12 “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13 And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14 So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.” (Matthew 18:11–14 (ESV)
I have always loved this well-known parable. The mental image of the shepherd searching and securing a lost lamb is striking in its imagery and comforting in its truth. More often than we care to think, we stray.
To be astray (πλανάω; planao) means to be misled, to be deceived, or to be deluded from the truth. The three sources of this deception are the world, our own remaining sinful nature and the devil. Thankfully, the LORD does not leave us in this condition but rescues us from danger (I Cor.10:13). He searches for each one who has been led astray.
When God the Father finds the lost lamb, He rejoices. To find (εὑρίσκω; heurisko) means to attain. The Father elect, seeks and preserves not only the church as a whole but also each individual. In this, the Father rejoices (χαίρω; chairo). He is glad.
“In close connection with the preceding verses we must conclude that what Jesus is asserting so very emphatically is that the Father in heaven is definitely interested in each of his sheep, yes, even in each of his wandering sheep. By sending his Son into the world he is rescuing sheep that have gone astray. In this the Father delights. See Luke 15:7, 20, 22–24. So does the Son. See Matt. 9:12, 13; Luke 19:10; John 10:11, 14. In this kind of work the disciples too should be engaged. See Matt. 9:36–10:1; John 4:35,” explains Dr. William Hendriksen.
“God’s “care extends itself to every particular member of the flock, even the lowest” (Matthew Henry). He shepherds His people, working to keep errant believers from finally perishing (Matt. 18:12–14). Since we are called to imitate God (Eph. 5:1), to some degree we all must minister to one another. Of course, the elders of the church are the primary shepherds of the Lord’s flock (1 Peter 5:1–5). Nevertheless, we must still bear the burdens of one another (Gal. 6:2) and love wandering brothers and sisters back into the fold. Oftentimes, we will not reach out to others who are stuck in sin or who have harmed us because we think they are beyond redemption. Such an attitude betrays an arrogance that believes we who live holy lives are more deserving of God’s love than others. Such an attitude is not the mark of our Father’s humble children, who alone will inherit the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 18:1–4),” states Dr. R. C. Sproul.
Seek to minister to a wayward lamb today.
Soli deo Gloria!
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