3 So he told them this parable: 4 “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? 5 When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ – Luke 15:3-6
This is one of the better known parables of Jesus. We have heard time-and-again how Jesus is the good shepherd who will leave the 99 to find the one who is lost. We know that Jesus wants all lost in totality. We have heard it said that Jesus love, mercy, and grace, is out there to bring home every lost sheep, every lost soul, and that the kingdom is not complete until all have been gathered into the fold of our Saviors arms.
We know this Scripture, we have heard many lessons on it, and yet we find ourselves always learning something new.
Most of the time we focus on the one. The one who is lost, the one who has strayed, the one who is not with the rest. The crowd wants to see the one returned. And when you know that you are that one that Jesus sought, you know how important is that the shepherd cared for you. Lately, however, our world has been too busy focusing on the ninety-nine.
You see the ninety-nine are safe. The ninety-nine are doing what they are supposed to be doing. They are keeping out of trouble, keeping themselves and their families safe. The ninety-nine are just going about their business as best they can. Yet, it is the ninety-nine who are also complaining about the focus on the one. And we go, what? Or at least I do.
The ministry of Jesus is focused on growing and building a community that is seeking to live in peace with God and with one another. If you are already a part of such community, praise be to God! Now, help do the work of finding the one.
There are many lost ones in our society today, who need someone to show them genuine love and care. There are many who have been outcast, even by the church, even by Christians, and they need to know that their experience doesn’t represent the Christ we serve. We serve a Lord who seeks all, who cares for all, whose life was given for all. I hope and pray we, as a society, can learn that caring for others is our call, that loving others as we would love ourselves, is our banner. We are the people who represent the almighty God, who gave us the Holy Spirit that we would do the work of unity. Church it is time to unify for the lost and multiplying, and we’ve got work to do.
I hope you will join me in praying for our nation, for cities that are not at rest, and the communities who need to find again the work of peace.
Almighty God, may your spirit guide voices of peace to speak up. Let us seek to hear our sisters and brothers who are angry. Let us have hearts and minds to understand their concerns, let us seek to shine the light of Jesus into the darkness, and help us, Lord help us to be a people that reflect a better way of living, in the grace and mercy you have shown us in Jesus Christ. Amen.
Grace & Peace to you,
Sam