Luke 15:4-7
Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbours, saying to them, “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.” Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.
BLOG DISCUSSION QUESTION: How would you feel if you were one of the ninety-nine sheep that the shepherd left behind?
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6 comments:
"I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock and one shepherd". Jn 10;16 The Good Shepherd makes it clear with simple math "ONE FLOCK AND ONE SHEPHERD" and without exception "I MUST bring, they WILL listen, and there WILL be." We may find ourselves at times mummbling with the Pharisees, but why not rejoice with the saints! Better make it Lutheran...and sinners. "Are there righteous people who need no repentance"?
Yes, my question....Are there righteous people who need no repentance? (as RJQ asked too). As for the other 99, perhaps those 99 are supposed to care for each other while the lost one is being redeemed! It is such a tender and loving thought--how the shepherd puts the lost one over his shoulder and brings him back to the fold. We can all vision this in our minds as we so easily go astray! Over the shepherd's loving shoulders! Amen!
i guess if the lost sheep was a close friend or relative i would be really really happy,,, but happy anyway that we are guided by such a great shepherd that he cares for all no matter what.
The answer to Jesus' question of what shepherd would leave 99 to find the one stray is...no shepherd would do that. Cut your losses for the sake of the 99. But it is different with God. He cannot afford to lose even one, because his love for each one is that great. It is the finding of the lost one that brings such joy, simply because the lost one is beloved.
The ninety-nine that are left behind face great danger, and if they could have talked I am sure they would have said, "Hey....how about us! That sheep should have never wandered off. It made its bed, so it should have to lay in it.." Beyond being terrified, I think that I would be mad and feel cheated.
Yet, if I were the wandering one...and who knows...maybe one day one of those 99 left behind would be....no...one day they will be...I would be as joyful as the angels in heaven to see the shepherd searching after me.
Are there people who need no repentance? MMMM...good question....consider the parable of the pharisee and publican that we looked at. The pharisee sure didn't think he had much, or anything, of which to repent. Likewise, I think we would have to say that there are those today who don't think they have much, or anything, of which to repent. The "need" of which Jesus talks about may be the "need" of those who look at their lives.
The picture that the Bible gives us of the Jews of Jesus' day was that they were people who based their relationship with God and with others upon how good they led their lives....shunning those who had messed up, and excluding the unholy from the temple and synagogue, Jesus came to change that...the question is...has much changed?
Pastor Jerry...please explain one of your summarizing comments:
The "need" of which Jesus talks
about may be the "need " of
those who look at their
lives!
Loved your comment about ...if I were one of the ones that were lost, I'd sure be as glad as the angels in heaven to see the shepherd searching for me!
I'm still enthralled with
the "shepherd putting over his shoulder and bringing me back to the fold!" It is a vision, that if we put our whole feelings into it, it is quite overwhelming!
Even in our churches don't we have the tendency to see some people as more "needy" of repentance than others. As a matter of fact it seems to me that although every one gives lip service to saying that we are are sinners, there are many who look upon themselves as in far less "need" of repentance, if in need at all.
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