Today, we will be looking at the book of Luke, chapter 15 verses 4 through 7 which is the parable of the Lost Sheep.

Luke 15:4-7 “
[4] What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture, and go after the one that is lost until he finds it?
[5] And when he finds 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 which was lost!’
[7] I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”

So a little background story.

I was at Faith Community Center with my son and he absolutely enjoys it whenever we go there, they have a huge indoor playground. When we had gotten settled in, he took off running, because what kid isn’t excited about a playground? Well, he turns around saying “Come on Dad, Come on!”

There were a few moments he was faster than I was to climb through it. Despite the fact most of the time, he’s either running or walking through it and I am stuck crawling.

In one of the chances he had to go fast, he got further ahead than I did. Sometimes he was just below me or was diagonal from me. How did he catch my eye? He kept yelling, not too loudly, but yelling “Dad!” That’s how I was able to find him with my eyes.

I noticed he was trying to find a way to get to me, but he couldn’t figure it out. So he would sit there, looking disappointed because he couldn’t get back to me even though I was never far away.

I asked him, “Do you want me to come to you?” He responds gladly, “Yes!” So, I start climbing around to come to him, and next thing he knows, I am right there next to him!

The smile on his face when I arrive.

So I don’t know much about sheep, but I know just enough to know that sheep are dumb animals. There is a reason we are called sheep in scripture, compared to the wisdom that God almighty has, we are definitely not the brightest crayon in the box. Notice, I said “we”, not just talking about you, I’m calling myself out too!

Just as my son in the playground, who went his own way, got separated from me, unable to find his own way back, is the same way with us and the Lord. We too have gone astray.

Isaiah chapter 53 the beginning of verse 6, says
[6] All of us have gone astray. Each of us has turned to his own way.

Just like my son, he went his own way in the playground unable to find his way back to me, but in our case, our sinful nature, back to Jesus, our Sheppard.

Now, there is a huge difference though. When my son went astray, I couldn’t find him but I knew he was close. It wasn’t till he yelled, “dad” that I noticed he was right below me. In the case of my son and I, I am the Sheppard, he is the sheep.

But see, the case is totally different when it comes to us, and God. One of my favorite Psalms, Psalm 139 verse 7 – 12 read
[7] Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I go from your presence?
[8] If I ascend to heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.
[9] If I take the wings of the dawn, if I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,
[10] Even there, your hand will lead me. And your right hand will lay hold of me,
[11] If I say surely the darkness will overwhelm me and the light around me will be night.
[12] Even the darkness is not dark to you and the night is as bright as the day; darkness and light are alike to you.

I want you to get two essential truths from those verses. Back at the playground, did I know where my son was at? Not until I heard his voice, did I know. But differently does it apply to God. Whether you’re directly below heaven or at the bottom of the sea floor, He knows exactly where you are at.

The other is in verses 11 and 12, it doesn’t matter what type of darkness you are in. That darkness that is affecting you, it doesn’t affect God at all. My son, when he was looking for me, that was a darkness to him. And not to put myself in a position to be like God because I am not. Once my son called my name, I knew how to get to him even though he didn’t know how to get to me.

But after I came back to him, it was the time of beauty. The time of reunion. The time of me holding my son in my arms because I found him. The time of rejoicing because what was once lost was now found.

So let me ask you, have you ever felt like you were that child stuck in the playground unable to find your mom or dad? Could you imagine the joy that God would experience for His creation to come back to Him? What about the joy and relief in your own heart and mind if you came back to the Father?

Yes, I said “Father” and so did Jesus. It’s not about religion, it’s about a relationship. It’s about coming to know the man of Jesus Christ, God in the flesh and accepting Him as your personal Lord and Savior of your life. If you don’t know Him already, I certainly encourage you to get to know Him.