The Lost Sheep

The Lost Sheep | November 20, 2022 Sermon

Jesus expresses, through a three-part parable, the desire of God the Father for the lost to be saved. In the first part of the parable, Jesus responds to the mutterings of the Pharisees and teachers of the Law over the fact that Jesus welcomed and ate with tax collectors and "sinners", by telling about a person who had 100 sheep and lost one. Jesus, in an attempt to challenge their hypocrisy and inconsistency, asked them if they would consider doing anything differently than the man who left the 99 sheep in the open country to go search for the lost sheep until he found it, and joyfully brought it home, and invited his neighbors and friends to celebrate with him over finding his lost sheep. Not only do we find out about the love of God for those who are lost but also the joy of God for those who repent. We are also challenged to have the same attitude toward the lost as God and to rejoice when sinners are saved.