1. Interpretations
1.1. Early Church
1.1.1. The early church saw the shepard as the incarnations (God becoming a man) for seek out humanity.
1.1.2. The 99 were understood to be angles
1.2. Modern scholors
1.2.1. God and Christ seeking the lost
1.2.1.1. Ezekiel 34 is a dual oracle of judgment and salvation. It is an oracle of judgment on the shepherds and fat sheep who have oppressed the flock, and of salvation for the rest of the flock through the personal intervention of the Lord as their shepherd.
1.2.1.1.1. Ezekiel 34:6 (NLT) 6 They have wandered through all the mountains and all the hills, across the face of the earth, yet no one has gone to search for them.
1.2.1.1.2. Ezekiel 34:11 (NLT) 11 “For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will search and find my sheep.
1.2.1.1.3. Ezekiel 34:16 (NLT) 16 I will search for my lost ones who strayed away, and I will bring them safely home again. I will bandage the injured and strengthen the weak. But I will destroy those who are fat and powerful. I will feed them, yes—feed them justice!
1.2.1.1.4. Ezekiel 34:17 (NLT) 17 “And as for you, my flock, this is what the Sovereign LORD says to his people: I will judge between one animal of the flock and another, separating the sheep from the goats.
1.2.1.1.5. Ezekiel 34:20 (NLT) 20 “Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will surely judge between the fat sheep and the scrawny sheep.
1.2.1.1.6. Ezekiel 34:21 (NLT) 21 For you fat sheep pushed and butted and crowded my sick and hungry flock until you scattered them to distant lands.
1.2.2. The 99 are not lost
1.2.2.1. The parable does not speak to their condition other than they are not lost
1.2.2.2. The point is Jesus' attention and effort is focused on the lost
1.2.2.3. God is not passive, but actively seeking the lost
2. How does it apply to me
2.1. That his grace is to determine how we treat others should cause us to be caring and sensitive
2.2. We tend to know these truths abstractly, but they are not translated into practice either in how we view ourselves, in how we treat others, or in how we arrange church life.
2.2.1. That is why we are different in specific ways
2.2.1.1. Meet at a movie theater
2.2.1.2. VERY causial
2.2.1.3. 1 hour service
2.2.1.4. Best of all our slogan "Rock Church, Where you Belong before you believe"
2.2.1.5. We don't just say we are wanting to reach the lost, we Intentionally do things to specifically reach the loss.
2.2.1.5.1. Knowing that we are making ourselves less attractive to the 99/Christians
2.2.2. You don't have to change
2.2.2.1. To be part of our community
2.2.2.2. To belong
2.2.2.3. To be loved
2.2.3. It is God's job to change people.
2.2.3.1. Ours is to
2.2.3.1.1. Love Unconditionally
2.2.3.1.2. Communicate that love with tenderness wisdom in tact
2.2.3.1.3. Present and live the truth with a humble heart and a tear in our eye
2.2.3.2. God has involved us in his work of salvation. We are his representatives on earth
2.2.3.3. We don't beat sheep, we feed them
2.2.3.3.1. Feed
3. Unpacking
3.1. Jesus knows His sheep
3.1.1. Matthew 10:30 (NLT) 30 And the very hairs on your head are all numbered.
3.1.2. Psalm 139:1–5 (NLT) 1 O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. 2 You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. 3 You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. 4 You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD. 5 You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.
3.1.3. John 17:20 (NLT) 20 “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message.
3.2. Why does the Great Shepherd care so much for His sheep?
3.2.1. They are His. They are not in the care of a hired hand. He is seeking personally.
4. If you are wandering
4.1. His attention is focused on YOU!
4.2. He has been laying plans to reach YOU!
4.3. He lifts you unto his shoulders
4.3.1. When you are on His shoulders
4.3.1.1. Rest
4.3.1.2. Protection
4.3.1.3. Relationship
4.4. You are the source of His Great Joy
5. Message Video
6. Luke 15:3-15:7
6.1. Also found in Mt 18:12-14
6.2. The reason for the Parable 15:1-3
6.2.1. The Pharisees are faulting Jesus for associating with people they feel are terrible sinners
6.2.2. Luke 15:1 (NLT) 1 Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach.
6.2.3. Luke 15:2 (NLT) 2 This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!
6.2.4. Luke 15:3 (NLT) 3 So Jesus told them this story:
6.3. The story
6.3.1. The Search
6.3.1.1. Luke 15:4 (NLT) 4 “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it?
6.3.1.1.1. He knows the sheep, seeks the one with the black spot on his back left hoof
6.3.1.1.2. Has only one thing in his mind "my sheep is lost"
6.3.1.1.3. Sheep are
6.3.2. The Sighting
6.3.2.1. Luke 15:5 (NLT) 5 And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders.
6.3.3. The rejoicing
6.3.3.1. On earth because of a recovered sheep
6.3.3.1.1. Luke 15:6 (NLT) 6 When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’
6.3.3.2. In Heaven because of a repenting sinner
6.3.3.2.1. Luke 15:7 (NLT) 7 In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!
7. The "How much more?" tactic
7.1. Jesus heals on the sabbath
7.1.1. Matthew 12:10 (NLT) 10 where he noticed a man with a deformed hand. The Pharisees asked Jesus, “Does the law permit a person to work by healing on the Sabbath?” (They were hoping he would say yes, so they could bring charges against him.)
7.1.2. Matthew 12:11 (NLT) 11 And he answered, “If you had a sheep that fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you work to pull it out? Of course you would.
7.1.3. Matthew 12:12 (NLT) 12 And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Yes, the law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath.”
7.2. Lesser to greater
7.2.1. God's love is always more
7.2.1.1. Matthew 6:30 (NLT) 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?