will integrate the lost into the folds of his flock. Sheep flock together in order to protect themselves from predators. An isolated sheep is so much more vulnerable than one that is in the middle of its flock. Why? Well, because the threat never comes from within the herd, but from outside. What's your response to those Christ pursuits and finds? Will you cast a sheep to the side, or will you come around them and protect them from the danger as one of the flock? A threat against one sheep is a threat against the entire flock, and we as believers must treat threats against our own as such. Take comfort in the fact that Christ promises to protect and sustain us by carrying us on his shoulders. Any attack on the found is ultimately an attack on Christ, but we know that he has overcome this world. And what a joy it is to be under the watchful care of a shepherd who we can trust to help us through every circumstance. The joy we should have from being under God's reign as one of his flock leads us to our third point. Christ's command to the secured. Christ's command to the secured. Jesus says that when the shepherd comes home with the lost sheep, he says, rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost. Notice the subject in verse six, for I have found my sheep, not because the lost sheep has been found or because the sheep has been restored to my flock. but because I have found my sheep. Christ himself is the subject of joy. We rejoice with Christ because of what he has done and what he has accomplished. But in order to do so, we must first understand the good and loving nature of the shepherd. God is not a careless shepherd celebrating his good fortune at finding a lost sheep. He does not stumble upon the sheep. No, he's a shepherd who knows all his sheep by name. And when one goes missing, he drops everything to pursue the sheep until it rests on his loving shoulders. We are told that there is great joy in heaven over the conversion of one sinner. Now if there's such joy in heaven for such an occasion, are you a stranger to this heavenly spirit? When Christ invites us to rejoice with him, do you hinder the joy that comes from the spirit by dwelling on the previous actions of the sinner? Consider whether you're falling victim to a legalistic mindset. Are you making the basis of the salvation of someone's soul based on their works? How blessed are we that we don't rely on our own works for our own salvation, but rather that we have been restored through Christ's sacrifice? Don't take that blessing away from others. Instead, worship and rejoice in God. Accept Jesus' command to rejoice. Jesus ends his parable with an explanation.

There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous persons who need no repentance.

If you have put your faith and hope in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, there has been joyous celebration over Christ's triumph over your sins. We have been given new life in our call to rejoice at being found. You cannot rejoice in Christ while dwelling on your own sins and the sins of others. Rejoice that Christ brings sinners into the light rather than using that light to look down upon those who still live in the darkness. So after navigating their way through the darkness of the basement, the three young men of our story managed to locate the correct valves in time After turning the valves, the water they had been standing in began to drain. Had these men failed, 185 tons of nuclear material would have melted through the concrete above their heads, dropping into five million gallons of water, triggering an explosion with a force of three to five megatons, leaving most of Europe uninhabitable. If you haven't guessed already, the story is about the Chernobyl meltdown. 31 people were killed from the immediate aftermath of the disaster, according to the official toll, but millions more have been affected by the disaster. So it's hard to determine how many lives the disaster actually claimed. Now, without a doubt, Chernobyl was a tragic disaster and is rightly viewed as such. But do you see how easy it is for a disaster to take hold of your focus and make you lose sight of the stories of love and sacrifice? If you're like me, you hear the word Chernobyl and your mind jumps to disaster. When you look around at the lives of others, does your mind jump to disaster? Where's your focus? Are you focused on the actions of the lost sheep or on the actions of the loving shepherd? Believer, it's a lost world out there filled with lost people, but it's not a lost battle. On the contrary, God in his infinite love reigns victorious. Don't let the actions of others prevent you from joining our shepherd in joyous celebration over the lost. Father, you are the good shepherd. You see the broken and lost and seek them out as your own precious sheep. Forgive us when we lose sight of your love for all your sheep as we fail to recognize the lost as you do. Thank you for your great love and mercy that you bestow upon your entire flock. Continue to work in us and let your love change our hearts and attitudes to align with your mission in this world. Amen.