<Luke 15:1-7>

1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

* <Isa 53:6>: We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way.

* <Eze 34:6>: My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.

* Sheep are dim-witted, easily distracted, and prone to wander into dangerous areas.

* A sheep which is lost = Spiritual lostness of fallen men.

* Jesus said: “We’re like sheep without a shepherd”.

* Jesus is the Great Shepherd who came for his lost sheep.

The 3 messages brought across by the parable of the lost Sheep

1) The Shepherd who cannot bear with losing one out of his hundred sheep.

⟹ The Shepherd’s “deep and exclusive relationship” with every of his sheep.

⟹ Our Lord Jesus exclusive affinity with us.

2) The Shepherd went all out in search of the lost sheep till he finds it.

⟹ The “resolve of the shepherd” to bring back his lost sheep.

⟹ We’re saved purely by God’s Grace.

⟹ Only by His grace, we can repent.

3) Inexpressible joy of the shepherd for having found the lost sheep.

⟹ More rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

⟹ The Joy of the repentance of one soul exceeds all joys.

The blessing of being lost and found.

1) What is it to be lost from God? Eternal implication?

2) God sent His Son to pay the full price of our sin and rebellion

* <John 3:16>: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

3) To be thoroughly kept eternally, never to be lost again.