Jesus told this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 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. – Luke 15:3-71) The Good Shepherd Searches- Notice that the shepherd is anxious to recover the lost sheep — He leaves the ninety-nine immediately to go after the one who is lost.- Notice the shepherd doesn’t give up- Notice the shepherd isn’t angry at the sheep, in fact, he’s down right joyful when he finds his sheep.2) The Good Shepherd Finds- Notice the shepherd accomplishes what he set out to do- Notice the shepherd comforts the lost sheep3) The Good Shepherd Restores- Shepherd brings the sheep all the way home — “…and goes home.”
Application of the Word
(1) Are you frightened by circumstances, surroundings or wolves? --> Call to the Shepherd who is even now looking for you, if you want His help.(2) Are you willing to receive the help of the Shepherd? --> this may mean leaving some destructive habits, locations and relationships behind. Many prefer the suffering they know to what is unknown. This step requires faith.(3) Are you willing to living under the protection, love and guidance of the Shepherd? --> there can only be one Shepherd. This is not a committee where you can run for office. The Shepherd is worthy of your adoration, praise and obedience. This requires gratitude and humility. Do you have it in you yet?
Believe it or not, one of the first thoughts running through my mind following several readings of this blog entry and several “thinkings” about the message expressed in this blog entry is the extremely famous, well-known, and often-quoted sentence proclaimed by President John F. Kennedy, as a challenge to the American people, in his inauguration speech: “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”
I know a pastor who, constantly and consistently and within a quiet demeanor emboldened by the quoting of selected scripture, reiterates, and, at times, practically pleads this Kennedy challenge to his congregation within a variety of different and relevant ways and on behalf of the Christ Who “came to serve and not to be served” by modifying the thought a smidgen so that it reads: “Ask not what your church can do for you; ask what you can do for your church.”
Consider the premise of this blog entry as expressed by its author following his quoting of the Lost Sheep Parable, which is found only in Luke’s Gospel: “…the Good Shepherd searches, the Good Shepherd finds, the Good Shepherd restores….”
Who is doing all the doing? The Good Shepherd? The lost sheep?
What is the price, what is the cost of being found?
What blessed Truth, what blessed God-given promises, what blessed hope does this metaphor-filled parable offer to the sinner…the sinner whose heart has “eyes to see and ears to hear”…the sinner who realizes he needs saving and is, therefore, willing to choose and accept “the Good Shepherd’s searching, finding, and restoring” of him.
…so…can you imagine Luke, perhaps more likely Paul, proclaiming, as did President Kennedy but modified more than did my pastor friend the original inauguration-speech comment to read: “Ask not what the Good Shepherd can do for you; ask what you can do for the Good Shepherd”?
Do you hear it?
Do you hear the reiteration of the same message to all three: to the citizens of the country, to the congregation of the church, and to the sheep of the Good Shepherd?
You hear it if you are “givers,” not just takers.
You hear it if you are “contributors,” not just “consumers.”
You hear it if you realize and are willing to accept, as fact, that the Good Shepherd’s “searching, finding, and restoring” comes with a price…that God’s gift of grace given unconditionally to each “lost sheep,” each sinner, requires the repentant and redeemed sheep and sinner, in true discipleship, to pay forward the gift of “amazing grace [so that those] who once were lost [can also be] found” in order that they can “make disciples and make a difference” in the lives of others.
You hear it if your gratitude for God’s gift of grace converts your heart from being one of a passive, “what’s in it for me” receiver to being one of an active, “how can I help” giver and sharer.
It is Dietrich Bonhoeffer whom, I believe, says it best, “Salvation is a free gift – but discipleship will cost you your life.”
Why?
…because the price of and the responsibility accompanying being “searched for, found, and restored” is the “picking up of your cross and the carrying of it.”
…”ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your county.”
…”ask not what your church can do for you; ask what you can do for your church.”
…”ask not what the Good Shepherd can do for you; ask what you can do for the Good Shepherd.”
Oh, how much better the world and all those living in it would be if each asked, “What can I do for my country; what can I do for my church; what can I do for the Good Shepherd?” and answered the question with the word, “serve.”
I know a pastor whose heart asked the Good Shepherd, “What can I do for You?” and heard with its “still, small voice” God’s command, “Go, and make disciples of all nations….”
He took a “leap of faith” and accepted the challenge.
…and now…Haiti and some around but all in the House of Hope are the sheep who, on behalf of the Good Shepherd, he is “searching for, finding, and restoring.”
He knows.
He knows the cost of being found.
He models the cost for others to see and likewise do.
He knows service is the answer to the question, “What can I do for You, Good Shepherd?”
Do you?
Do you know that the Good Shepherd gives to you so that you, too, in His name, will give to others in and by serving?
If you do, then God will say to you as He does to the pastor whom I know and who serves many others by “practicing what he preaches,” “Well done, My good and faithful servant.”
Believe it or not, one of the first thoughts running through my mind following several readings of this blog entry and several “thinkings” about the message expressed in this blog entry is the extremely famous, well-known, and often-quoted sentence proclaimed by President John F. Kennedy, as a challenge to the American people, in his inauguration speech: “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”
I know a pastor who, constantly and consistently and within a quiet demeanor emboldened by the quoting of selected scripture, reiterates, and, at times, practically pleads this Kennedy challenge to his congregation within a variety of different and relevant ways and on behalf of the Christ Who “came to serve and not to be served” by modifying the thought a smidgen so that it reads: “Ask not what your church can do for you; ask what you can do for your church.”
Consider the premise of this blog entry as expressed by its author following his quoting of the Lost Sheep Parable, which is found only in Luke’s Gospel: “…the Good Shepherd searches, the Good Shepherd finds, the Good Shepherd restores….”
Who is doing all the doing? The Good Shepherd? The lost sheep?
What is the price, what is the cost of being found?
What blessed Truth, what blessed God-given promises, what blessed hope does this metaphor-filled parable offer to the sinner…the sinner whose heart has “eyes to see and ears to hear”…the sinner who realizes he needs saving and is, therefore, willing to choose and accept “the Good Shepherd’s searching, finding, and restoring” of him.
…so…can you imagine Luke, perhaps more likely Paul, proclaiming, as did President Kennedy but modified more than did my pastor friend the original inauguration-speech comment to read: “Ask not what the Good Shepherd can do for you; ask what you can do for the Good Shepherd”?
Do you hear it?
Do you hear the reiteration of the same message to all three: to the citizens of the country, to the congregation of the church, and to the sheep of the Good Shepherd?
You hear it if you are “givers,” not just takers.
You hear it if you are “contributors,” not just “consumers.”
You hear it if you realize and are willing to accept, as fact, that the Good Shepherd’s “searching, finding, and restoring” comes with a price…that God’s gift of grace given unconditionally to each “lost sheep,” each sinner, requires the repentant and redeemed sheep and sinner, in true discipleship, to pay forward the gift of “amazing grace [so that those] who once were lost [can also be] found” in order that they can “make disciples and make a difference” in the lives of others.
You hear it if your gratitude for God’s gift of grace converts your heart from being one of a passive, “what’s in it for me” receiver to being one of an active, “how can I help” giver and sharer.
It is Dietrich Bonhoeffer whom, I believe, says it best, “Salvation is a free gift – but discipleship will cost you your life.”
Why?
…because the price of and the responsibility accompanying being “searched for, found, and restored” is the “picking up of your cross and the carrying of it.”
…”ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your county.”
…”ask not what your church can do for you; ask what you can do for your church.”
…”ask not what the Good Shepherd can do for you; ask what you can do for the Good Shepherd.”
Oh, how much better the world and all those living in it would be if each asked, “What can I do for my country; what can I do for my church; what can I do for the Good Shepherd?” and answered the question with the word, “serve.”
I know a pastor whose heart asked the Good Shepherd, “What can I do for You?” and heard with its “still, small voice” God’s command, “Go, and make disciples of all nations….”
He took a “leap of faith” and accepted the challenge.
…and now…Haiti and some around but all in the House of Hope are the sheep who, on behalf of the Good Shepherd, he is “searching for, finding, and restoring.”
He knows.
He knows the cost of being found.
He models the cost for others to see and likewise do.
He knows service is the answer to the question, “What can I do for You, Good Shepherd?”
Do you?
Do you know that the Good Shepherd gives to you so that you, too, in His name, will give to others in and by serving?
If you do, then God will say to you as He does to the pastor whom I know and who serves many others by “practicing what he preaches,” “Well done, My good and faithful servant.”