Luke 15:3-5

Today and tomorrow we are going to talk about Jesus's parable of the lost sheep. Jesus spoke in parables a lot to the crowds because it helped Him get His point across. They were an agricultural and livestock community, so Jesus used what they knew to create and discuss God in parables. We just wrote about shepherds in the field when the angels announced His birth.

Jesus begins His story with a shepherd who has 100 sheep but 1 gets lost. From my research and hearing people talk about sheep, they aren’t very smart animals. They need to stay together and with their shepherd. They are vulnerable and easy targets for animals who tried to eat them. (It’s also not a coincidence that we are compared to sheep in the Bible.)

Shepherds love all of their sheep and do a fine job keeping an eye on them. But sometimes, one gets away from the fold. A shepherd will go searching and notice not ANGERILY yell at it as it walks back. He JOYFULLY carries it on his shoulders! The shepherd is happy to help and have the sheep back in the fold. God is like that too. He will joyfully carry us through the times when we walk away. You are never too far gone for Him!