Luke 15:4 - He Can or Will Bring You Home.
Luke 15:4 (NKJV) "What man of you, having a
hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not
leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go
after the one which is lost until he finds it?
INTRODUCTION
It may seem foolish for the shepherd to
leave 99 sheep to go search for just one. But the
shepherd knew that the 99 would be safe in the
sheepfold, whereas the lost sheep was in danger.
Because each sheep was of high value, the shepherd
knew that it was worthwhile to search diligently
for the lost one. God's love for the individual
is so great that he seeks out each one and
rejoices when he or she is found. Jesus associated
with sinners because he wanted to bring the lost
sheep -people considered beyond hope - the Good
News of God's Kingdom. Before you were a
believer, God sought you; and he is still seeking
those who are yet lost. [Life Application SB]
COMMENTARY PEARL
Perhaps you at one time knew the joy and
peace of being born into Gods family. You
tasted the complete happiness and satisfaction of
Christs presence with you, but you sinned. You went
out from the presence of Christ, and you have
found that it is night. Perhaps there is no
loneliness quite so bitter as the loneliness of
unrepentant sin.
There are thousands of lonely people who
carry heavy burdens of grief, anxiety, pain, and
disappointment; but the loneliest soul of all is the man
whose life is steeped in sin.
I beg you, come to the foot of the cross
and confess that you are a sinner; forsake your
sins. Christ can give you power to overcome every
sin and habit in your life. He can break the
ropes, fetters, and chains of sin; but you must
repent, confess, commit, and surrender yourself to
Him first. Right now it can be settled, and you
can know the peace, joy, and fellowship of
Christ.
How can the Lord help heal your
loneliness? [Peace for Each Day by Billy Graham]
COMMENTARY
Dangerously Alone
Alone.
I think weve all felt this way at some
point in our lives - whether its the result of
circumstances beyond our control or isolation of our own
choosing.
I remember an incredibly difficult season
in my life when I found myself pulling back
from everyone. Even my closest friend. She knew I
was going through a really hard time, but she
couldnt get me to talk about it.
I was slipping away from deep
conversations, making everything way more shallow than it
ever should have been between us. I texted
instead of calling. I made excuses for why we
couldnt connect.
And before I knew it, I woke up one day
feeling more alone than Id ever felt in my life.
I kept smiling and saying things like Im
fine. Everything is good. Doing well. But while
I was smiling on the outside, I was screaming
on the inside, God, where are You? Probably a
better question would have been, God, where have I
wandered off to?
This makes me think of Jesus parable
in Luke 15:1-7, where we find our key verse:
Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one
of them. Doesnt he leave the ninety-nine in
the open country and go after the lost sheep
until he finds it? (v. 4)
Have you ever wondered how that one sheep
got lost? Was he willfully disobedient? Did he
think, Man, I dont like the way this shepherd is
leading us; he cant be trusted, so Im out of
here.
I actually think it went more like this
He started eating some grass, and while
eating thought, Wow, this grass is pretty good. The
pleasure of immediately satisfying his desire got him
off track, and he found himself not paying
attention to the other sheep around him. And then
suddenly he looked up, and he was alone. He probably
had no idea he was off track. He may have been
out of sync with the others for a while, but he
really had no idea.
I have a feeling thats how we all get
lost sometimes. We find ourselves a little
discouraged or distracted, and we just start to subtly
slide away. We start sitting on the back row. We
miss a few weeks of church. We dont sign up
for the next small group study. We make excuses,
and then we find an exit. A way out. We take a
step, then another step, and then before long we
look up and wonder, How in the world did I get
here? And, Where are all the other sheep?
Thats exactly where the enemy wants us
- alone. Alone with our own tangled thoughts.
Alone with his whispered lies that start to sound
more and more like truths. Separated from the
very people who could speak courage into our deep
places, flirting with discouragement and defeat.
Separated from friends who could let us stand on their
faith when our own gets a little shaky.
The enemy knows if he can isolate us, he
can intimidate us. Confuse us. Deceive us. And
ultimately, make us believe the safer paths in life are
ones apart from God and our friends who serve
God.
Its such a dangerous place for us to
be.
Thats why Im so grateful God used
an unexpected conversation with a woman I
barely knew to reach me during that season. As she
shared her own faith journey, my heart was deeply
convicted. Id been so focused on my desires and
strategies for fixing things that Id lost sight of
my Good Shepherd with a good plan.
He gently reminded me, Lysa, I am
good. And My plan is good. Trust Me. Follow Me.
And reconnect with your friend who can speak My
good truth over you and your struggles.
After that, I didnt just get deeply
honest with my one friend I had pushed away. I
circled up with several trusted companions, and I
let truth build bridges to keep us connected in
the midst of the disappointments and heartbreaks
we were all facing.
Maybe youve found yourself completely
alone. Maybe youve wandered off course -
willfully, or slowly and steadily without even
realizing it.
Cry out to the Lord.
The Good Shepherd will come and find us
no matter how we get lost or how far we wander.
In the midst of our wilderness He pursues us,
calls out to us, brings us back to the fold and
lovingly takes back the lead in the journey. Because
He never intended for us to do this life
alone.
Dear Jesus, help me recognize when Im
starting to stray. I want to turn from the choices
that get me off course and follow You fully once
again. I need Your help. I need Your guidance. Hold
me close. Guide me. Im choosing today to
trust how You lead me. In Jesus Name, Amen. by
Lysa Terkeurst https://lysaterkeurst.com/
CLOSING THOUGHT
I get lost. A lot. Even when I use my
GPS, I often manage to take a wrong turn. My most
recent adventure landed me on a dirt logging road
blocked by a fallen tree, not quite sure where I
went wrong. And as I listened to Madam GPS, her
voice sounded the tiniest bit frustrated, as she
said, Recalculating.
There are times I get lost in my personal
life as well. Last month, I failed to follow
Jesuss directions on loving others, and as a
result, I almost allowed a friendship to die from
lack of attention. Without meaning to, Id hurt
someone and disappointed the Lord. Like my driving
blunders, it wasnt something Id set out to do.
Id just taken a wrong turn and wound up where I
shouldnt have.
The regret I felt was tremendous. But as
He carries me back to the fold, Im certain
that whatever sin Ive committed, whether
accidental or intentional, is forgiven. The moment I
repent, He erases it. As I sigh, grateful for the
Good Shepherds patience and love, I imagine
His relief in finding me. Hes as happy to
welcome me back as I am to return to the flock.
The longer I live in faith, the deeper
this understanding is driven into my heart. When
I walk close beside my Shepherd, Im less
likely to stray and become lost. But those times
when I do stray, Im so glad I can depend on
Jesus. by Heidi Gaul
Faith Step: Purchase a Bible and leave it
somewhere you think a lost soul might find it. Help
the Good Shepherd add another sheep to His
flock. [Mornings With Jesus 2020 Devotional by
Guideposts and Zondervan]
ONE LINER
Christianity is essentially a rescue
religion; it is the announcement of the good news that
God has come in the Person of His Son to save us
from the power of sin, the penalty of sin, and
one day in the future, the presence of sin.
[Every Day With Jesus Bible with Selwyn Hughes
devotional]
LINK TO THE WAY HOME
http://www.abible.com/salvation/
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
https://abible.com/links/
