God seeks the Lost and Rejoices When One Is Found

Luke 15:3-7

Now all the publicans, or tax collectors, and sinners drew close to Jesus to hear him (v. 1, paraphrased). The Jewish tax collectors were despised by their fellow Jewish brothers and sisters because they collected taxes for the Roman government. These were despised and even classified with harlots and those that were called sinners, yet they demonstrated an attitude of humility. They had a desire to hear what the Lord had to say.

The Pharisees and the scribes were the religious leaders; it seems that they would have been the first and most eager to draw near to Jesus to hear the message of salvation!  Oh, no!  What did the Pharisees and scribes do?  They murmured and complained about Jesus among themselves because they were offended and jealous, saying that he accepts and welcomes sinners and eats with them. These self-righteous, prideful, and judgmental leaders felt that Jesus should not hangout with these so-called “unfit” people.

Jesus responds to the Pharisees and the scribes’ murmuring, telling three parables which illustrate God’s work in salvation – seeking and rejoicing when the lost is found. The first parable is about one lost sheep out of a hundred that foolishly wander away (15:4).  It contrasts the love of God with the exclusiveness of the Pharisees.

“³ So He told them this parable: ⁴ What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one which is lost, [searching] until he finds it? ⁵ And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing” (AMP).

By nature the sheep is a prey animal and is a most helpless and vulnerable creature. It will wander aimlessly, exposing itself to the danger of being attacked by its predators, and worst of all, it doesn’t have the instinct to find its way home or to seek safety. However, in the spiritual realm, Luke uses the lost sheep to represent one of God’s children who has gone astray. Just like the lost sheep in the natural realm, the lost, or backslidden child of God wanders aimlessly, exposing himself or herself to the danger of being attacked by the devil. Out of God’s protection the lost soul is defenseless against the wiles of the devil. 

The shepherd is persistent; he never gives up. He continues searching for the lost sheep until he finds it. With this same persistence God the Father, the Great Shepherd of the sheep goes after the lost soul until he finds it. God is love, his love is everlasting, and his search for the lost soul is everlasting. For he “will have all men to be saved” (1Timothy 2:4a).

 ^“6And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. ⁷I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repented, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.”

God seeks the lost and rejoices when one is found.