Parable of the Lost Sheep is a Call to Action
Luke 15:1-7 Instructs Believers to "Go After the One Which Was Lost"
Jul 9, 2009
The parable of the lost sheep appears in the opening verses of Luke 15, in the context of the Pharisees and scribes witnessing Jesus spending time among the tax collectors and sinners. In their rush to judge, the Pharisees failed to understand the importance of Jesus' interaction with this group of people. The parable of the lost sheep is a reprimand not only to them, but also to all Christians who may be guilty of a similar rush to judgment.
"All the tax collectors and sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. And the Pharisees and the scribes complained, saying, 'This Man receives sinners and eats with them.' So He spoke this parable to them, saying: 'What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?
“'And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.'" (Luke 15:1-7)
Pharisees Missed the Point of Jesus' Mission
Is it possible for believers to have Scriptural knowledge about Jesus and still miss the point of His mission—and its implications for them in their own lives? Certainly it is:
- The most learned men of the age, Scriptural scholars of their day, were eyewitnesses to Jesus, watching Him do His Father’s will, and the best response they could come up with was grumbling.
- In expending so much energy looking to find fault, they wasted an opportunity to learn more about Jesus' mission, and by extension, discover the Lord’s will for their own lives.
Think about how well-equipped these men really were for the job: they were educated, they were zealous, and they were influential. And yet they missed the point entirely.
Are Christians Really Part of the Ninety-Nine "Good" Sheep?
Some Christians may read this parable and identify themselves with the ninety-nine sheep who never went astray, left in the wilderness while the shepherd sought out the lost sheep. As such, they may grumble and complain that the idea of rejoicing more over a sinner than one who needed no repentance seems a bit backward:
- They follow the rules, they walk the narrow path, and they let their shepherd lead them. Why does the renegade sheep get all the glory?
- How come the one who constantly wanders off and gets himself in trouble gets lifted up on Jesus’ shoulders while the others are left to fend for themselves on the ground?
A Closer Look at Jesus' Parable
Jesus shared the parable in response to the Pharisees' charges, explaining to them why He spent so much of His time with sinners: to restore them to His flock.
On another level, Jesus called out those who supposedly had "no need for repentance." The Pharisees looked down upon sinners, evidently believing themselves to be without sin. The people Christ called lost sheep, the Pharisees regarded as a lost cause. Where do Christians stand today?
It's more palatable to align oneself with the ninety-nine. But the truth of the matter is, unless a man sees himself as a sinner, he can never be saved. Jesus came to seek and save the lost--anyone who recognizes in himself a propensity to sin and the need for a Savior. The ninety-nine sheep in the parable represent those who recognize no need for a Savior, unaware of their sinful condition.
Recognition the Key to Understanding the Parable
In John chapter 10, Jesus was asked, “How long do you keep us in doubt? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of Me. But you do not believe, because you are not of my sheep, as I said to you. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow me" (John 10:24-27).
- The lost sheep in the parable in Luke 15 was from Christ’s own flock. This is a key to understanding the parable and studying it with the right mindset.
- There are those who are a part of Christ’s flock, and those who are not. The distinction has nothing to do with anything the sheep do in terms of their works or their worthiness.
- The only distinction Jesus makes is in recognition. He says, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow me."
Those of the Shepherd's flock recognize their own sin, their inability on their own to rid themselves of it, and their need for a Savior to pay the price for it. The parable of the lost sheep illustrates that the penitent sinner is the only one who can attain salvation, and that all believers ought to also take on the Shepherd's mission and seek to save those who are lost.
Source:
- Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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