Nuggets
- We could argue that the Pharisees were trying to keep the religion for themselves.
- Instead of writing Sheep off, the Shepherd goes off to find it.
- Every single sheep mattered – individually.
- Don’t forget that this parable was given because the Pharisees wanted to divide people into groups – Jesus wasn’t having anything to do with it.
- Jesus wasn’t a social Savior; He came to this earth for one reason – to save the lost.
- Well, if we are talking like Jesus is talking, wouldn’t Nicodemus be the poster child?
The Parable of the Lost Sheep is getting a lot of airtime these days. It is being used to argue the point that Black Lives Matter. They do. This devotion discusses the point was Jesus trying to make with the parable.
Tax Collectors and Sinners
“All the tax collectors and sinners were approaching to listen to him. And the Pharisees and scribes were complaining, ‘This man welcomes sinners and eats with them’” (Lk. 15: 1-2 CSB)
Jesus and the Pharisees were not on the same page. The Pharisees were about religion. Jesus was about salvation.
To illustrate His point, Jesus told what we call the Parable of the Lost Sheep. We’ve talked about it before.
What started that was the Pharisees didn’t like the company Jesus was keeping. We talked about that, too.
We get the concept of a tax collector. In Jesus’ day, the people were heavily taxed. I did a quick internet search to see for what those taxes were used. I couldn’t find anything. I am sure in Rome’s case, the army got a chunk.
All I could find was references to Matthew 22: 21. “… Then he said to them, ‘Give, then, to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s’” (Mt. 22: 21 CSB). God allows the government to tax us, and we are to pay the tax — be it fair or exorbitant.
In the Pharisees mind, lumped along with the despised tax collectors were the despised sinners. Sinners are all people who have not made a genuine profession of faith — who have not sincerely ABCDed.
We could argue that the Pharisees were trying to keep the religion for themselves. So, they led with an accusation. They didn’t ask why. They just started judging.
Jesus Told a Story
“So he told them this parable: “What man among you, who has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open field[a] and go after the lost one until he finds it? When he has found it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders, and coming home, he calls his friends and neighbors together, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep!’” (Lk. 15: 3-6 CSB)
Jesus answered the Pharisees’ accusation with a parable. A parable is a story that Jesus told to explain concepts of the kingdom of God.
The story centered on a Shepherd who had lost a sheep. Read that again — this is about the Shepherd, not Sheep. Instead of writing Sheep off, the Shepherd goes off to find it.
Jesus said that the Shepherd left the majority to bring the single sheep back into the fold. We are the sheep. What was Jesus saying?
Each Sheep Matters to the Shepherd
Every single sheep mattered. Individually.
Paul wrote, “For those of you who were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ. There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male and female; since you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise” (Gal. 3: 27-29 CSB).
Jesus shows no favorites. But then, these verses aren’t talking about everyone.
- “For those of you who were baptized into Christ …” (Gal. 3: 27 CSB).
- “… since you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3: 28 CSB).
- “And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise” (Gal. 3: 27-29 CSB).
Those who ABCD are those in Christ. In Christ means those who have admitted our sins, believed in Jesus as our Savior and Redeemer, and confessed God as Sovereign God have had the relationship with Him restored.
Paul wrote about the unity of believers. “For he is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility. In his flesh, he made of no effect the law consisting of commands and expressed in regulations, so that he might create in himself one new man from the two, resulting in peace” (Eph. 2: 14-15 CSB). We are not supposed to divide ourselves, as the Pharisees were trying to divide people.
Jesus’ sacrifice is for all who will accept Him. At another dinner party where the Pharisees questioned the company He kept, He said, “… It is not those who are well who need a doctor, but those who are sick. I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mk. 2: 17 CSB).
All Sheep Matter to the Shepherd
Don’t forget that this parable was given because the Pharisees wanted to divide people into groups.
Jesus wasn’t having anything to do with it.
- “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (Jn, 3: 16 ESV emphasis added).
- “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Lk. 19: 10 ESV emphasis added).
- “For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’” (Rom. 10: 13 ESV emphasis added).
Every lost person in the world will be saved — if they ABCD. It was Jesus’ mission to give them the opportunity to do that.
Rejoicing over Repentance
“I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who don’t need repentance” (Lk. 15: 7 CSB)
Because that is who Jesus was talking about in this parable — the lost. Yes, Jesus went off to take care of Sheep, who needed Him. But what was His message?
Jesus wasn’t talking social injustice. He wasn’t talking one ethnic group over another.
Jesus wasn’t a social Savior. He was born into a family who lived in poverty. There was still poverty when He ascended. The Scriptures give us no indication that Mary’s socioeconomic status improved during Jesus’ lifetime. In fact, if Joseph was dead by the time Jesus was crucified, it probably got worse.
There was slavery when Jesus was born. There was still slavery when Jesus ascended.
Jesus came to this earth for one reason. He was the Sacrifice to pay the penalty for our sins. He was talking about that one person who will repent and submit to God over all the other ninety-nine who don’t think they need God.
So, Who Should Be the Poster Child?
"Jesus replied, 'Truly I tell you, unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God'" (Jn. 3: 3 CSB)
Well, if we are talking like Jesus is talking, wouldn’t Nicodemus be the poster child? This Jewish man came to Jesus to have the discussion Jesus wants us to have.
But the focus really shouldn’t be on the poster child. We should all be the poster child.
The focus should be on Jesus and what we are asking Him to do — save us from our sins.
Making the Connections
We have all sinned. Sin is when we disobey God and break one of His laws and commandments.
Mankind are sinners because Adam and Eve originally chose to disobey God. That sin brought the consequences of spiritual death and separation from God. Spiritual death is the judgment of final separation from God, causing banishment to hell for eternity.
Because of His grace, God wants to restore our relationships with Him and give us eternal life. Grace is a free and unmerited gift from Heavenly Father given through His Son, Jesus Christ, that enables salvation and spiritual healing to believers.
Salvation is deliverance from evil and the consequences of sins to replace them with eternal life and good. Eternal life is the promise of living eternally – even if we have died in this life – because we have admitted our sins, believed Jesus as Savior and Redeemer, and confessed God as Sovereign Lord.
That deliverance was accomplished because Jesus became our Redeemer.
Redemption is where something is used in exchange for something else to gain or regain something. Jesus is our Redeemer because He was born of a virgin, making Him 100% God and 100% man; gave His life on the cross for us so that His blood could pay the price for our sins; and because of God’s great might and power, rose from the grave, conquering death and paying the price for our sins. Redemption allows us to receive forgiveness for our sins.
Forgiveness is when God pardons us because we have broken His laws and commandments. We accept the pardon by letting go of the guilt and remorse that we feel because we have done something wrong. It is a conscious decision to accept His forgiveness.
We make this decision through faith and repentance . Faith is the belief that the doctrines stated in God’s Word are true, even if we do not understand all aspects of them.
Repentance is expressing sorrow for breaking God’s laws and commandments. But it is not just feeling sorry for doing those things. It is making the commitment to changing ourselves through obedience so that we no longer do the wrong things. Obedience means to hear and carry out the instructions that God gives us.
How Do We Apply This?
Have you had that conversation with Jesus? Are you the poster child?
The ABCDs of Salvation
If you have not become a believer in Christ, please read through the
Plan of Salvation and prayerfully consider what God is asking you to do.
A – admit our sins
B – believe His Son Jesus is our Redeemer
C – confess God as Sovereign Lord
D – demonstrate that commitment by making any changes needed in our lives to
live the way in which God has called us
The Disciple’s Job Description
Then we have to live as Christ would have us live.
- In unity
- Obeying God’s laws and commandments
- Exhibiting grace for each other
Yes, obeying God’s laws and commandments mean “… go, and sin no more” (Jn. 8: 11 KJV). It means we react — whether we are the one who wants to play the race card or the white privilege card — as Jesus would have us react.
There are a lot of things in this world that should never have happened. They are going to happen because Satan is in control of this world. That does not give us license to sin. Besides, I am a firm believer that two wrongs do not make a right.
Why is ABCDing important? I had this meme in my Facebook feed this morning.
“While the devil is preparing the world for the antichrist,
the Holy Ghost is preparing the Church for the Rapture”!
This increase in chaos is evidence that Satan is in control of this world. He wants his last stand.
Satan will lose.
The end is coming. Judgment is coming. We have to make sure we are ready for it. Where we spend eternity depends on that one conversation — or lack thereof.
Sovereign God. Our world is in chaos. It is hard not to focus on this world. We want to focus on You and our mission to proclaim Your gospel and make disciples for You. We want to focus on eternal life with You. Forgive us when we sow disunity. Help us to love as You love. Amen.
What do you think?
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