Matthew 18:11-14, Luke 15:4-7
Summary
Christ has come to save the lost.
The Parable
Matthew 18:11-14
“’For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.
“’What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.’”
Lesson
If we drift away from the truth, the Lord does look for us, to attempt to turn us back; He doesn’t desire for any of us to be lost, and as the Shepherd of the sheep, He isn’t derelict in His duty.
We have the example in Israel; how often God sought after them, speaking kindly to them to bring them to repentance. For as often as He declared tot hem their sin, yet He almost always held out His hand to them.